I’ll Cover You

by A.C. Grey

I’ll Cover You

Copyright:  A.C. Grey and Gable Books

Published:  October 18, 2012

ISBN:  978-0-9885250-0-9

Publisher:  Gable Books

The right of A.C. Grey to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with the relevant international copyright laws. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.

CHAPTER ONE

This is John Stephenson reporting for Americast news. We can now confirm that Kate Stewart, the Senator from California, has captured enough electoral votes to become the 45th President of the United States and the first woman ever to hold this office.  For more on this historic victory we go to Americast political correspondent Anne Davis . . .

Kate switched off the TV and shook her head as she looked at her close friend and campaign advisor Jen Friedman.  “I still can’t believe it, Jen.  I frickin’ won!  Everyone said it was impossible.  Me – a young, relatively inexperienced, single woman – President of the United States. They said it couldn’t be done.  But we did it!”

“The American people saw in you what I’ve seen all along – a competent, intelligent, dedicated, passionate leader.  Who wouldn’t want someone like that running the country?  Congratulations, Madame President!”  Jen grinned at Kate and pulled her in for a warm hug.

Finally, Jen pulled away.  “Now come on.  It’s time to stop hiding in this room and go out and meet all your adoring supporters.  You’ve got a victory speech to give, Madame President.”

“I’m not president yet, Jen,” Kate said, suddenly a bit overwhelmed.

Jen rolled her eyes.  “Fine.  Madame President Elect.  Now stop debating the details and go out there and wow that crowd.”

Kate nodded and took a deep breath before following Jen from the room.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy Harris sighed as she made her way to Director Bell’s office.  She’d been summoned to a meeting with her boss, but had no idea what she’d done . . . this time.  She’d been with the Secret Service for two years and had been a successful FBI Agent before that.  Even so, she somehow always managed to get into scrapes.  Something about her rebellious, take no prisoners attitude didn’t jive well with the rigid structure of federal law enforcement.  Despite her tendency to revolt against authority now and then, she was damn good at her job and she knew it.  Even though she’d had her fair share of trouble with her supervisors, Emmy was confused by the unexpected summons to see her boss.  She wracked her brain as she walked to Bell’s office, unable to figure out what she had done this time to land herself in front of her boss yet again.

Emmy let out a nervous sigh as Bell’s assistant led her into his office.  William Bell motioned to one of the chairs in front of the desk.  “Have a seat, Agent Harris.”

Bell’s stern nature always made Emmy nervous, and when she was nervous, she had a tendency to ramble.  “Sir, I’m not sure what I did to merit another meeting.  I know last time I was here, you warned me that I was on thin ice.  I’d just like to preemptively apologize and .  . .”

Bell held up a staying hand.  “Agent Harris.  I didn’t call you here to reprimand you.”

“Oh . . .” Emmy replied, closing her mouth in shock.  Then confusion settled over her.  “So if I’m not in trouble, then why am I here?”

The Director chuckled.  “Agent Harris, as you know, yesterday Senator Stewart was elected to be the next President.”  Emmy nodded, her heartbeat increasing just at the mention of the woman’s name.  Bell continued.  “As such, we’ll be assigning a detail of agents to protect her at all times.   We normally have at least one agent assigned to shadow the President at all times.  We’ll have a rotation of three agents sharing this role, in order to provide full coverage while allowing the agents time off for their own personal matters. Because the coverage is twenty-four hours a day and can include private and personal matters of the President, we’d like these agents to be of the same gender as the President.  I’ve decided that you will be one of those agents.  The other two will be Agent Manning and Agent Mathias.”

Emmy nodded as the stunning news washed over her.  This was the biggest assignment of her career.  It didn’t get any bigger than being assigned to the Presidential detail.  It was what she’d worked towards for so long.

“Congratulations, Harris.  You’ve earned it.  You start tomorrow.”

She nodded, still stunned.  “Thank you, sir.  I won’t let you down.”

“I’m sure you won’t.  That will be all for now, Harris.”

She stood.  “Thank you again, sir.”  He nodded and Emmy left.

Emmy headed to her office and slung herself down in her chair.  Her heart was pounding out of her chest and it wasn’t just because she’d landed the assignment of a lifetime.  She was going to be up close and personal with Kate Stewart on a daily basis.  The woman who had haunted her thoughts and her dreams for several years.  Her number one “celebrity crush.”  Some people fantasized about movie stars or musicians.  Not her.  Ever since she’d first heard about the rising political star from California, Emmy had been smitten.  She was a political junkie and she made no apologies for it.  Kate Stewart’s confidence and brilliance were a major turn on.  And now, Emmy had just been told she’d be a daily part of Kate’s life.  Emmy shook her head and silently corrected herself.  She’d be a part of the President’s life, even if it were a silent part.  She’d be there, in the background, around the woman every day, watching her.  She shook her head again.  She was starting to sound creepy.  Get it together, Harris, she chided herself.  Deciding she needed a distraction, she went to seek out her best friend and fellow agent, Phil Parker.

She walked into Phil’s office to find him flirting with a secretary. Emmy rolled her eyes and cleared her throat.  Embarrassed, the woman quickly left the room.  “Some things never change, do they Phil?  You and Julie have been broken up for what, a week?  And you’re already trying to get into that bimbo’s pants?”

“Hey! A man’s got needs, Harris.”

Emmy snorted.  “Right, Phil.  If that excuse helps you sleep at night.”  She smirked. Despite his flirty tendencies, Emmy knew Phil was a decent guy at heart and he’d been a good friend to her, even when others had left her high and dry.

“So . . .“ she began.  “I just got assigned to the Presidential detail.  I’ll be protecting Senator . . . I mean President Elect Stewart.”

“That’s great, Emmy!”  Phil crossed the room and gave her a congratulatory hug.  “You deserve it.  It’s an honor that’s reserved for only the best agents and you’re certainly amongst the best.”

“Thanks, Phil.  I’m excited.  It’s going definitely be a challenge. But I know I’m up for it.  Val and Julie also pulled the assignment.”  Emmy hesitated as she saw a stricken look pass across Phil’s face.  She placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.  “I’ll try and put in a good word for you with Julie.  Maybe she’ll come around.”  Phil’s girlfriend, fellow agent Julie Mathias, had balked when a daughter Phil hadn’t known existed, had shown up on his doorstep after being kicked out the house by her mother.  When Phil had offered to let her move in, Julie had freaked out and left, not ready for such a commitment early in their relationship.  Emmy had known the minute that Phil met Julie that she’d be the one to end his womanizing days.  And she’d seen how much the break up had hurt her friend and hoped that Julie would come around.

“Anyway, I start to tomorrow,” Emmy continued, sensing it was time to move on from the awkward subject of Julie.

“You’ll be great.  Plus, there are plenty of worse assignments to pull.  Blondie . . . I mean the President-Elect, is hot.  Wish I were so lucky.  After that little incident with the Russian ambassador’s daughter, Bell’s been giving me nothing but scut assignments.  Covering ex-President Wallace’s vacation was awful.  Not only will I never recover from seeing his wrinkly old man-boobs and tiny bikini bathing suit, but that dude’s got some serious problems with gas.  Bell definitely has it in for me,” Phil said as he shook his head.

Emmy laughed.  Phil was right.  Kate Stewart was hot . . . beyond hot.  That was definitely going to be a major job perk.  Even though the President-Elect was straight and in fact quite the playgirl, constantly linked with a new flavor of the week, Emmy definitely didn’t mind having the job of literally watching the woman all day.  There were many worse hardships one could face.

*              *              *              *              *

The next day, Emmy stood in her best suit, alongside Val and Julie, as they waited for Bell to arrive with the President-Elect.  Emmy was glad she’d splurged on the expensive outfit.   There was something about the finely tailored black ensemble that made her feel like a bad ass.  And with the nervous energy raging through her body, she could use any confidence boost she could get.

They stood in a row, backs straight, earpieces in place, staring straight ahead.  “What do you think she’s like?  Do you think she’s nice?” Julie whispered nervously.

“Does it matter? She’s going to be the President of the United States, Mathias,” Val said. “It’s not like you and her are suddenly going to become BFFs.  I hate to break it to you, but you’re not going to be staying up late with her talking about boys and braiding each other’s hair.”

Emmy chuckled lightly and rolled her eyes. She loved Manning and her snarky attitude.

At that moment, Bell walked into the room with the woman in question, along with one of Kate’s advisors, Ron Hollander.  Emmy’s heart threatened to pound right out of her chest and her breath caught in her throat.  She struggled to look straight ahead, to retain the emotionless mask that was the uniform of a good agent.  The woman was even more beautiful in person.  Her blues eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and Emmy felt the room brighten just from her presence.  Or perhaps, it was only her mind playing tricks on her.  No one else seemed to be that affected by the blonde’s presence.

“Senator Stewart, as I was telling you before, these are the three agents who will be assigned to your personal detail from this point on.”  Bell motioned towards Emmy and her colleagues as he spoke.  “Of course, we will have a team of other agents wherever you go, but these agents will be your shadow.  At least one of them will be with you or in your immediate vicinity at all times. These agents are the best of the best.  You’ll be in very safe hands.”

Kate nodded and smiled at Bell.  Emmy’s stomach did a somersault as that bright smile and adorable dimples lit up the room.  Emmy expected that to be the end of the meeting, so was a little surprised when Kate spoke.

“Thank you so much, Director Bell.  Can you introduce me?” Kate asked as she gestured towards the row of agents.

Hollander cut in. “Senator, these agents are here to serve and protect you.  There’s no need for an introduction.  It’s their job to be seen and not heard.”  Kate shook her head and cut him off.

“Please,” Kate rolled her eyes slightly.  “If we’re going to be spending so much time together, there’s no need for all the formality.”

Bell nodded.  “This is Agent Mathias.”  Kate smiled and approached Julie.  The small, petite brunette looked nervous, but Emmy knew that she was competent and cool behind all the nerves.  “Great to meet you Agent Mathias.”  Kate smiled warmly and took Mathias’s hand, clearly attempting to put her at ease.

Bell then gestured to Mathias, who wore a look of complete indifference.    “This is Agent Manning.”  Kate smiled, clearly expecting one in return, but was met instead with a standoffish nod.  She shook her hand, as Emmy tried not to laugh at Manning’s attitude.   Val took “all business” to new heights.  “It’s great to meet you, Agent Manning,” Kate responded, before moving on to Emmy.

“This is Agent Harris.  Agent Harris, this is Senator Stewart.”  Emmy’s breath caught in her throat as her gaze fell upon the gorgeous woman staring back at her.  The soon-to-be President was breathtakingly stunning.  Emmy offered Kate a small smile as she took her hand.  The minute their fingers touched, Emmy felt a bolt of lightning course through her entire body.

“It’s . . . uh . . . it’s great to meet you, Agent Harris. I can’t wait to get to know you better,”  Kate stuttered as her eyes locked on Emmy’s.  Emmy couldn’t find it in her to tear away from that gaze.  There was something about this woman that lit a fire inside of her.  Emmy nearly died as Kate smiled back at her, flashing her trademark dimples.

Emmy thought she might pass out.  The minute she met Kate Stewart, she knew it wasn’t just a celebrity crush.  This was real . . . or at least it felt real.  This woman already did things to her that she’d never felt before.  Her cheerful manner, her sparkling blue eyes, the subtle hint of her citrusy perfume.  And then . . . when they touched . . . Emmy struggled to remain upright. Every last ounce of her being was ablaze.  And those dimples . . . oh God, those dimples . . .

Finally, Hollander cleared his throat, breaking their little moment before it became too overtly awkward.  “Senator, we should be going.  You’ve got a meeting with Senator Norris in 20 minutes.”  Kate nodded and released Emmy’s hand and Emmy immediately mourned the loss of her touch.

Bell gestured to Emmy.  “Harris, you know the drill.  You’re to accompany Senator Stewart everywhere.  Manning will relieve you tonight at 8.”

Emmy nodded and followed Hollander and Kate from the room.  She silently cursed Hollander and his interruption.  She’d never wanted to let go of that hand, never wanted to leave this woman’s side.  Maybe she was delusional, but it felt like maybe the Senator had felt something too.  Their little moment sure hadn’t felt one-sided, but Emmy knew it was probably wishful thinking on her part.  After all, the woman was a politician.  It was her job to make each person she met feel as though they were the most important person in the world.

Either way, Emmy was going to enjoy this assignment so long as she didn’t lose her cool and start going all teenage fan girl on Kate.  She silently thanked her lucky stars that in reality, her job description required her to tail Kate everywhere.  She smirked as she checked out Kate’s gorgeous ass as she followed her.  Professional shadow of her crush.  Yep, she could live with that.

CHAPTER TWO

Over the next few months, Emmy did her job.   She followed Kate everywhere, making sure she was safe and secure.  Other than a few passing smiles and more than a few stolen glances on Emmy’s part, there had been little interaction between her and the President.  This was not unexpected.  Kate Stewart was a busy woman, probably one of the busiest people in the world, and it wasn’t exactly in Emmy’s job description to chat with the woman.  She was there to protect her, nothing else.  Still, that didn’t mean that Emmy wasn’t just a little disappointed.

Maybe, just maybe, she’d allowed her mind to wander a few times . . . okay more than few times . . . and had fantasized myriad different scenarios where she and Kate became close.  Maybe a little too close, but hey, a girl was allowed to dream.  So what if the object of her dreams barely knew she existed?  So what if Kate was beyond straight?  It didn’t hurt to engage in a healthy fantasy now and then.  A smile spread across Emmy’s face as she indulged in one of those daydreams, this one involving the President and her desk in the Oval Office.  The blonde flung the contents of her desk onto the floor, laid across the desk’s smooth surface and practically begged Emmy to . . .

Emmy was brought out of her reverie by a sweet, slightly bemused voice addressing her.  A voice that sent involuntary shivers down Emmy’s spine.

“What put that smile on your face, Agent Harris?”

Emmy nearly gasped in surprise and shock to discover the object of her not-so-appropriate thoughts addressing her.  The President’s piercing blue eyes met hers from across the room.  To make matters worse, the woman was sitting behind the very desk that had just played an integral role in Emmy’s fantasy.  Emmy struggled to regain her power of speech and rushed to speak, as the blonde was now giving her a perplexed look, undoubtedly because she was taking so long to respond.  “Sorry . . . um . . . you caught me off guard there.  I wasn’t expecting you to talk to me.  Anyway, you just caught me in the middle of a daydream, that’s all,” Emmy smiled bashfully.

Kate smiled playfully back at Emmy, who was obviously unnerved.  “No need to be nervous, Agent Harris.  I’m normal person just like you, just with a fancy title.”

When Emmy didn’t respond, Kate continued.  “So it must have been a good daydream,” she said, smirking a bit.  Kate regretted her words when she saw the embarrassed reaction spread across Harris’s face.  However, the blush also made Kate wonder what the hell had been in that daydream.

“I  . . .  uh .  . . was just thinking about a good movie I watched the other day.” Emmy stumbled.

Sensing that a change of subject might be in order, Kate simply nodded.  “Can I ask you what your first name is, Agent Harris?  We’ve been together constantly for months now.  Agent Harris seems overly formal, don’t you think?”  She smiled, giving Emmy a glimpse of her adorable dimples.

Kate’s smile nearly made Emmy melt on the spot.  That smile, those eyes, her confidence, her warmth.  Everything about her made Emmy more and more attracted to her.  Over the past few months, she’d gotten to see the “private” Kate Stewart, the one behind closed doors.  She was one tough woman, but she was also kind and warm and generous.  Many would have let the power go to their head, but not this woman.

“Uh . .  . Agent Harris?”  Kate laughed.

“Oh, sorry, Madame President.”  Emmy smiled apologetically.  “Apparently my mind’s apt to wander today.  My name is Emmy.”

“Can I ask you a favor, Emmy?”

“Of course.” Emmy replied.

“When we’re in private, please don’t call me Madame President.  It’s so formal and stiff.  Please, call me Kate.”

Emmy nodded, taken aback at the honor.  “Uh . . . sure.”  Getting to be on a first name basis with the President of the United States was not something that happened every day.

“Is Emmy short for something?  Seems like an unusual first name,” Kate added.

Emmy, feeling a little more comfortable, smirked.  “It is, but I don’t like telling people my full name.  Only my father uses it and I kind of hate it.”

Kate laughed.  “Emmy, have a seat.”  She motioned to one of the chairs in front of her desk.  Emmy did as she was told, her heart starting to flutter uncontrollably at this private interaction with the woman of her dreams.

“Now, let me tell you something, Emmy,“ Kate smirked, her dimples on display again.  She leaned towards Emmy as if to lecture her, but the mischievous glint in her eyes gave her away.  “I’m the President of the United States.  If I ask for information, I usually get it, one way or another.  So are you seriously going to deny me when I ask what your full name is?”  She winked, letting Emmy know she was teasing.

Emmy’s entire body was abuzz and aflame at this point.  Was the woman flirting with her?  It sure felt like it.  The banter was definitely tinged with what seemed like a flirty undertone, but maybe her mind was just playing tricks on her.  It was hard to believe that Kate Stewart would be interested in her.  After a few moments of silence, she steeled her courage and responded, deciding to give as good as she got.  “My name’s Emmaline.  But no one gets to call me that unless there’s something good in it for me.  Unless they’re somebody really, really special.”  She grinned, her green eyes twinkling.

Kate smirked right back.  “Emmaline.  I like it.  It suits you.  Yep.  Emmaline it is.”

Emmy was about to correct her, but held her tongue.  First, was she really foolish enough to tell the President of the United States what she could or could not call her?  Secondly, she kind of liked the way it sounded coming from Kate.  It felt like it was their own private joke, and anything private between her and this woman was okay in Emmy’s book.

“So tell me a little more about yourself, Emmaline,” Kate asked, not wanting their conversation to end.

“Um . . . “ Emmy began, fidgeting nervously.

Kate shot her another dimpled grin, which put Emmy at ease again.  Something about those dimples . . . they did the trick every time.

“I won’t bite.  I promise,” Kate said.

What if I want you to bite? was what ran through Emmy’s head.  She thanked her lucky stars that her filter was still intact.  Saying that aloud would have been mortifying.  “What do you want to know?” she said instead.

“Hmmm .  . . Where did you grow up?” Kate asked.

Emmy was relieved by the easy question.  “I grew up in Miami, but I haven’t lived there since I graduated high school.”

“Any siblings?”

Emmy nodded.  “I have one sister, Rachel.”

“Where did you go to school?”

“I went to NYU for undergrad and then I got my law degree at Harvard,” Emmy replied.  The rapid-fire questions were starting to make her a little nervous, but then again, Kate was known for her quick thinking and for being straight shooter.  This kind of subtle interrogation wasn’t entirely unexpected.

As if reading Emmy’s mind, Kate apologized.  “I’m sorry.  This is starting to feel like a job interview and kind of one-sided.  I just figured you probably already know all about my background.  Not exactly something that hasn’t been in the press.  How about this?  Tell me your favorite book and I’ll tell you mine?”

Emmy smiled a little, thankful not only that Kate had sensed the awkwardness, but also because she was about to be let into the personal side of this fascinating woman.  “No question, my favorite book is Pride and Prejudice.”

“No way! Mine too!”  Kate responded.  “I love the wit and humor of that book, but also the fact that it features a strong heroine who was prepared to sacrifice everything rather than live a life that wasn’t her own.  Austen is a genius.”

Emmy smiled.  Kate had just summed up her exact reasons for that choice.  “I agree 100%.  Though, on a side note, I have to say, I always thought Lizzy’s friend Charlotte was a lesbian.”  The minute the words were out of her mouth, Emmy immediately regretted bringing it up, afraid of Kate’s response.

However, Kate took it in stride.  “I can see that.”  Kate said, after taking a moment to ponder.  “No one else would ever agree to marry a guy like Collins.  She must have been desperate.  There weren’t exactly gay bars back then where she could have met a nice girl to shack up with.  I felt sorry for her.  Which film version do you prefer?”

“Definitely the BBC miniseries with Colin Firth.  You?”

“The same,” Kate replied.  “It’s a book that can’t be done justice in a 2 hour movie.”

Emmy was beaming at this point.  She liked this woman.  A lot.  She was witty and entertaining and of course beautiful.  And the fact that she was taking time out of her extremely busy day to bond with “the help” was beyond endearing.

“What’s your favorite movie?” Kate continued, thoroughly enjoying their conversation.  There was something about this woman that just put her at ease.  She could already tell that she and Emmy Harris were going to be fast friends.

“That’s a tough one.  So many good ones, but I think the winner is A League of Their Own.  No matter how many times it’s on cable, I always have to watch.”

Kate nodded enthusiastically.  “That’s a good one.  Love it.  My favorite . . . and you’re going to laugh, is The Happiest Millionaire.”  Emmy looked at her, perplexed.  “I know, I know, you’ve never heard of it.  It’s this obscure Disney musical from the 60s about this eccentric millionaire who keeps alligators in his conservatory and runs a Bible class that’s really a boxing club.  Even his daughter boxes. I don’t know why, but I love it.”

Emmy smirked.  Somehow, she could totally see Kate liking a movie like that.  It sounded a little too perky for her taste though.  “Sounds . . . interesting.  Maybe I’ll check it out some time.”  Emmy offered a small, sly smile.

Kate’s heart warmed a little.  She could tell that Emmy was humoring her, but it touched her that Emmy would even try.  Most people just made fun of her.  But then again, she was the President now, so it was quite possible Emmy was afraid to disagree with her.  Brushing her doubts aside, she continued.  “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”

Emmy thought about it for a minute.  “Well, I’d like to continue being successful in my career . . . though I’m not sure how I go much higher than this assignment right here.”  She smiled.

Kate cut in.  “I’m sure you earned this job and I know that I’m thankful to have you here with me.  I really appreciate the sacrifice you’re making to ensure that I’m safe.”

Emmy shrugged.  “It’s my job.  No big deal.”

“But it is a big deal.  I know a lot of people wouldn’t be willing to do this job.  You’re brave, Emmaline.  And I admire that.”

Their eyes locked and Emmy blushed slightly, which made Kate’s heart beat a little faster.  Something about this woman flustered her a little.  And she was not one to get flustered easily – it was not something that the President of the United States could afford.

“Anyway . . .” Emmy finally continued.  “Other than my career, I’d like to find the right person, get married, settle down, maybe have a kid or two.  But that’s not something I can just snap my fingers and create.  Plus, my job doesn’t exactly make it easy to keep a relationship going.”

Kate nodded in agreement.  “I hear you.  And now, though I’m determined to keep trying, it’s going to be even more difficult for me.  Dating the President isn’t exactly a low-pressure thing.  But I’m determined to keep at it, even if the press wants to continue painting me as a heartbreaking, love ‘em and leave ‘em type.”

Emmy smiled, sensing that this was a touchy subject for the blonde.  “I totally understand.  I was married once.  My husband couldn’t accept how much time I put into my career.  We grew apart, and then I found out he was cheating on me.  It hurt, but I knew that I wasn’t completely faultless. I’d put my career first.”

Kate nodded in understanding.  “I know what you mean . . . and I’m sorry about your marriage.  But I definitely get it.  I chose my career, to the detriment of my personal happiness.  I sometimes regret it.  Having to keep up appearances, having to make sure I don’t do anything that will be spun as a scandal.  Even so, I’ve gotten this reputation as a serial dater.  It’s not because I don’t want long term . . . I definitely do.  Things are just complicated and I haven’t found the one yet.  And it sucks.  Seeing my name out there with this less than savory reputation.  I’m actually sometimes surprised that it didn’t hinder my campaign.  I don’t know, maybe the public saw through the lies.  Or maybe they just don’t care as much about my personal life as the press would lead you to believe.”  Kate finally paused, realizing she’d rambled.  She didn’t normally open up to people, let alone to someone she hardly knew, but there was something about Emmy that just made her want to talk.  Something that made her want to be completely open and honest.  Something that had made her feel an immediate connection.  She was comfortable.  Emmy was comfortable.

Emmy was a bit stunned by Kate’s openness. Stunned and happy.  She got the sense that Kate didn’t open up often.  The fact that Kate had poured out her feelings to her must have meant something, right?

Kate’s next question interrupted Emmy’s thoughts.  “If you could have any super power, what would it be?”

Emmy chuckled.  “A super power?  Really?”  This woman’s quirks were adorable.

Just as Emmy was about to answer, Hollander strode into the office.  The relaxed atmosphere was immediately gone.  Kate shook her head.  That man could kill a mood in seconds flat.

“Madame President, you’ve got that date with Brad Marson at the Capitol Cafe in 30 minutes.  We should leave, you don’t want to be late.  The man’s got some great connections here in Washington that we can take advantage of.  Plus, it’s been months since you were photographed with anyone and you know how the public loves reading about the personal lives of the powerful, rich and famous.”  Kate rolled her eyes and sighed.

Emmy didn’t notice Kate’s less than enthused response and her heart dropped at the mention of a date.  She had no right to be hurt, but that didn’t stop her from feeling as though she’d been gutted.

*              *              *              *              *

Shortly thereafter, Kate was seated across from Brad Marson as Emmy watched on.  This was a part of her job that she definitely didn’t enjoy.  Having to watch the woman that she wanted to date have a romantic dinner with someone else was sheer torture.

“So tell me about yourself, Brad?” Kate began.

Brad shrugged.  “Can’t you just get some dossier on me or something and skip the small talk crap?”

Kate sighed.  This was going to be a long night.  “I suppose I could, but I prefer to do some things on my own.  “Where did you grow up?”

“Does it matter?” Brad responded.

Kate was taken aback.  This guy was a piece of work.  Where had Hollander dug up this creep?  “What about your family, any siblings?”

“I don’t talk about my family.  2 siblings. Next.”

“Where did you go to school?”

“I went to the University of Florida on a wrestling scholarship.  In high school, I was all-state, baby.”  He puffed out his chest with pride and leaned back in her seat, clearly expecting her to be impressed.

Kate struggled to maintain her calm demeanor.  She wanted to laugh out loud at this buffoon, but she was way too polite for that.  She couldn’t help but draw comparisons between this jerk and the fun conversation she’d just had with Emmy minutes before.

“What’s your favorite book?” Kate asked, regretting the question as soon as she asked it.  She silently wondered if Brad could even read.  How could a guy like this have any connections worth having?

“I don’t read.  Reading is for nerds and bored housewives.  Unless you count Playboy.  But no, I don’t subscribe just for the articles.”  He shot her a self-satisfied smirk.

Kate struggled to maintain a polite façade.  “What about movies?  Got a favorite movie?”  She prayed for a decent answer.  Movies didn’t require any brainpower, so he should have no trouble answering.

“I don’t know.  Anything with half-naked chicks and blowing shit up is good with me.”

Emmy laughed out loud, but quickly turned it into a fake cough.  Kate shot her a look, with a quick smirk, before turning her attention back to Brad.

Kate knew she shouldn’t bother, but couldn’t resist.  “Where do you see yourself in five years, Brad?”

“I live for the now.  We could die tomorrow, so we might as well enjoy today.  That’s my motto.  Seize the day and that kind of crap.  Which is why I like girls who put out on the first date.  No reason to wait.  We could be dead tomorrow.”

Kate nodded. “That’s an interesting philosophy, Brad.”  Did this guy know whom he was talking to?  Telling the President of the United States in a not-so-subtle manner that she should “put out!?!”  Kate was stunned.

Emmy wore an amused smirk on her face.  Kate kept glancing up at her after each question, as if they had their own silent running joke, looking for Emmy’s response to each of Brad’s absurd answers.

Kate asked another question, silently praying for an earthquake, a riot, a nuclear crisis, anything that would pull her away from this awful date. This had to be one terrible date if she was seriously wishing that kind of ill on the world just to escape a night with this guy.  But forget it, she was Kate Stewart, damn it.  She could get through this.  Forging ahead, she asked another question.  “If you could have any super power, what would it be?”

Brad smirked and responded.  “X-ray vision, so I could see hotties without their clothes on.”

Kate sighed, struggling to keep a one-sided conversation with this pig going.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kate saw Emmy hold a hand up to her earpiece.  She nodded a few times before responding.  “Right.  Yes, sir.  I’ll pass along the message to her right away.”  She then stepped over to Kate and bent to whisper in her ear.

Kate felt a twinge of guilt, realizing that her selfish wishes for a crisis might have come true.  However, those thoughts flowed away as Emmy’s warm breath tickled Kate’s skin and sent shivers down her spine.  “Looks like you might want an out with this jerk.  Play along and we’ll pretend I just got an urgent message for you that requires your presence back at the White House.  Or if I’ve read it wrong, just ignore me and I’ll keep my mouth shut from now on.”

Kate nodded and smiled thankfully up at Emmy.  This woman was a keeper.  She thought she’d die if she had to spend another minute with this guy.  Turning to Brad, she said, “I’m sorry, but we’ve got a bit of a crisis and I need to go handle it.  You know, being President and all.”  She only slightly regretted waiving her title in this jerk’s face. “I’ve had a nice time and my people will be in touch.  We’ll take care of the check.  Nice meeting you.”  She put on her perkiest, kindest façade and shook his hand before leaving the restaurant with Emmy and the rest of her entourage.

As they headed to the door, Kate looked up at Emmy and smiled.  “Thank you so much, Emmaline.  You’re a lifesaver . . . and a much better date than he’ll ever be.”

CHAPTER THREE

“You’re a lifesaver . . . and a much better date than he’ll ever be.”

Emmy replayed those words over and over in her head constantly for the next few days.  She couldn’t make heads or tails of it.  Kate had continued on her way as if it were the most normal thing in the world to say.  Clearly she hadn’t realized the effect that one sentence could have on Emmy. Emmy could think of nothing else.  What had Kate meant?  Probably nothing.  Kate had most likely meant simply that Emmy could hold a normal, non-offensive conversation.   And really, it didn’t take much to beat that guy – he’d been a stereotypical chauvinist pig.  Emmy shook her head as she thought about it.  She hadn’t actually believed that people like Brad really existed.  Clearly she’d been naïve.

Emmy tried desperately not to fixate, but that seemingly passing remark had given her a small glimmer of hope.  She knew she was setting herself up for disappointment, but she couldn’t help it.  What if? Maybe Kate did mean it to be something more.  After all, she’d asked Emmy the exact same questions that she’d asked Brad.  Were those her typical first date conversation starters?  Had Emmy been on a first date and not known it?  Or had Kate simply tried to make the best of a bad situation by amusing them both by asking the same questions they’d just discussed?  Emmy sighed and ran a quick hand through her hair before resuming her position guarding the door of Oval Office.  Unfortunately, her job was one that left ample time for thought.  Which meant she had nothing to do but overthink Kate and those damn words.  And it didn’t help matters that she had to stare at the source of her confusion for hours on end.  Every time that woman was anywhere near her, her whole body felt jittery, she felt weak in the knees, she felt like a schoolgirl.  Definitely not like the bad ass, gun wielding federal agent that she was.

At that moment, Hollander strode into the office.  Kate, who was on the phone, gestured for him to take a seat while she finished.  Emmy’s skin crawled every time that man walked into the room.  She wanted nothing more than to take his scrawny, slimy ass out back and kick the crap out of him.  Something about his smug attitude just rubbed her the wrong way.  She didn’t know how Kate dealt with him on a daily basis.

Finally, Kate hung up the phone and looked at Hollander with serious look on her face.  “Phil, thanks for stopping by.  I wanted to talk to you about the other night – the date with Brad.”

Hollander nodded.  “I think we should set up another date as soon . . .” Kate held up a staying hand.

“I wasn’t finished.  Please don’t cut me off.”

“Kate . . .”

“That’s Madame President, Phil.  As I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me, that date was a disaster.  I’m not sure where you found that Neanderthal, but I suggest you return him to whatever cave he crawled out of.  If you seriously think my dating tastes run that moronic and pedestrian, you’ve got another thing coming.  I am, as you are aware, a damned busy woman.  I do not have time to waste.  What little personal time I have needs to be spent with someone who can hold up their end of the conversation, someone who can answer a question without using the word chick or hotties, someone who is literate, someone who doesn’t use their sleeve as a napkin, someone who looks at my eyes and not at chest.”  She glanced across the room and briefly met Emmy’s gaze, a small smile on her face.

Emmy’s heart was beating a mile a minute.  Strong, confident, bossy Kate Stewart was beyond hot.  And had she just looked at her?  Had she been referring to her, when she was talking about someone worth spending time with?  Emmy couldn’t breathe, the air in the room suddenly thin.  She needed to get a hold of herself.  How was she supposed to do her job if she could barely keep herself upright?

Kate continued.  “So what I’m saying, Phil, is that from now on, stay out of my personal life. You clearly wouldn’t know a good catch if it was handed to you on the end of a fishing pole.  Don’t ever, ever waste my time like that again.”

Hollander stared at her in shocked silence.

Kate stared him down, before adding, “that will be all.”

With that, Hollander rose in a huff and exited the room.

“Damn that was hot.”  Emmy muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”  Kate asked.

Emmy silently cursed herself, not realizing that she’d said that aloud.  “Oh, um . . . I was just saying that Hollander is a jerk.”  She hoped Kate hadn’t heard what she’d really said.  She was relieved when Kate merely smiled and nodded before returning to her work.  However, there had been a slight twinkle in Kate’s eye that made Emmy wonder if she’d heard more than she was letting on.

*              *              *              *              *

Later that day, Emmy and Val were assigned to cover the President’s meeting with the Prime Minister of England.  They stood at attention on either side of the door as Kate went to greet the Prime Minister.  She smiled warmly at him as she took his hand in hers.  Emmy couldn’t stop staring.  She knew that protocol required her to stay alert, to watch for signs of danger, but she couldn’t do it.  She couldn’t muster the will to tear her eyes away from the gorgeous blonde who just so happened to be one of the most powerful people in the world.  Power was a good look on her.  Kate wore it well.  She was strong, confident, and kind, but not a push over.  As she and the Prime Minister got down to business, a small smile crept across Emmy’s face.  This woman was amazing.  Some sort of conversation was going on, but Emmy had no idea what it was.  She was enraptured by the vision in the blue power suit in front of her, serenaded by the musical tone of her voice, melted by the occasional flashes of dimples as she smiled at the Englishman.

