by A. C. Grey
The press had caught on that something was going on . . . they’d just gotten the facts wrong. Not surprising, given that Kate had admitted that she was seeing someone. And since no one seemed to suspect that she was gay, they’d jumped to the wrong conclusions . . . or at least conclusions about the wrong agent. Little did they know how close they’d gotten to the truth.
Emmy didn’t know how to react. There was small, selfish part of her that would have been relieved to have been found out – to not have to hide her love for this amazing woman anymore. However, for Kate’s sake, she was glad they’d been spared a very public outing. If and when their relationship was made public, Emmy wanted it to be on Kate’s terms. When Kate was ready. When it made sense for her both personally and professionally. As hard as it would be to wait, Emmy knew it was the right thing to do. With practically any other person, she’d have resisted hiding. But, well . . . Kate was the President. To say that complicated things would be an understatement.
Kate finally broke the silence. “This is ridiculous. They think I’m dating Agent Parker?” She chuckled nervously as she ran a hand through her hair.
“Apparently so,” Beth responded. “The question is what do you intend to do about it?”
“Well, we have to make clear that nothing is going on between Parker and I.” Kate paused as a moment of panic hit her. She looked at Emmy. “You do know that there’s nothing going on, right? I’d never . . .”
Emmy smiled reassuringly as she cut off her girlfriend. “Of course not, Kate. Don’t worry about it. I know you’d never do something like that.”
Kate nodded as she let out a sigh of relief. “Sorry. Momentary panic there. Despite the fact that I’ve been in the public eye for years, this is the first time something like this has happened.” Kate turned to Beth. “So we issue a statement stating that the media got it wrong, that those pictures were taken out of context.”
Beth nodded.
Emmy was about to chime in when a familiar voice sounded from behind them.
“Are you sure that’s what you want to do? Maybe it’s better to let them believe what they want to believe about us. Let them think we’re an item for a while.” The three women looked over to the door to see Phil walking towards them.
“I had Agent Parker summoned, figuring he should be here since he’s been tangled up in this mess,” Beth explained.
“You’re suggesting we let the press get away with baseless gossip?” Kate asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest, clearly not amused.
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Let the vultures think they’re getting what they want. We’re both adults. No one else, save Emmy, is involved. You get some cover, a red herring for those bastards to chase for a while. It’ll give you two some relief from the prying eyes. If they think they’ve figured out your love life, they’ll stop looking so hard. Make sure we get caught in front of the cameras now and again and then after a decent while, we break up.”
Kate thought about it for a moment before turning to Emmy. “What do you think about all this?”
Emmy shrugged. “Maybe Phil has a point.” Emmy turned to her friend. “You’re sure about this? You’re really willing to do this? For us? It’s a lot to ask.”
He nodded. “I’m single. No one gets hurt. There are no expectations of anything more. Plus, when we stage a break up at some point down the road, I’m sure my status, as the President’s ex, will help me bag chicks.” He winked at her.
Emmy rolled her eyes, but smiled. She knew that despite the lady’s man façade, Phil was a decent guy. And she knew that there was really only one “chick” he was interested in “bagging” – Julie. She knew he was doing this for her, as her friend. He was putting himself out there, with all the attendant media scrutiny, to protect her. To give her some privacy. To help give her relationship with Kate a chance, out of the spotlight. And Emmy loved him for it.
Emmy looked at Kate, who didn’t seem convinced. “What could it hurt? We get some relief from the media pressure. As long as Phil’s okay with it – and he is – I don’t see the harm.”
Kate pondered the idea for a moment. It made sense, logically. However, her heart was screaming no. She longed to just throw caution to the wind, to yell from the rooftops that Emmy Harris was her woman and that she was proud of it. That she loved her with her entire being. But she was stuck. This damn presidency. It was all she’d ever wanted, all she’d ever worked for. And now. It was no longer her dream. It was a curse. She couldn’t do this. She couldn’t live a lie. She shook her head, before responding. “I don’t like it. It feels dishonest. Pretending to be something I’m not.”
Beth cut in. “With all due respect, Kate, isn’t this very similar to what you do when you go out on dates with men that you have no romantic interest in, just to keep the press off your back? The only difference here is that we have control over the situation, since Phil is in on it. Assuming you’re not ready to come out, it really is the perfect cover. I’m not suggesting you stay in the closet forever, but this buys us some time to figure out when the right time is – be it in a month, at the end of your Presidency, whenever.”
“I don’t know . . .” Kate began. “You have a point, Beth, but it doesn’t feel right. Maybe it’s just time I be honest about myself.”
