Her Secret Service (Jane Roe 1) by Jason Letts (sites to read books for free TXT) 📗

had to do with Leslie Hodge, the yes men, and the typical reactions he got from a lot of people, but she couldn’t quite be certain.

“I’m not sure I follow.”

“Who wouldn’t be hungry after a ride like that? Just come because you want something to eat, not because it has anything to do with me. You’re done working now that the ride is finished, right?” he said.

Crossing her arms over her stomach, she could see the boundaries between what he was asking and what her job expected very clearly. But for all she knew her job wouldn’t be relevant much longer, so maybe for once in her life she should actually do what she wanted, go with the handsome protectee who happened to also be the president of the United States. Except the only reason he was asking was because he thought it wasn’t what she wanted.

“Let me get this straight. If I agree to come, aren’t I just giving in to your wishes like everybody else?”

Alex snickered for a moment and scratched the back of his head.

“Maybe. I hadn’t thought that far through it, and maybe you shouldn’t think of it like that either. It doesn’t have to be about me or what I want. Just do it.”

“This is starting to sound a lot like a Nike commercial,” Jane said, but if the rules were that she should follow her own guiding star, that was something she could do. And as a matter of fact waffles and maple syrup did sound pretty good, especially if it had some sliced strawberries with it. All she had to do was waltz over to Camp David like it was a perfectly reasonable thing for someone like her, and as she did so she lightly brushed the side of her arm against Alex’s like he was slightly in her way.

“That’s what I’m talking about,” he said, though she had already moved on. This time the expression he couldn’t see on her face was a smile.

“Are you coming?” she called over her shoulder without breaking stride. “Brunch is almost ready.”

They took the path down to the cabin complex that made up Camp David, one that Jane was familiar with after coordinating plans many times but had never dreamed of actually setting foot in. She’d had no reason to, as this was a place of historical significance for presidents and foreign dignitaries the likes of which no billionaire could ever buy. Peace accords had been signed here. The bedrock laws of their society were crafted here. And evidently there was brunch too.

A Secret Service agent named Swathman was stationed at the north entrance as they approached. Although he had glasses on that completely obscured his eyes, and his face was expressionless, Jane had the distinct sensation that he was in shock Jane was accompanying the president for a purely social purpose. Jane nodded with a half-smile as they passed him, knowing that as soon as they were out of his sight everyone at headquarters would know what was happening.

“I’m looking forward to trying out the pool once summer hits,” Alex said as they stepped inside, another perfectly normal comment that Jane struggled to find a normal response to. For being someone who always believed she had a gift for gab, she was strangely tongue-tied.

“It’s hard to imagine summer being any more gorgeous around here than it is right now,” she said, hoping it wasn’t too lame a statement. Alex had moved to the back of the room where a large window looked over the upper terrace and the south side of the estate. The wooden paneling, beams running along the length of the ceiling, and the pea-green carpet all gave off a very sixties vibe.

Dedan had followed them in, and Jane was going to have to check her charts but was pretty sure he had managed to switch duties with someone outside the compound so that he could come in and watch her make a fool of herself in front of the president. He was the closest thing she had to a friend at work, and despite his lack of expression she had the distinct impression he was thoroughly amused by her fish-out-of-water situation.

“Do you smell that? Looks like they’re setting up a table for us on the terrace,” Alex said. She smiled brightly as he glanced back at her, but in her head she was trying to juggle not sounding stupid to the president with not being inappropriate to everyone at headquarters while feeling completely squeamish about Camp David staff waiting on her and the Secret Service detail she managed looking after her.

When she spotted a bathroom in the corner, it looked like a welcome respite.

“I’m just going to wash up a little bit,” she said.

“Good idea,” Alex responded, and for a second she took his meaning to be that she was in such an unkempt state that she needed to wash up until he went in the direction of the bedroom to do likewise.

Once she’d shut the door and had a few square feet to herself, Jane anxiously turned on the faucet and doused her face with water to get some of the caked-on sweat off. Looking at herself in the mirror, she realized that being under the watchful gaze of the Secret Service for just a few minutes was already getting to her. And this was what Alex had to live like every second of every day. Now Jane had a little more sympathy for what Bethany Morrin felt like.

It would’ve been nice to use the shower and get really clean, but with nothing to change into simply being less grimy had to suffice. Luckily when she exited she saw that Alex hadn’t made her the only one still wearing clothes from their ride.

Standing by the terrace doorway, he tilted his head with a smirk as he nudged the door open, gesturing for her to come outside as his blond hair caught the light. Jane had to admire the way he looked,