Emmy couldn’t help but notice the occasional glance that Kate shot in her direction.  She figured it was just because was bored or because she was distracted or because she was looking off into the distance as she thought about how to respond to the man.  There was no way that Kate was really looking at her.  And those few brief smiles . . . clearly they were meant for the Prime Minister.  Kate was just being polite.  Despite all this, Emmy struggled once again to maintain control over her senses.  This was getting out of hand.  She had never been such a flustered mess in her life.  Normally she was cool, calm and collected.  She was a rock star.  Now, she was becoming increasingly frayed at the seams, her inner fan girl threatening to burst forth at any moment.  She really needed to get a grip . . . She just wasn’t sure exactly how.

*              *              *              *              *

Kate was struggling.  Normally this kind of meeting was easy for her.  She was quick on her feet, but also made sure she’d done her homework.  She was good at her job .  . .  damn good.  But today, not so much. For some reason, there was only one thing on her mind – and it wasn’t the tenuous state of relations in the Middle East or the collapse of the world financial markets.  It was a certain woman standing across the room from her . . . a woman NOT named Manning.  As the Prime Minister droned on, she nodded and smiled and desperately attempted to keep up her end of the dialogue.  It was difficult beyond words.  She could barely string together coherent sentences.  Kate could feel Emmy’s eyes upon her and it unnerved her.  There was no reason to be thrown off by this – it was Emmy’s job to watch her, to protect her.  Still, the feel of those sea green eyes on her was setting her heart aflutter.  She occasionally glanced up, briefly meeting the woman’s gaze before returning her attention to the man in front of her.  This wasn’t a feeling she was used to feeling – flustered.  She was Kate Stewart, damn it.  President of the United States.  She did NOT get flustered.  She was the one usually causing the flustering.  But not now.  She nodded and agreed with something the Prime Minister had said.  Hopefully she hadn’t just agreed to nuke North Korea or to sell the United States back to England.  She really had no idea.  She knew one thing for sure.  Emmaline Harris was not good for foreign relations.

*               *              *              *              *

Finally wrapping up the meeting, she headed from the room.  Emmy and Val followed her.  As they did so, Val leaned over to whisper something.  “So are you and the Prez doing it?”

“What!?” Emmy responded.  She tried to keep her voice to a whisper, which proved hard, given what Val had just said.  “That’s ridiculous.  Why would you say that?”

“Because the two of you spent that whole meeting making goo-goo eyes at each other.  I wonder if the Prime Minister realized he was in the middle of some silent girl-on-girl eye sex.”

“Shut it, Manning.  There is nothing going on.  Besides, the President is straight, remember?”  Emmy was beyond embarrassed, and hoped she hadn’t turned as bright red as her cheeks felt.

“Yeah, she’s about as straight as Ellen DeGeneres.  Melissa Etheridge.  Rosie O’Donnell.  Need I go on?  Trust me Harris, the President wants to exercise her Executive Privilege on you.”

Emmy rolled her eyes.  “Whatever you say, Val.”  Of course, secretly, she hoped Val was right, but she still had her doubts.

As they headed outside into the sunlight, they pulled out their sunglasses.  Manning put her standard issue aviators on.  Emmy, never one to completely toe the line, whipped out a pair with bright purple frames.  As she followed the President into her limo, Val heading to sit up next to the driver, Kate turned and smirked at Emmy.  “Purple shades, Harris?  Really?”  She winked flirtatiously at Emmy, causing butterflies to once again erupt in her stomach.  Emmy shook her head slightly.  She was going to need to take out stock in the company that sold Tums at this rate.

Suddenly worried that the President was serious, Emmy attempted to explain.  “Sorry, I know they’re not technically up to the uniform code.  I just like to have a tiny bit of individuality now and again.  Please don’t tell Director Bell, I’ve already bumped heads with him one too many times over things like this.”

Kate chuckled. “I wasn’t chastising you, Emmaline.  I was simply commenting on your willingness to be an individual, a rebel, in a job that requires so much conformity.  I like it.”

Emmy smiled, relaxing.  “Thanks.  I have to do these little things to keep me sane.  My little rebellion against the man.”

Kate shot Emmy her dimples, before leaning in conspiratorially.  “Want to know a little secret?”

Emmy nearly died as Kate’s deep blue eyes locked on her own, shining with amusement.  She nodded.

“I rebel too.”  Kate lifted her pant leg and unzipped one of her stylish high-heeled boots.  Underneath, she revealed the most absurd pair of black, orange, and red flame covered socks that Emmy had ever seen.  “I wear weird socks every day I can.  It’s my own private way of reminding myself that I’m an individual, that the old Kate that I used to know is still in there.  That it’s not all serious President business.”

Emmy grinned back, relishing the fact that Kate had just shared this intimate part of her life.  “Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me . . . but now you’re going to have to show me your socks every day.  Or I’m going to spend all day undressing you with my eyes trying to figure out what you’ve got on underneath.”

When Kate shot her an odd look, Emmy realized what she’d just said.  “Uh . . . I mean undressing your feet, not you,” she corrected, wincing at her slip up.

Kate laughed, which enabled Emmy to relax a little and she was able to breathe again. Or she was able to breathe until Kate spoke again.

“Emmaline, would you like to have dinner with me tonight?”

CHAPTER FOUR

The look of surprise and shock on Emmy’s face suddenly made the usually confident Kate take a step back.  Had she offended her?  Was it too much too soon?  She hadn’t really thought it through.  She had acted on an impulse, which she had learned was usually a mistake.  She liked to plan, to think things over, and to mull the possible outcomes of every decision she made.  This cautious strategy had served her well.  Yet something about this woman made Kate want to throw caution to the wind . . . to be impulsive . . . to be free . . . to ignore the need for appearances and formality . . . to be herself.  But it looked as though that moment of impulsive weakness had been a mistake – and now she regretted it.  She tried the best she could to remedy the situation, to put Emmy at ease.

“Please don’t feel like you have to say yes.  I know I’m your boss and it would be hard to say no.  I probably overstepped some boundaries here.  I just don’t have much time for friends and friendship in a position like mine.”

Friends.  The word cut through Emmy’s heart like a knife.  All the astonished hope that had just soared through her came crashing back down all around her as the reality of the situation became clear.  Of course Kate wasn’t interested in her that way.  Why would she be?  She was straight, she was successful, and she could have anybody she wanted. She was obviously just lonely.

Kate continued, though Emmy only half heard what she said.  “And I guess our little bonding over my socks made me miss that kind of banter, that joking that you can have with people who don’t judge you for who you are and what title you hold.  I just miss being myself, with no need to try and impress, I guess.  And I feel comfortable around you.  I really like you, Emmaline.  But please, no pressure. You look as if I’ve offended you or something.”

Emmy shook her head.  “No, I’d love to.  I just wasn’t expecting it.  It’s not every day you get to have dinner with the President.”  She smiled slightly.  Her heart rate had returned to normal once she’d realized that Kate’s intentions were not romantic.  Clearly this wasn’t a date.  Whatever.  She’d take what she could get.  Any time spent with Kate, especially alone, was okay in her book.

Kate’s heart sank at Emmy’s response.  Clearly Emmy felt that there was no way to say no, that you didn’t turn down the President.  Also, it was clear that despite her best efforts, Emmy still considered her to be a famous person to be placed on a pedestal, not someone to just spend time with – with no pressure or formality.  Someone to hang out with . . . someone to develop a relationship with that wasn’t based on rank and prestige.  Still, Kate forged ahead.  She wanted to spend time with this woman – and if she had to hide behind her position of power in order to do so – well, then so be it.  “Super!” She replied, perhaps a little too perkily.  “What time is your shift over?”

“Six,” Emmy replied.

“Why don’t you run home afterwards and get comfortable or whatever and then meet me back at the White House at 7:30?  If it’s okay with you, I’d prefer to eat in.  It’s always such a production to go anywhere – you’d know after all - and the White House Chef, Bill, is great.”

Emmy smiled.  “Sounds perfect.”  She also silently thanked the heavens that Julie was on duty tonight and not Val.  She really didn’t want to have to deal with Manning’s teasing and inappropriate comments at the moment.  Especially since this wasn’t actually a date.  Knowing Val, she’d have them married with ten kids by the end of the evening.  That or doing very inappropriate things in very inappropriate places.

*              *              *              *              *

Later that afternoon, Emmy overheard Kate’s side of a rather heated phone conversation with what appeared to be Hollander.

“Yes, I understand Phil.  I don’t see why we need to address this now.  My take on the issue is well known.  Why the need for a new statement now?”  Kate said.  She paused for a moment, listening to his response.

“Can’t we just put out the same position that I took during the election?  My views on what my position is haven’t changed.  I know, I know. . . .”  Kate continued.

“And stop pushing me.  It won’t get you anywhere.  If you hadn’t decided to stir the pot with the Republicans, this would be a non-issue.  You know I feel strongly about this.  I’ve already bent further than I should have to make people happy . . . Well, figure something out damn it  . . . that’s what you get paid to do.  ” She slammed the phone down and ran a hand through her blonde locks.  Even a frustrated, angry Kate was sexy, Emmy thought.  Was there any look that this woman didn’t wear well?  Emmy doubted it.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy couldn’t decide what to wear.  She wanted to look nice, but she didn’t want to look like she was trying too hard.  After all, this was only a date in her hormone-addled, lust-filled mind.  In reality, not so much, as Kate had made abundantly clear.  But Emmy was thankful for any time spent together, and lucky that her slip about the socks hadn’t offended Kate. Telling the President of the United States that you wanted picture her naked . . . way to go Harris.  She silently shook her head.  She was very smooth.  She couldn’t imagine the look on Director Bell’s face if he ever heard that one of his agents had made such a comment.  She’d be lucky to get out of his office alive.

Emmy tore through her closet, frustrated as nothing seemed right.  Normally, when around Kate, she didn’t have this problem.  She wore suits to work.  Not much of a decision to be made.  They were all Kate saw her in.  But putting aside the fact that she wanted to look . . .  well . . . hot, what the hell did one wear when having a private, impromptu dinner with the President?  Not exactly the kind of topic you’d find addressed in a Miss Manners column.  Emmy was too busy muttering to herself and throwing clothes about her closet to notice her very amused roommate, Val, standing in the doorway of her bedroom.

“Got a hot date, Harris?”

Emmy looked up, blowing a stray hair out of her eyes in frustration.  “What?  No.  What are you doing here? Aren’t you supposed to be out with your boyfriend?”

Val shrugged noncommittally. “Doesn’t matter.  And stop lying.  You totally have a date.  Let me guess.  You and the Hotness in Chief are going to get freaky.”

“Val!” Emmy yelled.  “I’ve told you before, there’s nothing going on between us.”

“Right.  And I’m Santa Claus.”

Sometimes Emmy really hated her roommate.  Mostly because she had an annoying way of always being able to read a situation perfectly.  Though in this case, her radar was a little off, since Kate didn’t know this was a date.  And it wasn’t a date, she reminded herself.  She really needed to stop thinking of it as such.

“All I know, Emmy, is that you only get like this – all frantic and crazy-eyed and screamy – when you’ve got a date.  A hot date.  An ‘I want to screw you up against the nearest available surface, I want to put my babies inside of you, I want to take your last name’ kind of date.  Not an ‘I want to get to know you and talk about our feelings and then maybe kiss you after five dates’ kind of date.  And we both know that you’ve got a crush the size of Texas on President Blondie.  So out with it.  Where’s she taking you? Are you going to let her veto your clothing and do the McNasty in the Oval Office?”

“Val please . . .” Emmy pleaded, needing desperately to focus on getting ready. “If I tell you what’s really going on, will you please stop and just help me?  I’m freaking out here.”

“Fine.  But I expect details.  And I’m not going to be all girly with you and giggle and pass a note to her in class for you. There will be no drawing your names in little hearts and talking about how dreamy she is.”

Emmy rolled her eyes.  Despite her roommate’s attitude, she was at least somewhat amusing and willing to help when crises such as this arose.  She sighed and finally spilled the details.  “So here’s the deal.  Yes, you are right – I have a little crush on the President.”

“Little crush, my ass.”  Val muttered, before Emmy cut her off with a murderous look.

Emmy sighed and continued.  “There’s no point in denying it.  She’s gorgeous and brilliant and confident and kind.  She’s well, amazing.  But there’s nothing going on, Val.  Nothing.  I swear to you.  In case you forgot, she’s straight.  We’re having dinner tonight, as friends, which she made abundantly clear.  But I’m freaking out anyway, because well, as you know, that’s what I do when I have a crush.  So please, please help me.”  Emmy could hear the desperation in her own voice.  “What do I wear?  I can’t pick out an outfit to go out with you and Phil, let alone with the President.”

The look of panic on Emmy’s face almost softened Val’s heart . . . almost.  “Okay.”  Val paused for a moment to ponder the choices.  “Don’t wear the purple top and black skirt you usually wear on first dates.  It’s a little too hooker chic, especially with the knee-high boots you seem to love so much.  Unless, you know, that’s the look you’re going for, which could work, because El Presidente is totally a closet lady lover, but whatever.  Anyway, don’t go for that long black dress you somehow think looks good on you . . . it doesn’t.  Unless you want the ‘Kiss Me I’m Amish’ look.  If you think less is more when it comes to showing skin, that it’s the look for you.  But somehow, I don’t think POTUS is the type to blush and swoon at the sight of a sliver of skin at the ankle.  That dress covers you from head to toe.  Seriously, Emmy, just burn the damn thing.”

“Val . . . you are not helping . . .” Emmy groaned.

“I’m thinking.  It takes the genius that is my mind a minute to work through the possibilities.  Okay, I’ve got it.  Wear the red top.  You know, the one that will have her staring at your rack all night?  Pair it with some jeans and some heels and you’ll be all set.  By morning, you’ll have ‘First Lady’ tattooed across your ass.”

“You’re so sweet, Manning, what would ever do without you.” Emmy said sarcastically.  However, Val was right – the outfit could work.  And on the off chance that Val was really right, there were worse things to have branded on her ass than “First Lady.”  At least when the one doing the branding had blue eyes the color of the ocean and dimples to die for.

CHAPTER FIVE

Kate was freaking out. And she, Kate Stewart, did not freak out.  Ever.  Absolutely not.  She was strong enough, confident enough, and smart enough to handle national and international crises on a daily basis.  So why the hell was she so flustered?

She muttered to herself as she raided her closet.  What the hell was she supposed to wear?  And did it really even matter?  She was completely overreacting.  It’s not like this was a date.  And she was also fairly certain that Emmy had only said yes because, well, who the hell says no to the President?  Though, if she were honest with herself, if anyone could find the strength to say no, it would be someone like Emmy.  Strong, quiet, confident.  But maybe that was just wishful thinking on her part – trying to convince herself that Emmy was coming of her own accord.

And what did it matter?  This was not anything more than a friendly dinner.  And why should it be?  Why the hell did this woman make her so discombobulated?  She couldn’t get a handle on her feelings. All Kate knew was that whenever it was Emmy’s shift to protect her, she had a damn difficult time concentrating on anything other than the woman’s quiet presence.  And for someone as busy and as important as she was, distraction was not a good thing to have.  The things this woman did to her.  She shook her head as she threw her tenth rejected outfit onto the floor.  Undoubtedly Emmy wasn’t going through this nervous meltdown.  She was probably calm, cool and collected . . . and ready to get her mandatory dinner with the boss over with.

Kate sighed as she ran a hand through her blonde tresses.  She needed to get a grip.  Taking a few deep breaths, she decided on a pair of gray slacks and a deep blue blouse with just a hint of cleavage. She knew the color brought out her eyes and figured it couldn’t hurt to look her best.  Even if this was just a boring old dinner between a boss and her employee.

She sat down and put on a new pair of socks under her boots, smiling as she did so.  Suddenly, this wasn’t just for her anymore.  She thought maybe this was the start of a new private joke between her and Emmy and she’d cherish any such private time, even if it was over something as weird as her feet.  It was lonely at the top.

Kate paced the room as she waited for Emmy’s arrival.  She was shocked out of her reverie by the voice of the woman pervading her thoughts.  “So aren’t you going to flash me?”  Emmy said, a slightly wicked grin on her face.

“Um .  . . what?” Kate replied, more than a little taken aback by Emmy’s question.  She felt heat spread involuntarily across her skin.  It didn’t help that the woman standing before her was gorgeous.  She was stunning under normal circumstances, but seeing Emmy out of her business suit, with her dark brown hair let down and curling gently at her shoulders was just . . .  for lack of a better word . . . hot.

Emmy silently cursed herself.  Clearly the tequila Val had plied her with before her departure was already affecting her judgment.  “Your socks,” she added, a little too belatedly to cover up the flirtatiousness of her comment.  “Flash me your socks . .  . unless you’ve got the same ones on as before.  But somehow I suspect they’re different.”

Kate relaxed and smiled, her dimples shooting warmth right through Emmy’s heart.  She reached down and lifted her pant leg to reveal a pair of black socks with the periodic table of elements on it – something usually only found in Chemistry textbooks.

“The Periodic Table?” Emmy asked, a bemused expression on her face as she arched an eyebrow.

Kate shrugged.  “I’m a nerd at heart, what can I say?”

They sat down to dinner and enjoyed the meal prepared for them.  Emmy couldn’t stop grinning as they settled into comfortable small talk. There was definitely something in the air.  Definitely something between them.  Or at least she thought so.  The way Kate kept smiling, the glint in her eyes.  It just seemed so easy, so relaxed.  But then again, she’d been wrong in the past.  Her radar wasn’t the best.  And it still didn’t get rid of the fact that Kate’s dating history was very well publicized and there wasn’t a woman in sight.  Just a string of men, each more gorgeous and successful than the last.  And it wasn’t surprising.  This woman was amazing, she was stunning, she was successful.  She was the ultimate catch.  She could probably have whomever the hell she wanted.  Man or woman, gay or straight.  She was that amazing.  Or maybe only she, Emmy, felt it on that level.  After all, Val didn’t seem to go weak in the knees around her.  Quite the opposite.  But then again, Emmy wasn’t quite sure that Val even had a heart, and if she did, it was probably made of steel. Not exactly the type to get all swoony.

Their conversation came to a lull.  Neither one felt the need to say anything, content to just sit there, stealing glances and picking at their food.  Kate struggled to keep her feelings in check, to keep her eyes diverted.  She didn’t know what the hell was going on with her, but something about this woman just undid her.  All she wanted to do was stare at her.  All day.  It wasn’t exactly polite and she didn’t want to creep Emmy out.  So she contented herself with a few stolen glances while pushing her food around on her plate.

Emmy finally broke the silence.  “Can I ask you something?”

Kate nodded. “Sure.”

“Why do you keep Hollander around?  It’s something that’s been bugging me.  No offense if you like him, but he seems like a Class A jerk.”

Kate chuckled.  “Don’t worry, Emmaline.  I’m not offended at all.  I feel the same way.  One of the things about being in a position of power like mine is that you have to make sure you’re surrounded by intelligent, experienced people.  Even if you don’t like them, if they’re best for the job, you deal with it.  It doesn’t matter how smart you are, when you’re running a country, you need the insight of others.  He came highly recommended and I have to say that I agree with him a good portion of the time.  Not always.   That date fiasco, for instance, but he definitely knows what he’s doing.  So I overlook the fact that he’s a toad.”

Emmy laughed.  “This may be overstepping some boundaries, but if you don’t mind me asking, what were you arguing with him about earlier today?  If it’s something that I’m not supposed to know about, top secret or whatever, that’s totally cool.”

Kate paused for a moment, pondering a response.  “Actually, I’d love to tell you.  To get your thoughts, your insight.  As I said, in a position like mine, it’s important to get the views of people whom you trust, people whose viewpoints matter.  And I think you’re smart and may help me get a fresh perspective from someone not in the business of politics.”

Emmy warmed a little inside, her heart fluttering at Kate’s admission that she trusted her, that she valued her opinion.

Kate continued.  “So the Republicans are pushing an amendment to the Constitution.  One that would define marriage as being between one man and one woman.  It’ll never pass.  The threshold of votes needed and states to ratify it will never happen.  This country may be a bit behind the times in terms of gay rights, but we’re not quite that bigoted.  At least there are enough good people to block it anyway.  But that’s not the point.  The point is, the issue is in the news again, front and center.  And people are looking to me to make a statement on this issue.  I know how I feel on a personal level, which is that I’m all for gay marriage.  But there’s fine line to be toed – if I come out as too extreme on the issue, it may affect my popularity, my ability to get other legislation passed, my ability to get re-elected.  While that may be a bit selfish, I have to worry about things like that.  I can’t make the changes this country so desperately needs if I don’t have the power to convince people, if I don’t have credibility, if I don’t have this office.  So I guess, I’m asking what your take is on the whole thing.  I’ve never been married.  Maybe I’m missing some insight here.  As a woman who’s been married to a man before, is there a reason why you think gay marriage should be any different from straight?  Am I missing something?”

Emmy heart was thudding uncontrollably fast at this point.  Here it was.  Her opening, if she chose to accept it.  She could at least let Kate know she wasn’t as straight as she appeared.  Maybe hint that she was feeling more.  Or she could hide behind the shield of her former marriage.  Which route?  She knew what she had to do, so took a deep breath and began.

“Well, here’s my take.  I know that during your campaign, you took the stance that many Democrats take – that you believe marriage is between a man and a woman, but that you’re supportive of domestic partnerships or civil unions.  And you believe these unions should have all the same rights and protections that come with traditional marriage.  I don’t think that’s good enough.  To me, it smacks of the ‘separate but equal’ problem this country had with the rights of African-Americans a half a century ago.  Until everyone is truly treated as equal, with no special labels or designations, you run the risk of things not really, truly being equal.”

Kate nodded and smiled.   Emmy really got it.  She waited, sensing that Emmy wasn’t done.

“As someone who was previously married, I can say that I really don’t get the often-used argument that gay marriage ruins the sanctity of marriage.  Straight people are doing a good enough job messing that up on their own.  Britney Spears and her 5-minute Vegas marriage.  Cheaters like Tiger Woods.  People like Elizabeth Taylor who have been married a billion times.  Even me.  I let my marriage slip away.  And frankly, what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their bedroom is none of my business and in no way affects my ability to get married or to enjoy that marriage.  I’m sure there are plenty of straight people who do really, really freaky things in bed that would horrify me.  But as long as no one’s getting hurt, that’s their prerogative.  But I realize it’s about more than just sex.  It’s about commitment, it’s about benefits.  What I don’t understand is why certain people are willing to deny others the same rights and privileges they enjoy, just because they’re different.  I may think that certain people are disgusting, depraved, or even just downright obnoxious, but it doesn’t mean I think they should be treated differently under the law.  It’s just unkind, judgmental, and unfair.  But I’ve probably rambled on too long.”  She let out a breath, fearful that her ramble would somehow offend Kate.

She paused, debating whether to tell Kate about her feelings, or at least the fact that she considered her own sexuality to be fluid.  However, at the last moment, she chickened out.  She didn’t feel the time was right, and couldn’t quite make the words come out.

Kate shook her head.  “You are amazing Emmaline.  So insightful.  Thank you for sharing that with me.  It really helps.”  She paused. There was something about this woman that made her want to break down every carefully constructed barrier she had in place.  It was as if Emmy somehow silently demanded absolute honesty.

Kate took a deep breath and met Emmy’s soulful green eyes.  “Can I tell you something and you’ll give me your word that you’ll keep it to yourself?”

Emmy nodded.

“I’m not exactly who I appear to be.”

Emmy looked at her, a little perplexed.  “What do you mean?”

Kate paused for a beat, weighing whether she really wanted to do what her heart was screaming for her to do.  Her head, on the other hand, was telling her she was foolish.  Pushing her doubts aside, she forged ahead.  After one more deep breath, she continued, looking straight into Emmy’s eyes.  “I’m gay, Emmaline.”

CHAPTER SIX

“I’m gay, Emmaline.”

The words rang out and shot a jolt right through Emmy’s heart.  She was stunned into an overwhelmed silence.  This changed so much . . . or did it?  Suddenly, the possibility that Kate might feel something for her didn’t seem quite as long a shot as it had 30 seconds ago.  But on the other hand, just because Kate was gay didn’t mean that she automatically liked every woman on the planet, and it still didn’t change the fact that this woman was so amazing that she could probably have any woman she wanted.  Besides, Kate had no idea that she, Emmy, was bisexual.  So there was no real reason that she would have come out to her in an effort to woo her.  Kate just trusted her as a friend.  Still, it didn’t stop Emmy’s heart from swelling, from feeling the wash of nerves and emotion spread like wildfire throughout her body.  She was so wrapped up in her surprise and her warring thoughts that she forgot that Kate was waiting for a response.

Kate studied Emmy’s face as the revelation washed over her, looking for some sign of what the woman thought.  The stunned look on Emmy’s face made Kate nervous, scared, and flustered.  She wasn’t sure what reaction she’d been hoping for – perhaps, “I’m gay too and I want to tear your clothes off.”  But that wasn’t realistic.  The problem was, she didn’t know what to make of Emmy’s stunned silence.  Was she simply surprised, but okay with it?  Was she horrified and trying to figure out a way to politely escape the room?  Was she happy? Upset? Indifferent?  Kate struggled to maintain her composure.  She couldn’t get a read on this woman and it left her unnerved all over again. And really, why did it matter what Emmy thought?  She shook off that thought.  Of course it mattered – it mattered so much.  Because like it or not, Kate knew, deep down, she was falling for this woman.  Hard.

Finally, her nerves got the better of her, and she attempted to diffuse the situation.  “Emmaline, I’m sorry.  I shouldn’t have burdened you with that.  It’s a lot to take in.  I just hope I haven’t offended you.  I knew I should have kept my mouth shut.”  Kate rose from the table and turned away from Emmy, hoping to hide her discomfort and hurt.

Kate’s words broke Emmy out of her thoughts. Seeing the normally unflappable woman pace back and forth nervously warmed her heart.  Clearly this had been hard for Kate to admit.  Incredibly hard, given the position she was in.  Emmy stood and placed a gentle hand on Kate’s shoulder.  Kate jumped slightly at the unexpected contact before turning to face Emmy.  Deep green eyes locked on azure ones as Emmy gazed at Kate.

She shook her head and smiled, hoping to put Kate at ease.  “Don’t freak out. It’s cool, really.  I’m fine.  You just took me by surprise.  I’m glad you told me.  So glad.  It must be incredibly hard keeping that inside all the time.  I’m touched, really, that you’d trust me with something like that.”  She smiled again and after a momentary hesitation, reached out and reassuringly ran her hand up and down Kate’s arm.

Kate let out a sigh of relief.  She hadn’t realized before she’d made the revelation, but what Emmy thought meant a great deal to her – too much probably.  She didn’t know how she would have dealt with the pain if Emmy had been offended or angry or worse – judgmental.  She smiled weakly and tried to figure out what to say next.  All she could muster was a weak word of gratitude.  “Thanks.”  It came out almost as a whisper.  She also struggled not to focus on the woman’s hand on her arm – the light touch sending waves of pleasure and warmth throughout her body.  All she wanted was to be in Emmy’s arms, to touch her, to hold her, to never let her go.  But for now, she’d be content with the gentle touch of reassurance.  She’d take what she could get.

Sensing that Kate needed her to take the lead in the conversation, Emmy spoke.  “So, can I ask you something?” She said, cautiously.  Kate nodded.  “Your whole reputation as a serial dater – always out with a different guy.  That was just an act?”

Kate nodded again.  “Yeah.  As I was coming up through the ranks in the political arena, it became increasingly clear that if I wanted to have mainstream appeal, I needed to hide the real me.  As much as I hated that, I felt it was my duty, my job, to serve the country that I grew up loving.  My dad was a Marine and I was taught from an early age to love my country, to put country before my own selfish needs and desires.  So I made sacrifices.  I had my aides set up dates, so that no one ever questioned my sexuality.  It got a little out of hand.  I never sought to get this reputation as a bit of a playgirl.  It just sort of happened.  Probably because I could never bring myself to keep up the ruse of a relationship with a man for long.  So people naturally assumed that I just liked to play the field.  And for a long time, I was in a stable, loving relationship with a woman.  Her name was Christine.  We played her off as one of my aides and no one looked at her twice.  But things didn’t end up working out. No one’s fault really, we just weren’t right for one another.  It was also hard for her, keeping our relationship under wraps.”

Emmy nodded as she took in the information.  It made sense.  Being in the public eye came with a price, often a steep one.  “So do you think you’ll ever come out?”

Kate thought for a moment.  “You know, Emmaline, that’s a tough question.  It kills me, it does, that I have to hide who I really am. Maybe part of the reason I wear my socks is to remind myself of who I really am on the inside.  That I’m undercover, so to speak.  I have to balance my desire to serve my country, to really make a difference in people’s lives, with what makes me personally happy.  I’ve definitely made sacrifices, mostly at my own personal expense, for what I thought to be the greater good.  But even so, it’s not that simple.  I do believe that our country has a long way to go in terms of equal rights for people like me, and being in a position of prominence like I am, there are those who would argue that it’s my duty to use my influence for good.  That I should come out and show America that I’m still the same person they trusted their country to, that they had faith in, who just happens to be gay.  I’d love to do that, to show every person out there who’s struggling with their sexuality that they can be okay, that they will make it.  But it’s a balancing act.  I’m not so naïve as to think that everyone would just welcome me with open arms, and I wonder if now would be the right time to disclose who I really am.  If I might be of better service to the cause if I waited, if I tried to make changes incognito, so to speak.  I feel like, as horrible as this sounds, I might have more clout, more influence, if I was championing gay rights as a perceived heterosexual.  It hurts my heart to say that, but the cynic in me wonders if I’m that far off.”  She let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair.

It broke Emmy’s heart to see Kate struggle like that.  Clearly she’d thought a lot about it and hers was definitely not a position Emmy envied.  She understood Kate’s logic – she wanted, desperately, to make a real difference.  And unfortunately, she had a very real, very legitimate fear, that if her true self were outed, she’d lose the opportunity to do so.  “I admire you, Kate.  I do.  I know there are some who would say that you’re doing the LGBT community a disservice by staying in the closet, but I get it.  You need to weigh the realities of where our society is today.  We’ve come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way to go.  I honestly don’t get some of the bigotry.  I believe that love comes in many shapes and forms and to judge any sort of love is just wrong.  Love is a great thing – a thing to be cherished – something we all strive for.  Why judge it?”  Emmy paused, and debated her words for a moment before continuing.  She looked straight into Kate’s beautiful blue eyes, which gave her the courage to continue.  “I’d like to thank you Kate.  I trust you to fight the good fight, no matter how you decide to approach it – in the closet or out.  As a bisexual woman, I appreciate it, knowing that you’re here, doing what you can. Trying to make a difference.  Not just for our country, but for people like me.”  A small smile spread over her face as she studied Kate’s reaction.

Kate did a double take.  It was her turn to be stunned.  Had Emmy just admitted she was bisexual?  She resisted the urge to pinch herself, to make sure she wasn’t dreaming.  She’d expected maybe Emmy’s support, hopefully her approval.  She hadn’t expected Emmy to mirror her own confession.  Her heart was beating a mile a minute.  Did this mean that maybe Emmy felt even just a little, just a small amount of the magnetism that she sensed between them?  Kate searched Emmy’s eyes for any indication.  There was something there, just a tiny glint in her eyes, which when combined with the hint of a smile across Emmy’s lips, gave Kate hope.

She debated for a moment, not sure how to proceed.  She could come right out with it, tell Emmy how she felt.  She could hint and hope that Emmy caught on.  She could avoid it entirely.  She bit her lower lip nervously, before letting out a sigh.  She looked down at her hands as she began to speak, too nervous to meet Emmy’s gaze.  “Emmaline . . . I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’ve told me that you’re not straight.  And it’s not just because I want to feel some sort of gay camaraderie.”  She paused, carefully choosing her words.  “I . . . I need to say something and I hope I don’t offend you or put you in an awkward position.”

“Go ahead, Kate.  I doubt there’s much you could tell me that would offend me,” Emmy said, her heart suddenly racing, hoping that Kate was about to verbalize what she’d been feeling for so long.

Kate fidgeted with her hands.  “I’m feeling something, Emmaline.  Something for you . . . Frankly, you’re all I can think about, but I understand if that’s not something you’re feeling, if you want to keep things strictly professional.”  Kate continued to avoid Emmy’s gaze, afraid and hopeful at the same time.

Emmy’s heart was about to explode.  Seeing this woman, who was normally so put together, so confident, nothing but a nervous, flustered mess, made her entire being smile.  And the fact that she felt the same way – Emmy was over the moon.  She wanted to jump up and down like a giddy schoolgirl.  She reached down and gently lifted Kate’s chin so that their eyes met.  “Kate . . . I feel it too.  So much.  I can’t think about anything else but you.  I spend practically every day, every hour, every second, with you on my mind.  I’m freaking jealous of Mathias and Manning when it’s their turn to cover you.  Like they’re stealing you from me.  What you just told me . . . it’s the best news I’ve heard in a long time.”

Kate had tears glistening in her eyes by this time, but she was smiling.  She was overwhelmed . . . overwhelmed by happiness.  Emmaline felt the same way.  It wasn’t just her.  There were no other words to be said.  Instead, she took a step closer and slowly raised her hand to Emmy’s cheek, her eyes never leaving the brunette’s.  Slowly, arduously, they crept closer to one another, their breaths intermingling.  Kate’s breath hitched in her throat as Emmy briefly licked her lips, anticipating the embrace just millimeters away. Just as their lips were finally to meet, a voice interrupted them.

