Heat rushes to my cheeks and I look down into my coffee hoping Katy doesn’t notice because the truth is that I’ve had a crush on Senator Joseph Mellon for ages. Yes, he’s older but he’s also movie-star handsome with his silvering hair, patrician features, and sharply cut suits. Chills run down my spine because Katy doesn’t know it, but Senator Mellon and I shared a kiss not so long ago. It happened when he came to our dorm unexpectedly, and she wasn’t there. Things heated up, and soon I was in Senator Mellon’s embrace. It was taboo, forbidden, and also incredibly steamy as he possessed me, making me melt in those strong arms. But I never heard from him again, probably because there’s a vast age gap between us.
Still, just remembering the illicit kiss we shared makes me squirm in my seat. My thighs already feel damp and my cheeks are hot. Can Katy tell? I sneak a look at her, but fortunately, she’s blowing kisses at her son, so thankfully not. I perk up.
“Well, I’m not sure,” I hedge. “Why would your dad even hire me? I mean, I’m studying visual arts, and that isn’t exactly the perfect segue into politics.”
Katy rolls her eyes and merely jiggles her baby again.
“Girlfriend, who cares? Don’t forget, I was also a visual arts major last year when I interned for my dad.”
I roll my eyes.
“Yeah, but you’re his daughter, and I think it’s safe to say that that makes our situations a little different. He was probably thrilled you wanted to work with him!”
Katy snorts in a very unladylike manner which makes her baby giggle. “Yeah, right. It’s more like I had to twist Joseph’s arm to get the internship because he knew I’m not interested in politics. I just wanted to see more of Brad,” she says with a sly look.
I giggle. “OMG, you’re so bad!”
She laughs too and shrugs.
“Yeah, but it worked! I seduced his chief of staff, and now I’m married with a baby, so everything turned out fine. But seriously, girlfriend, I’ll tell my dad’s office to give you a call. Brad’s not there anymore, but there are a lot of people I can touch base with.”
I nod, a bit overwhelmed.
“Thanks, Katy.”
“Anytime. Just promise to babysit for me sometime in the next month, okay? Brad and I really want to have a romantic date, and babysitters in Manhattan can be so unreliable. I really need some from my husband,” she hints with a meaningful look.
I stare at her.
“Please at least tell me that you’re going to leave the house. That it won’t be you and Brad moaning in the master bedroom while I look after little Henry in the living room.”
She giggles, but my friend isn’t even embarrassed.
“I promise we’ll get a hotel room so you don’t have to listen to our soundtrack of ecstasy,” she laughs. “Although it would be really melodious.”
“And really embarrassing!” I interject. With that, we both giggle once more and gather our stuff to leave. Once she’s got her baby in the stroller, a diaper bag hanging from the back, and her sunhat on, Katy turns back to me for one last hug.
“Keep your phone on, girlfriend,” she directs. “My dad is going to come calling.”
Then with a merry wave, my friend strolls down the street as I turn away, hiding my reddened cheeks. Holy crap! I might have an internship with the Senator soon. But if I start working in his office, will it be awkward, seeing that we’ve shared an intimate moment? His handsome features pop into my mind and I bite my lip, growing hot once more. I wonder if Senator Mellon has a girlfriend?
Then I force myself to get real. Joseph Mellon is a busy politician who travels a lot, so maybe I won’t even see him during my internship. Besides, why would he be interested in someone like me? I’m just a curvy brunette with a too-big butt, so-so features and no realistic job prospects. Shaking my head, I slowly walk back to my dorm. Clearly, I need to focus on making the most of this internship opportunity, and yet, all that consumes my mind is the memory of the Senator’s lips crushed to mine.
2
Emma
* * *
My heart races as I look up at the huge office building before me. It’s been two weeks since Katy made the call that helped me get this interview, but I still haven’t been able to work through all my nerves. The building in front of me isn’t helping much either. It’s got to be at least sixty stories tall, and extremely corporate looking, with a polished lobby and people in gray suits scurrying about like worker bees. Hell, even their skin is gray when I look more closely.
Plus, once inside I have to go through a metal detector, and show my ID to a stern-looking security guard. I guess they don’t play around with the security of the tenants in this building, seeing that at least one of them is a state politician.