Total pages in book: 19
Estimated words: 17401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 87(@200wpm)___ 70(@250wpm)___ 58(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 17401 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 87(@200wpm)___ 70(@250wpm)___ 58(@300wpm)
His ex had been scared off by the media frenzy. The relationship hadn’t been strong enough to survive it, and thank god for that. Miles Farrow was an insufferable ass. It had taken him exactly three weeks to sign a book deal about his six-month stint as Garner Ashley’s most serious public relationship.
Garner’s campaign had barely survived the negative press, and I remembered wanting to put out a hit on the grasping, egotistical asshat from my duty station in Guam. His sister had emailed me about it, venting her anger at someone who’d always been known as a dependable “dead end” for gossip.
My rage had lasted for days, only ebbing once he’d won the election in a landslide victory.
And then I’d come home.
“Let yourself have this,” I repeated. This time, it was more of a command than a suggestion. “You think you’re above basic human needs? You think you’re required to stay celibate because gay men should be held to a higher standard? Would you deny yourself a sex life if you were straight?”
“It’s about trust,” he snapped, finally showing his spine again. “How am I supposed to find someone I can get naked with when the last person I slept with sold me out?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Do not compare me to Miles Fucking Farrow. Not now, not ever.”
He opened his mouth, maybe to apologize, but I didn’t let him speak.
“Do you trust me?”
“Of course I trust you! You’re the only person I trust outside of my family! I trust you more than my chief of staff, for god’s sake. Of course I trust you.”
I squeezed the tip of his chin between my fingers, enough to keep his attention focused squarely on me. “Then give me the real reason you don’t want to do this.”
“I do want to do this! I want it so badly I ache with it. How could I not want it… you? You’re… you’re… Just fucking look at yourself, Kenan. Christ.” His hand flapped between us. His face was so close to the front of my tight pants I could feel my dick leaking in response.
I felt my back teeth clench. “Then suck my cock, Mr. President. Do it now.”
CHAPTER TWELVE
GARNER
As soon as he’d challenged me about my level of trust in him, I’d known I was going to do it. There was no arguing with him when he truly was the person I trusted most in the world. He’d proven himself time and time again. He was also so blessedly beautiful, so bossy and calm, that I ached with the need to please him.
My hands shook as I lifted them to his belt.
His finger lifted my chin again before his hand moved down to wrap lightly around my throat. “Tell me you don’t feel pressured into doing something you don’t want to do.”
I suddenly realized the situation was just as dangerous for him as it was for me. If anyone found out about this, he would be outed on a global stage. His military reputation, his conservative family back home, and his image of the all-American golden boy would mean nothing if he became known as the president’s fuck boy.
“I want to protect you,” I said, not actually answering his question.
His expression turned tender for a split second. “You let me do the protecting. Do you want this?”
I let go of his belt buckle and held my hands out flat between us. They shook like I was several days past my last meal. “More than you could possibly know. This isn’t nerves, Commander. It’s excitement and desire. Disbelief that you could want this too.”
The dimple appeared again, and I almost rolled my eyes. He was only six years younger than I was, but with that grin, he looked much younger.
“Then what are you waiting for?” he asked, sliding his grip off my throat and moving my hands back to his belt.
I couldn’t hold back an answering smile, partly because the stress had begun to fall away, replaced by giddy joy at the prospect of getting this man naked and allowing myself to touch him. But also because it had been a long time since someone had presumed to boss me around.
Having almost everyone in my sphere defer to me politely was incredibly isolating. Having Kenan Harper disagree with me, disallow my excuses, and dismiss my fears was invigorating. It made me feel human again.
It made me feel normal.
I slid the thick leather strap through the metal loop before glancing up at him to see if he was watching. His eyes weren’t on my hands or his belt.
They were on me.
His head tilted as he studied me. I was fully dressed but felt completely bared to him.
I leaned forward and pressed my face into the front of his pants, feeling the smooth metal of the buckle against my forehead as I inhaled.