“Madame President . . . oh, I’m sorry, I hope I’m not interrupting something.”  Emmy and Kate jumped apart as Hollander addressed them.  He continued, clearly unfazed.  “I just got word that there’s some sort of crisis going on in Egypt.  The Secretary of State is waiting for your phone call.”  With that, Hollander left the room.

Emmy groaned.  “I’m really starting to hate that man.”

Kate chuckled.  “Agreed.  But it sounds like I’d better go deal with this.  Rain check for the rest of our evening?”

Emmy nodded.  Kate leaned up and placed a quick kiss on Emmy’s cheek before leaving the room.  Even that completely innocent kiss had set her world spinning.  Emmy shook her head.  If she didn’t know better, she’d say she was falling for this woman.  Falling for the freaking President of the United States.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Kate was tied up late into the night dealing with the crisis in Egypt.  She’d hoped that it would have been something quick, that she would have had time to call Emmy or even see her.  But she was the President and things were never that simple.  Somehow, though she didn’t know how, she had managed to focus the majority of her thoughts on the subject at hand.  Every now and then, thoughts of Emmaline, thoughts of a decidedly inappropriate nature, would creep into her head.  Anyone paying close attention to her wouldn’t have noticed, except perhaps for the occasional whisper of a smile that played across her lips, a slightly distant look in her eyes.  Finally, after making one last phone call, she headed to her private quarters and collapsed into bed at 3am.  She resisted the urge to find out Emmy’s phone number, to call her or text her in the middle of the night.  She could wait, she thought, until the next morning, when Emmy would be on duty.  She had patience . . . barely enough, but it would suffice.  She could wait.  With a goofy grin on her face, Kate drifted off with thoughts of Emmy running through her mind and through her heart.

The next morning, Kate headed to the Oval Office, struggling to maintain her composure and to not run down the hallway like a giddy schoolgirl.  She couldn’t wait to see Emmaline.  Even if they needed to keep their professional distance while Emmy was on duty, she looked forward to just seeing her, just sharing the same space, the same air as her.  The smile immediately fell from Kate’s face as she saw an unfamiliar, red-haired woman standing where Emmy was normally positioned.

Looking at the woman, Kate addressed her. “Who are you?”

The agent, clearly surprised to be addressed, responded.  “Uh . . . I’m Agent Fazio, ma’am.  Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Where’s Agent Harris?” Kate said, perhaps a little more rudely than she’d intended.  “Sorry.  That came out a little harsh.  I just expected to see her here instead.”

“I’m not sure, ma’am.  All I know is that Director Bell informed me that I’d be taking over for Agent Harris, effective immediately.”

Kate nodded, knowing she wasn’t going to get any more information from this woman.  “Thanks.”

Kate sat down at her desk, and let out a sigh of frustration.  What the hell had happened?  Why was Emmy no longer on the presidential detail?  Had she read the situation wrong?  Had Emmy been scared off by her advances?  Had she requested a new assignment?  No.  Emmy told her that she had felt something too.  But maybe Emmy had just been too afraid to be direct.  Afraid to turn down the President.  The doubts started to creep in as Kate tried to replay the previous evening’s events through her head.  She sighed, her body awash with mixed emotions.  After a few moments, she shook herself out of her reverie.  There was no way she was going to get any work done until she sorted this out, one way or the other.   And this was not a mystery that could be solved by her overly analytical brain alone.  She knew what needed to be done.  She picked up the phone and spoke briefly with her assistant.  “Please get me Director Bell on the phone.  Yes.  Tell him it’s urgent.”

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy sat nervously as she waited to be called into Director Bell’s office.  She had no idea what this meeting was about.  She’d gotten up, assuming that she’d be reporting to cover Kate as usual, with perhaps a little more jump in her step than normal.  She couldn’t wait to see the woman again.  However, just as she was about to head out the door, she’d received a call summoning her to this meeting.  She nervously chewed on her nails out of habit as she fidgeted and waited for Bell’s assistant to let her know he was ready.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Emmy was led into Bell’s office.  She took a seat and looked up at him nervously.

“Harris.  I assume you know why you’re here,” he began.

Emmy shook her head.  “No, sir.  Honestly, I’m a bit confused.”

“I had a call from the President’s office last night.  A request has been made that you be removed from her detail.”

Shock washed over Emmy.  She was stunned.  “What?” She asked, incredulously.

“Apparently, you made inappropriate personal advances towards the President.”

Emmy’s heart sank.  She was bewildered.  What had happened the night before had certainly appeared mutual.  Kate had even been the one to move in for a kiss.  What the hell had happened between then and now?  Maybe she’d decided that she needed to stay firmly in the closet and that she didn’t trust Emmy to keep their secret.  She was hurt.  She looked up at the Director.  “I really don’t understand, sir.”

He shook his head. “I don’t know what to say, Harris.  I wouldn’t expect this sort of behavior from you.  And judging by your reaction, I’m guessing that there’s been some misunderstanding or that there’s more to this story.  But that’s beside the point.  If the President asks for your removal, my hands are tied.  You’ll be reassigned.  In the meantime, take the day off.  It looks as though you could use it.”

Emmy nodded and rose, struggling to keep it together until she could get some place more private.  She hurried to her office and grabbed her things, barely making it to her car before she broke down.  Tears streamed down her face as the full effect of what had just happened overwhelmed her.  Kate didn’t want to see her anymore.  Just hours ago, Emmy had been over the moon.  She’d been elated.  And now.  She was devastated.

*              *              *              *              *

Kate was patched through to Director Bell quickly – one of the perks of being the President.  No one asked their secretary to take a message.  The President didn’t get voicemail – she got results.

“Madame President.  To what do I owe this honor?” Bell began.

“I’d like to talk to you about Agent Harris.”

“Ah, yes.  We’ve already taken care of the situation, ma’am.  She won’t be returning to her post, so you won’t have to worry about any further . .  . awkward situations.  Agent Fazio is a fine replacement and should do a great job.”

“I guess I’m just a little confused, Director.  Did Agent Harris request to be transferred off of my detail?”

“No, ma’am.  As I thought you were aware, we received a call from a member of your staff last night requesting that Harris be removed from your service because she had behaved in an inappropriate manner.  Is that not the case?  It did surprise me to hear that, because frankly, Harris is the last person I’d expect to behave in such a way.”  Bell’s voice reflected surprise and confusion.

“That order definitely did not come from me.  Can I ask you who made the call?  Which member of my staff?”

“It was Ron Hollander.  He made it very clear that these orders came from you.  Am I safe to assume that is not correct?” Bell asked.

Kate struggled to suppress the rage that was suddenly threatening to bubble over.  “That is not my wish.  Director, I’m sorry to get you in the middle of all of this.  I will talk with Ron.  In the meantime, please reinstate Agent Harris onto my detail.  I’m sure Agent Fazio is a fine agent and maybe you can find another spot for her on my team, but I need to make sure this wrong against Agent Harris is righted.”

“Understood.  I’ll make the call to Harris right away.”

“Thank you, Director.  Glad we could clear this up.”  With that, Kate hung up the phone.

She immediately called her assistant.  “I need you to get Ron in here right away.  And also, please get me any phone number you have for Agent Harris.” She hung up the phone, slamming it a little too hard into the cradle.  What the hell had Hollander done?  He was lucky that he wasn’t in her office at the moment.  He might not get out alive.

Her assistant came in after a few minutes with Emmy’s cell and house numbers.  Kate tried both numbers in succession, but immediately got voicemail.  After leaving a string of messages attempting to explain the situation to Emmy and begging her to call back, Kate hung up in frustration.  At that moment, Hollander strode into the room.

“You wanted to see me?”

Kate’s rage threatened to explode just at the sight of the man.  One look at her palpable anger was enough to wipe the smug grin off of Hollander’s face.

“Have a seat, Phil,” Kate said calmly.  “So I understand that you’ve taken it upon yourself to have Agent Harris removed from my detail.”

“Kate . . .” he stopped as Kate raised a hand.

“How many times have I asked you not to address me by my first name?  That is a privilege I reserve for those I trust and whom I consider close friends and family.  And frankly, after what appears to have happened last night, you definitely do not fall into either of those categories.”  The look of anger glinting in her bright blue eyes would have made many grown men shrink back in terror.

Hollander, however, was too pompous or too stupid to notice.  “I did it for your own good.  You don’t need to be getting involved with that woman right now.  A scandal like this, if it got out, would ruin you.  How do you even know you can trust her?  Just because she’s got security clearance doesn’t mean she won’t go running to the tabloids the second your relationship goes sour.  Just like all your other ones have.  Crashed and burned.”

His harsh, but true words about her past relationships stung, but Kate ignored those feelings.  His patronizing tone was more than enough to break Kate’s thin barrier of self-control.  Her blue eyes were almost a steel gray, reflecting the absolute loathing she felt towards this man.  “You listen to me, and you listen to me good,” she began, through clenched teeth.  “I am the fucking President of the United States, Ron.  I am smart. I am competent.  I have plenty of common sense.  Most important of all, I am a grown woman.  I do not, I repeat do not, need a Goddamned babysitter.  And I certainly did not hire you to be one.”  She didn’t yell, but the venom in her voice was unmistakable.

“Ka . . . Madame President,” he began.

“I’m not finished, Ron,” she said in a clipped tone.  “I hired you to help me make political decisions, not personal ones.  I am more than capable of running my personal life and deciding what is best for me personally and for my career.  If I choose to get involved with someone, it is because I want to be involved, and more importantly, because I trust them.  I’m not naïve, Ron.  You don’t get to where I’ve gotten if you are.  I’m not gullible.  And I trust Emmy Harris.  I trust her with my life.  And the fact that you would go behind my back, would fabricate lies that could potentially damage her career?  That is absolutely unacceptable.  I won’t have it.”

“I’m sorry that I’ve overstepped . . .” Ron interrupted.

Kate shook her head.  “Let me finish.  What you did last night, I can’t have that.  I can’t have people around me who would even think of doing something like that without consulting me.  I can’t trust you, Ron.  You’re talented, but this is not the first time you’ve crossed a line, and the problem is, it keeps getting worse.  So what I’m saying is . . . you’re fired.  Please gather your things and get out of my sight.  We’ll issue a press release tomorrow saying you want to spend more time with your family.  Thank you for your service, but I can’t have this happening again.”

Hollander sat there in silence for a moment and Kate began to wonder if he was going to make a scene.  Surprisingly, he finally nodded and stood.  “Fair enough.  Thank you for the opportunity, Madame President.”  With that, he strode from the room.

Kate let out a deep sigh and dialed Emmy’s numbers again, to no avail.  Frustrated, she realized there was only one thing to do.  “Fazio?”  She called out to Emmy’s replacement.  “Tell whomever it is you need to tell that I need to go out.  Find out where Agent Harris lives.  We’re paying her a visit.”

Fazio looked nervous, but finally summoned the courage to respond.  “But, ma’am . . . the President doesn’t just drop by at people’s houses . . .”

“She does now,” Kate said as she strode from the room to get changed into something a little less Presidential.  She didn’t want to apologize to Emmy in a business suit.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy was huddled up on her couch, phones turned off, surrounded by mountains of used tissues.  She’d spent the better part of the day crying.  It was partially because of the embarrassment and potential negative career ramifications that came with what Bell had told her.  The majority of her sadness, her heartbreak really, however, came from the fact that Kate had decided that she didn’t want her.  That Kate had clearly felt that their near kiss had been a mistake.  That their budding relationship was over before it had even started.  She realized that she was ridiculous.  She felt as though her heart had been ripped from her chest and they hadn’t even had a single kiss, a single real date as a couple.  Yet somehow, this hit her harder than any of her previous breakups, including, as much as she was ashamed to admit it, her marriage.

She was so lost in her thoughts, that she didn’t hear the knocking on her front door until the pounding became incessant.  “Go away!” she shouted, not wanting to face anyone.

“Open up, Harris.” She could hear Julie’s voice through the door.  Confused as to why Julie would be there, knowing that she was on duty, Emmy finally relented and went to the door.  She opened it and her breath caught in her throat as she saw the Presidential motorcade sitting outside.  No doubt her neighbors were going to wonder what the hell as up.  After she opened up, Julie signaled to Fazio, who opened the limo door and escorted Kate up the path to Emmy’s door.

Kate looked Emmy directly in the eye and said, “can I come in, Emmaline?  It’s important.”

Emmy simply nodded and stepped aside, allowing Kate to enter.  She shut the door, leaving the other agents outside.  Emmy was suddenly self-conscious, knowing she looked a mess from the crying.  And the fact that she was in some rather dodgy pajama pants and a ratty old t-shirt didn’t help matters.

Kate got right to the point.  “Emmaline.  I need to explain.  I didn’t have you transferred.  It was Hollander.  He did it behind my back, thinking I needed to be protected from my own unwise decisions, or what he thought were unwise.  Suffice it to say that I am furious that he not only interfered with my personal life, but that he put your career in jeopardy.  I’ve called Director Bell and straightened everything out.  You’re back to work tomorrow and I’ve fired Hollander.  I’m so, so sorry that you’ve been caught up in this mess.”

Emmy was speechless.  She was surprised that the President had showed up at her door.  She was stunned that Hollander would have the gall to go around Kate’s back.  She was ecstatic that Kate hadn’t changed her mind . . . or had she?  Kate had yet to say that she still wanted her, that last night hadn’t been a mistake.  Emmy couldn’t help but worry just a little that maybe this had been a wakeup call for Kate, that she’d realized the potential risk a relationship could be.  The fact that Kate had showed up at her house unannounced gave her hope, but she was still uncertain.

Finally, Emmy looked up into Kate’s eyes.  “About last night . . . do you still . . . are you sure . . .” Emmy couldn’t quite form the words needed to ask Kate what she so desperately needed to know.

Kate moved closer to her.  “I’m sure.  You want proof?  I wore these socks today, even though it’s May and not remotely close to Valentine’s Day.  I was devastated when you weren’t there waiting for me this morning.”  She kicked off her shoes to reveal a pair of red argyle socks with hearts all over them.  “I think I’m falling for you, Emmaline.”

Emmy’s breath hitched in her throat.  “I must look like a haggard mess.  I’m all weepy and red and puffy.  Let me go get cleaned up and then we can talk.”

Kate smiled and shook her head.  “Emmalin, shut up.”  With that, she crashed her lips to Emmy’s tracing the seam of Emmy’s lips with her tongue, seeking permission to deepen the embrace.  Emmy groaned into Kate’s mouth as she snaked her arms around the blonde, pulling her ever closer into her body.  Their tongues matched each other blow for blow as they battled for control.  Kate tangled her hand through Emmy’s raven locks as their kiss reached a fever pitch.  Finally, lungs screaming for air, they parted, resting their foreheads against one another.

Emmy smiled before recapturing Kate’s lips for a series of brief kisses.  She pulled away slightly, arms still wrapped around the blonde.  “I hope the world doesn’t come crashing down today, because right now, I’m seriously thinking about taking the President of the United States hostage.”

CHAPTER EIGHT

Kate and Emmy continued their rather intense make out session for several minutes.  Finally, Kate pulled away.  Slightly breathless, she looked up into Emmy’s eyes. “As much as I really, really want to continue this, Emmaline, I have to get back.  I may or may not have left the ambassador to Sweden waiting while I ran this little errand.”  She smirked as she said this, and it warmed Emmy’s heart to know that Kate had put making things right with her ahead of the country’s foreign relations.  It was so wrong . . . but damn . . . it was so right.  Maybe not the most responsible thing for the President to do, but it was definitely hot.

“I understand, you’ve got a job to do.  Go be awesome.”  Emmy smiled as she leaned in and placed one last lingering kiss on Kate’s lips.

Kate nodded and headed to the door.  Before leaving, she turned back to face Emmy.  “Oh and Emmaline?  Meet me at the White House tonight at seven.  I owe you a real date, with no distractions.”  She grinned, melting Emmy with her dimples before slipping out the front door.

Emmy couldn’t stop beaming as she collapsed onto the couch, a goofy mess of smiles and sighs.  After a few minutes of reveling in the euphoria that came with her brief, but hot encounter with Kate, she got up to shower.  She needed to get presentable for her date.  She couldn’t help but grin at the thought.  She had just made out with the President of the United States.

*              *              *              *              *

Kate was stuck in meetings for the better part of a day.  She was struggling to focus.  She knew she needed to focus on diplomacy, focus on playing the peacemaker, focus on complex economic and sociological issues.  Instead, her thoughts continued to stray to a certain sexy federal agent who didn’t have to do anything more than just be in the room to send Kate into a frenzy.  She was silently glad that Emmy was off today.  She didn’t know how she’d survive a day with the woman in the same room – at least until she’d had a chance to put into action all of the dirty thoughts running through her head.

Kate was deep in conversation with the Speaker of the House and didn’t notice when Julie stepped out of the room.  However, like some sort of unexplained radar, she immediately sensed when Emmy slipped into the place where Julie had been.  She looked up, glancing at Emmy with a confused expression on her face.

She struggled to continue talking, stealing glances at the silent, beautiful woman across the room.  “So . . .  uh . . . as I was saying . . . this health care bill needs some work . . . ummm . . .”  Kate lost her train of thought as she struggled to focus on anything but the slightly self-satisfied smirk playing across Emmy’s lips.  Lips that not so long ago had been deliciously melded with her own.

The Speaker had noticed Kate’s distraction.  “Madame President, are you okay?  You seem a bit distracted.”

Kate blushed slightly and hoped the man hadn’t noticed.  “I’m fine.  Just getting a bit of a migraine.  Do you mind if I step out for just a moment to grab some aspirin?”

“Sure,” he responded.

Kate slipped from the room, Emmy following her, as was protocol.  Kate quickly slipped into a private bathroom across the hall and, after glancing to make sure no one was around, grabbed Emmy by the lapels of her suit jacket and pulled her in after her.

Kate slammed the door and instantly pressed Emmy against the nearest wall, taking Emmy’s lips with her own, plunging her tongue into the depths of the brunette’s mouth, invading, exploring, seeking . . . she didn’t know what.  A low hum sounded in Emmy’s throat as she grabbed Kate by the hips and pulled them closer together, before shoving her leg between Kate’s thighs.  This movement elicited a not-so-subtle moan from the President’s lips and Emmy was quite sure she’d never heard anything quite so arousing.  Finally, somehow, an inkling of rather annoying sense crept into Kate’s brain and she pulled back, chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath.

“We have to stop.  I have the Speaker . . . “ She said before Emmy cut her off with another deep kiss.  Kate moaned and tunneled her hands through Emmy’s dark locks, savoring the unique taste of the other woman.  She finally pulled away again, but Emmy simply moved her attentions to Kate’s jawline and neck, gently kissing any inch of exposed skin she could find.  “Emmaline . . . “ Kate sighed in half-hearted protest.  “Please.”

Reluctantly, Emmy pulled away, not wanting to cause Kate any real embarrassment.

Kate smiled weakly.  “I’m sorry, it’s my fault.  I started this by dragging you in here.  I just wasn’t expecting to see you until tonight.”

Emmy smiled.  “Julie wasn’t feeling well, so they asked me to cover the rest of her shift.”

Kate nodded and exhaled deeply.  “Okay.  Somehow, I’m going to have to get through these meetings without thinking about tearing your clothes off.  It’s going to be hard, but I’m not the President of the United States for nothing.  I’m used to high pressure, intense situations.  I got this.”

Emmy smiled at Kate’s pep talk to herself.  It was adorable to see this normally confident woman so flustered.  Kate smoothed out her clothes as best as possible and returned to her meeting, hoping beyond hope that no one noticed the newly flushed color of her skin.

Somehow, though she wasn’t quite sure how, Kate managed to get through the rest of her meetings without further stutters or embarrassments.  However, she spent the entire afternoon in a perpetual state of arousal, just the feeling of Emmy’s eyes on her keeping her entire body on edge.  She let out a giant sigh of relief as the last meeting ended.  Emmy’s shift had ended a few minutes before and she’d slipped Kate a note saying that she was running to her car to grab a change of clothes.  Kate headed to her personal living space, eager to get changed into something less formal.

*              *              *              *              *

As Emmy headed to meet Kate, bag of clothes slung over her shoulder, she couldn’t help but grin.  This day, which had started out so horribly, was shaping up to be amazing.  She was on her way to getting what she’d only dreamt about before.  A chance at something . . . a relationship maybe . . . with what she was pretty sure was the woman of her dreams.  Emmy’s grin slowly slid off her face, however, as she noticed her roommate standing outside of Kate’s bedroom door, a pleased smirk on her face.  Emmy groaned inwardly, knowing she was about to get a giant dose of snarky Manning-isms.

“Hey Harris.  So how’s the state of your union? Are you about to make Lincoln wish that bedroom was never named after him?  Are you going to secretly service each other?  Is she going to make you hail to the chief?”

“Val . . .” Emmy protested.  “Please.  Enough with the bad jokes.  They don’t even make sense.”

“But they still sound dirty,” Val laughed as Emmy rolled her eyes and knocked on the door.

After hearing a muffled “come in” from the other side of the door, Emmy entered, trying to ignore Val’s snickering.

Emmy stopped in her tracks as she took in the surprising, but adorable sight before her.  Kate was sitting on the bed, wearing jeans and a simple pink V-neck sweater, lacing up a pair of pink Chuck Taylor Converse sneakers.  She was so used to seeing Kate all formal, power suit and heels that she was taken aback by her casual look.  Emmy had thought the neatly tailored suits Kate wore were sexy.  This look, with just a bit of childish flair from the shoes, was hot.  Beyond hot.  She struggled to find words as Kate smiled up at her.  “Um . . . hi,” she finally rasped.

“Hi yourself, Emmaline,” Kate grinned, flashing Emmy her trademark dimples.

She stood and made her way over to Emmy, snaking her arms under the brunette’s suit jacket before capturing her mouth in a lingering kiss.  Kate’s hands roved before she suddenly pulled back, removing Emmy’s jacket and dropping it to the floor.  She slowly traced her hand over the holster at Emmy’s hip, gently kissing at the skin just below her ear, breath tickling her sensitive skin.  “Have I ever told you how absolutely fucking sexy it is that you have a gun, Emmaline.  So strong . . . so powerful . . . so in control . . .” She whispered against Emmy’s raven hair as her fingers nimbly stroked across the butt of the gun, before roaming downwards to play across Emmy’s rear.  Emmy’s breathing became ragged as Kate talked seductively, hands exploring every inch of her body.  However, just as suddenly as she’d begun, Kate pulled away and strolled across the room, putting distance between them.

“As much as I’d like to just take you in my arms and have my way with you right now, Emmaline, we’re not going to do that.”

“We’re not?” Emmy asked, a little let down.

Kate shook her head and chuckled.  “Not yet anyway.  I don’t want this to just be about the sex.  Trust me, I want the sex.  I want it badly.  But first, we’re going to get to know one another.  We’re going to date.  I’m going to woo you.”

“Woo me?  What century are we living in?” Emmy grumbled.

Kate chuckled, loving the put out look on Emmy’s face – it was adorable.  “I was raised to treat a lady right and that’s what I intend to do.  Now go get changed.  We’re going bowling.”

Emmy raised an eyebrow.  “Bowling?”

Kate nodded.  “Yes.  President Nixon had a bowling alley installed in the basement.  I figure it’s easier if we just hang out here, if that’s okay.”

Emmy smiled.  “It’s perfect.”  She grabbed her bag and headed to the bathroom to change, knowing that if she changed in front of Kate, there was a very good chance the only rolling they’d be doing that night would be in Kate’s bed.  And as much as she hated to admit it, Kate was right.  They needed to slow down.

After Emmy had changed, Kate grabbed her hand and they headed to the basement.  Kate couldn’t help but smile at the feeling of Emmy’s fingers laced through her own.  It had been something she’d wanted to do for a long time.  And the fact that here, in the White House, she was safe, no fear of consequences or reprisal, was liberating.  It was a small step and she knew that if this relationship was headed in the direction she hoped it was, there would be a lot of much bigger issues to deal with.  But for now, for tonight, she was just going to give in to those happy feelings.

Bowling was a big success.  Both chose nicknames for each other to place on the scorecard.  Emmy nicknamed Kate “Dimples” and Kate called Emmy “Bad Ass.”  Kate, as Emmy quickly discovered, was an absolutely atrocious bowler.  She threw gutter ball after gutter ball and even managed to throw the ball backwards, away from the lane, one time.  They both had a wonderful time laughing hysterically at Kate’s failed attempts.  Finally, Emmy, who was a pretty decent bowler, decided to step in.

“Here, let me show you how to do this,” Emmy said, as she came up behind Kate.  She wrapped her arms around her and positioned her body correctly.  Emmy then slowly swung Kate’s arm, to show her the proper motion.  Kate, however, was a bit distracted by the feel of Emmy’s arms, by the feel of her body pressed against hers, by the warm tickle of Emmy’s breath on her neck.  She was so unfocused, that she didn’t notice when Emmy began to lead them through a throw, and was therefore thrown off balance as Emmy attempted to help her bowl.  The confusion, combined with the slipperiness of the floor, caused them to collapse, the rogue ball rolling somewhere off to the side, as Kate landed atop Emmy, limbs tangled in a heap.  Both women began hysterically laughing, though neither made an attempt to move.

Finally their laughter died down and Emmy looked up into Kate’s bright blue eyes, a look of mirth still playing across her face.  She reached up and tucked a stray lock of blonde hair behind Kate’s ear.  “You’re a lost cause, I think, Kate,” Emmy said. Something quickly, imperceptibly changed in an instant and their mirth gave way to a heavy silence, pregnant with feelings of arousal and awareness.

Kate’s breath hitched as she looked down into Emmy’s eyes, which were quickly darkening with lust.  “Emmaline . . .” She finally whispered.  “Let me take you to bed.”

“What happened to wooing me?” Emmy responded, a slight smile on her face.

“Screw that,” Kate said.  “You. Me. Bed. Now.”

At a loss for words, incredibly turned on by Kate’s take command attitude, Emmy simply nodded and they rose, headed, hand-in-hand, as quickly as possible back to Kate’s bedroom.  In their haste, neither of them noticed Val quietly whistling “Hail to the Chief,” as they passed by, a smirk plastered across her face.

CHAPTER NINE

They hurried back towards Kate’s bedroom, fingers intertwined, trying desperately to maintain some limited sense of decorum.  After all, the President was never truly alone until she went into her private living quarters.  They stood impatiently, waiting for the elevator that would take them up from the basement.  Kate couldn’t quite manage to keep her hands to herself, her fingertips playing lightly at the hem of Emmy’s shirt, dancing along her skin, causing goose bumps to erupt across Emmy’s flesh.

Finally, the elevator came and Emmy silently signaled to Val with her eyes that she might not make it out of there alive if she didn’t wait for the next elevator.  Val rolled her eyes, but held back.  No sooner had the doors closed then Kate was upon Emmy, roughly pushing her against the wall, settling her thigh between Emmy’s legs, pressing against her center.  Emmy let out a low moan and ground down onto Kate, as the blonde claimed her lips and tongue with her own.  Kate grabbed Emmy by the hips, helping her gain the blessed friction that she so desperately needed.

The ding of the elevator barely managed to cut through their lust-filled haze.  Kate pulled Emmy flush against her as she dragged her off the elevator, their lips still locked and her hands roving everywhere.  They bounced off a few walls, no longer caring who might bear witness to their exploits, until they finally reached the door to Kate’s bedroom.  Attention focused elsewhere, Kate struggled to grasp the doorknob.  Finally, smirking, Emmy reached around her and opened the door, both women tumbling through the doorway.  As the door slammed shut behind them, Kate pushed Emmy against it, covering her entire body with her own, once again pressing her thigh to Emmy’s heated core, adding the pressure that Emmy wanted, that she so desperately needed.

Emmy’s hands moved the waistband of Kate’s jeans, only to be quickly pushed away.  Emmy stopped for a second as Kate attacked her neck with her lips, while her hands roughly ripped open Emmy’s shirt, buttons flying as she pushed the fabric from her shoulders.  Emmy again reached for Kate’s pants and Kate pulled away quickly.  She gazed into the brunette’s lust-darkened eyes, a fierce look in her piercing baby blues.  “Stop!” She said, admiring Emmy’s swollen lips, which were parted and practically begging to be taken again.  “Let me do this for you.”  Unable to form words, Emmy simply nodded and Kate was upon her again in an instant.

Kate quickly attached her lips to Emmy’s left breast, sucking, licking, biting through the material of her bra, her hands slowly working their way down to Emmy’s pants, undoing them, pushing them off her hips while she transferred her attentions to Emmy’s other breast.  Emmy’s back arched into the blonde, her hands pulling at Kate’s shirt.  Kate pulled away again, gripping Emmy’s wrists and pressing them against the wall.  “Not your turn, Emmaline.” Kate husked.  The confident, slightly forceful tone of the President’s voice nearly sent Emmy over the edge right then and there.  “I’m going to fuck you.  Let me.” Kate whispered before crashing her lips to Emmy’s again, still holding her hands against the wall, lifting her thigh more firmly against Emmy’s soaked center.  Emmy couldn’t remember ever being this turned on before.  She’d never been this wet in her entire life.  As Kate continued to press into her, Emmy let out a low moan and ground down to meet Kate’s thigh.

Unable to take it anymore, Emmy broke away, voice thick with desire as she whispered into Kate’s ear.  “Fuck me. Please.  I’m begging you.”  Satisfied that Emmy would behave herself, Kate released her hands and plunged her fingers down into Emmy’s soaked panties.  The second her fingers made contact with Emmy’s slick folds, a stream of uncontrollable moans erupted from the brunette’s gorgeous lips.  Emmy wrapped her arms around Kate to steady herself.  Kate swiftly entered her and slowly began to build a rhythm as they rocked together against the door, not caring who heard the slamming of their thrusts.

Emmy sighed as she began to feel that all-too-familiar and wonderful sensation of her approaching climax.  However, the pleasure was short lived as a series of loud knocks suddenly came from the other side of the door.  They groaned and quickly pulled apart, Emmy grabbing the remnants of her shirt and wrapping it around herself, before quickly pulling her pants back up.  Kate ran a frustrated hand through her hair before opening the door.

Val quickly stepped inside.  “Madame President.  Your Chief of Staff is standing right outside the door.  Apparently some new crisis has come up.  What else is new?  Anyway, I told her that you were busy having a serious debate on what position . . . you should take with regards to gay unions, but well, that didn’t seem to work.”

Emmy rolled her eyes.  Only Val would have the guts to tease the President of the United States.

Kate simply raised an eyebrow, a bemused look on her face.  Seeing that the President hadn’t gotten angry, Val continued.  “It’s not that I don’t enjoy listening to the dulcet tones of your sweet, sweet lovin’ but now you’ve got an audience.  Perhaps you should go see what Beth wants.  I’m not sure if you’re ready for her to know that you’re knocking Presidential boots with Agent McFreaky over there.”

Kate let out a chuckle.  Manning was something else.  “Thank you, Agent Manning.  Let Beth know that I’ll be out in just a few minutes.  I need to freshen up a bit.”

After Val left, Kate turned back to Emmy. “I’m so sorry, Emmaline.  My job . . . it’s just . . .”

Emmy shook her head.  “Don’t worry about it and don’t apologize.  It’s not like this comes as a surprise.  You’re an important, amazing woman, Kate.  Go see what Beth wants.  Hopefully it’s something quick.  And if not, I’ll wait for you.  For as long as it takes.  I’ll wait for you forever.”  She smiled, hoping she hadn’t said too much.

Kate’s heart leapt at Emmy’s words.  She’d wait forever . . . Kate smiled as she leaned in and captured Emmy’s lips in a chaste kiss.  “Thank you, Emmaline.”  She smoothed out her clothes and headed outside, hoping that whatever Beth wanted, it wasn’t urgent.  However, she knew it probably was.  Beth wasn’t the type to interrupt her private time, especially this late in the evening, with something unimportant.

She stepped out into the hall and was met with the no nonsense, serious gaze of her Chief of Staff, Beth Madden.  “I’m sorry Beth, I was just . . . “

Beth held up a staying hand.  “Kate, I do not want to, nor need to know about your personal life.  Please spare me the details.  You are a grown woman, what you do on your own time is not something I care to be privy to.  I’ve already heard quite enough for one evening.”

Kate nodded and smiled slightly. She loved this petite dynamo and her attitude.  She respected her beyond belief and also genuinely liked her as a person.  Bringing her on as Chief of Staff was one of the best decisions she’d ever made.  “So what’s up?”

“We’ve got a situation.  North Korea is threatening to invade the South again.”

Kate groaned.  This was going to be a long night . . . and not the kind of long night she’d thought she’d be having . . . with Emmaline.  She smiled weakly. “Give me a minute and I’ll meet you in my office. “

Beth nodded and turned to leave.  She turned back.  “Oh, and Kate?”

“Yeah?”

“Whoever it is you’ve got behind that door – make sure you make it up to them later.  It sounds like they’re going to be very, very mad at the North Koreans.”

Kate laughed and returned to the bedroom.

Emmy was already dressed, her destroyed shirt replaced with the one she’d worn to work.  She had her bag packed and was waiting in a chair nearby.  She rose as Kate re-entered.

“Emmaline . . .” Kate began.

Emmy came up and wrapped her arms around Kate’s petite waist, giving her a quick peck on the lips.  “Don’t worry about it, Kate.  We both know that Beth doesn’t interrupt unless it’s important.  You go be your awesome self.  We’ll pick this up later.”

“I’m so sorry . . .” Kate began, but was cut off by another kiss from Emmy.

