With a smile, I pulled on my boxers and shorts, and trudged to the kitchen.

Images of the night, of the two times we made love, flashed in my mind as I turned on the coffee machine and grabbed eggs and milk from the fridge. I had never felt this way with anyone else, not even Tamara, and I had spent three years of my life with that girl. She didn’t hold a candle to Charlotte.

Charlotte made me combust with one glance, she made me tremble with one touch, and she made me proud and sure of myself with one smile, with one encouraging word. She had snuck into me, into my heart, in a way I didn’t think was possible.

I made waffles, toast, and eggs sunny-side up, filled two glasses with orange juice and two mugs with fresh coffee, placed everything on a tray, and went back to the bedroom.

Charlotte was lying the same way I had left her. The thought of letting her sleep crossed my mind, but I pushed it away. For once, I was going to be selfish. I wanted to be with her, to enjoy the little time we had before she had to go back to Richmond.

I set the tray on the nightstand and sneaked back in bed by her side.

She stirred, snuggling into me. I smiled. Even sleeping, she moved toward me.

I pressed a kiss to her temple. “Good morning, baby.”

Her beautiful green eyes fluttered open, peeking at me. “Morning, gorgeous,” she mumbled.

I scooted closer to her and pulled the tray over my legs. She rested her head on my shoulder and sighed.

“Slept well?”

She nuzzled my neck, sending a shiver down my body. “More than well. How about you?”

“I’m considering tying you to that bed, so you sleep here every night.”

She chuckled. “You’ll tie me, and we’ll only sleep?”

I tsked. “I can’t believe that inside that beautiful head there’s a mind in the gutter.”

She bit my shoulder then grabbed a steaming cup of coffee.

I watched as she ate, glued beside me. I was content with where my life was now. The only thing I could ask more was to find an entry-level engineering job. Then, everything would be perfect.

Charlotte

I knew there was something wrong the moment I drove past the gates of the Executive Mansion. There was a buzz in the air and too many windows reflecting lights.

I entered the house and halted.

“How about you, Donnie? When are you going to take your father’s place?” My mother’s voice drifted from the living room, her tone almost satisfied.

The happiness I had felt so far deflated, and I retreated to the door again. If I could sneak out before anyone saw me …

My mother walked out of the living room and smiled at me. “Charlotte! I thought I heard the door. Come. Join us.”

“I’m not dressed for a dinner party.” I gestured to my jean skirt and sandals. “I would prefer to change, if you don’t mind.” And disappear. That would be impossible, though, so just a moment to myself while I changed would suffice. For now.

“Nonsense. This isn’t a dinner party.” She walked to me and put her hand on the middle of my back, stirring me to the living room. “We’re with good friends.”

“Hello, Charlotte,” Donnie said, with a wide smile, once I walked in with my mother. He wore a perfectly pressed suit, just like his father standing beside him. His eyes ran the length of me and I shifted my weight, fighting the urge to pull my skirt down to hide my thighs, as if that would help anything.

“Hello, Donnie. Hello, Senator Williams,” I said.

“It’s good to see you, Charlotte,” Senator Williams said.

A waiter showed up by my side with a tray and a single martini. I glanced at my mother and she smiled knowingly. As if she had spilled poison in it, I took it, but didn’t drink it. First, I had already had one too many martinis the previous night, and second, I wanted to be sober for whatever plan my mother had. Because she had a plan. This unannounced dinner wasn’t a spontaneous thing and, like every one of her moves, it had an objective. I just had to find out what that objective was.

The main topic during dinner and dessert was, of course, politics.

After one bite from my petit-gateau, I excused myself and headed to the kitchen.

One of the cooks was there, along with a waiter. They saw me, and their eyes widened.

“Can I get you something, Miss McClain?” the waiter asked, looking at my feet.

“No, thank you,” I said, opening the fridge and grabbing a can of Coke. “I can get it myself.” I sat on a high chair around the island, opened the can, and drank from it. The waiter and the cook exchanged a nervous look. “Relax, I won’t bite. You can even pretend like I’m not here.”

The waiter bowed and exited to the dining room, probably to check if anyone needed something else, and the cook returned to the range.

I propped my elbows on the island and dropped my head on my hands. Goddammit, my mother needed to give it a rest. When would she leave this alone? I told her I didn’t want anything with Donnie. I knew she hadn’t really understood that, but I thought she would give me some time at least. Or try to push me on some other guy.

“Are you okay?” Donnie asked.

I straightened my back and glanced to the side, where he stood just past the door.

I frowned. What the hell was he doing back here? “I’m fine.”

As if she had been waiting for this, the cook left the kitchen through the back door. Great.

Donnie sat in the high chair beside me. “Charlotte, you’ve been avoiding me.”

I opened my mouth to negate it, but why? I tried breaking this smoothly and it didn’t work. Perhaps I should be blunter. “I like you, Donnie, but not the way you want me to.” Not the way my mother wanted me to.

“Is it something I did?”

I smiled. “No.”

“Oh,” he said, his eyes wide. “There’s someone else.”

“What? No.” I sipped from my Coke, gaining time to think of some excuse. Nothing came though. “There’s no one else. I just … we didn’t click.”

“You didn’t give us a chance to click.” He scooted closer and grabbed one of my hands in his. “I’m a nice guy. Give me a chance. We’ll click.”

I pulled my hand free of his. “Donnie—”

“I like you, Charlotte. Very much.” He stood, smoothing the jacket of his suit. “I’m not giving up on you yet.”

He leaned forward and placed a kiss on my cheek, then left the kitchen.

I stood, grabbed a glass from the inside one of the cabinets, dumped the rest of the Coke there, then reached for a bottle of whiskey that was on a tray, probably one that the waiter was serving the guests, and poured a good dose in my glass.

I drank a big swallow, welcoming the way the liquid burned my throat. Pity it didn’t burn away the problems in my life.

Mason

I was surprised when Charlotte called me to meet her the next afternoon. I thought I would only see her again in the middle of the week, when she was able to escape her mother and meet me at that Starbucks in Springfield.

Without hesitating, I canceled my plans of playing video games all afternoon with David, and took the train to the park she usually went to with Liana, MaryAnn, and Rebecca.

“Hey, you.” She skated to me and threw her arms around my neck. “I missed you.”

I laughed, snaking my arms around her waist. “We were together yesterday.”

She pouted. “I know.”

I glanced at her pink lips and desire coursed through me. Damn, this girl would be the death of me. I dipped down and brushed those plump lips with mine. “The truth is, I also missed you.”

She let out a purr and I lost it. I clasped the back of her neck and pulled her to me, crushing her mouth with mine, plunging my tongue in, and demanding all of her. She gladly complied, letting out another one of her sexy sounds.