“Er, an all-expenses paid trip to a fancy hotel in the mountains, organized by the president of the United States himself. Hell yes, she’s coming. I’m going to be drowning in grateful sex and blow jobs for the entire trip. I’m seriously setting a new bar in boyfriend standards here, you know?”
I shake my head, a smile playing on my lips. Lucky fucker. That is a giant perk when things like this happen. To be invited to a retreat with the other candidates by the president himself is a huge honor. Then to be able to take partners and treat the nights like your own private getaway is a bonus. During the day, we will be involved in conferences and press events. And there is a dinner being put on in the evening. But the partners can please themselves during the day. I wonder what Harley will choose to do with herself.
“Yeah, I’ll make sure I ask her about it. But I’m sure she’s free those days and she’ll be there.”
After our strict dating ban, she better be free. She’s mine.
For now.
It’s not long until the election, and the idea of what she might do after our agreement ends has me clenching my hands until my knuckles look like they might explode.
“Harley will be there,” I repeat, needing to hear the words for my own benefit as I crack my knuckles.
“I’ll be where?”
Our heads snap up and over to the open doorway where Harley is standing in a fitted pink dress that wraps around her body and hugs her curvy hips and ass tight. Her blonde hair falls around her shoulders in soft waves.
Fuck my life.
I’ve seen her wear the same dress once before, and I wanted to rip the damn thing open and bury my head between her thighs then. What makes it even sexier is that she literally has no idea how stunning she is. She doesn’t notice the looks she gets, the guys that step out into the street, cabs swerving to avoid them because they’re too distracted by staring at her.
But I do.
I notice every chancing prick who tries to eye-fuck her in broad daylight. And they know I’ve seen them. They fuckingknowI have seen them. But that’s only when I’m with her. The thought of all the times she’s out without me that it could be happening has me clearing my throat and fighting to stop my teeth from grinding together until only dust is left.
I stand from my seat and walk over to her, lowering my lips to her cheek, one hand curled around the back of her neck.
“Hey, Babe.” I kiss her soft skin and inhale her coconut scent that’s been warmed by the heat of her body.
She sucks in a small breath as I pull back. Her eyes dart from me to Stuart and back again, two lines funneling between her eyebrows.
“I love it!” Stuart gives us an impressed look. “No wonder the press is eating out of our fucking hand. You two are naturals. I even got a little hard there for a second with the fake sexual tension. Keep it up. It’s only working in our favor. Damn, I’m a fucking legend for having the idea.” He chuckles to himself as Harley gazes at me.
“I, um…” She looks back at Stuart, who is still reveling in his own deemed greatness. “I came to give you these. After yesterday and everything, I… well, I thought of you when I saw them, so…” Her smile is apprehensive as she looks up at me, lifting a small paper bag in her hand. I’m still standing as close to her as possible, my eyes fixed on hers.
“I was a jerk for storming off,” I say, lowering my voice, even though Stuart can still hear us if he wants to listen.
“No, you weren’t.” Her baby blue eyes widen before she squeezes them closed and shakes her head. “It was my fault. I was reading into things wrong, and being a fool, and… I’m sorry.” She opens her eyes and blinks up at me shyly. “Will you forgive me if I tell you I brought truce cookies?”
“I could eat a cookie,” Stuart pipes up.
Harley hands the bag to him and he pulls out an iced cookie in the shape of a…
“Is that a dog?” I stare at what I think is the tail before Stuart bites it off and chews, humming his approval.
“I tell you what it is,” he speaks through his mouthful. “What is it they say in England? Oh yeah… it’s the dog’s bollocks.”
Harley giggles, pressing her hand to her lips, and I watch as she illuminates the space around her. “It really is. You’re eating its butt.”
Stuart winks at her, and she turns to me, her giggle leaving her lips in a sigh as she smiles. “Friends again?”
I stare back at her as she holds her breath, her eyes fixed on mine. The pulse in her neck flutters against her skin, and this time, I don’t hold back. I reach up and touch it, stroking my thumb lightly over it and watching as a blush spreads up her neck and her lips part involuntarily.
She gazes at me as I hold her eyes with mine. My words come out as a low whisper, just for her, and she struggles to swallow upon hearing them.
“Friends again, Mrs. Walker.”
Chapter ten