“Don’t be.  It’s your job.  And you are great at your job.  Never apologize.” Emmy looked deep into Kate’s blue eyes.  Kate saw the sincerity, the reassurance there and it made her relax instantly.  So many of her previous relationships had fizzled because she’d constantly been occupied with work matters.  Emmy’s understanding and acceptance amazed her.  She was melting, she was falling, she was becoming more and more attached to this woman.  It was hard to believe that their relationship, if that’s what they could call it, was so new.  She felt so comfortable and safe with Emmy.

“Thank you.” Was all Kate could muster, before leaning up to capture Emmy’s lips in one last kiss.  “I’ll see you at work?  And we’ll figure out a time to continue this.  I promise.  For both our sakes.”

Emmy nodded and smiled, grabbing her bag and heading to the door.  She turned back.  “I can’t wait.”  With that, she left and Kate collapsed back onto her bed, taking just a brief moment to revel in the feelings washing over her before slipping back behind her confident and calm Presidential persona.

*              *              *              *              *

The next morning, Emmy headed over to her sister’s house to have breakfast with Rachel before starting her shift that afternoon.  As she headed up the steps to the house, the door flung open and a mess of dark curls and exuberance ran out to meet her, wrapping her warm, cuddly arms around Emmy’s legs.

“Aunt Emmyeeeee!!” The child cried, excited beyond belief to see her favorite (and only) Aunt.

Emmy bent down and swept the little girl up into her arms.  “Hey, Pumpkin!  How’s my favorite girl?”

“I’m super.  I got a new doll.  Do you want to see it?”

“Sure thing, cutie,” Emmy said as she made her way inside.

Emmy set her niece down and smiled affectionately at her.  “Come on, Aunt Emmy.  My dolly’s in the living room,” the little girl said as she tugged on Emmy’s sleeve.

Emmy’s sister, Rachel, stood there, a bemused look on her face.  “Gabby.  Give your Aunt a minute, sweetie.  She just got here.”

“It’s okay.  I really, really want to see this doll.  Right, Gabby?”  The little girl smiled and nodded.  Emmy let Gabby lead her into the next room.  After spending sufficient time fawning over Gabby’s new toy, Emmy made her way to the kitchen, where Rachel had food set out at a small table in the breakfast nook.

“Sorry about the ambush,” Rachel said.

Emmy shook her head, smiling.  “Don’t worry about it. You know I’m nuts about the little rugrat.  She’s got me wrapped thoroughly around her finger.”

Rachel chuckled.  They began to eat and made light conversation.  “So how’s the job going?” Rachel asked.

Emmy beamed, perhaps a little more broadly than necessary.  She nodded her head. “It’s going well.  Great actually.  Fantastic.  I’m loving it.”  She said, smiling, as she silently thought about just how much she was loving her job  . . . and what it had recently led to.

“Emmy, you’ve been nothing but smiles since you got here. Not that I mind, but I’m used to seeing your tough, badass exterior.  What’s up?  I mean, it’s great that you’re clearly happy . . . it’s just, well, a bit of a change,” Rachel said, looking at Emmy expectantly.

Emmy shook her head.  Leave it to her big sister to sniff out immediately that something was up.  She debated what to tell her. She desperately wanted to tell Rachel everything, she wanted to gush.  But she and Kate weren’t even officially dating.  Not to mention the fact that Kate wasn’t out.  Not that she didn’t trust her sister, but she needed to make sure Kate was okay with it before she mentioned anything.  “I’m seeing someone.”  Emmy finally said.

“And?” Rachel prompted.

Emmy beamed, joy twinkling in her eyes.  “It’s good.  It’s really good.  She’s amazing.”

“So when do I get to meet her?” Rachel asked.

Emmy shook her head.  “Not yet. It’s still very new.  And it’s complicated.”

“How so?” Rachel asked.

“She’s not out.  And I won’t out our relationship to anyone, even to people I trust, until I know that she’s okay with it.”

Rachel nodded.  “Fair enough.  Just make sure you don’t get burned.”

“I won’t.  I trust her. Besides . . .” Emmy was cut off as Gabby came running into the room.

“Aunt Emmyeee!!”  She yelled again.

Emmy couldn’t help but laugh at the little girl’s energy.

“Yes, sweetie?”

“It’s my birthday next month.  I’m going to be 5.”

“I know, Gabby.  I’m going to get you an awesome present, since you’re turning into such a big girl.”

“Aunt Emmy?” Gabby began.

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Can you ask the President to come to my birthday party?”

Emmy laughed.  Rachel rolled her eyes.  “She’s been telling all of her friends that you know the President.  She’s been talking of little else than having President Stewart at her party.”

Rachel ran her hand affectionately through her daughter’s unruly curls.  “I keep telling Gabby that you don’t know the President that well and that she’s a very busy lady, that she probably can’t come to the party.  Isn’t that right, Gabby?”  The little girl nodded.

Emmy’s heart swelled. It was so hard for her to say no to this little girl, but even given her current relationship with Kate, a 5-year-old’s birthday party was probably a tall order.  And not something she’d want to impose upon her this early in their relationship . . . or whatever it was this thing they had going was. “I do know the President, Gabby.  But she’s my boss, and like your mom said, is very, very busy.  I’m not sure I can ask her to come to your party, but I tell you what?  I’ll bring you a present from her for your birthday?  How about that?”

That seemed to satisfy the little girl, who nodded excitedly before scampering from the room, eager to get back to her dolls.

“Sorry about that.”  Rachel said.  “She’s got a one track mind these days.”

Emmy smiled.  “It’s okay. I’ll make sure I do something to make her day. I can definitely at least get President Stewart to sign an autograph or write her a quick note.”

“You’re amazing, little sis.”

“I know.”  Emmy grinned, silently thinking and hoping about the day, someday, when maybe, just maybe, she’d be able to bring the President to her family gatherings . . . as her girlfriend.

CHAPTER TEN

It seemed as if the entire universe were against the two of them consummating their budding relationship.  Though Emmy spent a good deal of time with the woman who ran constantly through her thoughts and through her heart, there was little to no time for them to be alone.  Crisis after crisis seemed to get in the way.  Things were becoming increasingly difficult, the long, slow burn created by forces beyond their control was threatening to quickly turn into an inferno.

All Kate could think about was touching Emmy.  Holding Emmy.  Kissing Emmy.  Making love to Emmy.  Yet, apart from a few stolen kisses, they’d spent the better part of two weeks since their almost-tryst without any real contact.  It was driving her insane.  She smiled to herself, however, at the plan she had in mind.  Barring any unforeseen complications or crises, she and Emmy would be alone soon.  She couldn’t wait.  She just had to get through this one damn interview first.

*              *              *              *              *

Kate sat down for a one-on-one interview with one of the nation’s leading TV personalities.  It wasn’t something she particularly wanted to do, but figured it was overdue and also couldn’t hurt.  She was prepared, however, to field a few tough questions.  She just hoped that she could get through it without any major slips.  Normally, she’d have been cool, calm and collected.  However the lack of Emmaline in her life at the moment was fraying at her nerves and her concentration.  The fact that Emmy was standing in position, just off to the side of the camera, did not help things.  Every time Kate looked at the interviewer, she could see Emmaline right over her shoulder.  She hoped and prayed that her jangled nerves  and overly heated body didn’t come across on TV.  It would be mortifying.  As a public figure and a successful politician, she prided herself on her confidence, her mastery of the spoken word, her ability to handle tough situations.  Right now, however, she wasn’t sure where confident Kate had gone.  Instead, all she could seem to muster was hormone-crazed, frazzled Kate.

Kate managed to make it through the first part of the interview, fielding questions on an array of topics, despite a certain gorgeous federal agent who kept sending her smiles at the most inopportune moments.  She sensed, however, that the interview was about to head into more treacherous waters.  She steeled her nerves and tried to focus anything but what she most wanted to think about – her Emmaline.

“So tell me, President Stewart.  The topic of gay marriage has been in the news again recently.  What is your stance on this issue?  I know during the election season, you stated that you believed marriage was between one man and one woman, but that you were in favor of domestic partnerships or civil unions.  Is that still your view?”

Emmy sensed Kate’s nerves.  She had no idea what Kate was going to say, but knew that no matter what her answer, it would be tough on her.  She smiled, hoping to convey her silent support no matter what position Kate chose to take.

Kate hesitated for just a moment.  She’d expected this question and knew what she needed to say.  Somehow, however, it was difficult to form the words.  She glanced briefly at Emmy, who gave her a small, reassuring smile.

“That was my stance during the election, that is correct.”  Kate began.  She paused for a moment to gather herself.  “However, I’ve had some additional time to reflect and I’ve had some very good discussions with people close to me, whose opinions I value greatly.  I’ve decided that my previous position on this issue was unfair, was not what it needed to be.  I hedged.  I wasn’t brave enough to stand up for what I believe.  But I’ve recently met some . . . people . . . who have helped me gather the courage to do so.  I like to believe that I’m someone who stands up for what they believe is right.  When I said I favored domestic partnership over gay marriage, I wasn’t really standing up for what I believed in.  So yes, my stance has changed.  I am unequivocally, 100% in favor of gay marriage.”

Kate slowly let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.  Her heart was pounding uncontrollably in her chest.  There was no going back now.  She had probably just harmed her re-election chances, but frankly, she didn’t care.  She needed to use the time she had left in office to try and make a real difference.  No more being neutral, being wishy-washy.  It was time to put the weight and power of the Presidency behind the issue.

“So you’re saying that you are a supporter of gay marriage?  With all the rights and benefits of heterosexual marriage?” The interviewer asked.

Kate nodded.  “That’s right.  As someone close to me recently pointed out, anything else is not good enough. When you get into labels and titles and whatnot, you’re really just entering the next era of separate but equal.  We cannot truly gain marriage equality until there is no such thing as ‘gay marriage’ and ‘heterosexual marriage,’ until it’s simply ‘marriage’ – with no labels.  I truly believe that this is the next great civil rights fight in this country.  And I for one will not stand by and turn a blind eye to discrimination and oppression.”

“Aren’t you afraid that perhaps our country isn’t ready for such a fight?  Won’t this hurt your re-election chances?”

“Perhaps.  And I’m sure I’ll get more than a few angry phone calls from members of my party.  However, I have to stand up for what I believe is right.  I believe that at least part of the reason the American people voted for me was for exactly this reason.  They trusted me to take on the tough issues, to stand up for injustice.  And that’s what I intend to do.”

The interviewer nodded and moved on.  “You’ve had quite a bit of press coverage of your love life.  Any chance you’d give the American public a little dish on that subject?  Have anyone special in your life?   Any chance there will be a first husband in the White House anytime soon?”

Kate smiled and made brief eye contact with Emmy.  “Frankly, I think the reputation I’ve gotten in the media is a bit undeserved.  I’m not quite the Don Juan I’m made out to be.”

Her eyes flicked unconsciously to Emmy’s again as she continued. “I have actually met someone.  It’s still very new and I’m going to keep that part of my life private.  I’m very happy at the moment and that’s all I’m going to say.”  She smiled briefly and struggled not to look to Emmy again, eager to gauge her reaction.

“So no White House wedding in the near future?”

Kate shook her head.  “I don’t think so.  Even if I wanted to, I think it’s safe to say that I won’t be getting married until gay marriage is legal.  It’s something that everyone should have a right to do. Not just straight people.”

Emmy’s heart swelled and she struggled not to break out into a goofy grin.  Kate wrapped up her interview, but Emmy had no idea what was said.  All she could focus on was the fact that Kate had come out swinging – in full support of gay marriage.  And that she’d mentioned how happy she was with the new person in her life.  The dual revelations were overwhelming her.  But it was a good kind of overwhelming.  She was so . . . happy, so proud, so . . . she didn’t know what else.  She just hoped she could steal a few moments with Kate to tell her how much her words had meant.

*              *              *              *              *

The moment Emmy had been hoping for didn’t come right away.  Immediately after Kate’s interview, they’d begun making preparations to fly to New York.  Emmy wasn’t sure of the nature of the trip, but was informed she’d be going along.  This was not surprising, given the nature of her job.  She grabbed the overnight bag she always kept in her car and followed as Kate was whisked away to Air Force One, surrounded by her usual entourage of advisors and aides.

As soon as everyone was situated on board the plane, Kate was again bombarded by people demanding her attention.  She was tired, frustrated, and frankly, needed a few moments to herself.  Or at least a few moments where she could be Kate Stewart the woman, not Kate Stewart, the President.  Her thoughts were focused on one sole thing . . . and it didn’t involve politics or world affairs.

As yet another aide approached her with some issue or other requiring her attention, she raised a staying hand.  “John, unless this is an absolute emergency, please let it wait.  I’ve been going non-stop for days and I need some time alone.  I’ll be in my bedroom.  Please, let me have this short flight to rest.  No interruptions unless it’s an emergency.”  John and the other aides nodded and backed away as she rose and headed to the small bedroom located on the second floor of the multi-tiered jet.  As was standard protocol, Emmy followed her, prepared to position herself outside the bedroom door.

Once they were away from prying eyes, Kate grabbed Emmy’s hand and they slowly made their way towards the bedroom.  Emmy pulled up short at the doorway, assuming she’d be standing guard outside.

Kate looked at her with a curious look on her face.  “Why aren’t you coming inside?”

“I just figured this wasn’t really the time or the place for us to be engaging in . . . activities of a personal nature.”

A slightly wicked grin played across Kate’s face as she pressed Emmy into a nearby wall.  “Have you ever heard of the mile high club, Emmaline?” Kate whispered into Emmy’s ear.

Emmy’s mouth immediately went dry, the sex practically oozing from Kate’s voice.  “Uh . . . yeah,” she finally rasped.  The way this woman could turn her on in a matter of seconds amazed her.  She could feel the desire immediately pooling between her legs.

“Care to become a member?  With me.  Right. Now.” Kate emphasized her words by thrusting her leg between Emmy’s thighs, repeatedly pressing it against Emmy’s core with each word.

Emmy let out a surprised gasp, biting her lip to stifle the moan that immediately bubbled to the surface.  “Please, babe.  Yes, please . . .”

Needing no further encouragement, Kate grabbed her and pushed them both into the bedroom, slamming the door shut behind them.  Emmy’s knees hit the back of the bed and she fell back, Kate immediately crashing atop her, melding their bodies, her lips, hands attacking every inch of Emmy’s body.

Emmy made quick work of Kate’s suit jacket, tossing it aside with little care for any wrinkles that might result.  She reached up and undid the buttons on the President’s very conservative and proper dress shirt, while Kate attacked Emmy’s neck with her lips.  A satisfied smirk spread across Emmy’s lips as a very sexy and totally improper hot pink lacy bra made an appearance as Kate’s shirt was discarded.  Emmy reached up and palmed one of Kate’s breasts, teasing her taut nipple through the lacy material.  Kate let out a small groan as Emmy reached behind and deftly unhooked her bra, leaving Kate completely topless as she straddled Emmy’s hips.  Kate reached up and took the clip out of her hair, blonde locks falling loosely at her bare shoulders.  This removed the last vestiges of the conservative, professional persona that she so carefully crafted each day.  It drove Emmy wild with desire.

Kate peppered Emmy’s face with kisses as she attempted to push the suit jacket off the brunette’s shoulders.  “Too.  Many. Clothes,” she mumbled as she pulled Emmy up into a sitting position so she could rid her of her jacket and top.  Emmy’s clothes went flying and she gasped slightly as Kate practically ripped her bra off before capturing one of her breasts in her mouth.  Emmy groaned in pleasure as Kate teased and nipped at her breast, swirling the tightening bud around her tongue.  After a few moments of this attention, Kate pushed Emmy back down against the bed.

Kate slowly, sensuously, kissed her way down Emmy’s body.  Goosebumps broke out across Emmy’s skin as she struggled to maintain some control of her senses as Kate planted wet, lingering kisses over her breasts and stomach.

Kate smiled as she continued her trail, reveling in the feel of Emmy’s contracting muscles, her increased breathing, all signs that Emmy was as turned on as she was.  She slowly, teasingly, splayed her fingers across Emmy’s abdomen, lightly playing at the waistband of Emmy’s pants.  She danced her fingers across Emmy’s waist, her hips, her thighs, lightly scratching, tickling, toying with Emmy, but never proceeding past that point, never grazing the area where Emmy so desperately needed contact.

Frustrated, Emmy arched her hips, attempting to make contact with Kate, needing, so desperately, to get some relief.  “Kate . . . please,” she whispered, struggling to maintain focus on anything but the burning between her legs.

“Please what?” Kate teased.

“You damn well know what.  Please, Kate.  Please, I need you to . . . to make me come.  Please . . .”

Kate’s arousal reached new heights at the sound of Emmy’s frustrated and desperate pleas.  Knowing that the time for teasing was over, Kate made quick work of both Emmy’s pants and underwear.  She took a moment to savor the unique feminine scent that was totally Emmaline before plunging her tongue into Emmy’s center.  Kate savored the wetness she found there, knowing she’d been the cause of it made her all the more aroused.

Emmy’s fingers threaded through Kate’s blonde locks, holding her in place as she ran her tongue along her slick folds.  Emmy let out a low moan as Kate circled her clit with her lips, slowing drawing her out.  Emmy whimpered, begging for more, bucking her hips slightly to meet Kate’s mouth.  Obeying Emmy’s wishes, Kate slipped two fingers into her opening, quickly building a relentless pace as she swept her tongue over Emmy’s bundle of nerves.

Kate reached her free hand up to still the squirming and thrusting of Emmy’s hips.  Finally, losing herself in Emmy’s taste, Kate lost all semblance of control and began sucking Emmy’s bud hungrily with wild abandon.  Kate continued to thrust into Emmy, curling her fingertips slightly to hit that special spot deep within.  Emmy’s cries came in an uncontrollable stream, matched with Kate’s unending thrusts.  Finally, unable to take it anymore, Emmy let out a scream of pure unadulterated passion as she dug her fingers slightly into Kate’s scalp, hips bucking uncontrollably as she crashed over the edge into oblivion.  Kate smiled slightly as she felt Emmy’s walls contract around her fingers.  She continued slowly moving in and out as Emmy’s hips continued to rock, riding the last waves of her climax.  As Emmy finally stilled, breasts heaving, skin glistening with a sheen of sweat, Kate looked up, a satisfied smirk on her face.

“So now what, Emmaline?” Kate said from between Emmy’s legs, a devilish look in her eyes.

Emmy grinned as she looked down at the tousled blonde locks of the half-dressed woman before her.  “Just give me a minute . . . and then . . . I plan to fuck the President’s brains out.”

CHAPTER ELEVEN

“Just give me a minute . . . and then . . . I plan to fuck the President’s brains out.”

Kate’s throat went dry at the serious and sultry tone of Emmy’s voice, and when she figured in the content of her words, Kate was left nearly speechless.  Struggling to maintain her tough, dominant exterior, she managed to respond in what she felt was a somewhat nonchalant manner.  “Oh really?  Why don’t you show me what exactly you intend to do to the President.  I’m sure she’ll want me to test it out first to make sure your techniques are . . . acceptable.”

Emmy laughed before pulling Kate up so that they were face-to-face, before quickly rolling over so that she was on top of the blonde.  She captured Kate’s mouth in a searing kiss, their tongues dancing, as she tasted herself on Kate’s lips.

Finally stopping for breath, Emmy slowly slid Kate’s pants down over her hips and tossed them aside.   Suddenly, pulled up short and laughed, locking eyes with Kate.

“What?” Kate asked, confused as to the source of Emmy’s sudden humor.

“Your socks, Kate.  Seriously?”

“What?  So I like alligators.  Is that a problem?” Kate asked, referring to her bright green socks shaped like an alligator’s head.

“Not at all, babe.  I kind of love them.” Emmy said, placing a chaste kiss on Kate’s slightly pouty lips.  “Now where was I?” Emmy husked, the sensual tone of her voice suddenly refocusing the mood on a decidedly more serious topic.

She removed Kate’s ridiculous socks before beginning to play her fingertips across Kate’s lacy pink panties.  She placed gentle, brief kisses across Kate’s thighs and abdomen, slowly tracing the outline of the fabric.  She then gently bit down on the elastic waistband, teasingly slipping her tongue underneath the cloth to further tease the sensitive skin she found there.

Kate let out a frustrated groan.  “Emmaline . .  . please.”  She said, silently cursing herself for having teased Emmy not minutes before.  Clearly two could play at this game and Emmy was enjoying her turn as the tormentor immensely.  Emmy then gently blew cool air over the skin she had just moistened with her tongue, causing goose bumps to break out across Kate’s smooth skin.  This elicited another groan from Kate as she raised her hips slightly, attempting to gain the contact she so desperately needed.

Emmy pushed Kate’s hips back down onto the bed before taking the panties in her teeth and slowly, painstakingly dragging them down the blonde’s legs before finally removing them.

Emmy snaked her hand between Kate’s legs swiftly parting her saturated folds.  Kate let out a gasp of pleasure and relief at the long awaited contact.  Not wasting any time, Emmy quickly entered her, moving her fingers in and out of the blonde, eager to repay the favor Kate had just done for her.  Instinctively, Kate wrapped both of her legs around Emmy’s hips, anxious to add as much force to their matched thrusts as possible.

Emmy added additional pressure with her hips, fingers moving harder, faster, deeper . . .

Kate began to mumble incoherently, her forehead resting against Emmy’s strong shoulder, eyes closed in pleasure.  Kate’s silent gasps grew more frequent, more intense, as her climax began to build deep within her.  Emmy’s lips whispered sweet nothings into the blonde’s ear.  “Come for me, babe.  Just let go.  Trust me.  Let me make you come.”

Spurred on by Emmy’s words, Kate matched her movements, hips gyrating against Emmy’s, as her fingernails dug into Emmy’s shoulders, hanging on for dear life.

Emmy added her thumb, stroking it against Kate’s engorged clit, adding slight pressure in time with the sensuous dance of their hips, harmonizing their racing heartbeats and frantic breaths.

Kate felt the familiar aching burn building between her legs.  Finally, breaking her gasping silence, Kate moaned into Emmy’s ear.  “Emmaline . .  . Please . . . Fuck me . .  . Fuck me harder.”

Answering Kate’s wish, Emmy’s fingers picked up their tempo, spurring Kate on to completion.  Almost immediately, Emmy felt the blonde tense beneath her, her walls contracting, her body shuddering and shaking as Kate began to emit a stream of loud, lusty moans.  Emmy kissed her way around Kate’s rapturous face, finally settling on her lips, swallowing the noises Kate made as she fell over the edge of desire.

Kate continued to quake in Emmy’s strong arms, shuddering as the pleasure washed over her.  She gripped onto Emmy, arms and legs entangled, as she struggled to regain her senses.  Finally, feeling her breathing slow, Emmy placed one last kiss upon Kate’s lips before rolling off of her, limbs still intertwined.  Kate slowly, ever so slowly, forced Emmy’s beautiful green eyes to meet her own, and placed a chaste kiss upon her lips.  She smiled and whispered against Emmy’s cheek.  “Thank you, Emmaline.  That was amazing.”

“You’re amazing.” Emmy responded in return as she smiled into the kiss.

They drifted off and were awoken a short time later by the pilot’s overhead announcement, letting the passengers know that they’d begun their descent into New York.  After helping each other get presentable, they made their way to a nearby set of seats, where they sat together in comfortable silence and sly smirks as the plane landed.

As the plane touched down, Emmy turned to Kate.  “So why are you visiting New York?  The trip wasn’t on the schedule last I checked.”

Kate smiled broadly.  “Because Emmaline, tonight I’m taking you on a date.  A date that doesn’t involve hiding away in the White House.”

Emmy’s mouth dropped open in shock.  “A date?  In public?  Are you sure, Kate?  You’re really ready to just throw caution to the wind like that?  I mean, I admire the bravery it would take, but even I’m not sure it’s the right time for you to do this.”

Kate shook her head and patted Emmy’s arm reassuringly.  “Relax, Emmaline.  I never said I was going to out myself.  I just thought we could spend a little time together in a way that wouldn’t seem out of the ordinary.  We’re going to see a Broadway show.  Presidents do things like that.  You’ll be there as part of my personal security detail. No one will suspect a thing . . . so long as I can resist the urge to jump your gorgeous bones while we’re in public.  Then, we’ll spend the night at the Plaza Hotel and fly back in the morning.  Think you can handle that?”  Kate smirked, showing off her dimples, as she savored Emmy’s adorable concern and nervousness.

Emmy finally relaxed, partly because Kate’s gorgeous grin had magical powers over her.  She nodded.  “I can handle that.  And I absolutely love Broadway.  It’s one of my biggest passions.”

“I know.” Kate said, grinning again.

Emmy arched an eyebrow.  “You do?”

Kate nodded, clearly pleased with herself. “Let’s just say that what the President wants, the President gets.  That includes you.  But it also means I have my sources, who will tell me everything I need to know about the woman of my dreams.  Her likes, her dislikes . . . the fact that she sings show tunes in the shower . . . you know, stuff like that.”

“I am so going to kill Val,” Emmy grumbled, secretly loving that Kate had made the effort to find out more about her.

Kate chuckled.  “I hope you like Marian Dunne. She’s starring in a new show and I thought we’d check it out.  The show’s supposed to be really moving.”

“Are you kidding me!!” Emmy exclaimed.  “She is my idol.  My all-time favorite.  Her voice is like pure gold.”

Kate beamed, loving Emmy’s almost childish exuberance.  She leaned over and captured Emmy’s lips in a chaste but lingering kiss as the plane came to a halt.

An advance team of agents had prepared the theater for the President’s arrival.  Once they got to the theater, Emmy, along with other agents, escorted Kate to a private box from which she’d view the performance.  Emmy stood at attention directly behind Kate’s chair, her eyes raking across the gawking theatergoers for any signs of trouble.  She struggled to remain focused on the task at hand, giddy over both the fact that she was about to see her idol, but also that Kate had planned such a perfect “date.”  So what if they couldn’t really enjoy the show together?  Just being near Kate, sharing the same air as her, sensing her presence, made Emmy happy.

As the lights dimmed, Emmy smiled, excited for the performance to begin.  Just as it got dark, she felt Kate tug on her sleeve, motioning for her to take the only other seat in the box, which had remained unoccupied.  She hesitated for a moment, but figured no one would think the better of it.  Anyone who saw her would just assume that it was protocol.  As she sat, Julie stepped into position where Emmy had just stood.  Emmy glanced over at Kate, giving her a small smile as the orchestra began to play the overture.  Emmy’s heart swelled, so moved already by the experience that this night was promising to bring.

Emmy couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a good time.  She’d been so focused on her career that she’d not left much time for doing things she really enjoyed.  And the fact that she got to spend it with Kate was even better.  The musical was wonderful.  As the strains of Marian’s first song washed over her, she was moved to tears.  She glanced over and saw that Kate was similarly affected as Marian sung the haunting tune.  Kate silently reached over and grasped Emmy’s hand in hers.  The gesture was a simple one, but it meant the world to Emmy.  Despite the privacy of their box, there was still a small risk of being seen.  However, if Kate was okay with it, Emmy wasn’t going to complain.

Kate loved the show, but in all honesty, her thoughts kept straying to the beautiful woman at her side.  She longed to touch her, to hold her, to no longer hide the feelings that were stirring deep within her.  It was times like these that she seriously questioned her decision to lead a very public, very closeted life.  Finally, moved to tears by the gorgeous song sung by Emmy’s idol, Kate reached over and laced her fingers through Emmy’s.  To hell with what people thought.  The risk of discovery was minimal and she needed to share this moment with Emmaline.  Her heart thudded against her breast as she savored the gentle, innocent touch of the woman’s hand in hers.

As the curtain rose on intermission, they let their hands fall, Emmy quickly standing to assume a more protective position.  Kate longed for the day when Emmy would no longer need to do this job, when she could be beside her as her partner, absent all the pretenses.  She longed for this more than anything.  She knew they’d only been together a short time, had only known each other for a few months, but already she knew, deep within her, that Emmy was the one.  The woman she’d give it all up for.   This public life.  Her career.  Everything.  She could only hope Emmy felt the same way.

As the show ended, both women were again in tears. The show, which was set in the early 1800s ended with a white Christian widow marrying a Jewish immigrant.  Along with their two children from their previous marriages, they adopted a black orphan boy, thus creating a truly blended family.  The message of acceptance in a time when such things were taboo, was not completely lost on Emmy and Kate.  It gave them hope that maybe, one day, such happiness would be not only attainable for them, but would also be truly accepted.  The idea that people’s ideas of what makes a family were ever changing gave them hope.  Wiping away their tears, they smiled at each other.

“Thank you, Kate.  This was perfect.  I’ll never forget this night.”

“It’s not quite over yet, Emmaline.  We’re going backstage.  You’re going to meet your idol.”

Emmy’s heart swelled as fresh tears sprung to her eyes.  “I don’t know how to thank you.  You’re so amazing.  You’ve given me so much already.  I don’t know how I’ll ever pay you back.”

Kate shook her head.  “There is no need.  You’ve given me what I’ve dreamed about for so long – a real chance at love.  Emmaline Harris, will you be my girlfriend?”

Emmy beamed.  “Of course.  You make me so happy.”

“Me too, sweetie.  Now let’s go backstage.  Not that I want to rush this meet and greet, but all I can think about right now is kissing my gorgeous girlfriend.  And that’s not going to happen until I make sure she meets her idol.”

Emmy grinned.  She didn’t know how she’d gotten so lucky.  And damn.  The President of the United States was hers.  Her girlfriend.  Damn.

CHAPTER TWELVE

As they exited the limo and headed into the hotel, the two women kept things professional.  Emmy escorted Kate inside along with a team of other agents, a sly smile on her face.  Little did the press and gawking bystanders know, Kate’s mystery love was right in front of them.  There was definitely something a little sexy about all the secrecy and game playing.  She knew deep down that it would eventually get old, but at the moment, the hidden, secret affair was definitely exciting.

After they were securely in the room and away from prying eyes, Emmy gently pulled Kate against her and captured her lips in a deep, passionate kiss.  There was no hurry, no pressure, no frenzy as they lazily explored one another.  Kate wrapped her arms around Emmy’s neck drawing her closer as they continued to revel in each other’s presence.

Emmy ran her hands gently over the blonde’s body, enjoying the feel of Kate pressed against her.  Everything about this woman amazed her, electrified her, and excited her.  Kate was like a drug she couldn’t get enough of.  Emmy snaked her arms around Kate’s hips, losing herself in the passion, the joy that she was feeling.  After a few minutes of this quiet exploration, Emmy pulled back, keeping her arms wrapped around Kate.  The blonde let out an adorable groan of protest as Emmy withdrew.

Emmy grinned as she gazed into Kate’s sparkling baby blues.  “You are amazing, Kate Stewart.”

Kate smirked.  “Yeah, I am pretty awesome.”

Emmy chuckled.  “Way to be modest there, babe.”

Kate laughed along with her.  “You’re not so bad yourself, Emmaline.  But what exactly did I do that’s so amazing?  That kiss was . . . was . . . incredible.  But I certainly had help.”  She smirked again as she ran a hand lightly through Emmy’s hair.

“What you did today at that interview.  A lot of people I know, maybe even me, wouldn’t have had the courage to do what you did.”

Kate shrugged and headed further into the room, shedding her suit jacket and letting down her hair.  “It’s not that big a deal.  It’s not like I came out.  So I wasn’t that brave.”

Emmy struggled to keep her composure as Kate kicked off her shoes, once again revealing her bright green alligator socks.  This woman was adorable and powerful and confident and sexy and well, just so many other things all at the same time.  “But it’s a huge step.  Many, many people would have put their own interests first – focus on what will get them re-elected.”

“You forget, Emmaline, that I am putting my own interests first.  As a gay woman, I hope one day I’ll be able to marry the woman I love – with the same rights and recognition as everyone else.”  Kate smiled wanly.  As she said the words, she couldn’t help but picture Emmy as that woman.  The thought scared the hell out of her.  In a good way, but it was scary nonetheless, to think about how quickly, how deeply she was falling for this woman.  She wanted so badly to tell Emmy, but was afraid to move too fast, afraid she’d scare her off.  It was a big enough burden just to date a person in her position.  Adding in words about love, commitment, and potential marriage was not something she was ready to do.  Even if those thoughts featured more and more prevalently in her mind these days.

Emmy took in Kate’s words and nodded.  “Good point.  But I still admire you.  And I thank you.  It was a big step in the fight to have someone in your position come out in favor of it.”  Emmy grabbed Kate’s hand and brought it to her lips, kissing it chastely before getting more comfortable herself, taking off her jacket and holster.

“I’m going to order some room service, figure we can have a late dinner.  That okay?” Kate asked.

Emmy nodded her head as she sprawled out on a nearby couch.  She watched as Kate ordered the food.  They sat together on the couch, cuddling and engaging in small talk while they waited for the food to arrive.  After their dinner had been set up, they sat together and ate.

“So tell me about your family.  I know some already, but I’d love to hear more.” Kate said.

Emmy smiled.  “Well, as I’ve said before, I was born and raised in Miami.  My father is very successful businessman, so I never really wanted for anything.  I’ve got an older sister, Rachel.  We’re really close.  We weren’t always close, but she lives in DC with her husband and daughter and I love spending time with them.  Especially my niece, Gabby.”

Kate loved the way Emmy’s face lit up at the mention of her niece.  “Tell me about her.”

“She’s adorable.  So precocious.  She’s the light of my life.  And she thinks it’s really awesome that her aunt knows the President, by the way.”  Emmy grinned as she playfully nudged Kate.  “She brags to all her friends about it.”

Kate chuckled.  “I’d love to meet her sometime.”

Emmy smiled.  She debated bringing up the birthday party, but felt it was too complicated and too much to ask.  She decided to leave it be.  “I’m sure she’d love that.  If your schedule has a free second some time this century, maybe I’ll bring her by.”

