Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 17401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 87(@200wpm)___ 70(@250wpm)___ 58(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 87(@200wpm)___ 70(@250wpm)___ 58(@300wpm)
Then, I laid out a clean T-shirt for him on the bedside table in case he had to wake suddenly and realized he was only wearing pajama bottoms. I leaned over for a final kiss to his temple before turning off the light and walking out.
The agent on duty nodded at me as I walked past and made my way back to the staff room to take a seat and try to get some sleep while the president slept. Thankfully, no one, including the agent on duty, had looked at me funny. Everything seemed normal as I settled into my seat and fastened my seat belt.
President Ashley’s personal assistant leaned over from the seat next to me. “How’s he doing?”
Rosa Muran had been Garner’s assistant for almost fifteen years, ever since he was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives. She doted on him almost as much as I did, but her doting was public, while mine was very much not.
“He’s understandably upset by the losses,” I murmured. “He’ll have to call the families in a few hours.”
She nodded. “I have everything ready. When he gets up and starts his day, I’ll facilitate the calls with him.”
I reclined the seat and closed my eyes. Images of our time together kept me company as I forced myself to relax. Rosa’s comment reminded me how hectic Garner’s schedule would be as soon as we returned to the White House. Understandably, I would go back to being his silent shadow, only this time, I imagined there’d be an invisible live wire connecting us.
He would be too scared to go public with our relationship. I knew that for sure. But I wondered if he’d consider at least discussing options.
What would I do if he asked me to quit my job before we went public? He’d have to hire a new bodyman to take over my position, and where would that leave me? Finding time with the president was nearly impossible, even with his own closest advisors.
I couldn’t imagine how difficult it would be for a new boyfriend.
No. If given the option, I’d much rather continue to be his bodyman, take care of him night and day, and bide my time for three and a half more years until we could be together.
Perhaps snatched moments like the one we’d just experienced would tide me over…
CHAPTER TWENTY
GARNER
I slept deeply for several hours. When I woke up, I was surprised to feel utter calm acceptance of the change in my relationship with Kenan.
That wasn’t all I felt, of course. I also felt excitement, contentment, stark joy, and warm, eager hope.
I also felt confident that Kenan Harper was the man for me, which made the challenges inherent in our situation much easier to solve.
I wanted to be with him. Fully and permanently. The question was, how could I go about it without blowing up either of our lives or putting him in danger?
If he knew I was concerned about his safety, he’d call me out for it. He’d snap that I was the one who needed protecting, and protecting him wasn’t my job.
But he was wrong.
Commander Kenan Harper might be a tough, seasoned military man who’d never been the type to back down from a challenge. He might be physically intimidating and used to walking through the world unafraid. And he might—okay, he definitely would—be able to handle anything the media threw at him.
But Kenan was precious. He was loved. He was mine.
So protecting him wasn’t just my job; it was my privilege.
I showered and dressed before leaving my private quarters to meet with my press secretary and the rest of the senior staff. The agent outside of my room indicated everyone was gathered in the dining room preparing for breakfast even though it would be nearly midnight in DC when we landed in a couple of hours.
As I made my way downstairs, my body reminded me of my time in bed with Kenan. I wondered if I’d be able to be in the same room as him without making my feelings obvious. My sister had accused me of having a poker face in the past, but my feelings were so strong for Kenan Harper, no poker face on Earth would be able to hide them.
When I entered the dining room, I didn’t see him. My shoulders drooped in disappointment a split second before the hairs on my neck stood up.
“Mr. President,” his familiar deep murmur brushed against my ear as he moved beside me from where he’d been standing outside my line of sight.
“Commander.” I turned to meet his eye and angled my shoulders so no one else in the room could see my face.
Then I smiled at him, with as much knowing and loving as I possibly could.
His own eyes widened slightly before he schooled his expression. “Sleep well?”