Page 2 of An Impossible Love
She made her way to Blair House, the traditional home of the president-elect, on Pennsylvania Avenue. As she showed her ID to the security there—a matter of protocol only because they knew her well—she went to change into her running gear.
As she liaised with her fellow agents, President-Elect Bennett came to meet them. He grinned at them all. “Ready, folks?” He smiled at Emmy. “What do you say, Agent Sati? Maybe ten kilometers today?”
Emmy smiled. “Whatever you say, sir.”
Emmy had to admit, there was no downside to watching Orin Bennett exercise. His tall frame was broad and his shoulders and arms thickly muscled. A former Nasa astronaut and Marine, Orin Bennett was in his mid-forties and ripped like she’d never seen. The man looked as if he’d been hewn from rock. How the hell was he still single?
Emmy berated herself. She had a job to do—God help her if Bennett took a bullet because she was busy objectifying the man. But there it was—Orin Bennett was hot ashell.
After forty-five minutes of brisk pacing, Bennett signaled he’d had enough, and they escorted him back to Blair House. “Good run, folks, thank you.” He grinned at Emmy again. “You kicked our butts again, Agent Sati.”
“That’s my job, sir,” Emmy shot back with a wicked smile. Bennett chuckled.
“You heard the woman, guys. Better behave yourselves.”
“Good luck today, sir,” Emmy said suddenly, then flushed red. Orin smiled.
“Thanks, Emerson.” It was the first time he’d called her by her first name, and she felt a thrill zing through her. His light olive-green eyes crinkled at the edges as he smiled. “You, too.”
Her fellow agent Duke nudged her as they walked back to the field office changing rooms. “Think the almost-pres is sweet on you, Boo.”
Emmy frowned at him. “Don’t say that out loud again, Duke, please. It’s hard enough being a woman in this job without people spreading rumors.”
Duke gave her a smile. “Sorry. It’s true, though. Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” he added hurriedly as she raised a tightly clenched fist and pretended to punch his face.
Emmy couldn’t really blame Duke for what he said. Orin Bennett had made a point of being friendly toward her since she’d joined his team, and at first, it seemed as if he were making a point about her gender and her youth. But yes, after a while, she had begun to think it might be something else, which was flattering… but completely unrealistic. In fact, she might be tasked to be close enough to take a bullet for him, but there was no man farther away from her on the planet.
Seven hours later, as Emmy watched Bennett take the oath of office, her eyes raked the area constantly for threats with her instincts set on high. Like every other American who had grown tired of the corruption and the absence of humanity in the last government, she felt proud. Soon enough, Orin Bennett would face his critics—and there were already many of them—but today, he stood tall. His speech might not have made history like Kennedy’s or Obama’s, but it spoke of a new dawn over the American landscape, one of hope and inclusion.
At that moment, Emerson Sati knew she was protecting one of the good guys, and it made her heart swell with pride.
Orin Bennett, newly minted President of the United States, stood behind the “Resolute desk” and looked at his small team of trusted advisors.
Charlie Hope—his old friend from NASA, now his national security advisor.
Moxie Chatelaine—the firebrand from New Orleans, who had run his campaign for president. The proud African-American woman was now his chief of staff.
Peyton Hunt—who’d begun her career as a comedy writer for a popular Eighties TV show before moving into politics. America’s first female vice president.
Kevin McKee and Issa Graham—his communications director and press secretary, respectively.
These were the five people who had fought every inch of the way to make him—goofy old Orin Bennett, space cowboy and military grunt—the freakin’President.He grinned at them now.
“Relax, everybody. I just have one question… what thehelljust happened?”
He grinned widely and sat down as they broke into relieved laughter. Orin put his hands flat on the desk. “Can you believe they’ve left me charge of this thing?”
“Honestly?” Charlie Hope shook his head. “No way, dude. What are they thinking?”
Orin grinned as his friends joined in. “Insane.”
“The country’s gone mad.”
Orin sat back, laughing. “You realize I could have you all recommissioned to Lagos?”
“At least it would be warm,” Peyton rolled her eyes as she sat down on one of the striped couches. “What was it today? Twenty degrees?”
“Blame FDR, not me. Okay so… what now? Clock’s ticking on our first one hundred days, and I don’t want it all to be about picking out soft furnishings and pranking former staffers. Well, notallabout that, I’m just saying.” Orin was having trouble taking all the pomp and ceremony seriously, but he was also anxious to get to work. America was broken by scandal, and he wanted the process of healing to begin.
