Madame President - Tara Sue Me Page 0,67
I hadn’t thought of before and I know the answer immediately. “No,” I tell him. “I don’t think we would have. We were on two separate paths. You were on your way to becoming a judge and I was headed toward fighting for human rights. I think we’d still be friends, or at least I hope we would be, but I don’t think we’d be together like this.”
“I’m not sure I could be friends with you in that case.”
He sounds so convinced, I lift my head, so I can see his face. “Why would you say something like that?”
He strokes my cheek. “Because every sight of you would remind me of what we could have had and my heart would grieve knowing I would never find it again with anyone else.”
“You couldn’t know that. It’s always possible the person you’re looking for is right around the corner.”
“But I do know it, Anna,” he says and is resolute.
I push myself up on my elbow. “What does that mean for us now?” My mind is spinning, trying to determine if he’s going to leave the Press Pool. I’ve always been adamant about remaining single, but already I’m thinking up ways to sneak him around. Ways for us to sneak around together.
“Anna.” He sits up, and pulls me with him. “Stop. I can see your mind working overtime trying to work everything out. For a few days, can we just be? Just enjoy what we have?”
“You make it sound so easy,” I tell him. “And it’s not. There are people—"
“Anna,” he says again, but with more force this time. “I mean it. If you feel the need to analyze this, I won’t stop you, but I’ll be damned if you’re going to worry over anything when you’re naked and in bed with me.”
I have to smile at how serious he sounds. “Is that a fact?”
“It is,” he says, his voice still as firm.
“Then I suggest you find a way to keep my mind otherwise occupied.” I run a finger down his chest and he sucks a breath in. “Think you can handle that?”
He lowers his head closer to me. “I suppose there’s only one way to find out,” he says, and then his lips are on mine and his hands are touching me, and once more he makes the rest of the world fade away.
The next day is Friday and there is a low level buzzing throughout my body the entire day. I think it’s both anticipation and my body telling me there is no way one night with Navin will ever be enough. His words whispered in the darkness echo in my head.
For a few days, can we just be? Just enjoy what we have?
I can no longer think of a reason to argue. So I don’t. While eating lunch at my desk during a spare ten minutes, I write him a quick note and give it to Nicole to deliver. With the knowledge I’ll be seeing Navin again soon, I finish my lunch, ready to face the rest of my day.
At twenty-five minutes after six, I’m finished for the day. I’m walking to the map room, when Oliver passes me with an escort. It’s been months since I’ve seen him.
“Oliver,” I say. “Where have you been? I haven’t seen you in ages.”
He flashes me a smile. “That’s because you’re slightly busy, Madame President, and David and I can’t invite you over for pizza like we used to.”
He’s right of course. “Then we’ll have to go about it a different way. The two of you look at a calendar and let me know what’s a good date, and I’ll have the two of you over.”
“It’s a date,” he says. “We’ll look this weekend.”
“Are you on your way to see him now?” I’m not sure I’ve ever known Oliver to visit David in the White House.
“Yes,” Oliver replies. “We’re supposed to meet some friends in Baltimore tonight and I need to make sure he gets off on time.”
“Smart move.” I nod in understanding. “He won’t be able to ignore you if you’re standing over him. I hope you guys have a great evening.”
We say goodbye and I hurry to the map room, not wanting to be late.
Of course, Navin is waiting for me when I step inside, but he’s used to me being a few minutes late. His dark eyes are sparkling with mischief and something else.
“When you told me you had something to show me, Madame President, old maps were not what