Emmy laid a reassuring hand on Kate’s arm. “Kate. I agree – I wish more than anything we could live our lives, our whole lives, out in the open with no fear of judgment or reprisals. And hopefully one day soon that will happen. I want nothing more than to be able to hold your hand in public, to kiss you, to let everyone see how special you are to me, but we’ve got to be realistic. If you were anyone else, the last thing I’d be doing would be encouraging you to hide your true self – it’s not healthy. And I’m not suggesting you do it forever. Just suggesting a little patience while we figure out the best strategy. Is it the worst thing in the world to take advantage of the opportunity Phil has so kindly offered to us, at least for a little while? When you come out, it needs to be on your terms – not just because this unexpected development is forcing your hand. I’m not saying you marry Phil or anything. Just use this as a reprieve for a little bit. A delay tactic.”
Kate nodded and sighed as Emmy’s words soaked in. She still struggled with the urge to just say to hell with her political career. To put herself first for once. But her father had raised her better than that. Country came first. And that involved making personal sacrifices. “Okay . . .” She finally managed.
* * * * *
Over the next few weeks, they managed to let the press “catch” Kate and Phil together a few times. They were never overly affectionate. A hug here, a touch there. Enough to keep them off the trail of what was actually going on.
Kate increasingly felt the stress of it. She couldn’t figure out quite why. She’d allowed herself to be set up on staged dates many times in the past. What was different now? Why was her self-imposed “closet” suddenly feeling so stifling? But then it hit her. Love. She had never really been in love before, at least as deeply as she felt with Emmaline. She was so incredibly happy. So beyond happy. And she wanted, no needed to share that happiness with the world. As exciting as a forbidden affair could be, with all its stolen glances, secret embraces, and whatnot, what she longed for more than anything was simply a normal, mundane life with Emmy. One where there was no need to charades, no need for hiding.
A million times, Kate almost picked up the phone and told Beth to schedule a press conference to finally come clean. However, Kate knew, as much as it pained her, that she had responsibilities to more than just herself. She had a responsibility, a duty even, to the gay community, to make sure she did this in the right way. Her only problem was, she had no idea what the “right way” was. Was it worse that she was hiding her true sexuality? Or would she do more damage by coming out now, giving all of her political opponents more ammunition to attack her? Could she do more as a “straight” advocate for gay rights, as someone appeari
ng not to have a personal interest in the outcome? She didn’t know, and she’d lost a lot of sleep over the issue.
* * * * *
Kate was hunched over her desk, studying a memo one of her aides had written on a proposed Senate Bill. She was tired and cranky and the last thing she wanted to be doing was reading the damn thing. She sensed Emmy’s presence before she actually looked up to see her girlfriend smiling at her.
“You look stressed.” Emmy said, reaching down to gently caress Kate’s cheek.
Kate closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Emmy’s skin, nodding in agreement. “Yeah. Day from hell.”
“Are you almost done? Because I’ve got a date planned.”
Kate smiled. It was amazing how quickly Emmy could change a bad day into a good one, just by being there, just by smiling. “Yeah, this damn memo can wait until the morning,” she said she stood, rounding the desk and taking Emmy in her arms. “So what are we doing on this date?”
“That’s a surprise.” Go get changed into something more comfortable. I’ll wait for you here.”
After she’d changed, Emmy led Kate outside, to the White House Rose Garden. As they made their way to a secluded spot amongst the hedges, Kate gasped as she saw a blanket set out, complete with picnic items and candles. She turned to Emmy in shock. “You did all this?”
Emmy nodded. “I figured we could have a picnic. It’s such a nice night. And since it’s on the White House grounds, we can have fun without worrying that we’ll get caught.”
Kate grinned and placed a quick kiss on Emmy’s lips. “Thank you. This is amazing. Now let’s eat. I’m starving.” Emmy chuckled as Kate grabbed her hand and led them to the blanket.
After they enjoyed the food, they laid back, gazing at the stars in each other’s arms. Kate snuggled up to Emmy before letting out a sigh.
“What?” Emmy asked.
“What do you mean, what?” Kate asked in return.
“Why did you sigh? Something on your mind?”
Kate laughed. “Emmaline. I’m the President. Something, a million things, are always on my mind.” She wasn’t ready to let Emmy know that the whole Phil charade was weighing on her, that she was tired of living a lie. The night was too perfect to ruin with such seriousness.
“You seem stressed.” Emmy added.
“Maybe a little.” Kate admitted.
“Roll over. I’ll give you a massage.” Emmy suggested.
Kate complied, not willing to give up any chance of having Emmy’s hands on her body.
She let out a slow groan as Emmy’s strong hands worked their magic over her back, before snaking their way under her shirt. Kate closed her eyes, reveling in the sensation of Emmy’s skin against her own, kneading all of the knots, all of the worries away. Just the touch of Emmy’s hands took her breath away. Everything about this woman left her breathless, speechless, in awe.
Unable to take it any longer, Kate flipped them over, taking Emmy by surprise before pinning her to the ground. Kate attacked Emmy’s lips with her own. She slowly traced her tongue along the seam of Emmy’s lips before entering her mouth, their tongues dancing together. Kate took Emmy’s lower lip between her own, gently sucking and nibbling, eliciting a low moan from her girlfriend. In response, Emmy lifted her hips, seeking contact with Kate’s leg, desperately needing, already, the friction she’d find there. Complying, Kate pressed her thigh between Emmy’s legs, causing another stream of guttural sounds to escape from the brunette’s lips.
