Power Switch (Power Play #3) - Kennedy L. Mitchell Page 0,25
rehab and starting to act like a real mom who calls and cares and shit.
Speaking of that, I need to call Taeler.
“We still have a few minutes before we go back to reality,” Trey mumbles as he plants soft kisses on my shoulder. “Since I'm responsible for getting you dirty, I feel obligated to help you get clean.”
The corners of my lips twitch upward.
“What a gentleman you are, Mr. Benson.” Leaning forward, I nip at the soft skin beneath his ear. “If I wasn’t bound to a bed earlier by you, I'd actually believe it.”
“You loved it,” he says with a growl. Calloused hands swipe down my back before grabbing handfuls of my ass.
“Um, yeah I did.”
“I love your ass.”
“Thanks.” I giggle.
“And your pussy.”
“Figured that one.”
“And your tits are perfect.”
“Really? I kind of want a boob job.”
He shakes his head. Dark thick locks fall along his forehead, covering part of his right eye. “They're perfect. But do you know what I love most of all, Mess?”
“What?” I whisper. The sudden heaviness of the moment tightens my throat with clogged emotions.
Why the hell is he better at this emotional stuff than I am? I'm the girl, damnit!
“You. Your brilliant mind, quick wit, and giving heart. You think of others before yourself. It's why you're here. It's why you sold your life to Birmingham. You had a chance to make a difference, and you took it no matter the consequences.”
“I was an idiot,” I grumble.
“Maybe a little,” he says with a chuckle.
Shifting my weight, I attempt to roll off him with an annoyed huff. Still laughing, he rolls with me until we're face-to-face lying on our sides. He tucks a rogue lock of dark hair behind my ear. All humor leaves his features, a deep line forming between his brows as he trails his fingertips up and down my bare arm. “You know you have to do it.”
There's no need to question what he's referencing. I knew the second I made the decision not to help the DOJ that it was the wrong choice. I never back away from the fight to help others, and that's exactly what I'd be doing if I chose to hide my head in the sand.
“I know,” I whisper. “But maybe, just for a bit, I wanted to pretend I could walk away, that I didn't have to add this to my already full plate. Sometimes I wish I didn't give a fuck about anyone other than myself.”
“But that's not you. It's never been you.”
I nod with a resigned sigh. “Maybe I should take pointers on how to be more selfish from your mom.” I don't hide my smirk as I search his eyes, hoping he finds me as funny as I find myself.
“A mom joke, seriously?” Reaching around, he smacks my ass, earning a yelp. “And no way in hell would I want you to be around her more than needed to keep up this charade we have going on. I can't believe I have to pretend to be engaged to Jessica.” He groans and rolls to his back, tucking me against his side as he moves. With two fingers, he pinches the bridge of his nose. “I don't think we thought this through well enough.”
Yes and no. We didn't have many options, and this was the lesser of two evils. Do I hate the idea of him parading around town, getting all handsome and scrumptious for various events and galas with her on his arm? Well, yeah. But we were in a damn corner. His mother upped the ante by creating the engagement angle and holding assault with a deadly weapon charge over his head to make him do it. We both knew there was an out, that he could walk away without those charges ever sticking, but that would’ve left my political career in shambles, his mother going on the warpath and turning everyone against me—even more so than they already are. So we did what we had to do.
We're playing the player, who happens to be his own mother. Trying to, at least.
“I know,” I say as I stroke two fingertips down his sternum and back up again. “But now we have time to get my footing here in DC, find out who your snitch is on the team, and be together. It's not ideal, but nothing has been since Kyle stepped into my run-down office over two years ago. We'll make it through it all.”