Kate nodded.  “I’m sure we can work something out.  I’ve got to meet her if she makes you smile this much.  She’s obviously very special.”

Emmy watched Kate eat in silence for a while, still in awe that this gorgeous, talented woman had chosen her.  Amazed that as busy as she was, Kate had taken the time to find out what Emmy liked, who she was, had planned a date that was beyond memorable.  “Thank you.” Emmy said, after a pause in their conversation.

“I already told you, Emmaline, I said what I did during that interview for me as well.  And there’s so much more I could have done if I’d had the courage.”

Emmy shook her head.  “That’s not what I meant.  Thank you for tonight.  The show . . . meeting Marian . . . this right here . . . it’s amazing.” Emmy said as she gestured to the hotel room.  “I couldn’t imagine a better evening.  But the best part . . . getting to spend it with you.”  Emmy smiled.

Kate looked across at Emmy and saw the slight sheen of unshed tears in her eyes.  She reached across and cupped Emmy’s cheek, lightly stroking a thumb over her skin.  “It was my pleasure, Emmaline.  I love seeing you smile.  I love sharing in the things you love.  And theater is clearly a passion of yours.”

Emmy nodded.  “It is.  I actually dreamed of being on Broadway when I was younger.  But things don’t always work out the way you think they will.  Not that I’d change anything.  If I’d become an actress, we’d probably never have met and I wouldn’t change that for the world.”

Kate smiled.  “So what stopped you from pursuing your dream?”

Emmy shrugged.  “My father didn’t think being a singer and an actress was a respectable career.  He hadn’t paid all that expensive prep school tuition for me to throw away my potential.  Or something like that.”

Kate’s heart broke a little as she saw a brief, almost unnoticeable hint of disappointment flash across Emmy’s eyes.

Emmy continued, trying to act nonchalant.  “It doesn’t really matter though.  Chances are, I wouldn’t have made it anyway.  Not many people succeed in that business.  Besides, I love what I do now, so things probably worked out for the best.  I love my dad, I really do.  I know he had my best interests at heart.  But sometimes, I just wonder, you know . . . what might have been.”

Kate nodded.  “I get it.  We all have dreams that are left unfulfilled.”  Kate paused for a moment, debating whether or not to ask Emmy the question that was on the tip of her tongue.  Finally, she gave in.  “Will you sing for me, Emmaline?”

Emmy looked a little shocked and blushed.  “Me?  Sing?  Um . . . I really haven’t sung . . . apart from in the shower . . . in years.”  Kate smiled.  Her embarrassment was adorable.

“Please.  I’d love to hear you.”

Emmy took a deep breath and ran a hand through her hair as she debated.  However, one glance at Kate’s expectant look, a grin full of dimples, and Emmy had no choice.  She’d give this woman whatever she asked for.  Anything.  She nodded.  “Okay then.  Give me a minute.”  Emmy debated a few song choices, then, clearing her throat, began.

Kate lost all power to think and struggled to catch her breath as she watched the beautiful woman before her sing.  Emmy’s eyes were closed, emotion clearly painted across her face as she sang, performed, felt each emotion in the song.

Kate continued to listen with rapt attention.  This woman was amazing. As Emmy’s gorgeous voice washed over her, she found herself falling deeper, ever deeper for this woman.  She hesitated to think it, but that oft-avoided L-word kept running through her mind.  How could she not?  This woman was amazing, awe-inspiring, and breathtaking.  As Emmy finished her song, Kate found she could do little more than sit in silence, reveling in the presence of this woman.

“Emmaline.  That was . . . that was . . .” Kate struggled for words.  “You are amazing, and I’m not just saying that as your girlfriend.  You blew me way.  I have no words.”

Emmy blushed.  “Thank you.  You really thought it was good?”

Kate shook her head.  “It wasn’t good.  It was great.  It was . . . you’ve left me speechless here.  And that’s not something that happens often.  I can’t really think straight.  You’re just . . . let me show you how I feel.” Kate said as she rose from the couch and led Emmy to the bed.  Unable to form coherent sentences, she needed to show Emmy how moved she was.

Kate slowly laid Emmy out across the bed, covering the brunette’s body with her own.  Holding her weight off of Emmy, she captured her lips, waiting eagerly for Emmy to grant her access.  Moaning slightly, Emmy opened her mouth, allowing Kate’s tongue to explore, to trace, to tease.

After a few moments, Kate slid her hands slowly up Emmy’s torso, gently removing her shirt, revealing Emmy’s bra-clad breasts.  Helpless against their call for attention, Kate quickly freed Emmy of her bra.  She slowly, painstakingly slid down Emmy’s body, kissing, licking sucking, raking her teeth over each nipple in turn.  Kate felt a jolt of desire pool between her legs, loving the way Emmy unabashedly gripped fistfuls of her blonde locks, holding on for dear life.

While Kate’s mouth toyed with Emmy’s breasts, her hands continued to wander.  Busy at Emmy’s pants, she quickly removed both pants and Emmy’s underwear, desperate to get the woman beneath her naked.  Her lips continued to play at Emmy’s taught nipples as her fingers ghosted over the skin at Emmy’s hips, tracing, teasing, and hinting at what was to come.

After completely ridding Emmy of her clothes, Kate sat up, straddling the brunette’s hips and removed her own shirt and bra.  Emmy let out a quiet moan of approval before reaching up and palming one of Kate’s newly freed breasts.  She closed her eyes as she savored the feel on Emmy’s fingers toying, teasing at her nipple.  After a few moments, Kate leaned down, crashing her lips to Emmy’s again, their chests crashing together, rubbing seductively as their tongues mated.

Wasting no time, Kate slipped her hand between Emmy’s legs, sliding into her slick folds.  She didn’t bother to tease.  She wanted, no, needed to be gentle, to give Emmy what she needed.  She was desperate to show Emmy just what she felt, even if she was incapable of saying it yet.  Kate started the pace slowly, more an act of love than one of base physical need.

Frustrated with the clothing still covering Kate’s lower half, Emmy reached down, quickly pulling down the blonde’s pants and underwear in one swift motion.  Kate lost all resolve to keep things slow as Emmy entered her, her entire body shuddering at the feel of Emmy’s soft touch.  Their bodies moved together, a slow dance at first.  As their need built, the pace picked up, thumbs flicking over swollen bundles of nerves, mouths connected, hearts beating out the same staccato rhythm, fingers and hips working together.

The once silent room quickly filled with the sounds of breathlessness, sighs, moans, pleas, as they danced together toward their mutual release.  Emmy fell first, Kate following a half a second later as they quaked together, mutual cries of passion creating a music all their own.  Finally, coming down from the high, Kate rolled off, snuggling in to Emmy’s side while they waited for their heartbeats and breaths to return to normal.

The emotions of the day, the music, the passion – it overwhelmed any sense that Kate might have had.  Gone were any of her carefully constructed walls or defenses.  She couldn’t help herself, couldn’t contain it any longer.  “I love you, Emmaline . . .”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“I love you, Emmaline . . .”

Emmy’s heart began to pound uncontrollably in her chest.  She couldn’t quite believe that she’d just heard what she thought she’d heard.  She’d been drifting off to sleep when Kate had said it.  Perhaps she hadn’t heard right. Perhaps it was the beginnings of a dream.  Finally, she managed the most ineloquent response possible.  “Um…..what?”

Kate’s heart sank.  This was not the response she’d been hoping for.  Granted, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.  They hadn’t been together all that long.  She’d rushed things and now she’d probably freaked Emmy out.  She let out a sigh.  “Never mind.”

Emmy placed a hand on her arm and lifted Kate’s chin with the other, so they were looking eye-to-eye.  “Kate.  I’m sorry.  My response, well, I was shocked and just wasn’t sure I heard you right.  Judging by your reaction to my lame-ass attempt at a reply, I’m guessing I did hear you right.  So let’s try this again.  Please make me the happiest girl alive and say it again.”

The momentary sadness that had overcome Kate was replaced by an overwhelming sense of relief.  She smiled slightly, giving Emmy just the briefest glimpse of the dimples she loved so much.  Kate paused for a moment, gathering her courage.  Emmy loved the insecure side of this woman who was usually so poised and confident.  Seeing this private, unsure facet of Kate made Emmy even more and more attracted to her.  After a few moments, Kate looked into Emmy’s eyes and spoke.  “I love you, Emmaline.”

Emmy gave her a mega watt smile before responding in kind.  “I love you too, Kate.  So much,” she said as she cupped Kate’s cheek with her palm before leaning in for a kiss.  They kissed tenderly, with no urgency – just savoring the moment.  After they pulled away, Kate snuggled into Emmy’s arms and they drifted off to sleep, both enveloped in a newfound sense of security, warmth and love.

*              *              *              *              *

Over the next few weeks, Emmy and Kate basked in the new turn that their relationship had taken.  Both spent way too much time smiling like the fools in love that they were.  Alone time was rare, given the nature of Kate’s job, but they did their best to make time where they could.  Emmy had also begun to sleep over at the White House, a fact of which Val had fun with on every possible occasion.  Emmy didn’t care.  If she had to endure incessant teasing from her roommate in exchange for the chance to sleep in the arms of the woman she loved, it was a small price to pay.

When they couldn’t be alone, both women spent a little too much time eying one another from across the room.  It became a silent, unspoken game of theirs to try and communicate wordlessly with no one else knowing.  Granted, when things were incredibly busy and when important matters were on the table, Kate was all business.  However, during the momentary lulls, she was all about Emmaline.  They were engaged in one of these silent interludes in the Oval Office when Kate’s Chief of Staff entered the room.

“Kate, if you’ve got a minute, we need to talk . . . um . . . about your personal life.  You know that I try and stay out of such things, but when it affects Kate the President and not Kate the woman, it’s my job to say something.”  Kate glanced over at Emmy, who had a smirk on her face.  Though certain people, namely Val and Julie, knew about their relationship, Beth still had no idea that Emmy was the mystery person behind Kate’s bedroom door.

“So spill it, Beth.  What’s up?”  Kate said, eager to get the conversation over with.

“Since you gave that interview, where you mentioned that you were dating someone, the press has been all over the story.  Various media outlets are offering top dollar to the person who gets the first photo of you with this person.  I just wanted you to be aware of this, so that you’re careful, and so that you don’t reveal anything before you’re ready to do so.”

Kate nodded.  “Thanks Beth, anything else?”

“Yes.  I’m sure I don’t really need to say this, but given your current state of . . .”  Beth gestured nervously with her hands, searching for words.  Kate smiled at the awkwardness of this woman, who was normally so blunt and to the point.  She cocked an eyebrow, urging Beth to continue.  “Your .  . . the fact that you’re not out, you might want to be extra careful.  The press will go nuts if they catch you with anyone.  If they catch you with a woman, well, they’ll have a field day.  And I assume that’s an announcement you’ll want to make on your own time.  So you might want to make sure your girlfriend is the type who can keep a secret.”

Kate smiled smugly, glancing across the room at Emmy.  “What do you think, Agent Harris?  Do you think my girlfriend can be trusted with classified information?”  Kate knew she shouldn’t be toying with Beth.  The woman did have a point and was just looking out for her, but she couldn’t help it.

“I don’t know, Kate, er . . . Madame President.  I happen to know that she wants to shout from the rooftops how in love she is with the President, but hopefully she’ll see the error of her ways before she does so.  If not, perhaps you might have to punish her.”  Emmy had a wicked grin on her face as Beth looked between them, confused.

“I clearly missed the joke.  Mind telling me what’s going on here?”

Kate chuckled.  “I’m sorry Beth.  I shouldn’t have fun at your expense, but it was too good to pass up.”

“I still don’t follow,” Beth said.

“I’m dating Agent Harris.  So yes, I’m pretty sure she understands what’s at stake here and we’ll be discreet.  We’ve been seeing each other for a while now.”

Beth offered a sigh of relief.  “Well thank goodness for that.  I was worried that you’d taken up with some loose-lipped floozie.”

“Floozie?”  Emmy said, laughing heartily. “What are we, in 1950?”

Beth simply rolled her eyes.  “And on that note, I’m outta here. “ She headed to the door, but turned to speak one last time.  “Oh and Harris, I’ll be sure to send your regards to North Korea.”  She smirked at her own joke and left the room.

Emmy crossed the room and gathered Kate in her arms.  “Beth’s a piece of work, isn’t she?”  Emmy said, smiling.

“Yep.  But I love her for it.  Now hurry up and kiss me.  I’ve got a meeting in 5 minutes and I don’t want to shock the good Senator from Nebraska by having him walk in on some good old fashioned girl-on-girl action.”

“Whatever you say, Madame President,” Emmy said before crashing her lips to Kate’s.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy was in a bad mood.  It had been a few days since their talk with Beth.  Things were still going great.  She was still happy, she was still head over heels in love, she was good . .  . really.  But it didn’t mean she couldn’t have a brief moment of pouting. She was allowed to be grumpy on occasion.  She was busy glaring at her coffee maker, angry that it wasn’t brewing fast enough, and didn’t hear Val come up behind her.

“So what’s got your panties in a bunch, Em?” Val asked

“Who says they’re in a bunch?” Emmy grumbled.

“Um . . . well, your reaction right there and also the fact that you’ve been slamming things around the kitchen for the past 15 minutes. Also, be nice to the coffee maker, Emmy.  It’s your friend.  You don’t want to get on its bad side.”

“I’m fine . . . it’s just . . . “ Emmy sighed, not really wanting to talk about her feelings.

“I know, I feel for you, Emmy.  I do.”  Val gently placed a hand on Emmy’s arm, a heartfelt gesture that took Emmy by surprise.  But then Val continued.  “President Hot Stuff’s two-day trip out west coincides with your days off and you’re mad that you’ll have to go without your Presidential booty calls.”

Emmy rolled her eyes.  “Just when I thought maybe you had a teeny, tiny bit of heart, Val.  You had me worried there for a moment.  I’ll deal.”

“Why don’t you just ask Bell to send you along?”

“I can’t exactly walk into his office and be like, ‘Hey, Director Bell!  How’s it going?  I’m banging the President.  Mind if I tag along on this trip?’”

Val laughed.  “Now you sound like me, Harris.  I thought what you two had was a deep, loving, respectful adult relationship.  Guess I was wrong.”  Val continued her mockery.

Eager to end this conversation and to get back to her self-pity, Emmy grabbed a mug and poured some coffee.  “Don’t you need to leave?  I thought the flight was at 10.”

Val shrugged.  “They’ll wait for me.  I may not be Agent McFreaky, but I’m still a rock star.”

With that, she headed out the door, but not before stealing the cup of coffee Emmy had just poured.

“Bitch.”  Emmy muttered under breath, but she didn’t really mean it.  Despite all the teasing, Val was a good friend, though both of them would probably be loath to admit it.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy somehow managed to get through her day off, something that she used to look forward to.  Now, it just meant a day without Kate.  Her girlfriend’s job didn’t really include many days off.  Kate had mentioned maybe taking a few days at Camp David at some point, but that was far in the future and even then they wouldn’t be alone.  Until then, if it were up to Emmy, she’d work every day.  Just being in the same room as Kate was enough for her.  She couldn’t get enough of the woman, falling more and more in love with her with each passing day - which is why the damn day had gone so slow.  Not only had she not seen Kate at work, but because of the stupid trip, there would be no alone time at night either.

As she lay in bed, Emmy let out a giant sigh and flipped through the TV channels, hoping to find some diversion.  Nothing seemed to work.  Sighing again, she hugged her pillow and stared off into space, willing sleep to come.  She knew it wouldn’t come, but hoped that she was wrong.  The sooner she was asleep, the sooner this day – and half of Kate’s trip – would be over.  Suddenly, the ringing of her cell phone jolted her out of her thoughts.

She sat upright and grabbed her phone, hoping, praying that it was Kate’s number.  Her heart sank when it was a number she didn’t recognize.   She almost didn’t answer, not being in the mood to talk to anyone, but her curiosity won out.

“Hello?”

“Hey baby.  What are you wearing?”

Emmy’s heart swelled at the unmistakable voice of her girlfriend on the other end.  “Hey!  I missed you so much.  I don’t recognize this number.”

“Yeah, it’s my hotel phone.  So what are you wearing?”  Kate asked again.

“Um . . . what?”

“Emmaline.  We have to be apart for a whole day.  It was my poor attempt at being sexy over the phone.  Let me try again.”  Kate paused for a moment before continuing.  “Since I can’t be there with you, making you scream my name, I want you to touch yourself, think of me, come for me.  And I want to listen.”  Kate’s voice was powerful and husky, just the way she was in the bedroom.

“Oh God  . . .” Was all Emmy could muster as a response.

“Touch yourself, Emmaline.”  Kate said again, making it clear that it was not a request.

Emmy complied, one hand rising up under her shirt to play with her breasts, tweaking her nipples.  The other made its way south, dipping into her pajama bottoms, finding the instantaneous wetness there.  Realizing she’d dropped the phone, she picked it back up, while continuing her lower explorations.  “Sorry, got distracted.  Dropped the phone.”

Kate laughed gently, but the seriousness returned to her tone.  “Tell me what you’re doing.”

“I’m touching myself.  Teasing myself for you.  I’m so wet.  You make me so wet, babe,” Emmy said breathlessly. It never ceased to amaze her how quickly Kate could turn her on, apparently even from thousands of miles away.  She sensed that it would not take long for her to fulfill her girlfriend’s request.

“Fuck yourself, Emmaline.  Pretend it’s me between your legs, fucking you senseless.”  Kate husked.

The words shot a jolt of desire straight to her core.  Following orders, Emmy inserted a finger into her opening, slowly building up a rhythm, before adding a second finger.  Emmy was breathing heavy now, moaning slightly as she brought herself closer to completion.

“Fuck, baby.  You are so fucking hot.  Fuck yourself, Emmaline.  Harder.  I want to hear you moan my name.”

Emmy’s breaths became more and more ragged as she plunged her fingers into her core, her thumb playing across her bundle of nerves as her back arched off the bed to meet her hand.

After a few moments of silence other than Emmy’s panting, Kate spoke again.  “Let go.  Come for me, Emmaline.  Just let go,” she said, almost in a whisper.

As if heeding Kate’s request, just at that moment, Emmy fell, crashing, moaning, and shuddering as the waves of her orgasm wracked her body.  “Ohhhh . . . . Kate . . . Goddd! . . . I’m cooomminggg . . . “ She moaned in irregular spurts as her breaths came unevenly.  She struggled to ride out the storm and hold the phone at the same time.  She finally fell into breathless silence, blowing heavy breaths into the phone as Kate listened in silence.

Finally, after several minutes, Emmy’s breathing returned to normal.  Kate broke the quiet.  “Emmaline Harris.  You are fucking hot.”

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

The days following Kate's trip were like a renewed honeymoon period for the couple.  Not that they had really ever left that period of elation and sheer infatuation. However, the two days apart had felt like an eternity and had made them both painfully aware of how much their time spent together meant. The separation was not something that either was eager to repeat.  Luckily, even though their relationship remained mostly under wraps, because of Emmy's job, the possibility of long separations was close to non-existent.  They'd just have to deal with any short ones, as so many "normal" couples did with regularity.

Kate prided herself on exercising daily, no matter how busy her schedule, viewing it as a necessary part of her routine if she were going to continue to strive to be her best.  Occasionally, she liked to mix things up, breaking away for the boring routine of running and weight training.  After discovering that Emmy had played basketball in college, Kate decided that a friendly match was in order.  Knowing that the sport was more fun with a team, they'd invited two other agents on duty, Phil Parker and Jackson Meyer, to play with them.

Unable to resist making things interesting (Kate had herself been a top point guard back in the day), she challenged Emmy to a friendly wager. The winner would get to plan everything they did together for a whole week.  Both being competitive, they took the game very seriously.  They debated every last rule of the game.  Both enjoyed the flirty banter while Meyer and Parker stood by and watched in amusement.  At this point, their relationship was an open secret amongst the Secret Service agents assigned to the Presidential detail - it was hard to keep something from those whose job it was to literally keep an eye on the President at all times.

"So how do we pick teams?" Kate asked, as they stretched and warmed up in the locker room attached to the court where they’d be playing.  Emmy was momentarily distracted as Kate bent over tie her shoes.  At first, she was distracted by the obvious, Kate’s cute butt, which was displayed nicely.  But then, Emmy noticed Kate’s ridiculous socks for the day.  Apparently, she even had odd gym socks – these ones featuring a “high voltage” signs.

“High voltage, Kate?  Really?”  Emmy said, laughing.

“What?  I’m electric, baby.  100% high voltage.  Be prepared.  You are going down in this game, Emmaline.”

Emmy let out of sound of disbelief.  “Whatever you say, babe.”

“Anyway, back to the teams.  How do we decide?” Kate asked.  “Well obviously we have to be on opposite teams.  Otherwise, how can you lose to me?”

Emmy smirked, relishing the competitive look on Kate’s face.  “Do you want Parker or Meyer?”

“Me lose?  Not likely.  Anyway, let me think about this strategically.”  Kate eyed the two men for a moment, sizing them up.  “I pick Parker,” she finally said.

Emmy smiled.  She'd hoped that Kate would fall into that trap, going for Phil's height advantage and larger build.  While Phil was a good athlete, Emmy knew that Jackson had been an all-state basketball player in high school and had turned down a basketball scholarship to do a stint in the military.  Unable to resist, Emmy put up a fight, just for the fun of it.

"And why should I let you have Phil that easily?" Emmy asked teasingly.

"Because I'm the President of the United States and I said so?" Kate said jokingly, her dimples prominent - almost leading Emmy to give in right there.  But she was enjoying the banter too much to concede quite yet.

Emmy shook her head.  “That’s not going to work.  We’ve been over this, babe.  That has no sway during our personal time.  As sexy as you are when you’re exercising your Presidential privileges . . .”  Emmy smirked as her words trailed off.   She wrapped her arms around Kate’s waist and drew her in for a quick kiss.

“Pleeeeassse, Emmaline . .  .”  Kate gave Emmy her best pout as she made puppy dog eyes.  Emmy rolled her eyes and shook her head.  “If only the voting public could see their President now.  All sad-faced and whiny.  Not at all Presidential.  Or is that the tactic you use when negotiating important treaties?  Pout until all the other world leaders just give you what they want?”  Emmy smirked again.  “If they’re as much of a sucker for your dimples as I am, I’m sure they’ll give you whatever you ask for.”

Kate laughed.  “So did it work?  Do I get Parker?  Or do I have to play dirty?”  She smirked as she playfully grabbed Emmy’s ass.

Emmy shook her head.  She was done toying with her girlfriend.  “Fine.  You can have him.  But you owe me one.”  She turned and smiled slyly to herself, knowing she’d gotten the better end of this deal in more ways than one.

They headed out of the private locker room and onto the court.  As Kate stretched a bit more in her cute little shorts, Emmy wanted nothing more than to drag the blonde into her arms.  However, she resisted the urge – Kate’s staff had agreed to allow a few members of the press watch and photograph the game as part of a campaign to encourage kids to exercise.  Any form of PDA would be immediately noticed.

They started playing and the game quickly became heated.  All players held their own and the game remained close, despite Emmy’s earlier confidence that she and Jackson would have an advantage.

Naturally, the two men guarded each other, while Emmy and Kate covered one another.  This allowed them some close, physical contact without the press being aware of what was going on.  So what if Kate might have been a little more aggressive, a little more hands-on in her defense than normal?  And Emmy might have committed a few too many reaching and holding fouls, taking any excuse to grab at her girlfriend.  With no referee, such touches went unpunished and the game became more and more physical.  Luckily, Jackson and Phil, who were competitive themselves, took advantage of the lax rules and were equally aggressive with each other, though in an entirely innocent and sporting way.  The same could not be said of the two women.

The game was fierce and intense.  Emmy loved every minute of it.  Seeing the casual, playful side of Kate was fun, even if she still wore the same look of determined intensity that she employed as President.  And seeing her girlfriend deftly dribble the ball between her legs, make behind-the-back passes to Phil, and knock down three point jump shots with ease was a major turn on.  The accidental (and not-so-accidental) contact with Kate’s hot, sweaty body as they vied for position was driving Emmy insane.  It was as if this match was a giant game of foreplay.

Kate was feeling much the same way.  Emmy was clearly at home on the basketball court, making skilled passes and fakes, playing tight, aggressive defense, blocking the occasional shot.  Normally, Kate would have been frustrated with the smothering defense Emmy met her with.  However, with this coverage came a chance to be extra close to the woman she loved.  Every graze of Emmy’s body struck a nerve with her and set her body afire.  If not for Kate’s ultra-competitiveness, she was sure that Emmy would have managed to drive her to complete distraction.

The game was tied 28 to 28 and they were playing to 30.  The next team to score would win.  Deciding it was time to play a little dirty (in more ways than one), Kate stepped up her defense another notch.  Emmy had the ball and was dribbling, her back to Kate’s front as she tried to push her way inside, closer to the hoop.  Quickly assessing the situation and making sure their bodies were blocking the press’s view of her hand, Kate surreptitiously reached up and grabbed Emmy’s breast, tweaking it gently and playfully.  Shocked, not expecting the grope, Emmy was momentarily distracted as she let out a small gasp.  Kate used her girlfriend’s temporary loss of focus to steal the ball and quickly passed it to Phil, who ran the length of the court and scored an easy lay-up, winning the game.

Excited by the win, Kate ran up and gave Phil a quick congratulatory hug before turning to face her girlfriend.  Emmy eyed her with a look that let Kate know that she was in trouble, but she didn’t care.  She simply smirked, her dimples in full glory as she congratulated Emmy and Jackson on a game well played.

Emmy would have loved to have given Kate a piece of her mind right then and there, but knew that with the press, she had to keep her thoughts to herself for the time being.  Besides, despite the fact that she hated to lose, she couldn’t really be that angry.  After all, Kate was hers, and that was all that really mattered.

Once they were in the safety of the locker room, Emmy let Kate have it.  “You do not play fair, babe.  That was a foul of the worst order and you know it!”

Kate laughed.  “Yeah, but you loved it, admit it.”

Despite the fact that she wanted to laugh along with her girlfriend, Emmy held her ground.  “Nope.  Not a bit.  And if you feel that you have to resort to cheating in order to win, so be it.”  Emmy said playfully.

“I did not cheat!”  Kate protested, enjoying the fake fight.  “It’s not my fault if you’re easily distracted by a little innocent contact.  Basketball is not a sport for sissies.  If you don’t want to be touched, take up golf.”

Emmy crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.  “Innocent? You call groping my boob, with all of those reporters in the room innocent?  I don’t think so.  You don’t see Kobe Bryant grabbing LeBron James by his business, in order to gain an advantage, do you?  Nope.  You play dirty.”

Kate smirked.  “Fine.  That might be so.  But if you don’t like it, then I guess you won’t want to help me play dirty in the shower.”  With that, she headed off to the shower area, an extra sway in her hips as she walked.

Emmy paused for a moment, mouth slightly agape at her girlfriend’s brazenness, before following her.  After all, it was her job to protect the President and she needed to . . . keep an eye on her . . . or something like that.

*              *              *              *              *

The next morning, Emmy awoke in her favorite place – in Kate’s arms.  It had fast become the only place where her body could find sleep.  The few nights they were forced to spend apart had been mostly sleepless for her.  As her eyes fluttered open, she noticed that Kate was awake and that her bright blue eyes were fixed on her.

“Were you watching me sleep?”  Emmy asked.

A small smile crept across Kate’s face.  “Maybe.”

Emmy chuckled softly before pulling Kate in for a gentle kiss.  “Morning,” she said as their lips parted.

“Morning yourself, baby,” Kate said.

They rose and began readying for the day.  Kate looked at Emmy with confusion as she put on a casual outfit instead of her usual business attire.  “Isn’t it your turn to cover a Saturday?”  Kate may not have wanted to admit it, but she’d quickly memorized the typical rotation of Emmy, Val and Julie.

Emmy nodded.  “It is, but it’s my niece’s birthday today so I switched with Julie.  I’m covering next Saturday for her.”

Kate nodded, a little disheartened that she’d not be spending the day in Emmy’s company.  “But I’ll see you tonight?”

Emmy smiled, noticing the smallest hint of neediness in Kate’s voice.  The fact that a woman usually so independent and confident could display such dependence made her heart burst with love.  “Of course.  I may be a little late, depending on how long I hang out.  It starts at 3, but Gabby is sometimes reluctant to let me go before bedtime.”

“Not a problem,” Kate replied.  “I’ve got meetings on Capitol Hill all afternoon and then dinner with the Speaker of the House.  We can meet up afterwards.”

Emmy pulled something from her overnight bag.  “Speaking of my niece’s birthday.  Would you mind signing this birthday card for her?  For some reason she’s obsessed with the fact that I know the President.  She thinks it’s the coolest thing in the world.  A birthday card would mean the world to her.”

Kate smiled.  She adored Emmy and seeing the love she had for her niece reflected in her eyes made her girlfriend even more amazing.  This woman as going to be a great mother some day.  The kind of woman she’d love to have kids with.   She shook the thought away quickly.  She was getting way ahead of herself.  “I’d love to.  Thanks for bringing the card, but next time let me know – I’ll pick one out myself.” She took it and began writing a personalized message.

“I didn’t want to bother you, so I figured I’d save you the trouble.”  Emmy said.  She loved this woman and was amazed as she noticed how much effort Kate was putting into the message.  It was several paragraphs long.  After signing her name with a flourish, Kate handed the card to Emmy.  “Thanks so much, Kate.  It will make her day.”

“Really, it’s nothing.  Now come here and give me a proper goodbye if I’m not going to be seeing you all day.”  She pulled Emmy into her and captured her lips in a deep, passionate embrace, a hint of what might be in store for their evening.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy was forever grateful to Phil.  Rachel was in the middle of a remodeling job on her house and couldn’t have Gabby’s birthday party there.  Her niece had insisted that she wanted a pool party and Phil was the only other person Emmy or her family knew who had a pool.  Phil had graciously agreed to host the party, provided that he got honorary uncle status for the day.  Gabby was adorable and no one, including Phil Parker, was immune to her charm.

After spending the past several hours helping Phil, Rachel, and Rachel’s husband Dave set up the party, Emmy was already eager for the party to be over.  The combination of evading Rachel’s many attempts to get the dish on her new relationship and the horde of little girls running rampant throughout the house left her weary.  Plus, she was missing Kate.  Every moment spent apart was a drain on her.  It was as if her energy, the very life force of her being, no longer resided within her, but rather came and went with a certain blonde with a certain fancy title.

They had finally herded the swarm of tiny humans into the living room so that Gabby could open her presents.  It had been quite the task and Emmy was regretting the decision to feed them birthday cake and other sweets beforehand.  The kids were quite hopped up on sugar and definitely difficult to control, but they had managed.  Emmy couldn’t wait to see the look on Gabby’s face when she opened the card from Kate.  She figured she’d save it for last and surprise her.

Just as Gabby was about to open her first present, the doorbell rang.  Phil motioned that he’d get it.  Emmy thought nothing of it and turned back to watch Gabby open up a princess-themed toy from one of her friends.

*              *              *              *              *

Phil opened the door and nodded at Julie, whom he was expecting.  Given their recent break up, things were a bit awkward between them, but they still worked well together.  Julie gave the all-clear signal to the rest of the team and Kate was quickly escorted to the door.

Kate paused briefly at the threshold and leaned up and gave Phil a quick kiss on the cheek.  “Thanks for filling me in on this whole birthday party situation.”  Phil nodded and stepped aside to let her enter.  When Kate had heard about the birthday party this morning, she’d immediately wanted to come – so she’d put in a few calls and quickly found out that Phil was hosting.  She’d called him and quickly got him on board with her plan.

She wanted to attend the party not just because she knew it would make the little girl’s day.  Granted, she wanted to make Gabby happy because it would make Emmy happy.  But her main motivation had been a little bit more selfish.  She’d quickly come to think of Emmy as family.  She’d even silently entertained brief thoughts about what a family with Emmaline would be like.  And so she’d wanted to feel a part of Emmy’s family, even if only for a few minutes.  So she’d quickly decided that she was going to crash this little girl’s party.  She silently chided herself – she had it bad . . . really bad, if she, the President of the United States, suddenly found that a five-year-old’s birthday party was a not-to-be-missed social event.

Phil re-entered the living room.  He cleared his throat and everyone turned to look at him.  “Hey guys.  I’m sorry to interrupt, but Gabby, I think you’re going to want to see this.”

“See what?”  Gabby asked.  “I was just going to open that big box over there that Mommy and Daddy got me.  I’m sure it’s something awesome.”

The adults chuckled at her reaction.  Leave it to a child to decide that bigger was always better.  Phil continued.  “I think you’re gonna want to see this, short stuff.  Trust me.  See, your Aunt Emmy here, she got you a really, really awesome present.  If you want, I’ll bring it in.”

Her interest suddenly piqued, Gabby nodded her head furiously in agreement.  Emmy gave Phil a questioning look, confused as to his meaning.  As far as she knew, her presents to Gabby were still sitting in the corner of the room, waiting to be opened.  Then, Phil ushered Kate into the room.

The look of shock on her niece’s face was priceless.  Whispers of “it’s the President!” were heard amongst the little guests.  Gabby remained wide-eyed and speechless as Kate entered, a bright grin on her face.  Kate stood behind where Emmy sat and placed a gentle, brief squeeze on her shoulder.

“Hey, Gabby.  I hope you don’t mind that I stopped by.  Your Aunt Emmy was telling me all about you and what an awesome kid you are.  I thought, if it’s okay with you, that I might hang out with you guys for a few minutes.”