Emmy rolled them over so that she was on top. She suckled at Kate’s neck, smiling as she left was she was certain would be a hickey. There was something incredibly sexy about marking her territory so to speak. Yes, she had just let the world know, this woman, the President of the United States, was hers.
Emmy slid her hand down Kate’s body, wasting no time unbuttoning her pants and plunging her hand into Kate’s heated panties. Just then, an uncomfortable cough came from a few feet away. They looked up to see Beth standing there, trying her best to look away from the pair.
Emmy rolled off of Kate and groaned.
“Uh . . . Beth?” Kate said uncomfortably.
“We’ve got a situation.” Beth said.
“Not North Korea again? Emmy’s going to kill them.” Kate said, half-joking.
Beth shook her head. “This is a situation of a more . . . how should I put this . . . delicate nature.”
“Out with it Beth.” Kate said, frustrated in more ways than one.
“We just had a phone call . . . From Ron Hollander.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Kate sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “This can’t be good,” she muttered as she sat up. Looking at Emmy, she smiled wanly. “Wait for me here? Hopefully this won’t take long. I want to get back to him quickly, see what he wants.”
Emmy gave Kate a concerned look as she nodded. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you? Moral support or something?”
Kate shook her head. “You stay here, relax. It might turn out to be nothing, or something not related to you and me as a couple.” Kate could tell Emmy didn’t believe that for a second. And frankly, neither did she. She attempted a smile. “Seriously. You wait here, enjoy this gorgeous evening. I’ll be back in no time.” She leaned over and stopped Emmy’s further protests with a kiss before standing up and following Beth inside.
Emmy sighed and threw a frustrated arm across her forehead as she gazed up at the night sky. Despite what Kate had said, they both knew Hollander too well to really think he meant no harm. Frankly, ever since Kate had fired him, Emmy had been holding her breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He didn’t seem like the type to take his dismissal lying down. But he’d waited just long enough to lull them into a false sense of security. Damn him. Damn the public eye. Damn Kate’s presidency. Damn the judgmental people out there. Emmy let out another sigh as she struggled to quell her worry, her doubts, her anger, and her frustration. Overall, she was happy with the cards she’d been dealt. But sometimes fate was a bitch.
* * * * *
“So what exactly did he say?” Kate asked as she followed Beth back to the Oval Office.
Beth looked grim. “Just that he had a business proposition that he wanted to discuss with you.”
Kate sighed. “That sounds like blackmail if I ever heard it.”
Beth nodded. “My thoughts exactly. Presumably, this is about outing you. And maybe your relationship with Harris, though apart from the fact that she’s a woman, I don’t really see that as being something the public cares about. They’ve adjusted to your ‘relationship’ with Parker well enough.”
Kate nodded, taking in what Beth had said.
Beth continued. “I think you should seriously think through how you want to respond before you call him. Be prepared, so you can keep emotions out of the equation. Stick to a game plan. That way, you don’t run the risk of saying or doing something stupid in the heat of the moment.”
“I don’t do stupid,” Kate said as she cut her off. After a pause, she continued. “Sorry. That came out a little harsh. And it’s not entirely true. I did do one stupid thing. One damned stupid thing. Hiring Ron Hollander. Biggest fucking mistake of my life.” Kate said as she sat down behind her desk. She silently wondered, however, if the bigger mistake was compromising her own personal happiness for political gain. If she hadn’t wanted to serve her country . . . She quickly shook those thoughts out of her head, recalling the love of country her father had raised her with. There were things more important than her own personal needs. Or something . . .
Beth took a minute to respond, a bit taken aback, unused to hearing the President swear. And the steady look of anger and determination on Kate’s face was enough to send most grown men cowering. Beth took a breath and proceeded despite this. “So the question is, how do you want to remedy that mistake – hiring Hollander. What’s the plan?”
“What do you think I should do?” Kate asked. Her gut was telling her to go tel
l Hollander to go stick it where the sun don’t shine. However, beneath her roiling emotions, her rational self was warning her to take a step back, take a breath, and listen to her advisor. Get a logical, unemotional, outsider’s perspective.
Beth paused, mulling her answer for a few moments before responding. “Honestly, I don’t know. If he doesn’t have anything on you . . . he doesn’t, does he?”
Kate shrugged and sighed. “I honestly don’t know. Not that I know of. But I did trust him. He was around me at the very beginning of my relationship with Emmy. He might have something. Who knows?”
“Well, assuming he has no concrete evidence, I say we call his bluff. You’ve been careful enough over the years that if he does go to the press, we can paint him as a disgruntled former employee.”
“And if he does have proof?” Kate asked, swallowing hard at the thought.
