Page 73 of Commander

I winced inside and then glanced at Casey, who was standing in the corner trying not to smirk at my irritation. He’d insisted it was best to leak I was sick to the press so they wouldn’t snoop, because no one wanted to see a runny-nosed first lady. And I guessed he was right, since all requests for interviews and meetings had stopped for the last week.

“Stop stalling and tell me what the issue is so Walter can help solve your woes.”

“I doubt you can fix my issue. I’m just…”

Walter finished my sentence. “Horny?”

My cheeks reddened. “Umm.”

“So, I take it the ‘hot president’ is a rock star in bed.”

“I’m not answering that.”

“You’re such a prude sometimes. But I’m glad he thaws your ice-queen, all-business demeanor. It’s nice to know there’s a man that can get you all hot and bothered, even if he is a politician.”

“Thanks, I think.”

“Don’t scowl, you’ll ruin all my work. It was a compliment. Although I’ve never envisioned you being a girl who’s content doing charity projects while her politician husband is off saving the world.”

That was something I was going to have to get used to too, but after Ameera’s rescue, it was what I’d set as my future.

I couldn’t live the uncertainty of the high-stress life anymore, especially if Ashur and I were going to have a baby. I wanted to give our child the life my parents had given me—safe, secure, and full of love despite the craziness of the outside world.

“Who says I can’t save the world with my projects? If you remember, No Bride was something I started.”

“I see your point. Then why are you so restless?”

“Because, as you said. She’s horny,” Ashur’s deep raspy voice answered from behind us.

I turned my head in Ashur’s direction and nearly swallowed my tongue. He was dressed to the nines in a tux similar to the one he’d worn to our wedding day. He looked debonair with an edge of danger.

His eyes burned with desire adding fuel to the inferno of need pulsing deep in my pussy.

“Let’s go, Mrs. Kumar. We are due in the reception room in ten minutes.” He walked toward me with a wicked grin. Then, as I stood, he whispered in my ear, “And if you’re a good girl, I promise to fuck you senseless and make up for neglecting you these past ten days.”

* * *

I releaseda sigh of relief as I sat down on my favorite bench in the rose garden and kicked off my heels.

The reception and dinner had gone off without a hitch and now the dancing was in full swing. All in all, my worry about not knowing what I was doing was more my uneasiness with my role than the actual duties themselves. If I could learn the ropes and become a top-notch Solon agent, then I could suck it up and do my best as the first lady.

“Can I join you, Tara?”

I smiled and turned to the Viking who approached me. Xander Alexi was what some would call a cross between a Norwegian and Greek god. He had the striking blond hair and crystal blue eyes from his mother’s Nordic genetics and the tanned golden hue and long lean build of his father’s Mediterranean side. I remembered when Sam had first introduced me to him, I’d thought he was a pretty face with little in the brains department, when in fact he was a member of Mensa and probably one of the smartest people on campus.

We’d had an attraction from the start, nothing like what happened with Ashur but one that was filled with fun, friendship, and mutual enjoyment. Our affair hadn’t gone beyond our years at Harvard, but our friendship had developed into something more like a brother-sister relationship. Enough so that I’d introduced him to the woman who’d become his wife and the love of his life.

“Xander. How are you?” I gave him a quick hug. “Where’s Carina?”

“Over there.” He gestured over his shoulder to the windows.

In the distance a beautiful brunette danced with Xander’s father. She was a little over six months pregnant, wearing four-inch heels with her gown and smiling without a care in the world.

“Those are serious pregnancy goals.”

“My love would kill someone if they tried to take her designer shoes from her. I have a feeling she’ll be in labor and walking to the car in her favorite Louboutin sandals.”

“Come sit.” I tapped the bench. “Take a load off.”

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