Page 42 of The Senator: Raphael

Her explanation opens a pit of guilt in my chest I don’t even know how to fill it. I’m so ashamed by my request that I don’t even have the guts to look her in the eye. She’s right. If I were a John Doe, she wouldn’t have gone viral or had her life turned upside down.

“Give me a chance to prove that we’re safe even when we go on a date, please. If you’re not comfortable, I promise we’ll come back, and I’ll never ask you to do it again.” I hold her gaze as she bites her lip and seems to think about it.

“They asked you to do it, didn’t they? That’s why you’re home so early,” she states, and I’m not surprised she saw right through me.

She’s not stupid, far from it, and despite what Matthew says she has a good heart. I’m almost resigned to drop the argument and tell my campaign manager to fuck off when she nods.

“If for any reason I feel unsafe, we’re coming back. Promise?” she demands.

“Promise,” I agree, and feel bad about it.

She does anything I ask of her because she understands my position and wants to help me. And what am I doing for her? Nothing but making sure some crazy mobster doesn’t kill her, and as she pointed out earlier, there isn’t even a small threat of that happening.

***

“You were serious when you said you wanted to learn what my favorite ice cream is.” She smiles when we enter the ice cream parlor.

“Of course, I was serious! This way I know how to make up to you when I screw up. Because it’s not a matter of if, but when.” I chuckle and she leans closer, snuggling to my side.

My heart picks up speed and I’m so overwhelmed by the urge to protect her that I wrap an arm around her and pull her even closer. She stiffens a bit, but then relaxes and presses her back against my chest as I wrap my other arm around her.

I lower a bit to reach her ear and whisper my question so no one can hear. “Are you uncomfortable? Because we can walk out of here whenever you want, just say the word and we ditch the date.”

I feel her shiver under my touch and my cock stirs in my trousers. This embrace is so intimate that I forget for a minute we’re pretending and kiss her neck lightly. The scent of mango and strawberry does strange things to my body, like giving me an overwhelming urge to sink my erection between her thighs and bury myself inside her until she comes, screaming my name. It’s a thought so vivid in my mind that I realize I’m pressing my hips against her round, perfect ass.

She turns her head to look at me straight in the eye. “I’m okay, I promise. But if you keep dry humping my ass, I’ll ride you here in front of everyone. I told you, there’s a limit to how much a woman can endure when she’s dating such a hot, powerful man,” she whispers back before lightly kissing my lips.

I almost choke, stiffing a laugh and coughing at the same time. “Noted.” I nod grinning.

“What can I get you?” The smiling teenager behind the counter brings me back to reality.

I notice at least ten people in here watching us intently, and from the smiles on their faces, they recognize us, or at least me. I dropped my defenses, the guarded, calculated behavior I keep when I’m in public, and the feeling is so unsettling I almost want to bolt out of here. I smile down at Silver and see how she’s trying to gauge what I’m thinking. She probably sensed the shift in my behavior and now she seems almost worried.

She puts a hand on my cheek and smiles at me. “What do you want, honey?” Her voice is sweet and calming and she grounds me.

“You first,” I say, regaining my composure.

It occurs to me that she settles me, makes my world right again. She sensed my discomfort and knew exactly how to calm me. It’s a warm feeling, knowing someone in this world knows you so well they know how to make your worries disappear with the right word, the right voice. At the same time, it’s unsettling because she’s someone I’ve known for barely two months. Yes, I know she’s smart, and she can figure out a person on the fly—she made that clear the day she made cocktails for everyone without missing a beat. But it’s the way I eased into this life with her that makes my stomach clench.

“Two scoops of vanilla, whipped cream, and a cherry on top, please,” she says without hesitation, like it’s what she gets every time.

“And for you, sir?” the teenager asks me, handing Silver her ice cream.

“Two scoops of chocolate, please.”

I look around, assessing the people nearby. There’s a woman filming us, and while I want to rip her phone from her hands to protect Silver going viral again, I know this is the exact reason why we came out in the first place, so I just smile and nod at the camera. She blushes a bit and bites her lip.

“I’m going to vote for you,” she says, confirming that she recognizes me.

“Thank you! I appreciate your support.” I grab my cone and step back, ready to pay and walk out of this place.

“Do you want to take a picture with him?” Silver surprises me, asking the woman.

I look at her and she is sporting a genuine smile on her face.

“Do you mind?” the woman asks, and I shake my head and stand next to her.

Silver grabs her phones and takes a couple of pictures of us, but when she hands the phone back, the woman surprises her.

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