by A. C. Grey
Hollander, however, was too pompous or too stupid to notice. “I did it for your own good. You don’t need to be getting involved with that woman right now. A scandal like this, if it got out, would ruin you. How do you even know you can trust her? Just because she’s got security clearance doesn’t mean she won’t go running to the tabloids the second your relationship goes sour. Just like all your other ones have. Crashed and burned.”
His harsh, but true words about her past relationships stung, but Kate ignored those feelings. His patronizing tone was more than enough to break Kate’s thin barrier of self-control. Her blue eyes were almost a steel gray, reflecting the absolute loathing she felt towards this man. “You listen to me, and you listen to me good,” she began, through clenched teeth. “I am the fucking President of the United States, Ron. I am smart. I am competent. I have plenty of common sense. Most important of all, I am a grown woman. I do not, I repeat do not, need a Goddamned babysitter. And I certainly did not hire you to be one.” She didn’t yell, but the venom in her voice was unmistakable.
“Ka . . . Madame President,” he began.
“I’m not finished, Ron,” she said in a clipped tone. “I hired you to help me make political decisions, not personal ones. I am more than capable of running my personal life and deciding what is best for me personally and for my career. If I choose to get involved with someone, it is because I want to be involved, and more importantly, because I trust them. I’m not naïve, Ron. You don’t get to where I’ve gotten if you are. I’m not gullible. And I trust Emmy Harris. I trust her with my life. And the fact that you would go behind my back, would fabricate lies that could potentially damage her career? That is absolutely unacceptable. I won’t have it.”
“I’m sorry that I’ve overstepped . . .” Ron interrupted.
Kate shook her head. “Let me finish. What you did last night, I can’t have that. I can’t have people around me who would even think of doing something like that without consulting me. I can’t trust you, Ron. You’re talented, but this is not the first time you’ve crossed a line, and the problem is, it keeps getting worse. So what I’m saying is . . . you’re fired. Please gather your things and get out of my sight. We’ll issue a press release tomorrow saying you want to spend more time with your family. Thank you for your service, but I can’t have this happening again.”
Hollander sat there in silence for a moment and Kate began to wonder if he was going to make a scene. Surprisingly, he finally nodded and stood. “Fair enough. Thank you for the opportunity, Madame President.” With that, he strode from the room.
Kate let out a deep sigh and dialed Emmy’s numbers again, to no avail. Frustrated, she realized there was only one thing to do. “Fazio?” She called out to Emmy’s replacement. “Tell whomever it is you need to tell that I need to go out. Find out where Agent Harris lives. We’re paying her a visit.”
Fazio looked nervous, but finally summoned the courage to respond. “But, ma’am . . . the President doesn’t just drop by at people’s houses . . .”
“She does now,” Kate said as she strode from the room to get changed into something a little less Presidential. She didn’t want to apologize to Emmy in a business suit.
* * * * *
Emmy was huddled up on her couch, phones turned off, surrounded by mountains of used tissues. She’d spent the better part of the day crying. It was partially because of the embarrassment and potential negative career ramifications that came with what Bell had told her. The majority of her sadness, her heartbreak really, however, came from the fact that Kate had decided that she didn’t want her. That Kate had clearly felt that their near kiss had been a mistake. That their budding relationship was over before it had even started. She realized that she was ridiculous. She felt as though her heart had been ripped from her chest and they hadn’t even had a single kiss, a single real date as a couple. Yet somehow, this hit her harder than any of her previous breakups, including, as much as she was ashamed to admit it, her marriage.
She was so lost in her thoughts, that she didn’t hear the knocking on her front door until the pounding became incessant. “Go away!” she shouted, not wanting to face anyone.
“Open up, Harris.” She could hear Julie’s voice through the door. Confused as to why Julie would be there, knowing that she was on duty, Emmy finally relented and went to the door. She opened it and her breath caught in her throat as she saw the Presidential motorcade sitting outside. No doubt her neighbors were going to wonder what the hell as up. After she opened up, Julie signaled to Fazio, who opened the limo door and escorted Kate up the path to Emmy’s door.
Kate looked Emmy directly in the eye and said, “can I come in, Emmaline? It’s important.”
Emmy simply nodded and stepped aside, allowing Kate to enter. She shut the door, leaving the other agents outside. Emmy was suddenly self-conscious, knowing she looked a mess from the crying. And the fact that she was in some rather dodgy pajama pants and a ratty old t-shirt didn’t help matters.
Kate got right to the point. “Emmaline. I need to explain. I didn’t have you transferred. It was Hollander. He did it behind my back, thinking I needed to be protected from my own unwise decisions, or what he thought were unwise. Suffice it to say that I am furious that he not only interfered with my personal life, but that he put your career in jeopardy. I’ve called Director Bell and straightened everything out. You’re back to work tomorrow and I’ve fired Hollander. I’m so, so sorry that you’ve been caught up in this mess.”
