Page 97 of Powerless

“I’ll make it happen.”

Running my hand through my hair, I’m tempted to call this off before it goes too far. The possibility of collateral damage is eating away at me. But, if I keep it professional, which Liam assures me this service is, then it could be what I need. A part of me regrets agreeing to this, and wants to backpedal, but I also know this’ll be good for me, and ultimately, will do my staff and the country good.

Jesus, what a way to justify hiring an escort.

***

One Week Later

Liam waltzes into my office and sits at the chair in front of my desk. I look up over my glasses at him. “Mary,” he says.

“Mary?” I wait a second for him to respond, but the smug look on his face is telling me I’m going to have to probe further if I want an answer. I take my glasses off and place them on the desk. Rubbing at my eyes, I exhale loudly and shake my head. “Who’s Mary?”

“Mary will be here after work tomorrow, at ten p.m., for two hours. I’ve spoken with Mark, and he understands how discreet we need to be.”

Oh, Mary. I pull my shoulders back and stretch my neck in an uncomfortable tilt. “Mary?”

Liam stands and taps my desk once. “You’re welcome.” He silently leaves my office.

Okay, so I’m doing this. I have to establish my own personal ground rules. She’s merely company for me, nothing more. If I feel myself experiencing feelings I don’t want, I’ll end it and not look at this again. I have a country to run, and I can’t allow something like emotions to cloud my judgement. Only small talk, nothing meaningful and certainly nothing too personal. I trust Liam, so he can handle this—within reason.

Mary is simply a means to an end.

That’s all.

12

BENNETT

I pace back and forth in my room as I wait for Mary. I shouldn’t be doing this, I’m not ready for it to happen. My stomach is churning with uncertainty and nausea. My heart is hammering and my throat is constricting.

“Get it together,” I scold myself. I close my eyes and take several deep breaths. I need to focus and just get this over and done with. I open my eyes and walk over to the cabinet where I pour myself a scotch and throw it back. The amber liquid instantly takes the tension out of my high shoulders. “You’ve got this.” I pour myself a second drink and nurse it as I continue to wait for Mary.

The knock on my door immediately forces my shoulders high again and constricts my throat. Shit, shit, shit.

I pull in two deep breaths and roll my shoulders, willing myself to relax. I walk over to the door and open it. “Sir,” Mark says. “Your appointment is here.”

We exchange a brief knowing look before he steps aside for Mary.

“Mr. President,” Mary says as she enters my bedroom.

Shit, this is actually happening. “Mary, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” I close the door, then turn to offer her my hand.

“The pleasure is mine, sir.”

“Bennett,” I correct.

Mary is exactly what I was hoping for. She’s tall and slender, with short blonde hair and green eyes. She’s cute, but if I was out at a bar, I wouldn’t look at her with lust. “Bennett,” she says and places her small hand in mine.

“Would you care for a drink?” I offer as I head over to pour myself a third scotch.

“Sure. A soda please.”

A soda? Perhaps I better not have my third scotch. I’ve put a lot of pressure on myself about this; I’d hate to be the ‘dud president’ who can’t get it up. I open the small fridge and take out a soda. Opening it, I pour the contents into a glass and turn to hand it to Mary. “Here you go.”

Her bag is still hanging off her shoulder as she sips on the soda. God, there’s so much tension in the room. This is a big mistake. I shouldn’t have agreed to this. Mary glances behind me and advances toward the books I have on the shelf. She tilts her head as she reads the spines of all of them. “To Kill a Mockingbird. I loved the movie.”

Good Lord, she hasn’t read it? “That book was one of my wife’s favorites.”

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