Page 86 of Power Term

The sudden darkness takes my breath away. Within seconds my eyes adjust to the low light coming from the house and the soft blue illumination of the pool from the underwater light.

Callused hands grip my biceps. When Trey’s lips brush over the shell of my ear, a soft chuckle tightens my lower belly.

“Come on, wife. Let’s play your dirty games out here.” Teeth sink into my earlobe, and I jerk in surprise, then lean harder into him. “Then we’ll go upstairs and play mine. I think you’ll enjoy the… additions I purchased for our twenty-four-hour honeymoon.”

I swallow, my throat suddenly dry.

Additions.

Fuck, I hope they hurt so good.

Damnit. There really is something wrong with me.

* * *

A content sigh pushes past my lips. Shifting around, I plant a soft kiss on his shoulder and relax against him. For the first time in months, I’m… content. The worries of the world—not exaggerating—aren’t swarming my thoughts and spiking my ever-present anxiety. No thoughts of the campaign, of upcoming debates, the election this fall. Nothing as I stare up at the beautiful star-filled sky while curled against the man I love. Well, nothing except for the “additions” Trey mentioned earlier. Those sound fun. But that will come later. Right now, this is exactly where I want to be.

“I wish we could do this every day,” I whisper.

“We can. Just say the word. Neither of us has to work another day, but I know you’d hate it.” His breath pushes over my damp shoulder. A quick nip of his teeth to my neck causes a giggle to tickle my chest.

I pause, debating if his words hold any truth.

He’s right. I’d hate it. After working my entire life, fighting for more, I’d hate a leisurely lifestyle of doing nothing. But for twenty-four hours? Hell yes.

For several minutes we stay like this, his fingers finding my wet hair and playing with the ends as we let the moment envelop us in peace.

“Will it ever be easy?” I ask the night, not expecting Trey to respond to my deep thought.

“No. It won’t.” Unease curls in my gut. “But we knew that going into this, Mess.” He grips my chin to turn my face toward his. “I didn’t ask you to marry me because I thought it would be easy. I didn’t say ‘I do’ because I had false ideas of how the next four years will go when you win.” I smile at the “when” instead of “if.” “It will be tough. We’ll have to fight for us every fucking day. I’ll remind you when you’re taking too much on and need to lean on those around you. In return, you’ll let me know when I’m being an arrogant ass.”

“So daily. You’re saying I’ll remind you daily.”

A burst of giggles and snorts escapes when he digs his fingers into my side, wiggling them between my ribs and tickling the hell out of me.

“We’ll have to fight for time together. But I promise you this, Randi, I won’t ever stop fighting for you. Fighting for us. Every day I’ll wake up ready to battle for what we have, and I know, Iknowyou will too. We’ve been through shit together and made it through. What’s forever compared to all that?”

His tentative smile and those honest words chase away all fears that have been my ever-present company since he slid that rock on my finger. Leaning close, I seal my lips to his and pour every ounce of love that’s gushing in my heart and soul into him.

Sealing our battle plan for us with a kiss.

We will make it through this shit show called life.

He’s right. We will fight for each other—for us—every day.

Because I’ve never failed in my life, and I sure as hell don’t plan to start with him.

My name’s Randi Benson, and I will fight for him with all I have, no matter the cost.

Forever.

Epilogue

Trey

March the following year

My whistling tune is off pitch and rhythm, sounding nothing like the “Jeremiah was a Bullfrog” song I was aiming for. Not that it matters. There’s no one around to hear my awful rendition. It’s been seven months since I married the unlikeliest president and the love of my life, four months since we won the election, and almost two and a half since she was officially sworn in for her second term as president.

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