Emmy was speechless. She was surprised that the President had showed up at her door. She was stunned that Hollander would have the gall to go around Kate’s back. She was ecstatic that Kate hadn’t changed her mind . . . or had she? Kate had yet to say that she still wanted her, that last night hadn’t been a mistake. Emmy couldn’t help but worry just a little that maybe this had been a wakeup call for Kate, that she’d realized the potential risk a relationship could be. The fact that Kate had showed up at her house unannounced gave her hope, but she was still uncertain.
Finally, Emmy looked up into Kate’s eyes. “About last night . . . do you still . . . are you sure . . .” Emmy couldn’t quite form the words needed to ask Kate what she so desperately needed to know.
Kate moved closer to her. “I’m sure. You want proof? I wore these socks today, even though it’s May and not remotely close to Valentine’s Day. I was devastated when you weren’t there waiting for me this morning.” She kicked off her shoes to reveal a pair of red argyle socks with hearts all over them. “I think I’m falling for you, Emmaline.”
Emmy’s breath hitched in her throat. “I must look like a haggard mess. I’m all weepy and red and puffy. Let me go get cleaned up and then we can talk.”
Kate smiled and shook her head. “Emmalin, shut up.” With that, she crashed her lips to Emmy’s tracing the seam of Emmy’s lips with her tongue, seeking permission to deepen the embrace. Emmy groaned into Kate’s mouth as she snaked her arms around the blonde, pulling her ever closer into her body. Their tongues matched each other blow for blow as they battled for control. Kate tangled her hand through Emmy’s raven locks as their kiss reached a fever pitch. Finally, lungs screaming for air, they parted, resting their foreheads against one another.
Emmy smiled before recapturing Kate’s lips for a series of brief kisses. She pulled away slightly, arms still wrapped around the blonde. “I hope the world doesn’t come crashing down today, because right now, I’m seriously thinking about taking the President of the United States hostage.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Kate and Emmy continued their rather intense make out session for several minutes. Finally, Kate pulled away. Slightly breathless, she looked up into Emmy’s eyes. “As much as I really, really want to continue this, Emmaline, I have to get back. I may or may not have left the ambassador to Sweden waiting while I ran this little errand.” She smirked as she said this, and it warmed Emmy’s heart to know that Kate had put making things right with her ahead o
f the country’s foreign relations. It was so wrong . . . but damn . . . it was so right. Maybe not the most responsible thing for the President to do, but it was definitely hot.
“I understand, you’ve got a job to do. Go be awesome.” Emmy smiled as she leaned in and placed one last lingering kiss on Kate’s lips.
Kate nodded and headed to the door. Before leaving, she turned back to face Emmy. “Oh and Emmaline? Meet me at the White House tonight at seven. I owe you a real date, with no distractions.” She grinned, melting Emmy with her dimples before slipping out the front door.
Emmy couldn’t stop beaming as she collapsed onto the couch, a goofy mess of smiles and sighs. After a few minutes of reveling in the euphoria that came with her brief, but hot encounter with Kate, she got up to shower. She needed to get presentable for her date. She couldn’t help but grin at the thought. She had just made out with the President of the United States.
* * * * *
Kate was stuck in meetings for the better part of a day. She was struggling to focus. She knew she needed to focus on diplomacy, focus on playing the peacemaker, focus on complex economic and sociological issues. Instead, her thoughts continued to stray to a certain sexy federal agent who didn’t have to do anything more than just be in the room to send Kate into a frenzy. She was silently glad that Emmy was off today. She didn’t know how she’d survive a day with the woman in the same room – at least until she’d had a chance to put into action all of the dirty thoughts running through her head.
Kate was deep in conversation with the Speaker of the House and didn’t notice when Julie stepped out of the room. However, like some sort of unexplained radar, she immediately sensed when Emmy slipped into the place where Julie had been. She looked up, glancing at Emmy with a confused expression on her face.
She struggled to continue talking, stealing glances at the silent, beautiful woman across the room. “So . . . uh . . . as I was saying . . . this health care bill needs some work . . . ummm . . .” Kate lost her train of thought as she struggled to focus on anything but the slightly self-satisfied smirk playing across Emmy’s lips. Lips that not so long ago had been deliciously melded with her own.
The Speaker had noticed Kate’s distraction. “Madame President, are you okay? You seem a bit distracted.”
Kate blushed slightly and hoped the man hadn’t noticed. “I’m fine. Just getting a bit of a migraine. Do you mind if I step out for just a moment to grab some aspirin?”
“Sure,” he responded.
Kate slipped from the room, Emmy following her, as was protocol. Kate quickly slipped into a private bathroom across the hall and, after glancing to make sure no one was around, grabbed Emmy by the lapels of her suit jacket and pulled her in after her.
Kate slammed the door and instantly pressed Emmy against the nearest wall, taking Emmy’s lips with her own, plunging her tongue into the depths of the brunette’s mouth, invading, exploring, seeking . . . she didn’t know what. A low hum sounded in Emmy’s throat as she grabbed Kate by the hips and pulled them closer together, before shoving her leg between Kate’s thighs. This movement elicited a not-so-subtle moan from the President’s lips and Emmy was quite sure she’d never heard anything quite so arousing. Finally, somehow, an inkling of rather annoying sense crept into Kate’s brain and she pulled back, chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath.
