Page 13 of Powerless

“Let him try.”

“I can’t ask you to sacrifice this, Bennett. Besides, imagine when you’re forty or fifty and it comes out that you cheated on your first fiancée.”

“I’ll handle it.”

“Yeah, but what if I have a wife and reporters start sniffing around wanting an exclusive about the time that Senator Bennett Adams broke my heart because he cheated. You can imagine what the headlines will say.” She relaxes in the seat, and lifts her hand to cut through the air. “Senator Adams turned her gay.”

“It doesn’t matter what the headlines say. As long as you’re happy, I don’t give a rat’s ass what’s said about me.”

Jen lifts her hands to conceal her face. “My parents will disown me.”

“They’ll come around.”

She lowers her hands and sighs. “What if they don’t?”

I throw my arms up in surrender. “Just think about it. We can say we’re young and taking it slow. Maybe get through the first year of college, then break up.”

“I don’t know, Bennett. I just...” Jen lowers her chin and closes her eyes.

“Let’s enjoy ourselves tonight, and we can think it over some more before we make a decision.”

Jen places her hand on my thigh and squeezes. “You’re a good guy. Thank you.” A tiny smile tugs at her lips, but she still looks so damn sad.

* * *

“You must be Jennifer Marshall. I’m Liam Price.” Liam pulls the seat out beside Jen and plonks down.

“The pleasure is mine,” Jen replies graciously.

“Liam’s my best friend,” I say. I lean in closer to whisper, “You can trust him.”

She turns to look at me, her eyes wide as fear flushes over her face. “Did you tell him?”

“Not everything, I didn’t. But I know there’s no way he’d betray my trust if I did.”

Jen stares at me for a moment before her features soften. “I trust you, so if you say you trust him, then so do I.”

“What are you two whispering about?”

“Well, we…” I glance behind Liam and I see Kathryn float into the overly decorated hall. “Damn.” All the air leaves my chest as I continue to stare at Kathryn. I push my chair back and head straight toward her. “You’re perfect,” I say when I reach her.

A small smile tugs at her lips as she stares into my eyes. “Thank you.”

“I’m...” I shake my head, unable to form a complete sentence. “Speechless.” The dress she’s wearing hugs all of her curves but what’s driving me crazy is the nape of her neck. I don’t even know what it is, but with her hair pulled up exposing her bare alabaster skin, it’s sending me into a tailspin.

“Are you going to say anything else, or are you going to stand there gawking at me?”

“Gawking, definitely gawking.”

Kathryn’s laugh sends shock waves to my cock. My chest tightens, and all I want to do is spend the entire night with the most amazing person I’ve ever met. She lifts her hand and places it to my chest, playfully pushing me back. “Anyone would think you have the hots for me, Mr. Adams.”

“I’ll scream it from the rooftops if it means you’ll spend one dance in my arms.”

Kathryn glances around as a perfect shade of red touches her cheeks. “You’re smooth, but...” She indicates toward the table where Liam and Jen are. “What would your date think?”

“Trust me, she’d understand.”

Kathryn moves to lean in to me. Her mouth is a hairsbreadth from my ear, and I close my eyes as she softly says, “I won’t be the other woman, Bennett. Ever.”

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