Page 44 of Power
“I’m terrified that once this gets out, my photo along with my name, her name, and probably her school will be splashed across every news outlet in the country. That’s too much for Emily to handle.”
“Yes, it’s a lot, but if it becomes challenging for her, we can have her homeschooled.”
“No.” I shake my head. “You don’t make decisions about my daughter. We’re not there yet, Bennett.” I pick at my food, suddenly not as hungry as I was when Bennett woke me. He smiles at me broadly. “What?”
“You said yet. You said we’re not there yet, which means you feel like I do.” He clicks his tongue to the roof of his mouth. “But I do want to ask you about Emily.” I pick my toast up and nibble on the corner waiting for the question I’m sure he’s going to ask. “You were fifteen.”
“I was fifteen when I became pregnant with her, yes.” My body tenses as I wait for more questions.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” I shake my head. “No, I don’t, Bennett. It was a horrible and difficult time of my life.” I notice his right-hand flex into a closed fist. I lower my gaze to stare at the table filled with food. I wet my lips, ready to tell him my story when there’s a knock on the door.
“Fuck,” he grumbles as he exhales loudly.
“Mr. President.” Some guy walks in and looks to Bennett. “Ma’am,” the guy greets me with a crisp tone and a nod.
“Jamie?”
“Sir, Liam needs you.”
“Give me a moment.”
“Yes, sir.” Jamie closes the door behind him, giving us our final moments of privacy before Bennett has to leave.
“I have to go, but I want to continue this conversation.”
“I’m going to go home, but obviously, I can’t walk out like this.” I look to his shirt and boxer briefs.
“I want you to stay until I return later. If you need anything...” He stands and pushes his chair in.
“No, I’m not going to sit around and wait for you. It’s unfair to me, and you’ll be distracted. I’m going to go home, and we’ll see what happens later.”
“You’ll return,” he says with adamant control.
“Maybe.” I try to smile, but my face hurts. “I need my own bed.”
Bennett looks toward the closed door to his bedroom. “My bed is perfectly comfortable.”
“You have a country to run, and I’m going home.”
He walks over to me, places his finger under my chin and tips my head. Leaning down, Bennett gently kisses my lips. He pulls back and squats in front of me. “Tomorrow, I’ll have Grayson bring you here.”
I place my hands on his forearms and grip them, feeling the delicious tension of his muscles. “Sunday night, I’ll come over. I need tomorrow to myself so I can process...everything.”
“Friday Emily returns from school.” I nod, confirming that’s exactly what happens and why I’m unavailable until Sunday. My hands slide down his arms as he stands, but he manages to link our fingers together. “Okay then.” He kisses me on the top of the head and steps backward, breaking our connection. “I have to go.”
“I understand.” I watch him step backward slowly, not wanting to go.
He smiles at me and looks at all the food. “I’m sorry we haven’t been able to eat a meal together yet.”
“I told you, I understand.”
For a brief second, he pauses, and an unexplainable flicker of something passes between us.
He takes a deep breath and smiles. “I have to go,” he repeats. His words hold a certain amount of regret. He opens the door and walks out the room, though it’s obvious there’s a great deal of hesitation in his steps.
Although I know we’re going to have to talk about my past, and Emily, I’m not ready to open up to him about that.
Not yet.