“We have to stop. I have the Speaker . . . “ She said before Emmy cut her off with another deep kiss. Kate moaned and tunneled her hands through Emmy’s dark locks, savoring the unique taste of the other woman. She finally pulled away again, but Emmy simply moved her attentions to Kate’s jawline and neck, gently kissing any inch of exposed skin she could find. “Emmaline . . . “ Kate sighed in half-hearted protest. “Please.”
Reluctantly, Emmy pulled away, not wanting to cause Kate any real embarrassment.
Kate smiled weakly. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I started this by dragging you in here. I just wasn’t expecting to see you until tonight.”
Emmy smiled. “Julie wasn’t feeling well, so they asked me to cover the rest of her shift.”
Kate nodded and exhaled deeply. “Okay. Somehow, I’m going to have to get through these meetings without thinking about tearing your clothes off. It’s going to be hard, but I’m not the President of the United States for nothing. I’m used to high pressure, intense situations. I got this.”
Emmy smiled at Kate’s pep talk to herself. It was adorable to see this normally confident woman so flustered. Kate smoothed out her clothes as best as possible and returned to her meeting, hoping beyond hope that no one noticed the newly flushed color of her skin.
Somehow, though she wasn’t quite sure how, Kate managed to get through the rest of her meetings without further stutters or embarrassments. However, she spent the entire afternoon in a perpetual state of arousal, just the feeling of Emmy’s eyes on her keeping her entire body on edge. She let out a giant sigh of relief as the last meeting ended. Emmy’s shift had ended a few minutes before and she’d slipped Kate a note saying that she was running to her car to grab a change of clothes. Kate headed to her personal living space, eager to get changed into something less formal.
* * * * *
As Emmy headed to meet Kate, bag of clothes slung over her shoulder, she couldn’t help but grin. This day, which had started out so horribly, was shaping up to be amazing. She was on her way to getting what she’d only dreamt about before. A chance at something . . . a relationship maybe . . . with what she was pretty sure was the woman of her dreams. Emmy’s grin slowly slid off her face, however, as she noticed her roommate standing outside of Kate’s bedroom door, a pleased smirk on her face. Emmy groaned inwardly, knowing she was about to get a giant dose of snarky Manning-isms.
“Hey Harris. So how’s the state of your union? Are you about to make Lincoln wish that bedroom was never named after him? Are you going to secretly service each other? Is she going to make you hail to the chief?”
“Val . . .” Emmy protested. “Please. Enough with the bad jokes. They don’t even make sense.”
“But they still sound dirty,” Val laughed as Emmy rolled her eyes and knocked on the door.
After hearing a muffled “come in” from the other side of the door, Emmy entered, trying to ignore Val’s snickering.
Emmy stopped in her tracks as she took in the surprising, but adorable sight before her. Kate was sitting on the bed, wearing jeans and a simple pink V-neck sweater, lacing up a pair of pink Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers. She was so used to seeing Kate all formal, power suit and heels that she was taken aback by her casual look. Emmy had thought the neatly tailored suits Kate wore were sexy. This look, with just a bit of childish flair from the shoes, was hot. Beyond hot. She struggled to find words as Kate smiled up at her. “Um . . . hi,” she finally rasped.
“Hi yourself, Emmaline,” Kate grinned, flashing Emmy her trademark dimples.
She stood and made her way over to Emmy, snaking her arms under the brunette’s suit jacket before capturing her mouth in a lingering kiss. Kate’s hands roved before she suddenly pulled back, removing Emmy’s jacket and dropping it to the floor. She slowly traced her hand over the holster at Emmy’s hip, gently kissing at the skin just below her ear, breath tickling her sensitive skin. “Have I ever told you how absolutely fucking sexy it is that you have a gun, Emmaline. So strong . . . so powerful . . . so in control . . .” She whispered against Emmy’s raven hair as her fingers nimbly stroked across the butt of the gun, before roaming downwards to play across Emmy’s rear. Emmy’s breathing became ragged as Kate talked seductively, hands exploring every inch of her body. However, just as suddenly as she’d begun, Kate pulled away and strolled across the room, putting distance between them.
“As much as I’d like to just take you in my arms and have my way with you right now, Emmaline, we’re not going to do that.”
“We’re not?” Emmy asked, a little let down.
Kate shook her head and chuckled. “N
ot yet anyway. I don’t want this to just be about the sex. Trust me, I want the sex. I want it badly. But first, we’re going to get to know one another. We’re going to date. I’m going to woo you.”
“Woo me? What century are we living in?” Emmy grumbled.
Kate chuckled, loving the put out look on Emmy’s face – it was adorable. “I was raised to treat a lady right and that’s what I intend to do. Now go get changed. We’re going bowling.”
Emmy raised an eyebrow. “Bowling?”
Kate nodded. “Yes. President Nixon had a bowling alley installed in the basement. I figure it’s easier if we just hang out here, if that’s okay.”
Emmy smiled. “It’s perfect.” She grabbed her bag and headed to the bathroom to change, knowing that if she changed in front of Kate, there was a very good chance the only rolling they’d be doing that night would be in Kate’s bed. And as much as she hated to admit it, Kate was right. They needed to slow down.
