Page 87 of Fight for Me

His eyes were serious. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, Daddy. I’m sure.”

“I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

His concern made Anne smile softly. “Thanks, Daddy. But I’m a big girl now. I’ll be okay.”

If she didn’t know that he wasn’t much of a hugger, she’d hug him. Instead, she kissed him lightly on the cheek. Then headed out the door.

Their driver knew, somehow, where campaign headquarters were and drove her there. When they pulled up outside, Anne didn’t immediately get out. Her stomach was full of butterflies doing a full-fledged merengue.

Finally, she took a deep breath and opened the door. “I shouldn’t be terribly long,” she told Rick, the driver. He nodded.

“Take your time.”

The door to headquarters opened under the pressure of her fingers and Anne was greeted with a hive of people and activity. There had to be at least thirty people or more. Signs hung on the walls and yard signs were stacked in the corner at least four feet high.

A woman saw her and came forward, a bright smile on her face. “Hello!” she said brightly. “Have you come to volunteer? We could always use more people.”

“Um no,” Anne replied. “I’m here to see Senator Kirk.”

The woman’s face closed down into a polite façade. “I’m sorry, but he’s not taking walk-ins at the moment. Unless you have an appointment?”

“No, no appointment.” Well, this wasn’t going very well. She channeled her father and stood straight, lifting her chin and putting ice into her voice. “Tell him that Anne is here to see him He’ll want to see me. And if he finds out I came here and you turned me away…well, let’s just say I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.”

The woman’s lips pressed together and she gave Anne and up and down look, her gaze lingering on the pearls.

“All right,” she said reluctantly. “Wait here.” She headed down a hallway, disappearing into the throng of people.

Anne struggled not to fidget. What if he wouldn’t see her? What would she do then? She could hardly storm through the headquarters to his office.

The woman came back, a somewhat sour look on her face. “He’ll see you,” she said begrudgingly. “Follow me.”

Anne’s heart was in her throat as she followed the woman down the hall.

* * *

Blane couldn’t have been more shocked to hear that Anne was here to see him. He put his game face on and tried to ignore the way his heart had sped up.

A few moments later, Lindsay stepped into the office. She wasn’t one of his favorites, but one mustn’t be choosy.

Anne stepped in and Blane forgot all about Lindsay. She said something and when he didn’t reply, she left the office without another word. She shut the door behind her, leaving Anne and Blane by themselves. The cacophony outside the door was now muted.

Blane had gotten to his feet without a conscious thought. He and Anne stared at each other for a moment.

She looked incredible. Better than he remembered. Her dark hair fell in waves past her shoulders. The dress she wore hugged her curves and made his palms itch to peel it off her. The pearls added a classy touch. He’d like to make love to her while she wore only the pearls.

Shoving those thoughts from his mind, he remembered his manners.

“Please have a seat,” he gestured to the chairs on the other side of his desk. She lowered herself gracefully into one of them.

There was an awkward pause which, being a gentleman, he politely broke.

“It’s lovely to see you,” he said. “How have you been? Ankle all healed?”

“Very well, thank you. And yes, it’s healed.”

Blane noticed she had her aristocrat persona on. It was good armor.

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