Page 9 of A Man of Power

I see his lips twitch, but he doesn’t smile.

“Too bad you had class tonight; there was a nice happy hour. I think most of the staff went.”

I frown. Is he rubbing it in? Or maybe he’s pointing out how I miss out on things related to work because of school?

“I heard everyone was going, but I can’t miss my environmental law class. The professor is a stickler for attendance,” I explain.

“How is school going?” he asks as he turns onto my street.

“Not bad. I’ve finished most of my core classes, so I’m starting to take some electives this semester, which has been nice.”

“Environmental law?”

I roll my eyes as I stare out the window. “Yep.”

“Is that what you’re concentrating in?”

I shake my head. “No. The class just interested me. I’m debating on focusing on health care law or international law.”

“Two very different fields.”

I shrug. “Law is law.”

He chuckles. “Now that sounds like something a lawyer would say.”

I try not to grin, but my lips don’t listen to my brain and curve upward. He slows the car down and pulls into the circular drive at the front of my complex. Looking up, he whistles. “This is a nice place for a law student.”

“I have roommates,” I say. I’m not sure if I want to discuss Erin with him since he clearly has met her. And he doesn’t need to know that Whitney is my other roommate. He’d probably have me asking her parents for campaign money.

I see his jaw clench before he stops the car and gets out.

“What are you…” I trail off as he comes around and opens my door.

“It’s late, Alexis. I’ll make sure you get to your door safely.” He holds out a hand, and I accept his help in getting out of his car. His hand presses to my lower back as he opens the door to my complex and ushers me inside.

“Good evening, Ms. Martin,” Derek says as I enter. Derek is our nighttime security guard. He’s a nice guy. Sometimes, I bring him cookies when I’m up late baking.

“Evening, Derek.” Derek surveys Sebastian, giving him a once-over.

“Mr. North is my boss. He was just seeing that I got home safely,” I explain.

“Very good, miss. Good evening, Congressman,” he says as he sits back down at the desk.

Sebastian nods to him and escorts me to the elevator. He presses the up button and enters it with me.

“I really am alright from here,” I state.

“What floor?” he asks, ignoring my statement. With a sigh, I reach for the seven button. My hand grazes his as I press it.

I pull my hand away as though I’ve been zapped by an electric current.

“No penthouse?” he asks with an amused look on his face.

I smirk. “The penthouse was already taken.” It’s the truth because Whitney had inquired about it when we looked at this apartment.

He raises an eyebrow at me, clearly wondering if I’m being serious or not. I decide not to say anything else. This man could use a good dose of mystery.

The elevator stops and I step into the hallway. “I’m just over here,” I explain as I point to my door while reaching in my bag to retrieve my keys.

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