Emmy glanced at Kate as she struggled to hold back the tears forming in her eyes. She hadn’t asked Kate to come, hadn’t even mentioned the party until this morning, not wanting to burden her with it.  And yet, she’d come anyway.  Emmy was speechless.  This woman was amazing. Beyond amazing.  This woman was it.  Emmy was quite sure.  Nothing, nobody, would ever top Kate for her.  She’d often felt that this kind of love only existed in fairytales.  Not so.  She had found it.  Or rather, it had found her.  And it was overwhelming, in the best sense of the word.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Gabby’s shock finally wore off.  “See!  I told you my aunt knew the President.  She’s the best aunt in the whole world,” she told her friends as she ran and gave Emmy a big hug.  “Thank you Aunt Emmy.  You are so cool!”  With that, she looked up nervously at Kate, who was still standing behind Emmy.

Sensing Gabby’s nervousness, Kate spoke.  “Hey, Gabby.  I’m really sorry, but I’ve got a very important meeting I need to get to in a little while.  Do you think it would be okay if you opened my present next?  And then maybe your friends and I can hang out for a few minutes before I have to go?”

Gabby nodded, still looking up at Kate in awe.

Kate smiled, flashing her dimples.  “Super!”  She came around and gently took Gabby’s hand, leading the little girl back to her seat.

Emmy watched in abject awe as Kate presented the little girl with a certificate naming her as an official member of the President’s cabinet for the day, as well as all sorts of White House paraphernalia.  Kate fawned over Gabby’s other presents, expressing interest, asking questions, and generally making the little girl feel like the center of the universe.

Soon enough, Gabby had overcome her shyness and was rambling on to Kate about various topics.  Emmy knew that Kate should have already left, but she seemed in no hurry to do so. Kate was amazing.  The way she interacted with Gabby and the other guests, showing interest in all they had to say, posing for pictures, talking to them about the latest fads.  Emmy could only watch, her heart threatening to burst.  It was hard for her mind not to wander to thoughts of what Kate would be like as a mother.  She was clearly at ease with these kids and her genuine interest in Gabby and in making her happy warmed Emmy’s heart.  Every once in a while, Kate would look up briefly at Emmy, their eyes meeting for just a moment, a just a hint of happiness and love passing between them before Kate again focused on the kids.

At last, Kate glanced up at Julie and nodded.  She was already late.  As the President, she could make people wait, but it wasn’t something she made a habit of.  “Okay, kiddo,” Kate said as she gently ruffled Gabby’s hair, “I’ve got to get to that meeting.  But thank you so much for letting me come to your awesome party.  It was a lot of fun.”

“Thank you for coming, President Stewart!” Gabby exclaimed, before capturing Kate in an unexpected hug.  Emmy continued to grin, the expression that had been on her face nearly the whole time, as she watched Kate chuckle and hug the little girl warmly.  Looking over Gabby’s shoulder, Kate locked eyes with Emmy.  She saw an unmistakable look of love and thankfulness reflected back at her from her girlfriend’s deep brown eyes.  Emmy looked truly moved.  Kate couldn’t help but smile wider as she continued to gaze at her girlfriend from across the room.  It had been her mission to wow Emmy, and judging by the look of her, she’d succeeded.  After giving goodbye hugs to the other little girls, Kate headed to the door.

Emmy rose from her seat and followed her.  “Thank you so much, Kate.  I can’t even begin to tell you how much this meant to Gabby . . . to me.”  She wanted nothing more than to take Kate into her arms, to show her how much she felt, but knew that wasn’t a possibility at the moment.  “I never would have even presumed to ask you to come here.  Yet, you did anyway.  You are so amazing.”

Kate smiled and quickly leaned in to whisper in Emmy’s ear.  “Always, presume, baby.  Please.  This wasn’t a hardship for me.  I want to do things like this for you.  All the time.  Making you happy is my number one goal.”  With that, she headed out the door, looking back to shoot Emmy one last dimpled grin.  Emmy let out a sigh and headed back in to watch the rest of the party.

*              *              *              *              *

Kate had meant what she’d said.  Coming to Gabby’s party hadn’t been a hardship at all.  It had been an outright pleasure.  Even though she’d spent the majority of the visit with a gaggle of little girls and almost zero alone time with her girlfriend, she’d cherished the time there.  Seeing Emmy’s stunned and grateful look had been worth it.  Quickly, her number one goal each day had become making Emmy happy, making her feel loved, at all costs.  To hell with diplomacy or politics or national affairs.  Emmy was her first priority.  Kate could not ever remember being this far gone, this head-over-heels in love.  She felt out-of-control, which was not a feeling she normally liked.  She was always cool, calm, collected, very much in control of her emotions.  Not so with her Emmaline.  But for the first time in her life, she was willing to let go of just a little bit of her Type-A personality.  She was willing to embrace the chaos that was her love for Emmaline Harris.  It felt good.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy could see her sister eyeing her, but chose to ignore it, focusing instead on her niece and her ever-growing mountain of opened presents.  Soon, the guests’ parents began to arrive to retrieve them.  It became an unending chorus of stories about how the President had come to the party.  The parents looked at Emmy and her sister with questioning stares and they confirmed the children’s’ stories and promised they’d email pictures.

After the last guest had left, Emmy headed back to the living room to begin picking up the remnants of wrapping paper, party hats, and other garbage.  Noticing a stray, unopened card on the coffee table, Emmy picked it up.  She quickly recognized Kate’s handwriting and remembered the card she’d bought for Gabby when having Kate at the party had been nothing more than a fleeting fantasy.

“Gabby . . .” She called, figuring her niece would want to see the card.  “I found a card that you didn’t open.”

“Cards are boring, Aunt Emmy.  I’m busy,” Gabby said matter-of-factly from the next room.

Emmy chuckled at her niece’s seriousness.  “Busy with what?”

“I’m playing.”

Emmy rolled her eyes.  “The card is from the President,” she called out in a taunting, singsong tone.  “But if you don’t want to read it, I guess I’ll just throw it out .  . .”

Emmy laughed again as Gabby came scampering into the room. “Nooooooo!  Don’t throw it out, Aunt Emmy!!  I’m coming!!”  Funny how quickly her niece’s views on cards had changed.

Emmy sat down on the couch and Gabby crawled into her lap.  “Read it to me?” Gabby asked.  Emmy opened the card and smiled as she saw the long message from her girlfriend.  A lot of people, including those much closer to the little girl, would have simply signed their name or perhaps offered a generic “happy birthday.”  Not Kate.  She took Emmy’s breath away in so many ways.  Emmy began to read:

Dear Gabby,

I know I don’t know you very well, but I can already tell that you’re a very special girl.  Your Aunt Emmy has told me about how awesome you are, and, let’s face it; your Aunt is pretty cool.  If she thinks you’re awesome, then you must be.  Your Aunt wouldn’t lie about such things and I trust her opinion. I hope that you have a fantastic birthday, filled with lots of friends and cake and presents and hugs, and maybe even a few surprises.  Make sure you give your Aunt Emmy a big hug for me.  She’s pretty awesome, just like you.  Happy Birthday, Gabby!

-Kate

Emmy smiled as she closed the card.  She was reveling in the thoughts and feelings that Kate’s unexpected visit and the card’s message had brought forth in her.  She felt like a walking cliché.  She was on cloud nine.  She was over the moon.  She was in seventh heaven.  She was on top of the world.  She was high as a kite.  She was walking on air.  She was all of those things.  And more.  And she had Kate to thank for that.

Her sister cleared her throat from the doorway, breaking Emmy out of her thoughts.  She silently wondered how long Rachel had been standing there, a knowing smile playing across her sister’s face.  Gabby jumped down from her lap and headed back to her toys.  However, halfway to the door, she stopped and turned back.  “Aunt Emmy.  Since she signed the card with her first name, does that mean I get to call President Stewart, Kate?”

Emmy chuckled. “That’s something you’ll have to ask the President, the next time . . . I mean if, you meet her again.”  Emmy caught herself and hoped her sister hadn’t noticed the slip.  She wanted to tell Rachel everything, but wasn’t sure if now was the right time.  Gabby nodded and scampered from the room.

Rachel came into the room and sat down across from Emmy.  “So how long have you and the President been seeing each other?”

“Um . . . what?”  Emmy said, desperately hoping to stall for a few moments.  So much for keeping it from her sister.  There was no getting anything past her.

“Emmy . . .” Rachel said, making clear she didn’t believe Emmy’s feigned ignorance for a second.

“We’re friendly.  That’s it.  There’s nothing going on.”  Emmy said, making one last attempt at deflection.

“Emmaline.  Stop it.  You and I both know you’re lying.  I understand your need to protect her.  But you can trust me. I can read you like a book.  You’ve been making goo goo eyes at her all afternoon.  And though she was subtler about, it was obvious she’s into you too.  Plus, you know, the President of the United States doesn’t just show up at a 5-year-old’s birthday party, no matter how down to earth she is.”

“How do you know?  Maybe she just felt like coming.”  Emmy said, teasing her sister at this point.

“Seriously?  Don’t even start that with me.”

Emmy sighed.  She never got anything past her big sister.  “You’re right.  We’re seeing each other.”  She looked up at her sister before continuing, a huge grin on her face.  “She’s amazing.  So kind.  So funny.  So generous.  Beautiful.  Intelligent.  I love her, Rachel.”  Emmy waited for her sister to react.

Rachel broke out into a smile.  “Well it’s about time.  I’m happy for you, Emmy.  Really.  It’s been too long since you’ve had someone really special in your life.  Someone deserving.  Someone who makes you happy.  It’s really the first time, if I’m being honest. I know you loved Tom while you were together, but this is not the same.  I can see it in your eyes.  And I can tell she loves you. She wouldn’t have done what she did today if she didn’t.”

Emmy nodded.  “I know she does.  We’re still in that happy, honeymoon phase, but oh . . . God, Rachel . .  . I don’t even know how to begin to describe how she makes me feel.”

Rachel answered by pulling her sister in for a hug.  After pulling back, Rachel spoke.  “I’m glad, Emmy.  This is great.  But it’s got to be hard – she’s not out.  And I’m guessing isn’t planning on coming out any time soon.  That can’t be easy.”

“It’s not.”  Emmy began.  “But she’s worth it.  I’d do whatever I needed to for her, to make sure she’s happy.  I can live back in the closet for a while.  Plus, she’s doing so much good and coming out right now, as much as it pains me to admit it, would just cause an unnecessary distraction.  I’m not sure if the American people are ready for that kind of news yet.  There’s so much good work she can do from her position and I’m not going to let her throw that away just so we can go grocery shopping or hold hands at the movies.  So, please, promise me you’ll keep this to yourself, at least for now.”

Rachel nodded.  “Of course.  I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you.   Or Kate.  I figure I get to call her that, since she’s my sister’s girlfriend.”

Emmy smiled at the reference.  “Thanks, Rachel.  I appreciate it.”  She hugged her sister again before they continued to clean up from the party.

*              *              *              *              *

That night, Kate entered her living quarters and exhaustedly threw her things down on the nearest surface.  It had been a long afternoon, cramming in meeting after meeting.  All she’d wanted to do was to stay at Gabby’s party.  She’d desperately wanted to be Kate the girlfriend, not Kate the President.  To spend time with Emmy and her family, to have a relaxing Saturday afternoon with nothing more pressing than the decision whether to have ice cream with her birthday cake.  Unfortunately, that wasn’t something that came with her job.  Days off, even a few hours off, were something that was hard to come by.  Which is why she’d begun to think more and more about scheduling a vacation, even if only for a few days.  She knew she wouldn’t even have those days completely to herself, but she could cut back on some of the extraneous time stealers that seemed to invade every day of her life while in Washington.

As Kate made her way to the bedroom, she was immediately tackled by a very familiar, a very welcomed, a very naked body.  Emmy immediately pinned her to the nearest wall, practically tearing off her suit jacket as lips and hands explored every inch of her body.  Emmy reached up with one hand and deftly released Kate’s hair from its clip, golden curls dancing across her shoulders.

Kate opened her mouth to speak, but Emmy placed a finger across her lips and shook her head before attacking those same lips with her own.  Emmy plunged her tongue into Kate’s mouth, exploring, invading, tracing patterns within.  Kate groaned with pleasure as the kiss deepened, as Emmy’s ever-roving hands quickly undid the buttons of her shirt before pushing it back and off her shoulders.

Emmy trailed a line of kisses along Kate’s jaw line, pausing briefly to nibble on her earlobe, before continuing her explorations.  Suddenly, without warning, Emmy shoved her hand into Kate’s pants, not bothering to take the time to remove them.

Kate gasped, she looking at Emmy in aroused shock as her hand began to circle the outer regions of her soaked core, teasing Kate with suggestions of what . . . and whom . . . was to come.

With her free hand, Emmy lifted Kate off the ground and the blonde wrapped her legs around Emmy’s waist, anxious to gain more friction in any way possible.  Pinning Kate against the wall again, Emmy plunged a finger into Kate’s opening, steadily building a rhythm with her hips and hand.

Kate tilted her head back slightly, her eyes closed, mouth agape as the stream of guttural moans flew from her lips, in time with her girlfriend’s thrusts.  She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so wet, so turned on.

Emmy reveled in the feel of Kate’s body against hers, the feel of her interior muscles tightening around her finger, the smell of her arousal, the tickle of her breath, the sound of her rapture.  It was intoxicating.  Adding a second finger, as well as the play of her thumb across Kate’s clit, Emmy quickened her pace.

“Ohhhh  . . . God.”  Was all Kate could manage as Emmy slammed into her again and again.  She felt the familiar tingle of what would become her climax as she rocked her hips, meeting each of Emmy’s thrusts, eager to reach that place of pure heaven.

Emmy quickened her pace even more, continuing to flick her thumb across Kate’s button.  She traced a line of wet kisses along Kate’s neck before gently catching an earlobe between her teeth.  Kate sucked in a deep breath at the contact.  Emmy smiled to herself, before whispering into Kate’s ear.  “Do you like it when I fuck you?”

All Kate could manage was a nod and a raspy “yes.”

“How much?”  Emmy asked, still slamming her girlfriend against the wall, their hips dancing together in a sultry tango.

“So much.  Please, don’t ever stop fucking me, Emmaline.”

“I want you to come.  Fucking come for me, babe.”  Emmy practically growled into Kate’s ear.

Unable to resist the sheer sexiness of Emmy’s words, Kate let out a low moan and after a few more deft movements from her girlfriend, began to shudder and quake in the power of her release.  “Oh, God.  Damn.  Fucckkk me, Emmalineee.”  Kate screamed as her body was wracked with wave after wave of delicious pleasure.  Emmy continued to move within her, savoring the feeling of Kate, arguably the world’s most powerful woman, completely helpless against her.  As Kate came down from her high, chest heaving, body glistening with perspiration, they sank to the floor.

Kate looked up at Emmy with lazy, glazed eyes.  “What was that for?”  Kate asked between uneven breaths.

“To thank you.”  Emmy said, pulling Kate against her.

“For what?”

“You know what.”  Emmy said, before capturing Kate’s lips in a lingering kiss.

*              *              *              *              *

The following Monday, Kate was in her office, as was Emmy, when Beth burst through the door.  Not waiting for any acknowledgement, Beth strode across the room towards Kate’s desk.  “You’re going to want to see this,” Beth said as she dropped a newspaper on Kate’s desk. “You too, Harris.”  She added.

Emmy crossed the room, quickly becoming nervous as she saw the shocked look on her girlfriend’s face.  This couldn’t be good.  Emmy glanced down at the headline.  It read:

“President Stewart:  Sleeping with the Help?”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Emmy’s heart dropped as she stared down at the headline. They’d been discovered.  But how?  She’d thought they’d been discreet.  Apparently not.  However, just as the panicky emotions threatened to overwhelm her, her eyes settled on the pictures accompanying the story.  They weren’t pictures of her and Kate or even just one of them.  Instead, they were pictures of Kate and Phil.  One of Kate hugging Phil after their basketball game and one of Kate kissing Phil on the cheek outside his house – clearly from the day of Gabby’s party.

The press had caught on that something was going on . . . they’d just gotten the facts wrong.  Not surprising, given that Kate had admitted that she was seeing someone.  And since no one seemed to suspect that she was gay, they’d jumped to the wrong conclusions . . . or at least conclusions about the wrong agent.  Little did they know how close they’d gotten to the truth.

Emmy didn’t know how to react.  There was small, selfish part of her that would have been relieved to have been found out – to not have to hide her love for this amazing woman anymore.  However, for Kate’s sake, she was glad they’d been spared a very public outing.  If and when their relationship was made public, Emmy wanted it to be on Kate’s terms.  When Kate was ready.  When it made sense for her both personally and professionally.  As hard as it would be to wait, Emmy knew it was the right thing to do.  With practically any other person, she’d have resisted hiding.  But, well . . . Kate was the President.  To say that complicated things would be an understatement.

Kate finally broke the silence.  “This is ridiculous.  They think I’m dating Agent Parker?”  She chuckled nervously as she ran a hand through her hair.

“Apparently so,” Beth responded.  “The question is what do you intend to do about it?”

“Well, we have to make clear that nothing is going on between Parker and I.” Kate paused as a moment of panic hit her.  She looked at Emmy.  “You do know that there’s nothing going on, right? I’d never . . .”

Emmy smiled reassuringly as she cut off her girlfriend.  “Of course not, Kate.  Don’t worry about it.  I know you’d never do something like that.”

Kate nodded as she let out a sigh of relief.  “Sorry.  Momentary panic there.  Despite the fact that I’ve been in the public eye for years, this is the first time something like this has happened.”  Kate turned to Beth.  “So we issue a statement stating that the media got it wrong, that those pictures were taken out of context.”

Beth nodded.

Emmy was about to chime in when a familiar voice sounded from behind them.

“Are you sure that’s what you want to do?  Maybe it’s better to let them believe what they want to believe about us.  Let them think we’re an item for a while.”  The three women looked over to the door to see Phil walking towards them.

“I had Agent Parker summoned, figuring he should be here since he’s been tangled up in this mess,” Beth explained.

“You’re suggesting we let the press get away with baseless gossip?”  Kate asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest, clearly not amused.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying.  Let the vultures think they’re getting what they want.  We’re both adults.  No one else, save Emmy, is involved.  You get some cover, a red herring for those bastards to chase for a while.  It’ll give you two some relief from the prying eyes.  If they think they’ve figured out your love life, they’ll stop looking so hard.  Make sure we get caught in front of the cameras now and again and then after a decent while, we break up.”

Kate thought about it for a moment before turning to Emmy.  “What do you think about all this?”

Emmy shrugged.  “Maybe Phil has a point.”  Emmy turned to her friend.  “You’re sure about this?  You’re really willing to do this?  For us?  It’s a lot to ask.”

He nodded.  “I’m single.  No one gets hurt.  There are no expectations of anything more.  Plus, when we stage a break up at some point down the road, I’m sure my status, as the President’s ex, will help me bag chicks.”  He winked at her.

Emmy rolled her eyes, but smiled.  She knew that despite the lady’s man façade, Phil was a decent guy.  And she knew that there was really only one “chick” he was interested in “bagging” – Julie.  She knew he was doing this for her, as her friend.  He was putting himself out there, with all the attendant media scrutiny, to protect her.  To give her some privacy.  To help give her relationship with Kate a chance, out of the spotlight.  And Emmy loved him for it.

Emmy looked at Kate, who didn’t seem convinced.  “What could it hurt?  We get some relief from the media pressure.  As long as Phil’s okay with it – and he is – I don’t see the harm.”

Kate pondered the idea for a moment.  It made sense, logically.  However, her heart was screaming no.  She longed to just throw caution to the wind, to yell from the rooftops that Emmy Harris was her woman and that she was proud of it.  That she loved her with her entire being.  But she was stuck.  This damn presidency.  It was all she’d ever wanted, all she’d ever worked for.  And now.  It was no longer her dream.  It was a curse.  She couldn’t do this.  She couldn’t live a lie.  She shook her head, before responding.  “I don’t like it.  It feels dishonest.  Pretending to be something I’m not.”

Beth cut in. “With all due respect, Kate, isn’t this very similar to what you do when you go out on dates with men that you have no romantic interest in, just to keep the press off your back?  The only difference here is that we have control over the situation, since Phil is in on it.  Assuming you’re not ready to come out, it really is the perfect cover.  I’m not suggesting you stay in the closet forever, but this buys us some time to figure out when the right time is – be it in a month, at the end of your Presidency, whenever.”

“I don’t know . . .” Kate began.  “You have a point, Beth, but it doesn’t feel right.  Maybe it’s just time I be honest about myself.”

Emmy laid a reassuring hand on Kate’s arm.  “Kate. I agree – I wish more than anything we could live our lives, our whole lives, out in the open with no fear of judgment or reprisals.  And hopefully one day soon that will happen.  I want nothing more than to be able to hold your hand in public, to kiss you, to let everyone see how special you are to me, but we’ve got to be realistic.  If you were anyone else, the last thing I’d be doing would be encouraging you to hide your true self – it’s not healthy.  And I’m not suggesting you do it forever.  Just suggesting a little patience while we figure out the best strategy.  Is it the worst thing in the world to take advantage of the opportunity Phil has so kindly offered to us, at least for a little while?  When you come out, it needs to be on your terms – not just because this unexpected development is forcing your hand.  I’m not saying you marry Phil or anything.  Just use this as a reprieve for a little bit.  A delay tactic.”

Kate nodded and sighed as Emmy’s words soaked in.  She still struggled with the urge to just say to hell with her political career.  To put herself first for once.  But her father had raised her better than that.  Country came first.  And that involved making personal sacrifices.  “Okay . . .”  She finally managed.

*              *              *              *              *

Over the next few weeks, they managed to let the press “catch” Kate and Phil together a few times.  They were never overly affectionate.  A hug here, a touch there.  Enough to keep them off the trail of what was actually going on.

Kate increasingly felt the stress of it.  She couldn’t figure out quite why.  She’d allowed herself to be set up on staged dates many times in the past.  What was different now?  Why was her self-imposed “closet” suddenly feeling so stifling?  But then it hit her.  Love.  She had never really been in love before, at least as deeply as she felt with Emmaline.  She was so incredibly happy.  So beyond happy.  And she wanted, no needed to share that happiness with the world. As exciting as a forbidden affair could be, with all its stolen glances, secret embraces, and whatnot, what she longed for more than anything was simply a normal, mundane life with Emmy.  One where there was no need to charades, no need for hiding.

A million times, Kate almost picked up the phone and told Beth to schedule a press conference to finally come clean.  However, Kate knew, as much as it pained her, that she had responsibilities to more than just herself.  She had a responsibility, a duty even, to the gay community, to make sure she did this in the right way.  Her only problem was, she had no idea what the “right way” was.  Was it worse that she was hiding her true sexuality?  Or would she do more damage by coming out now, giving all of her political opponents more ammunition to attack her?  Could she do more as a “straight” advocate for gay rights, as someone appearing not to have a personal interest in the outcome? She didn’t know, and she’d lost a lot of sleep over the issue.

*              *              *              *              *

Kate was hunched over her desk, studying a memo one of her aides had written on a proposed Senate Bill.  She was tired and cranky and the last thing she wanted to be doing was reading the damn thing.  She sensed Emmy’s presence before she actually looked up to see her girlfriend smiling at her.

“You look stressed.”  Emmy said, reaching down to gently caress Kate’s cheek.

Kate closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling of Emmy’s skin, nodding in agreement.  “Yeah.  Day from hell.”

“Are you almost done?  Because I’ve got a date planned.”

Kate smiled.  It was amazing how quickly Emmy could change a bad day into a good one, just by being there, just by smiling.  “Yeah, this damn memo can wait until the morning,” she said she stood, rounding the desk and taking Emmy in her arms.  “So what are we doing on this date?”

“That’s a surprise.”  Go get changed into something more comfortable.  I’ll wait for you here.”

After she’d changed, Emmy led Kate outside, to the White House Rose Garden.  As they made their way to a secluded spot amongst the hedges, Kate gasped as she saw a blanket set out, complete with picnic items and candles.  She turned to Emmy in shock.  “You did all this?”

Emmy nodded.  “I figured we could have a picnic.  It’s such a nice night.  And since it’s on the White House grounds, we can have fun without worrying that we’ll get caught.”

Kate grinned and placed a quick kiss on Emmy’s lips.  “Thank you.  This is amazing.  Now let’s eat.  I’m starving.”  Emmy chuckled as Kate grabbed her hand and led them to the blanket.

After they enjoyed the food, they laid back, gazing at the stars in each other’s arms.  Kate snuggled up to Emmy before letting out a sigh.

“What?” Emmy asked.

“What do you mean, what?”  Kate asked in return.

“Why did you sigh?  Something on your mind?”

Kate laughed.  “Emmaline. I’m the President.  Something, a million things, are always on my mind.”  She wasn’t ready to let Emmy know that the whole Phil charade was weighing on her, that she was tired of living a lie. The night was too perfect to ruin with such seriousness.

“You seem stressed.”  Emmy added.

“Maybe a little.” Kate admitted.

“Roll over.  I’ll give you a massage.” Emmy suggested.

Kate complied, not willing to give up any chance of having Emmy’s hands on her body.

She let out a slow groan as Emmy’s strong hands worked their magic over her back, before snaking their way under her shirt.  Kate closed her eyes, reveling in the sensation of Emmy’s skin against her own, kneading all of the knots, all of the worries away.  Just the touch of Emmy’s hands took her breath away.  Everything about this woman left her breathless, speechless, in awe.

Unable to take it any longer, Kate flipped them over, taking Emmy by surprise before pinning her to the ground.  Kate attacked Emmy’s lips with her own.  She slowly traced her tongue along the seam of Emmy’s lips before entering her mouth, their tongues dancing together.  Kate took Emmy’s lower lip between her own, gently sucking and nibbling, eliciting a low moan from her girlfriend.  In response, Emmy lifted her hips, seeking contact with Kate’s leg, desperately needing, already, the friction she’d find there.  Complying, Kate pressed her thigh between Emmy’s legs, causing another stream of guttural sounds to escape from the brunette’s lips.

Emmy rolled them over so that she was on top.  She suckled at Kate’s neck, smiling as she left was she was certain would be a hickey.  There was something incredibly sexy about marking her territory so to speak.  Yes, she had just let the world know, this woman, the President of the United States, was hers.

Emmy slid her hand down Kate’s body, wasting no time unbuttoning her pants and plunging her hand into Kate’s heated panties.  Just then, an uncomfortable cough came from a few feet away.  They looked up to see Beth standing there, trying her best to look away from the pair.

Emmy rolled off of Kate and groaned.

“Uh . . . Beth?”  Kate said uncomfortably.

“We’ve got a situation.”  Beth said.

“Not North Korea again?  Emmy’s going to kill them.”  Kate said, half-joking.

Beth shook her head.  “This is a situation of a more . . . how should I put this . . . delicate nature.”

“Out with it Beth.”  Kate said, frustrated in more ways than one.

“We just had a phone call . . . From Ron Hollander.”

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Kate sighed and ran a hand through her hair.  “This can’t be good,” she muttered as she sat up.  Looking at Emmy, she smiled wanly.  “Wait for me here?  Hopefully this won’t take long.  I want to get back to him quickly, see what he wants.”

Emmy gave Kate a concerned look as she nodded.  “Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?  Moral support or something?”

Kate shook her head.  “You stay here, relax.  It might turn out to be nothing, or something not related to you and me as a couple.”  Kate could tell Emmy didn’t believe that for a second. And frankly, neither did she.  She attempted a smile.  “Seriously.  You wait here, enjoy this gorgeous evening.  I’ll be back in no time.”  She leaned over and stopped Emmy’s further protests with a kiss before standing up and following Beth inside.

Emmy sighed and threw a frustrated arm across her forehead as she gazed up at the night sky.  Despite what Kate had said, they both knew Hollander too well to really think he meant no harm.  Frankly, ever since Kate had fired him, Emmy had been holding her breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.  He didn’t seem like the type to take his dismissal lying down.  But he’d waited just long enough to lull them into a false sense of security.  Damn him.  Damn the public eye.  Damn Kate’s presidency.  Damn the judgmental people out there.  Emmy let out another sigh as she struggled to quell her worry, her doubts, her anger, and her frustration.  Overall, she was happy with the cards she’d been dealt.  But sometimes fate was a bitch.

*              *              *              *              *

“So what exactly did he say?” Kate asked as she followed Beth back to the Oval Office.

Beth looked grim.  “Just that he had a business proposition that he wanted to discuss with you.”

Kate sighed.  “That sounds like blackmail if I ever heard it.”

Beth nodded.  “My thoughts exactly. Presumably, this is about outing you.  And maybe your relationship with Harris, though apart from the fact that she’s a woman, I don’t really see that as being something the public cares about.  They’ve adjusted to your ‘relationship’ with Parker well enough.”

Kate nodded, taking in what Beth had said.

Beth continued.  “I think you should seriously think through how you want to respond before you call him.  Be prepared, so you can keep emotions out of the equation.  Stick to a game plan.  That way, you don’t run the risk of saying or doing something stupid in the heat of the moment.”

“I don’t do stupid,” Kate said as she cut her off. After a pause, she continued.  “Sorry.  That came out a little harsh. And it’s not entirely true.  I did do one stupid thing.  One damned stupid thing.  Hiring Ron Hollander.  Biggest fucking mistake of my life.”  Kate said as she sat down behind her desk.  She silently wondered, however, if the bigger mistake was compromising her own personal happiness for political gain.  If she hadn’t wanted to serve her country . . . She quickly shook those thoughts out of her head, recalling the love of country her father had raised her with.  There were things more important than her own personal needs.  Or something . . .

Beth took a minute to respond, a bit taken aback, unused to hearing the President swear.  And the steady look of anger and determination on Kate’s face was enough to send most grown men cowering.  Beth took a breath and proceeded despite this.  “So the question is, how do you want to remedy that mistake – hiring Hollander.  What’s the plan?”

“What do you think I should do?”  Kate asked.  Her gut was telling her to go tell Hollander to go stick it where the sun don’t shine.  However, beneath her roiling emotions, her rational self was warning her to take a step back, take a breath, and listen to her advisor.  Get a logical, unemotional, outsider’s perspective.

Beth paused, mulling her answer for a few moments before responding.  “Honestly, I don’t know.  If he doesn’t have anything on you . . . he doesn’t, does he?”

Kate shrugged and sighed.  “I honestly don’t know. Not that I know of.  But I did trust him.  He was around me at the very beginning of my relationship with Emmy.  He might have something.  Who knows?”

“Well, assuming he has no concrete evidence, I say we call his bluff.  You’ve been careful enough over the years that if he does go to the press, we can paint him as a disgruntled former employee.”

“And if he does have proof?” Kate asked, swallowing hard at the thought.

“I assume he was required to sign a non-disclosure agreement as part of the terms of his employment?”

Kate nodded.  “Of course.”

“Then we’ve got legal remedies if he does go to the press.”

“Yeah.  One problem.  Hollander has money.  Family money.  Lots of it.  Chances are, he can afford to pay any sort of legal judgment against him.  If he’s really mad and out for revenge, I’m not sure that will deter him.”

Beth nodded.  “Then you’ve got some serious thinking to do if he’s got evidence.  Whether you give him what he wants or whether you let him go to the press.  But we don’t know what he wants yet . . . or if he even has proof.  I think it’s time to call him back, unless you want to think on it some more.”

Kate shook her head.  “No.  Let’s get this over with.  Because right now, I have the urge to crush him like a little bug and I want to channel that energy.”  Kate took a deep breath and pressed a button to call her secretary on the intercom.  “Karen, please get me Ron Hollander on the phone.”

“Yes, Madame President, right away,” her assistant responded.

Kate steeled herself while she waited for Hollander to be patched through.

“One last thing,” Beth cut in.  “Whatever you do, don’t admit anything on this call.  No mentions of your preferences or of your relationship with Harris.  Chances are, he’s recording it.”

Kate nodded just as Hollander’s slimy voice oozed from her phone, which was on speaker so that Beth could hear the conversation.

“Ron Hollander here.”  The very sound of his slimy voice made Kate want to punch something.

“Hello, Ron,” Kate said, barely able to contain her rage.  “I’m returning your call.  What do you want to discuss with me?”

“Why so serious, Kate?” He replied.  “Relax.  You act as if I mean you ill will.”

Kate bristled at the use of her first name, knowing very well that Hollander did it intentionally as a sign of disrespect.  “Let’s cut through the bullshit, Ron.  Just spit it out.”

“My, my.  The stress of your job must be getting to you.  Between that and your new boyfriend, I guess it’s hard to focus on the little things, like manners and common decency.”  His voice was dripping with mockery and disdain.

“Ron.  I’m going to ask you again.  What do you want?” Kate said, struggling to maintain a cool exterior when her insides were burning with rage.

“I’d like to discuss the opening you have on your cabinet.  I think we can both agree I’m more than qualified to be the next Secretary of the Interior.”

“In case you’d forgotten, Ron, I fired you.  Why on Earth would I appoint you to a position that would be a giant promotion for you?”  Kate asked, fast losing patience for this conversation.

“Because I know things.” He replied succinctly.

“Ah, see, now we’re getting some place. That sounds like a threat, Ron. Why don’t you tell me what exactly it is you claim to know?”

“I know about you.  Personal things about you.  I know that your so-called relationship with Phil Parker is a sham.  I know who you’re really involved with, and some very big reasons why it might be . . . well, awkward if the press got wind of that.  They can be so mean. Predators really, looking for any perceived weakness and pouncing.  We wouldn’t want that now, would we?”

“Ron, I have no idea what you’re talking about or where you’ve gotten these ludicrous ideas.  I’m very happy with Agent Parker and that’s all I’m going to say on the matter.  Idle threats will do you no good.”

“Maybe they aren’t idle.  Maybe I’ve got evidence to back up what I know.  Are you sure you want to risk that?”  Hollander asked.

