Glancing at her watch, she realized she was supposed to be halfway across town by now. Closing her eyes, Donna sighed, wondering what was taking the elevator so long. She had been at the Los Angeles campaign headquarters since six that morning, and she had a man waiting for her with 8:00 dinner reservations. She'd called an hour earlier to tell him she was stuck, that maybe they should just take a rain check, but he'd insisted on waiting. "You need a break," he'd said. "We all do." And that was true. And she did like him. So why are you trying to get out of your very first date? she asked herself – pointlessly, because she knew the answer. He wasn't –

"Josh!" Her heart jumped violently at the sudden appearance of the man she wasn't going to dinner with.

"Hey," he said wearily, "I didn't realize you were still here."

"I thought you left with the Congressman three hours ago."

"Yeah, we had the council meeting. Just stopped by to pick up some files on my way back to the hotel."

"How was the meeting?" she asked as they stepped into the elevator, still trying to calm her nerves.

"Fine. No surprises. What are you still doing here?"

"Trying to get caught up for the press conference Monday."

Josh nodded, leaning his head back against the elevator wall. "Long day," he said, looking at her in a way that made her pulse pick back up again. Damn him.

"You wanna grab something to eat?" he asked, as casually as he could, looking first at the floor, then up at her through the corners of his eyes.

Just as casually, she declined. "I'd love to, but I actually have plans tonight."

"A date?" His head shot up, and he was looking her squarely in the face now.

"Something like that."

He seemed to ponder this for a few seconds. "Cancel."

She looked up, truly astonished, but all the justifiably indignant remarks she might have made died on her lips when she saw his face. He was looking at her as honestly as he ever had, and right away she understood that he was asking her to make a choice about much more than dinner. Their eyes were locked now, and she felt her mouth go dry. "You must really be hungry," she said, barely breathing.

"I am." His voice was low and husky; his eyes wouldn't let go of hers.

Donna reached her cell phone without looking and broke away from Josh's gaze only to dial the number. Bram answered on the first ring. "Hi," she said, her voice already taking on an apologetic tone.

The elevator doors opened, and she heard his answering "hello" both through the phone line and from six feet away, where he stood leaning against a chair in the lobby. He grinned slyly and flipped his phone shut as Donna stepped towards him. She saw his shoulders stiffen almost imperceptibly when he caught sight of Josh, but that was nothing compared to the change in Josh's face when he realized her date had come for her. And that her date was Bram. He smiled at the younger man, but she could feel him withdraw from her instantly and completely.

"I thought I might have to drag her away from her desk," Bram said, looking at Josh, attempting to lighten what felt like a strangely heavy atmosphere. "I keep telling her she needs to have some fun."

"Good luck," Josh said, walking quickly toward the door. "Democrats don't usually get very far."

Donna simultaneously felt her cheeks flush hot pink and her blood run cold. Josh Lyman could go to hell.