Kate’s temper boiled over.  “Frankly, Ron, I don’t take kindly to blackmail and I’m certainly not going to trust this country to someone who would stoop to such tactics for their own personal gain.  I’d rather appoint my two-year-old nephew to the post.  You can take your threats, idle or not, and crawl back into that deep, dark hole that you came from.  I do not deal with trolls.  Go to the press or don’t. I don’t care.  I’ve got nothing to be ashamed about.”  With that, Kate angrily hung up on him and looked up to see a stunned-looking Beth.

Kate smiled wanly.  “So that didn’t go exactly as planned.”

Beth pursed her lips and nodded. “Yeah, could have gone better.  Still, I don’t know.  I don’t think he has anything. He never came out and said he did.  Just a lot of ‘what ifs.’  I think if he’d really had something, he’d have been less cagey.  Come right out with it.”

“So what do we do?”  Kate asked.

“We wait. See what happens.  It’s a risk.  If he does have evidence and leaks it . . .”

Kate nodded.  “Yeah.  If you don’t mind, I’m going to take the rest of the night to think about this, figure out what the best thing to do is. Right now, I think I’d rather be publicly outed, lose my career rather than give that ass what he wants.  But I know that’s probably just the rage talking.”

Beth nodded.  “Of course.  Sleep on it.  We’ll talk in the morning.”

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy was awakened by a light kiss against her lips.  Clearly she’d fallen asleep in the garden while waiting for Kate to return.

“Hey,” Emmy mumbled.

“Hey, yourself,” Kate said, doing her best to force a smile.

Emmy detected the lines of worry across her girlfriend’s face as she settled back down on the blanket next to her.  “How’d it go?”

Kate shrugged.  “About as expected.  Hollander tried to blackmail me with stuff about us in order to get the appointment to the open Secretary of the Interior position.”

“And what did you say?  Does he have any proof?  Or just the threat to out you?”  Emmy asked, leaning up on one arm as concern washed over her.

“I told him to shove it.  I don’t know if he has concrete evidence.  He hinted at it, but he may have been bluffing.  I probably should have dealt with him more tactfully, not let my emotions rule me, but frankly, right now, I’d rather suffer a public outing than let him get away with this.”

Emmy’s forehead wrinkled with worry as she studied her girlfriend’s stressed features.  “Are you sure?”

Kate sighed. “Yes . . . no . . . I don’t know.”

“What can I do?”  Emmy asked.

“You trust me, right?”

“More than anything.”  Emmy responded as she gazed into Kate’s worried blue eyes.

“Then just be here, let me work through this . . . and kiss me. Make me forget for a little while.”

Emmy complied, pulling Kate in for a deep, passionate kiss, capturing the blonde’s lower lip between hers, nipping, sucking lightly.  Kate moaned, arching her body against Emmy’s, tangling a hand in Emmy’s raven locks.

“Make love to me.  Right here.”  Kate husked against Emmy’s ear.

“As you wish.”  Emmy said before recapturing her girlfriend’s mouth with her own.

*              *              *              *              *

Later, Kate awoke, stiff and cold, still tangled in Emmy’s arms.  She had no idea how long they’d been sleeping, but the sky was still dark.  She smiled as she took in the familiar and intoxicating scent of her girlfriend.  Even on the cold, hard ground in the middle of the night, she couldn’t imagine things any better than this.  She loved the slumbering woman next to her more than life itself. She was worth any price, any risk.  Emmy was her happiness.  Her sunshine.  Her world.  She took a few moments to ponder the situation and her dilemma.  Why had Hollander had to mess things up?  Things had been so perfect.  And now this . . . But she shook off the thought.  Things were still perfect.  Emmaline was perfect.  Together they were perfect.  Things were just well, a bit more complicated now.

As she snuggled more tightly into Emmy’s warm arms, Kate smiled.  There was really only one thing to be done.  Only one path to take.  She knew what she needed to – no, what she wanted – to do.  Clear as crystal.  She reached over and grabbed her cell phone.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Emmy stirred just as Kate hung up the phone.  “What was that?” she mumbled, still half asleep.

“I just figured out what I need to do about this whole Hollander fiasco.  I was calling Beth to have her make arrangements.”

“Care to elaborate?” Emmy said, smirking sleepily.

Kate nodded and quickly told Emmy of her plan.

“You’re sure?” Emmy asked as she absent-mindedly traced patterns on Kate’s arms.

Kate nodded.  “It’s the right thing to do.”

Emmy smiled and pulled Kate for a kiss.  “I love you so damn much Kate Stewart.  You’re such a good woman.”  Emmy said as she pulled away.

“I love you too, Emmaline,” Kate said as she laid a gentle hand on Emmy’ cheek.  “Thank you for sticking with me through all of the nonsense that comes with my job.  A lot of people wouldn’t have.”

Emmy smiled as she gazed into Kate’s baby blues.  “There’s no choice.  I love you.  End of story.  The fact that you’re a public figure doesn’t faze me.  Despite the attention it would draw, I’d be proud if the whole word knew you belong to me, that you’re my girlfriend.  I love you so much, Kate.”

Kate swallowed hard as she stared back into Emmy’s gorgeous green eyes.  “Thank you, Emmaline.  I am so, so lucky to have found you.”

“Ditto, babe,” Emmy said as she placed one last kiss upon Kate’s lips before rising and pulling Kate to her feet as well.  “Now come on, let’s get off this cold, hard ground and get some rest in a real bed.  You’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

*              *              *              *              *

Kate took a deep breath as she stood backstage with Emmy and Beth.  She fidgeted with her watch nervously and ran a hand through her hair as doubts ran through her head.  Emmy squeezed her hand reassuringly.  “You’re sure?  I know I keep asking you that, but it’s not too late to change your mind.”

Kate shook her head.  “No.  I want to do this.  Need to do this.”  She leaned over and gave Emmy a quick peck on the lips.  “Time to do this.”  She smoothed her suit jacket, straightened her posture, and strode out onto the stage, where a sea of reporters was waiting for her to speak.  It never ceased to amaze Emmy how Kate could turn on her “Presidential” demeanor – the look of pure confidence and self-assurance – in a matter of seconds.  One moment, she was the nervous, hesitant person Emmy had just seen, the next, she was all business, not a nerve in sight.  The transformation really was quite remarkable.

Kate stepped to the podium, took a breath, and began.  “Thank you all for coming.  There’s something I need to say, a conversation I need to have with the American people . . .” She took another steadying breath and continued.

“Most people probably don’t know this, but I am named for my grandfather, Morgan Stewart.  My middle name is Morgan in his honor.  My grandfather was served in World War II and he died while serving, but not before saving several fellow servicemen from an enemy ambush.  My father followed in his footsteps and was a career man in the Marines.   My father and my grandfather before him recognized the greatness that is this country of ours.  I was raised to love my country.  To put service first.  Which is why I haven’t been completely forthright about who I am.  Because serving this great country has always meant more to me than my own personal needs . . . Kate paused for a moment, thinking about the weight of the words she was about to utter.  She glanced over at Beth, who gave her a reassuring nod.  Breathing in once more, she continued.

“When I told my very conservative father that I was gay, I expected to be disowned . . .” A rumbling of gasps and murmurs rang out through the crowd, but Kate continued on.  “Instead, he accepted me with open arms.  He  is not a man who embraces change.  But he did so for me.  What I’m asking from you, my fellow Americans, is a just a little bit of the sort of understanding and support my father offered me.  I love this country and I want to continue to work with you to make it a better place for everyone.  Despite what I’ve just told you, I’d like to believe that I’m still the person you elected, still the person you trusted with your country.”  Kate took a moment to pause, to let the words sink in.  There was no turning back now.

“I could no longer, in good conscience, hide who I really am.  I believe in this country and the amazing promise and possibility that is America.  But we’ve still got work to do . . . and I hope you’ll let me continue to further our progress.  I can no longer sit by and watch as the rights of my fellow gay American brothers and sisters are trampled upon.  We’ve come a long way, but there’s still much work to be done.  To quote the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., who said it better than I ever could, ‘I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.’  And I mean all citizens of this great nation.  It’s time to make this dream a reality.  I have immense faith in our nation, in my fellow Americans – that above all else, we strive to love and respect one another, even those who are different from us.  That’s why, because I’m still the person you trusted this great nation with, just as I’m still the person my father raised, I hope you’ll continue to grant me your trust as I strive to make our country the best it can be – for all of our citizens.  Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, rich, poor, Christian, Muslim, Jew, Atheist, gay, straight, every last man, woman and child.  We are all Americans and we are all equal and I am going to make it my mission to ensure that this is an America for all of us, not just some of us.  Thank you.”  Kate took a deep breath as she finished.  She was taken aback when the room didn’t immediately erupt with questions from the press.  Instead, it erupted with applause.  She glanced back at Emmy and smiled.

Emmy gazed at her girlfriend with abject awe and admiration as she spoke.  The courage, the tenacity, and the eloquence with which Kate spoke about such a deeply personal subject was just amazing.  Though she hadn’t thought it possible, Emmy was quite sure that she’d just fallen even deeper in love with the woman.

Kate had agreed to field a few questions from the press corps.  As the applause died down, she called on a familiar White House correspondent for NBC, whom she knew to be friendly.  “Joe?”  She said, as she pointed to him.

“To say this revelation came as a shock would be an understatement.  But why now?  Why not wait until your Presidency was over?  Surely you know there might be backlash from conservative circles.”  Joe asked.

Kate nodded in acknowledgement of his question.  “Gay marriage and gay rights are increasingly on the forefront of the political dialogue in this country.  I no longer felt it was fair to the LGBT community for me to hide, when they could have an ally in a position such as mine.  I swore that I would use my office for good and I think I have done so up until this point.  But I believe that I can be most effective in furthering the true good that is equality if I’m completely open and honest about who I am.  Maybe if people see me, a person they’re familiar with, a person they trusted with their vote, as an openly gay woman, it will help them realized it’s not something to be feared.  That I, as well as their gay neighbor, co-worker, friend or relative, are still the people they knew before.  Just with a little more, well, color.”

Kate called on another reporter, who asked, “so there were rumors that you were dating a Secret Service agent, Phil Parker.  I take it those are false?”

Kate nodded.  “As I’ve said before, I don’t make a habit of speaking about my personal life much.  I am not, dating nor have I ever dated Agent Parker.  Certain people made some assumptions, which, as you now can see, were wrong.”

Another reporter chimed in.  “A while back, you said in an interview that you were dating someone. Are you still with them?  A woman, I presume?  Who is she?”

Kate had been expecting this question.  She didn’t want to subject Emmy unnecessarily to the public eye.  “I am indeed still dating this woman.  I’m very happy, but that’s all I’ll say on the matter.  If and when she decides that she’s ready to be subjected to your very watchful eyes, I’ll let you know.  I want her to be sure that this, that I, am what she really wants.  I’m sure about her, she’s the one.  But as you can imagine, it can’t be easy dating someone in a position like mine.”  Kate hadn’t intended to say so much. She’d just admitted that Emmy was “the one” to a room full of reporters.  Smooth move, Kate.   There was no way they were going to let this go now, until they’d discovered Emmy’s identity.  It was just, where Emmy was concerned, she couldn’t help but gush, even just a little bit.  Hopefully Emmy wasn’t angry.

Emmy’s heart began to beat rapidly as Kate spoke about her.  She knew that Kate wanted to protect her, but all Emmy wanted to do was to shout her love from the rooftops.  And then, Kate had admitted that she was “the one,” that she was waiting for Emmy to be ready.  Emmy thought her heart would burst.  She’d never been so happy.  She took just a moment to reflect.  Was she ready for the press to hound her, to follow her every move?  Or was it worth it to continue to hide?  To stay in this new form of a closet.  Screw it.  She was ready.

Kate fielded one more question and didn’t sense the presence approaching behind her.  Suddenly, Emmy’s hand was on her shoulder and Emmy was pushing her aside.  The reporters were clearly confused. It wasn’t often that they witnessed someone stealing the spotlight from the President.

Emmy swallowed hard and smiled awkwardly. Her stomach roiled with nerves – public speaking had always been frightening for her and the room seemed to be teeming with hundreds of people . . . all staring at her.  She looked nervously at Kate, who nodded and smiled reassuringly, gently squeezing her hand, which was hidden behind the podium.

“Uh . . . um . . . Hi.  My name is Emmy Harris and I’m a federal agent serving on the President’s detail.  I just wanted to tell you that you weren’t too far off.  The President is dating a Secret Service agent.  You just got the wrong agent.  I’m the woman Kate was talking about.  I’m the agent she’s involved with.  And, going back to what she said.  I’m ready.  Ready for this spotlight.  Because Kate Stewart is an amazing woman and I want everyone to know how much I love her.  And how much you should love her, admire her, for doing the incredibly brave thing she did today.  This country is very, very lucky to have a woman like Kate leading them, just as I’m incredibly lucky to have her in my life.  We all have a lot to be thankful for.   Thank you.”  Emmy smiled nervously and placed a quick peck on Kate’s cheek before they headed offstage, hand-in-hand.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

As they left the stage, Kate pulled Emmy into a fierce hug.  “Thank you, Emmaline.  So much.”  She grabbed Emmy’s hand again and led them towards to the Oval Office.  As she did so, she called over her shoulder to Beth.  “You’ll make sure we’re not disturbed for a bit?”

Beth nodded.

Once they were safely behind closed doors, Kate pulled Emmy into another hug, burying her face in Emmy’s hair, taking in the familiar and comforting scent of her girlfriend.  “ You didn’t have to do that,” she murmured into Emmy’s hair.

As Kate pulled back from the embrace, Emmy could see unshed tears shining in her bright blue eyes.  This was a large departure from the stoic, confident woman she was used to seeing.  “Yes I did,” Emmy finally replied.

“Why?”  Kate asked, searching Emmy’s eyes for an answer.

Emmy offered a small smile, keeping her arms firmly around Kate’s waist.  “Because I love you.  And because you’re the one.  Like you said.  You’re it for me, Kate Stewart.  Why would I want to hide that?”

“But the media.  The scrutiny . . .” Kate trailed off.

Emmy smiled again and brought a hand up to cup Kate’s cheek, tracing circles with her thumb.  “Screw that.  I’ll deal.  I want to be with you, Kate.  All of you.  Even President you.  That means being public and I’m okay with it.  We’ll muddle through this.  Together.”  Emmy laced her fingers through Kate’s hand and brought their joined hands up to her lips, kissing Kate’s knuckles gently.

Kate shook her head slightly. “You’re amazing, Emmaline Harris.”

“No, you’re the amazing one,” Emmy replied. “Not many people would have put themselves out there like you did, bearing their soul and their personal business for the good of the country.  That took guts, Kate and I am so proud of you.  You make me proud to be a woman.  Proud to be a member of the LGBT community.  Just . . . proud to be an American.  You are what we all should strive to be.”

Overwhelmed and unable to speak, Kate pulled Emmy in for a fiery kiss.  Pulling their bodies flush together, Kate’s hands roved over every inch of Emmy’s body and their tongues clashed in a heated duel.  Emmy moaned into the kiss as she snaked her arms around Kate’s waist.

Before Kate knew what was happening, Emmy had pushed them backwards, Kate’s backside suddenly hitting the desk behind her.  Emmy released her grip on Kate’s hips long enough to roughly clear the contents of the desktop with her arm.  Pencils, papers, and other objects went clattering to the floor.  Before she had time to react, Kate felt Emmy pushing her backwards onto the desk, her mouth and hands roaming over every inch of her body.

Emmy’s hands made their way down to Kate’s stomach, teasingly drawing patterns there, before making their way back up again, cupping her breasts through her blouse.  Emmy quickly rid Kate of her suit jacket, taking time to remove her own as well, before returning her attentions to Kate’s already rigid nipples.  Their tautness sent waves of desire coursing through Emmy as she thumbed Kate’s hard tips lightly.  They grew even more erect, straining at their fabric confines.

Kate moaned, pulling her mouth away from Emmy’s, eyes shut, mouth agape with ecstasy.  Emmy continued to tease Kate’s nipples atop her clothing, savoring the delayed gratification of skin-on-skin.  Just the thought of attaching her mouth to Kate’s perfect buds made Emmy beyond wet, and she squeezed her legs together, her clit throbbing at the thought.

As if reading her mind, Kate panted in Emmy’s ear.  “Emmaline . . . please . . . I need . . .”

“You need what?” Emmy replied.

“I need your lips on my skin.  Please.  Get rid of these damn clothes.”

Emmy wasted no time, ripping apart Kate’s shirt, buttons scattering across the desk and floor.  Her mouth was immediately upon one of her girlfriend’s breasts, soaking the silky material of the bra as her tongue traced circles around her nipple.

Frustrated, Kate arched her back, eager for more contact.  “Emmaline . . . please . . .”

Sensing that the time for teasing was over, Emmy reached around and with a quick flick of her fingers, clasped the offending garment, freeing Kate’s perfectly luscious breasts.  Emmy paused for a moment, admiring them as Kate’s chest rose and fell, heaving slightly with desire and anticipation.  Kate’s hand came up to Emmy’s head, slowly guiding it to her chest.  Taking the not-so-subtle hint, Emmy latched onto a nipple and Kate’s immediate gasp of pleasure gave her all the motivation she needed.

Kate closed her eyes and reveled in the sensation as Emmy attacked first one breast and then the other.  Emmy sucked and stroked with her tongue, varying her pace, nibbling just enough to drive Kate wild.  So couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so wet.

As she lavished attention on Kate’s breasts, Emmy slowly spread her girlfriend’s legs with her thigh, wanting so badly to feel Kate’s hot center against her own.  Emmy pushed Kate further back onto the desk before climbing atop her, pressing her own center down against Kate.

Kate’s hips rose up to meet Emmy’s, begging for friction that Emmy was only too happy to provide.  Emmy ground down into Kate, as she felt the burning pleasure begin to course through her.  Emmy struggled to pace herself, not wanting to come too soon as Kate continued to meet her thrusts.  Both of them struggled to breath, the room silent but for their heavy breathing and the occasional moan of pleasure.  Needing to feel Kate’s arousal, Emmy pulled back a little and reached between their writhing bodies.  She found the clasp and zipper of Kate’s pants and silently unfastened them before snaking her hand down into her girlfriend’s drenched panties.

As Emmy began to rub her palm teasingly against Kate’s core, Kate let out a spurt of delicious gasps and moans, unable to think of anything but the pleasure building within her.  Emmy smirked slightly as she watched Kate’s face begin to contort, eyelids flicker, mouth slightly open as she gasped with desire.  Her fingers danced lightly over Kate’s folds before slipping inside her.

Kate gasped at the welcomed invasion.  “Oh, yes!  Emmaline . . .” Was all she managed as her hips bucked to meet Emmy’s thrusting hand.  Emmy struggled to maintain her own composure, wanting Kate to make her come.  Still, just the sight and sounds of her girlfriend, panting, thrusting, gasping, nearly did her in right then and there.  Emmy steeled herself, concentrating on bringing Kate to climax, willing herself to endure this sweet, pure torture.  As she continued pumping into Kate, Emmy began to work her clit slowly with her thumb, gradually increasing the speed and pressure of her ministrations.

Kate began to repeatedly gasp, breathlessly rasping Emmy’s name and Emmy could tell that she was close.  “You’re almost there, babe.  Come for me.  Let it go.  I want to feel you come against me.”

Emmy’s words spurred Kate on as her hips began to buck wildly against her girlfriend.  Lights and colors exploded behind Kate’s eyes as her climax hit her.  “Oh God . . . fuuuuccck . . . Emmaline . . . fuuuckk meee . . .” Kate moaned as spasm after spasm rocked her body.  Emmy continued slowly working Kate’s center, eliciting each and every last drop of pleasure that could be had.  Finally, she withdrew her hand and gently kissed Kate’s face, her closed eyelids, her parted lips, as she recovered.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Kate regained her ability to speak.  “Emmaline . . . that was . . . that was . . . I don’t know what . . . Just .  . .”

Emmy chuckled softly into Kate’s shoulder, enjoying the fact that the normally verbose woman was at such a loss for words.  Before Emmy knew what hit her, Kate had squirmed out from under her and had climbed atop her, pinning her wrists to the desk.  There was a mischievous glint in Kate’s eyes that shot new flames of desire through Emmy’s core.

“My turn.  You fucked the President on the desk in the Oval Office.  Since I’m the President and this is my office, I think it’s only fair that I get to return the favor.”

The return of bossy Kate sent thrills running through Emmy and she swallowed hard.  After the fucking hot way that Kate had just come beneath her, Emmy was practically willing to beg Kate to take her at this point.  “Please do, Madame President.  Show me who’s the boss.”  Emmy said, a smirk playing across her lips.  Emmy tried to play it cool, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d needed to come this badly.

Kate, sensing Emmy’s urgency, quickly slid her hand down between her girlfriend’s legs, moving up and down, the friction instantly driving Emmy wild.  She couldn’t think anymore.  The only thing Emmy could focus on was her overwhelming need to come.  Right then and there.  “Kate . . . Oh God . . . please.  Just . . . touch me . . . now . . .”  Emmy managed, between gasps.

Emmy lost all ability to focus as Kate’s hand slipped beneath her clothes and into Emmy’s soaked panties.  Emmy nearly stopped breathing as Kate’s fingers found her.  It was blissful torture as Kate’s hand explored her flesh, teasing, tickling.

Kate smiled as she watched Emmy writhe beneath her, lips slightly parted, eyes closed, brow furrowed as her hips arched off the desk, desperate for the deeper contact that would bring her release. As Kate entered her girlfriend, Emmy let out a low, guttural moan, rocking her body to meet Kate’s, as they quickly built up a passionate tempo.

Kate began flicking her thumb recklessly across Emmy’s bundle of nerves. This sent a deep, torturous sort of pleasure through Emmy, rippling outwards from her core throughout her body.  Unable to even form words, Emmy screamed, body shuddering, shaking as she succumbed to the climax overtaking her.  Kate stayed with her, holding her, stroking her, until Emmy’s body finally began to calm.

They held each other in silence before slowly drifting off, limbs entwined, breathing matched.

Later, though how much later she couldn’t be sure, Kate awoke, half naked and still atop her desk, her girlfriend slumbering beside her.  She smiled at the thought of Beth walking in on them like this.  She’d probably never get over the shock.  She silently wondered if any of the famed Presidents before her had used this desk for similar activities.  If not, they’d definitely missed out.  She couldn’t remember anything quite so fucking hot.

Emmy stirred next to her.  She smiled lazily and brought a hand gently to Kate’s cheek before drawing her in for a slow kiss.  “So . . . we should probably get dressed.”

Kate smiled back and nodded.  “Probably so.”

“I was thinking . . . “ Emmy began as they stood up and began to fix their clothes.

“Yeah?  What about?”  Kate asked as she pulled a spare blouse out of a nearby closet, needing to replace the one Emmy had destroyed.

“I was wondering if you might like to . . . um . . . now that we’re all official and everything . . .”

“Emmaline, just spit it out.” Kate said, smiling with bemusement at Emmy’s nervousness.

“I was wondering if you’d meet my parents . . .”  Emmy finally asked.

Kate nodded.  “Uh . . . sure.”  She responded.  Of course she needed to meet Emmy’s parents, but at the same time, the thought filled her with dread.  Meeting the parents was always scary.  She also knew, from inquiries she’d made, that Emmy’s father was a ruthless businessman and not someone to trifle with.  But she shook it off.  She was the President of the United States.  A mere meeting with her girlfriend’s parents should not . . . and would not  . . . fill her heart with dread . . .  or at least that’s what she told herself.

Emmy could sense Kate’s unease, despite her quick agreement to the meeting.  However, before she could say anything, Beth knocked.  After Kate told her to come in, Beth entered.

Beth’s eyes quickly scanned the room and noticed the completely clear desktop and the accompanying mess on the floor.  She marched over to Kate’s intercom and called her assistant.  “Yes, this is Beth.  We’ve had a little . . . uh . . . mishap . . . can you have someone come in here to clean up a little mess.  Thank you.”  With that, she turned to Kate as if nothing was amiss.  “Kate, if you’re done . . . uh . . . consulting . . . with Agent Harris, we need to speak about the budget.”

Kate nodded and smiled.  Leave it to Beth to act as if nothing had happened.  The things this woman had seen . . .

CHAPTER TWENTY

The day after their big revelations happened to be one of Emmy’s scheduled days off.  Despite intending to spend a lazy morning in Kate’s bed, Emmy had awoken early, laying there and pondering the events of the previous day.  Her girlfriend had long ago abandoned her for the meetings, phone calls and other assorted chaos that filled practically every waking hour of the President’s life.   Of course, as Emmy thought with a slight pang of guilt and worry, today would probably be even more hectic than usual, given the expected media frenzy and possible outcry from various circles over what had occurred at the press conference.  She just wished things could be easier, wished the status of their relationship, of whom Kate loved, could be a non-issue.  Maybe by the time her future children or grandchildren were grown, such things would be irrelevant.  At least she could hope.

The ringing of the phone brought Emmy out of her reverie.  She rolled over and grabbed the offending device off the bedside table.  She let out a sigh of trepidation as she saw who was calling . . . her father.  She loved her dad dearly, but had hoped to perhaps postpone the inevitable interrogation she knew as coming for at least a day or two.  As much as she was dying to introduce the woman she loved to her family, she was afraid of subjecting Kate to her father’s cross examination too soon.  Granted, she’d already broached the subject with her girlfriend, but that was simply so that Kate wasn’t completely unprepared whenever that meeting happened.

Running a nervous hand through her hair, Emmy answered the phone.  “Hello?”

“Honey?”  Her father’s familiar voice rang through the receiver.

“Hi Daddy.  What’s up?”  Emmy tried to act casual.

“What’s up?  Seriously, Emmaline?  You and I both know.  What. Is. Up.”  He enunciated the last three words, letting her know that he was not in the mood to beat around the bush.

“Yes, Daddy,” Emmy replied.

“So you are involved with the President.  When exactly were you planning on telling me this?  And do you think that’s wise?  Dating such a public figure?”

“Yes, I do,” Emmy replied curtly.

“You’ll be irrevocably thrust into the public eye.  You really should have thought more before running off your mouth in front of the press like that.  I love you, Emmaline, but you always tend to think with your heart and not your head.  I’m not certain you know what you’ve gotten yourself into. I’m sure she’s a very nice woman, but . . .”

Exasperated, Emmy cut him off.  “She’s more than nice, Daddy.  She’s amazing.  She’s kind.  She’s intelligent.  She’s funny.  She’s  . . . she’s . . . everything to me.  I love her so much.”  Emmy struggled to contain her emotion, feeling herself begin to choke up.  She took a breath and continued.  “So yes, I realize what I’ve gotten myself into.  I know it will be hard.  I know that it’ll be frustrating.  But she’s worth it, Daddy.”

“Very well.  I can tell that you’re serious about her and that you obviously love her very much.  I was just worried you’d done something rash.  Clearly I was wrong to worry.  So it’s time that I meet this young woman.  Please find out if she’s available for coffee tomorrow.”

“Daddy.  You’re forgetting who she is.  The President of the United States can’t be expected to drop everything to be interrogated by her girlfriend’s overprotective father – and yes I know that’s what you intend to do,” Emmy said.

“If she’s serious about you, she’ll make it work,” he replied, matter-of-factly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

Emmy sighed in resignation.  “Fine.  I’ll ask her.  But no promises.”

“Thank you, honey.  I look forward to meeting the girl who’s caused you to lose all common sense.  She must be quite something.”

Emmy sighed again and replied softly.  “She is, Daddy.  She really is.”

“Goodbye, Emmaline.  I love you and just want to protect you. You know that, right?”

“I do.  I love you too, Daddy.  I’ll talk to you soon.”  With that, Emmy hung up the phone and began to ponder how to tell the President of the United States that her father was demanding an audience with her . . . on his own timetable.  She smiled slightly and shook her head.  Only Stephen Harris would be that unfazed by Kate’s position of importance.

*              *              *              *              *

Kate was overwhelmed.  She was exhausted.  She was exhilarated.  The combination of the stress and the inundation of inquiries, phone calls, and meetings had left her stripped bare, raw with little energy left to give.  Yet at the same time, she was over the moon.  She’d finally come clean.  No more hiding in the shadows, no more pretending to be something or someone she wasn’t.  She could finally be open about how she felt about Emmy, which was the best part of all.  She knew now, without a doubt, that Emmaline Harris was the love of her life.  She also knew that she’d do anything for Emmy; sacrifice anything for her, so long as it made Emmy’s life better.  To hell with any consequences.

Beth strode into the room, her usual no nonsense attitude in place.  Kate looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to speak.

“So, as expected, many in conservative circles are outraged, calling for you to resign.  Even some talk of impeachment . . .”

Kate shook her head, trying not to get angry, as she cut off Beth.  It never ceased to amaze her how blindly judgmental some people could be.  “To hell with them.”  She said, fiery passion bubbling beneath her skin.  “Let them be outraged.  I won’t go down without a fight.  And impeachment?  Please.  On what grounds?  I’ve broken no laws . . . apart from maybe ones in their own bigoted minds.  I’ve done nothing wrong.  I swore to the American people that I’d do my damned best to make their country a better place, to uphold the Constitution, to protect the rights of all citizens.  I intend to do that.  If the American public doesn’t want me or isn’t ready for a gay President, they can vote me out next election . . . though I’d hoped maybe they’d have been a little more open-minded . . .” Kate stopped as Beth raised a staying hand.

“I wasn’t finished, Kate.  While some conservatives are crying foul, early polls suggest the American people are behind you.  73% of them.  You’ve put a face, a well-liked, well-respected face to the issue of gay rights.  If your opponents try and drag you through the mud, I think they’re going to be the ones to suffer the political consequences.  Big time.  The American people are with you, Kate.  You’re going to make history.  You can do some real good here.  Hopefully make some real changes.”  Beth stopped, clearly getting a little choked up, which was not normal for the usually unflappable woman.

Emmy cleared her throat from the doorway, which broke Beth out of her moment of weakness.  “I . . . uh . . . I’ll come back and we can discuss the next steps.  But again, congratulations, Kate.”  Beth hastened from the room, purposely avoiding eye contact with Emmy so as not to reveal the unshed tears glistening in her eyes.

Emmy looked at Kate questioningly as she strode across the room. “Congratulations on what?”

Kate beamed.  “There’s the expected outcry from some conservative, but the polls show that almost three quarters of the American public supports me.  Presidential approval ratings like that are unheard of.”

Emmy grinned as she pulled Kate into her arms.  “How could they not support you?  They love you just like I do.”  She paused.  “Okay, maybe not just like I do, but they obviously see what an amazing, talented, dedicated woman you are and respect you for being honest with them.”  Emmy pulled Kate in for a quick kiss before leaning back again, still keeping her arms circled about Kate’s waist.

Emmy chewed her lower lip nervously before meeting Kate’s gaze.

Concerned, Kate furrowed her brow as she studied her girlfriend.  “What is it?”

Emmy rambled in a rushed, nervous cadence.  “So . . . my dad wants to have coffee with you. And he wants it to be tomorrow.  I told him that you were far too important and far too busy to just drop everything, but he would not take no for an answer.  Leave it to my father to expect the President to fit her plans around his desires.   I’ll tell him no .  .  .”

Kate smiled slightly, noting to herself how absolutely adorable her girlfriend was when she was nervous.  The thought of meeting Emmy’s dad sent cold dread running through her, but Kate was never one to back down from a challenge and never one to run away from a test of her character.  And unless she was mistaken, this was definitely such a test – did she care enough about Stephen Harris’s daughter to make room in her extremely busy schedule?  Kate Stewart did not fail tests and she sure as hell wasn’t going to fail this one.

She offered Emmy a confident smile.  “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure we can work something out.  Talk to Kathy and have her check my schedule.  She’ll fit it in somewhere.”

Emmy let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.  “Thank you, Kate.  Have I told you how amazing you are?”

Kate shot her a dimpled grin.  “Once or twice.  Now come here and kiss me.”

*              *              *              *              *

The next day, Kate nervously fidgeted as she waited for Emmy to bring her father in for coffee.  She silently shook her head at herself.  It was pathetic how this ordinary, relatively unimportant man could strike fear through her heart.  But then, she corrected herself.  He wasn’t unimportant or ordinary.  Far from it.  Because his daughter was the most important person in her life, the most extraordinary woman she’d ever met.  Therefore, he was, as her father, also important.  Making a good impression mattered. A lot.

Kate steeled herself as Emmy let her father into the room.  She rose, offered him a smile and a handshake.  “Mr. Harris, it’s so nice to finally meet you.  Emmaline’s told me so much about you and your family.”

He shook her hand and offered a small smile.  “Please, call me Stephen.  May I call you Kate?”

“Daddy . . .” Emmy began.

Kate chuckled softly.  This man had balls, she had to give it to him.  Most people would never have presumed to call her by her given name.  She liked it.  “No, Emmy.  He’s right.  For the purposes of our relationship, I’m not the President, so none of this formality nonsense. Kate is fine, Stephen.”

Kate moved to Emmy and placed a light kiss on her cheek.  “Please, have a seat.”  Kate gestured to the nearby chairs.  “Please help yourself to the coffee and pastries.”  She said as they sat.

Stephen began, ignoring the spread of food and coffee before them.  “So, Kate, you’re a smart woman.  Let’s rid ourselves of any inane pleasantries and just cut to the chase.  Please tell me what your intentions are with my daughter.”

“Daddy, please!”  Emmy cut in, clearly exasperated. “I’m a grown woman and make my own decisions about who I date.  Just jumping right in and interrogating her is not exactly in good form.”

Kate was pleasantly surprised to find that her nerves had fled.  Facing a challenge, her keen competitive instincts had suddenly kicked in.  This was simply another of Stephen Harris’s tests and she intended to ace it.  She patted Emmy’s arm reassuringly before returning her attention to Stephen.  “No, Emmy it’s fine.  You’re very special and your father has every right to want to protect you.”

Emmy sighed and relaxed slightly.  She recognized the glint in her girlfriend’s eyes.  Kate was clearly not one bit intimidated by her father and Emmy had no doubt now that Kate could handle anything he threw at her.

“Anyway, Mr. Harris,” Kate continued.  “To answer your question, my intentions with Emmy are nothing but honorable.  I love your daughter and I make it a priority to cherish and protect those people whom I love.  I want to assure you that I will never intentionally do anything to hurt her.  She means too much to me.”

Stephen pondered this for a moment and offered Kate a slight nod.  After a few awkward moments of silence, he spoke.  “How do I know you’re not just using her for political gain?  To further some sort of agenda?”

Kate thought for a moment and then locked eyes with the man, hoping to convey the depth of her feelings.  “I understand your concern.  If I were in your position, I’d be worried about the same thing .”

Emmy loved how Kate didn’t simply dismiss his questions, but recognized his concerns as valid.  This woman really knew how to approach an adversary, who in this case happened to be her father.  She grew more and more in love with Kate with each moment.

Kate continued, her gaze never leaving that of Emmy’s father.  “Why would I risk my career?  Why now?  Yes, I believe that as a gay woman I have a duty to be honest, to stand up for equal rights, but honestly, I’m not sure announcing this, especially in my first term, was the best timing.  I could have worked for these rights a lot longer if I’d had remained silent.  Be seen as a straight ally until I was re-elected, get 8 years to make changes instead of possibly only 4.  Maybe I’ll still be re-elected, but I know it’s going to be more of an uphill battle now.”

“So why do it then?” He prompted.

“There’s one simple answer to that, Stephen.  I did it because I’ve finally met someone who is worth that risk.  Someone whom I would give it all up for.  Someone that I cannot imagine living my life without.  And that someone is your daughter.  I know you don’t know me and I realize that saying I’m not the type to use your daughter for political gain is meaningless.  I’m asking you to trust me.  And to trust me with your daughter’s heart.  I will cherish it.  Most importantly, I’m asking you to trust your daughter and her judgment.  As I’m sure you know, she’s a smart, responsible, amazing woman.  I’m thankful that you raised such a beautiful soul, inside and out, and that she’s chosen to share her life with me, even with all of the complications that come with dating someone like me.  I am forever grateful.”

If Emmy wasn’t mistaken, she saw a slight smile cross her father’s lips.  He nodded.  “Very well.  Thank you for speaking with me, Kate.  Could I perhaps persuade you to join us at our family barbeque tonight?  It’s in our backyard, which is fenced in and very private.”

“Daddy.  We’ve talked about this.  Kate can’t just drop everything.  She has meetings and other .  . .”

“I’d love to,” Kate interrupted.  This was test number three and she planned on keeping a perfect passing score.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

After seeing her father off, Emmy turned back to Kate.  “You don’t have to come tonight.  You’ve already given up enough of your time just to satisfy one of my dad’s whims.  I know my family will understand if you cancel.”

Kate shook her head, blonde curls lightly brushing her shoulders.  “No.  I said I’d be there and I’ll be there.  When I make a commitment, I keep it.  Just relax, Emmaline.  I want to come.  It’ll be fun.  It’s about time I spent some time with your family.  And when I can find the time, I intend to return the favor.  I’ve already had 5 messages from my mother demanding to meet you,” Kate said, smiling as she pulled Emmy into her arms.

Emmy let out a sigh she hadn’t realized she’d been holding as she gazed into Kate’s bright blue eyes.  “I know I keep saying it, but you’re amazing, Kate Stewart.  I love you so much.”

Kate smirked.  “I know.”

Emmy arched her eyebrow, a bemused look on her face.

“And I love you too, Emmaline,” Kate added, before placing a lingering kiss on Emmy’s lips.  “But unfortunately, I’ve got to get to a meeting with my staffers, plan the next steps in getting this marriage equality issue made into some sort of legislation.”

Emmy nodded.  “I’ll see you tonight then.  It starts at six, but don’t feel like you have to be there at any particular time.  Whenever you can get there is fine.”

Kate nodded and smiled, shooting Emmy a dimpled grin – one that still never failed to make her go weak in the knees.  “I’ll be there.”  After giving Emmy one more quick kiss, Kate breezed from the room.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy fidgeted nervously in the kitchen of her parents’ home.  She tried not to look at the clock.  It wasn’t even six yet, but she was anxious, both excited and scared for Kate’s arrival.  She hadn’t brought many people to meet her family.  In fact, the last one had been her ex-husband.  While she had no doubt that Kate would impress them . . . how couldn’t she, she was the freaking President . . . but she couldn’t seem to shake her nerves.

Emmy nearly jumped out of her skin as her mother rubbed her back reassuringly.  “Relax, sweetie.  Everything will be fine.  Your father clearly likes her, or he wouldn’t have invited her.  And if you love her, then I love her.”

Emmy half-smiled at her mom and nodded, only partially hearing her.  “I know, mama.  It’s just that she means so much to me.  She’s like no one else I’ve ever met.  And it has nothing to do with the fact that she’s the leader of the free world.  She’s just the most special person I’ve ever met.  She means so much.”

Her mother chuckled knowingly and gently stroked Emmy’s cheek.  “She’s the one, Emmaline.”

“Mama . . .” Emmy sighed.  “You haven’t even met her.”

“I don’t need to, honey.  Your face.  Your nervousness.  The glow you have about you.  They tell me all I need to know.”

Emmy grinned and hugged her mother.  She closed her eyes and took in the familiar and comforting scent of her mother’s perfume.  “Thank you, mama,” she mumbled into her mother’s hair.  “She is the one.   I’m sure of it.  It’s why I did what I did. Why I risked everything.”  She let out a small sigh and stepped back from the embrace, glancing once again at the clock.

“Emmaline.  You’ve been doing nothing but staring at the clock for the past hour and a half.  It’s fifteen minutes before the gathering even starts.  Relax.  If she said she’ll be here, I know she’ll be here.”

Emmy nodded.  “I know.  I’m just  . . . I don’t know.  Nervous.  Excited.  Scared.  Happy.  And I miss her.”

Her mother chuckled again.  “Yep.  You’ve got it bad, honey.  I’m happy for you.  Now stop obsessing over the time and help me with this salad.”

Emmy let out a sigh.  “Right.”  She said as she grabbed some vegetables that needed chopping.  “Besides, she probably won’t be here right at six.  She’s got a ton of meetings today and I told her she should just stop by when she could and after the way Daddy interrogated her I’m sure she’s regretting the decision to come and there might be traffic and I mean she’s got more important things than a dumb barbeque . . .” Emmy trailed off as she felt a hand on her shoulder and heard a familiar and comforting voice from behind her.

“Emmaline.  Stop rambling.  I can think of nothing more important than spending time with my gorgeous girlfriend and her family.”  Kate said as she wrapped her arms around Emmy’s waist from behind.

Emmy smiled and glanced up at the clock once more.  “You’re early.” She said as she turned in Kate’s arms and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

“I know.  I didn’t want to leave you hanging.  I knew you’d be freaking out and me being late would have just made it worse.”

Emmy grinned.  “How do you know me so well?”

“Because I’m awesome, remember?”

Emmy laughed.  “Right.  How could I forget?”  Their playful banter was interrupted by the sound of a throat clearing behind them.

“Emmaline.  Where are your manners?  Aren’t you going to introduce me?”  Her mother said.

“Mamaaaaa . . .” Emmy groaned.  “You know who she is.”

Kate laughed as she offered her hand to Emmy’s mother.  “I’m sorry, Mrs. Harris.  We’re not being very polite are we?  My mother brought me up better than that.  I’m Kate.  It’s great to finally meet you.  I’m sorry we couldn’t do it sooner, but well . . . you know.”

Emmy’s mom smiled and pulled Kate into a hug.  “Anyone who makes my daughter this happy gets a hug, not a handshake.  And please, call me Maria.”

Emmy beamed as she watched two of the most important women in her life embrace.  So far so good.  And Kate had already survived one round with her father.  Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“President Kate!!!”  The whirling dervish also known as Gabby came tearing into the room, quickly latching herself around Kate’s legs and waist.  “Why are you here!?!?!?  Mommy!  The President is here!!”  Gabby said, turning to Rachel, who had just entered the room.

“I see that.  But where are your manners, Gabby?  We don’t just run around tackling guests now, do we?”  Rachel said, a bemused look on her face.

“Oh, it’s okay.  We’re buddies, right, Gabby?”  Kate said, ruffling a hand through the child’s curls.

Gabby looked up at Kate with wide eyes, nodding.  “Uh huh.  We are.  Can I call you Kate?  Why are you here?  Are you Aunt Emmy’s friend?  Want to go play hide and seek?  I’ll hide, you seek.”  Gabby spouted the words a mile a minute.

Kate looked over at Emmy and grinned.  “I see rambling runs in the family.”  Turning back to the little girl, she smiled again.  “Sure, you can call me Kate.  And yes, I’m um . . . Aunt Emmy’s friend. And a game of hide and seek sounds awesome.  But I’ve got to warn you, I’m an excellent finder, so you’d better find a really good spot.”

“Okay, Kate.  You count to 100.  I’m going to hide.”  With that, Gabby scampered from the room.

“You didn’t have to do that.”  Emmy said, rubbing a hand along Kate’s arm.

“You need to stop saying that.  I want to do that.  I want to participate.  I want to be a part of your life, your family.  Stop walking on eggshells around me.”

Emmy offered a small smile and wrapped her arms around Kate’s waist.  “Thank you.   And I’m sorry.  I just keep feeling like this whole thing is too good to be true.  I never thought I’d get this lucky.”

“Well, get used to it.”  Kate smirked and kissed Emmy gently on the nose.  “Now I think it’s been about 100 seconds.  I’d better go find that adorable niece of yours.”  Kate strode from the room.  “Hey, Gabby . . . ready or not, here I come!”

As soon as Kate had left, Rachel pounced.  “Okay sis, spill.  I want all the dirt.”

Emmy shrugged, trying to act nonchalant.  “Not much to tell.  She’s awesome, I’m happy, end of story.”

“Come on, Emmy.  You’re dating the President.  There’s got to be some good gossip.”

Emmy looked pleadingly at her mother, hoping for some backup, but her mom simply busied herself with the cooking.  “I don’t know what to say, Rachel. Truly.  I don’t want to bore you with the details.  I’m beyond happy.  She’s the most amazing person I’ve ever met.  And it has nothing to do with the fact that she’s the President.  We just click.  But nothing sordid.  Nothing scandalous.  Sorry.”

“You’re killing me here.  No dirty Air Force One stories?  Nothing in the Oval Office?  Dating the President has to have some perks?”

Emmy blushed at the mention of places where she and Kate had, in fact, been very dirty.  She hoped Rachel hadn’t noticed, but judging by the shrewd, examining look on her sister’s face, she thought that unlikely.  However, just at that moment, her father entered.

“Emmaline, care to help me with the grill?”  Emmy had never been so relieved for an interruption.  She did not feel like being grilled, literally, by her sister at the moment.  However, if she wasn’t mistaken, her father wasn’t interested in her cooking skills at the moment either.  He obviously wanted to have a private chat.

As Emmy followed her father outside, she couldn’t help but smile as she watched Kate pretend to chase Gabby across the lawn.  She looked so natural, so at home with the child.  It wasn’t hard to imagine Kate doing the same thing with a child of their own a few years down the road.  With Kate, she could see a future.  A happy future. One she’d begun to think she’d never achieve.  It made her heart swell.  Kate glanced up and locked eyes with Emmy, a private intimate moment shared between the two before Kate returned her attention to Gabby.

Stephen Harris stood beside his daughter, watching the scene before them.  Out of nowhere, one of Kate’s aides, who had been stationed in the car out front, strode across the lawn.  Emmy’s heart sunk. Obviously something had come up.

But Kate shook her head and waived him off.  “John.  Unless it’s an emergency, and I mean a real emergency, it can wait.  This is family time and family is important.”  The man nodded and left.

Emmy turned to her father.  “So I assume you’re going to try and talk me out of this relationship again.”

Her father shook his head.  “I’ll admit it, Emmaline.  I had my reservations.  But I’ve just seen all I need to see.  She clearly values you, values family above all else.  You are right.  Your young woman is very special.  You keep her around.”

“I plan on it, Daddy,” Emmy said as she smiled down at the love of her life.  “For as long as she’ll have me.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Emmy and Kate spent the next few months in a pretty pink bubble of bliss.  Other than a few minor blips on the radar, a small protest here, a rant from a conservative pundit there, things had been near perfect.  Emmy couldn’t help but wonder when that bubble was going to burst.  She had never been happier, but she’d been burned far too often to truly believe that there wasn’t still some complication coming down the road.  The fact that none of her prior relationships had worked out, the fact that they’d all been one complication after another, had left her a little battle-scarred.  She wanted so much to believe that this relationship, that Kate Stewart, was her happily ever after.

As far as Emmy could tell, Kate didn’t seem to have the same hesitations or worries.  She’d seemingly embraced her new role as the face of the gay rights movement, making appearances, speeches, with Emmy at her side.  Emmy envied Kate’s apparent ability to just be in the moment, to just enjoy being together.  Emmy believed in love above everything else but all the same, she couldn’t help but wait for the other shoe to drop.  The sudden spotlight on her and on their relationship had also begun to take its toll on her.  Emmy truly believed in what Kate’s efforts to get equal rights for all.  Even so, the constant scrutiny and constant public appearances were wearing her out.  She loved Kate more than she’d ever thought it possible to love, but she sometimes wished for the days when their relationship had been secret.  Emmy did her best to shove these thoughts aside.  She knew that things might be tough for a while, but in the long run, it was for the best.  They couldn’t live their lives in hiding.  It wasn’t healthy.  So she just had to toughen up.  Everything would be fine as long as she had Kate.

Kate could see the stress painted across Emmy’s face at times.  Clearly the pressure was getting to her girlfriend.  She did what she could to minimize the public scrutiny, scaling back the appearances for Emmy.  Still, she wasn’t quite ready to broach the subject directly.  Things were going too well.  Kate knew deep down that they should talk about things and that their communication wasn’t always what it should be.  But she was enjoying their happy times too much.  She wasn’t quite ready to pull them out of their little cocoon of happiness.  So she selfishly avoided it and looked the other way when opportunities to talk presented themselves.

Sensing that Emmy needed a break, and knowing that she could use one as well, Kate had arranged for them to spend a few days over Christmas at the presidential retreat at Camp David.  Their families would be joining them for part of the time as well.  Judging by the exuberant smile and warm hug she received from Emmy upon revealing her plans, Kate knew she’d made the right decision.  Some time away was just what the doctor ordered.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy couldn’t help but smile at the thought of spending a whole week away at Camp David with Kate.  She was practically dancing around the house as she packed her suitcase, smirking to herself as she picked out some particularly skimpy attire for their private time together.  Their families were joining them for Christmas, but she and Kate would be spending a few days alone before being invaded by a slew of Harris and Stewart family members.  She loved her family, but was definitely looking forward to some quiet alone time with her gorgeous girlfriend.  The ringing of her doorbell brought her out of her joyful reverie.  Confused, Emmy headed to the door.  She hadn’t been expecting any visitors.

As Emmy opened the door, she saw a gorgeous brunette with green eyes and a slightly wicked-looking smile.  “Uh . . . hi. Can I help you?”  Emmy asked warily.

“So tell me how it really is . . . dating the Kate Stewart?” the woman asked.

“Look, if you’re press, I’m not interested in giving any interviews,” Emmy said, the question immediately putting her on guard.

“I’m not press, sorry.  Where are my manners?  My name is Christine Chase.  Pleased to meet you,” the woman offered Emmy her hand, which Emmy gingerly shook.

“And who exactly are you?” Emmy asked, still unsure of what to make of the woman before her.

“I told you, I’m Christine,” the woman said, almost as if she expected that to mean something to Emmy.

“I got that part.  Look.  Now isn’t really a good time,” Emmy said, her patience wearing thin.  There was clearly something off about this whole situation.  She still wasn’t entirely sure that the woman wasn’t a reporter.

“I’m Kate’s ex,” Christine said matter-of-factly, cutting Emmy off.

Emmy nodded – Kate certainly had a type.  She and Christine could have been sisters.  “Okay.  But why are you here?”  She asked, struggling to fight the insecurities already bubbling up inside her.

Christine offered her a wry smile.  “Can’t a girl be curious about the woman who finally stole the practically perfect Kate Stewart’s heart?” Emmy noted a hint of something, perhaps envy or maybe sadness in the woman’s voice.

“Uh, sure.  I suppose.  But showing up on my doorstep unannounced is a bit, well, odd, to be honest,” Emmy said.  “I can’t help but wonder if there was another reason.”  She was really beginning to wonder if this woman wasn’t completely nuts.

“Okay.  I’ll cut to the chase.  I came to warn you,” Christine said.

Emmy gave her a questioning look.  “Warn me about what?”

“Kate.  Be careful.”

“I’m not sure what you mean, but Kate is anything but dangerous,” Emmy said, wondering what on earth the woman was talking about.

“She’ll use you and when she’s done, she’ll throw you aside, just like all of the other women she’s dated,” Christine said.  “Women like me.”

“I don’t know what you’re getting at, but Kate has been nothing but kind and generous and supportive,” Emmy began, her anger starting to flare.

“That’s what she does, when she wants you around.  But trust me, that woman doesn’t have a heart.  She and I dated for over a year.  I was in love.  I thought she felt the same.  I suggested that we take our relationship public.  I told her I was tired of hiding who I am and that she should feel the same.  She resisted, saying it would hurt her career.  When I wouldn’t let it drop, she grew distant and eventually she broke it off with me.  Clearly she valued her career above all else.  When I became a nuisance and a hindrance to her political aspirations, she dumped me.”

“And what does that have to do with me?” Emmy asked, getting frustrated.  “In case you haven’t heard, Kate came out.  We’ve gone public with our relationship.  I love Kate and she loves me.  We’ve told the whole world as much.  I don’t know why Kate didn’t feel right doing that when you were together, but I’m certain there was a good reason.  Clearly something is different with us.  I’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“You’ve got plenty to worry about,” Christine said.  “How do you know this isn’t just her latest political ploy?  Kate has many talents, but chief among them is knowing exactly what to do in order to further her political goals.  And it doesn’t matter whom she steps on in the process.  Be careful, Emmy.  Don’t give her your heart.  The next person she steps on could be you.”

Emmy shook her head and waved Christine off.  Her rage finally boiled over.  “Listen. Obviously you haven’t taken your break up with Kate well, but I don’t know whom this Kate is you’re referring to.  She doesn’t sound one bit like the kind, intelligent, caring, generous and exceptional woman that I know.  This leads me to just one conclusion.  That you’re jealous or angry that things didn’t work out between you two.  So you choose to insert yourself where you’re not wanted – into my relationship with the woman I love.  So please excuse me if I ask you to mind your own business and butt out.” Emmy slammed the door in the woman’s face and stormed from the room.  She continued packing, though in a somewhat more subdued manner than she had before.

*              *              *              *              *

It was a cold and snowy evening and Kate didn’t see how things could be more perfect.  She was huddled in front of a warm fire, wrapped in the arms of the woman she loved.  They sat quietly, both staring off into space, only the crackling of the burning wood breaking the silence.  Despite the picture perfect evening, Kate sensed that something was bothering Emmy.  Kate was tempted to leave it be and to remain blissfully ignorant.  However, perhaps the bottle of wine they’d shared at dinner had loosened her inhibitions and she could no longer sit in the tense silence.  “Something’s on your mind.  Please tell me?”

Emmy attempted to shrug it off.  “No.  Nothing’s up.  I’m fine.  Let’s just enjoy our evening.”

Kate was so tempted to take the out that Emmy had given her, but she steeled herself and pressed onward.  She turned in Emmy’s arms, her blue eyes gazing into Emmy’s.  She reached up and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her girlfriend’s face.  “Emmaline.  I can tell something is bothering you.  Please don’t hide it from me.”

Emmy took a deep breath and nodded.  “So I had a visitor today.”

“Who?” Kate asked.

“Christine.”

Kate didn’t know whom she’d expected Emmy to say, but it certainly wasn’t her ex. “Oh.”

Kate paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts.  “What did she want?”

“She came to warn me.”

Kate gave Emmy a questioning look.  “Warn you?”

Emmy nodded and took a breath before explaining.  “She said that you used her.  That when she wanted to go public, you chose your career over her, and that you’d probably do the same with me.  So I should be careful not to get too attached.”

Kate was instantaneously furious.  “What?  Why on earth . . .” She was momentarily rendered speechless by this revelation.  “The nerve of . .  . I just . . .”

Emmy ran her hands over Kate’s arms, attempting to calm her.  “It’s okay.  I don’t believe her.  You went public with me, remember?”

Kate nodded.  “Still.  I just can’t believe she’d do that.  I thought we’d ended things amicably.  Yes, she couldn’t take keeping our relationship under wraps, but we had so many other problems too. We didn’t see eye-to-eye on a lot of things.  I certainly wasn’t using her.  We’d already grown apart by the time she started pressing me to come out publicly, so I resisted. It wasn’t the right time and it wasn’t the right relationship.  No offense to Christine, but she wasn’t worth the risk.  You, Emmaline Harris, were . .  .  and still are.”  Kate cupped Emmy cheek and gazed into her eyes.  “You believe me.  Right?”

Emmy smiled and nodded.  “Of course.  And you are worth the risk too.  I love you so much.”

“I love you too.” Kate said before capturing Emmy’s lips in a soul-searing kiss.

After a long and passionate embrace, they pulled back.  Kate rested her head against Emmy’s shoulder.  Neither was in any hurry to take things further.  Instead, they just enjoyed the quiet, comfortable silence and the glow of the fire.

That silence was not to last, however, as an aide timidly entered a few minutes later.  He handed Kate a sheet of paper.  “We just received this and all our intelligence sources say that the threat is credible.”

Kate took the paper and began to read.  Emmy read over Kate’s shoulder and her blood turned cold.

Dear President Stewart,

You are a disgrace.  You are living a life that is not only an abomination, but also downright disgusting.  Two women should not lie together as a man would lie with his wife.  What kind of example are you setting for the children of our nation?  You are showing them that it is okay to ignore God’s will, that it is okay to be immoral, that it is okay to be a fucking dyke.

If you do not immediately end your relationship with that Harris dyke and resign from the Presidency, we will be forced to take action.  I’m sure you wouldn’t want something to happen to that precious niece of Ms. Harris, now would you?  Don’t believe that we’re serious?  Here’s the proof.

Sincerely,

Citizens for the Moral Family

Attached to the letter was a photograph of Gabby’s bedroom.  One that could have only been taken by someone who was inside the home.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Emmy saw the gamut of emotions play across Kate's face - from shock to guilt to anger to determination.

Kate turned to Emmy, cupped her cheek reassuringly and looked her straight in the eye.  “We will get these people.  Trust me on that.  Nothing will happen to your family.  You have my word.”

Emmy swallowed hard and nodded.  She knew Kate was right. Kate had the best and brightest federal agents at her disposal.  If anyone was capable of protecting her family, it was Kate Stewart.  All the same, guilt and worry flooded her mind.  It was her fault.  If she hadn't gotten involved with a high profile person like Kate, if she hadn't decided, in a moment of happiness and pride to out herself as Kate's girlfriend, if she'd stayed married, if . . .

Kate's words brought Emmy out her thoughts.  "Emmaline, I can see what you're doing.  I can read you like a book.  This isn't your fault, so stop blaming yourself.  The only person or people to blame are those bigoted idiots who sent the letter.

"They don't seem like idiots."  Emmy corrected.  "They did get into Rachel's house after all, into Gabby's room.  Clearly this isn't just some empty threat by some loser living in his mom's basement."

Kate waved her hand dismissively.  "That may be so, but they won't outsmart the Secret Service and the FBI.  You of all people ought to know that.  Now I've got some work to do.   Figure out protective duties, how this affects the gay rights agenda, do we publicize the threat, and so on.  I'm sure my staff is on top of getting protection for your family, but I'll double check to make sure everything's being done before I even think of turning to other work.  I promise."  With that, Kate gave Emmy's hand a reassuring squeeze and stood to leave.

"I love you," Emmy said as Kate turned to leave.

Kate nodded absent-mindedly.  "Me too," she said before striding out of the room.

Emmy knew that this threat affected more than just her family and that Kate had many bigger issues to deal with.  All the same, she couldn't help but feel a bit abandoned.  Kate had taken just a few moments to reassure her before fleeing for the advice and support of her aides.  Leaving Emmy alone.  As much as she fought it, Christine's warning crept into the back of her mind.  What if she had been right?  What if Kate was more concerned about her career?  Emmy shook off the thought almost as soon as it had entered her head.  Kate had never done anything to suggest that.  In fact, she'd often gone out of her way to make Emmy and her family feel special.

*              *              *              *              *

As Kate left, her mind was flooded with feelings of guilt.  After reading the letter, she’d been nearly overwhelmed with the sense of responsibility.  There was no doubt about it.  This situation, a very dangerous and very precarious situation, was her fault.  The responsibility rested on her shoulders and hers alone.  If she hadn’t come out, if she hadn’t aired her own personal business to the American public, Emmy and her family wouldn’t be in the danger that they were currently in.

She’d managed to keep a brave face for Emmy, long enough to briefly reassure her.  Barely.  She hadn’t wanted to break down in front of her girlfriend.  It was her job, had always been her job, to be brave in the face of trouble.  So she’d calmly told Emmy everything would be fine.  When Emmy had told her that she loved her, despite the news they’d just received, it had taken all her willpower not to break down right then and there.  She’d somehow managed a response before fleeing the room, holding back the tears.

But now that she was alone, she took just a few minutes to herself to be upset, to be scared and to feel guilty.  This was not how their first Christmas together was supposed to be.  So much for her plans for a perfect holiday, she thought as hot tears streamed down her face.  After a few minutes, a very awkward-looking Beth knocked gingerly on the door.

“Uh . . . are you alright?” Beth asked.

Kate nodded.  “I’m fine.  You didn’t see this.”

Beth nodded in response.  “Of course.  Whenever you’re . . .uh . . . ready, we’ve got a team assembled in your office.”

Without a word, Beth crossed the room and pulled Kate in for a quick, somewhat awkward hug.  “I know you and that mind of yours.  This isn’t your fault.  Don’t you worry.  We’re going to catch those sons of bitches.”

Kate sighed, releasing a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding before pulling back.  “Thanks, Beth.  And .  . .”

Beth cut her off. “I know.  Not a word.”  She patted Kate reassuringly on the arm and left the room.

After taking a few more minutes to wipe away her tears and compose herself, Kate went to meet her staff for a briefing.  As she’d expected, they were on top of things.  A team of agents had been assigned to cover the Harris family 24 hours a day and the FBI was in the process of tracking down leads.

After being assured that everything that should have been done had been done, Kate turned to other matters.  “So how does this affect the announcement I was planning for December 26?  Do I back off?  Or do I go ahead as planned?” she asked her team.

Beth answered.  “That’s up to you.  I don’t think giving in and backing off the gay rights message accomplishes anything.  It just gives them all the power.  But then again, maybe it’s best to table the announcement until after we’ve caught the bastards.”

Kate nodded and pondered the idea. Finally, coming to a decision, she shook her head.  “We’re going ahead with it.  As long you can assure me that no harm will come to Emmy and her family, I’m not going to back down.  I said that I was going to stand up for this issue and by God I meant it.  I will not be forced back into the closet.  Those fucking bigots don’t know who the hell they’re dealing with.” Gone was the weepy, doubting woman of a few minutes ago.  Anger roiled through Kate’s veins as fierce determination set in.  She would win this battle.  Not just for her or Emmy, but for all Americans struggling with bigotry and discrimination.

“Make whatever arrangements are necessary.  We’re going ahead with our plan,” she said to her staff.  The combination of the steely look on her face and her rare use of profanity signaled to those in the room that she meant business.  The various staffers nodded and scurried from the room.

“You sure this is the right thing to do?” Beth asked once they were alone.

Kate let out a weary sigh.  “I sure hope so, Beth.” She ran a ragged hand through her blonde locks and collapsed into her desk chair.  She sure hoped she’d made the right call.

*              *              *              *              *

Given the circumstances, their first family Christmas together was a little awkward for Emmy and Kate.  Normally, the biggest worry would have been having their parents meet each other, but that was the least of the worries on anyone’s mind.  Despite a valiant attempt on everyone’s part, there was a certain tension.  No one was able to completely escape from the worry that the threat had created.

Emmy couldn’t rid herself of the doubt, worry and guilt that had been present ever since she first read the letter.  Her father had chuckled, trying to make a joke about how everyone thought he was someone famous now that he had his own private security detail.  She knew he’d been trying to lighten the mood, but it just made her feel all the more guilty.  She may have chosen to date the President and the life of added complications that went with it, but her family hadn’t.  Yet somehow, they’d been burdened anyway, and it was all her fault.  An incessant tugging on her sleeve brought her out of her reverie.  She saw Gabby standing before her.  If there was one cure for a bad mood, it was this little girl.  Emmy grinned and pulled Gabby into her lap.

“Hey big girl!  Why don’t you tell me a story?”  She said, eager for the distraction of one of Gabby’s rambling anecdotes about her dolls or her friends or her favorite TV show.

“What kinda story?”  Gabby asked.

“I don’t know.  Whatever you feel like sweetie?  How about you tell me about school?”

Gabby nodded and thought for a minute.  “When I went to school last week, your friend Phil came along with me. It was kinda cool.  Kinda like show and tell.  But then, at recess, we played hide and seek.  Except it was no fun because every time it was my turn to hide, my friends would find me right away ‘cause Phil was standing there.  Do you think you could ask Phil not to come with me to school next time?  ‘Cause I wanna win at hide and seek.”

The smile that had been on Emmy’s face dropped.  It broke her heart.  What was she doing to her family?  What was she putting them through?  Would Gabby ever have a normal childhood at this rate? She offered Gabby a weak smile.  “We’ll see what we can do, kiddo.  Now, I think it’s time to go to bed.  Santa’s coming tonight, remember?  And he can’t come until we go to sleep.”

“Do you think Santa will know to find me here?  He usually comes to my house.”  A look of worry crossed Gabby’s very serious face.

“Of course, sweetie.  Santa has very special kid-tracking radar so he knows where every kid on the whole planet is.  He’ll find you. I promise.”

The answer seemed to satisfy the little girl.  “Okay.  Wanna help me get Santa’s cookies and milk?  We’ve gotta put them out, along with carrots for his reindeer.  They get hungry after all that flying around the world.”

Emmy chuckled and let Gabby lead her to the kitchen.

30 minutes later, with Gabby safely and snugly tucked into bed, Emmy collapsed on the couch in Kate’s private suite.  She hadn’t seen Kate for a good portion of the day, as Kate had been busy with work and things like getting photographed for the Presidential holiday greeting card.  Thankfully, Emmy had been left out of that.  Kate had urged her to sit for the photo as well, but Emmy had begged off and she was grateful that Kate hadn’t pushed too hard.  Emmy didn’t know if she could deal with another public appearance right now.

Emmy must have fallen asleep on the couch, as the feeling of a familiar and very welcome pair of lips lightly brushing hers awakened her.  Her sleepy eyes fluttered open to see her girlfriend standing over her.

Kate reached down to pull Emmy up.  “Come on sleepy head, let’s get you to bed.  We’ve got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.”

“Huh?” a confused and sleep-addled Emmy responded.

“You know. Christmas?” Kate offered with a smirk.  She hoped to make tomorrow happy and memorable for Emmy despite all the drama that had threatened to ruin their holiday.

“Right,” Emmy said with a sleepy smile before rising.  She captured Kate’s lips with her own.  “I missed you today.”

Kate pulled Emmy into a deep hug and whispered into her hair.  “I know.  I’m sorry. This isn’t how I’d planned to spend Christmas Eve.  But you know . .  . stuff’s come up,” she said, not wanting to offer more.  No need to add any stress to Emmy’s already stressed and guilt-ridden conscience.  “But tomorrow.  I promise tomorrow is just for us.  And our families.  It’ll be special.  I promise.”

Emmy nodded and kissed Kate once more, trying to suppress feelings of doubt.  “Thanks.  I love you, Kate.”

“I know.”  Kate smirked, flashing Emmy those trademark dimples that never failed to make her go weak in the knees.  “I love you too.  Now let’s get you to bed.”

Sleepy and unable to argue, Emmy nodded and let Kate lead her to bed.

Once Emmy was snuggled up against her and gently snoring, Kate allowed her mind to wander to the recent events.  She couldn’t help but feel responsible for this awkward and difficult situation.  Despite the fact that she herself had told Emmy that no one was to blame but the crazies responsible for the threat, and despite the fact that Beth had told her the same thing, Kate couldn’t shake her feeling of responsibility.

She’d done her best to put up a brave front for Emmy.  She’d had to work today, that had been no lie.  But she’d purposely spent a little extra time working, just to avoid her girlfriend and family.  She felt beyond guilty about it.  Normally she was not one to shy away from tense situations.  But despite the fact that she was an expert at dealing with the most stressful of situations, all it took was one look at Emmy or at her adorable niece and Kate’s resolve was in shreds.  And she could not, would not, break down in front of them.  She needed to be brave for them.

She’d spent hours with her staff, getting briefings, updates on the investigation.  She’d been told that progress was being made, but that so far, they had not been able to trace the letter back to its sender.  That unnerved her.  She knew that Emmy and her family were safe, but even so, she was wracked with worry.

Kate sat up for hours.  Thinking and rethinking her plans for the next few days.  Was she making the right move?  Should she give in lay low until the creeps were caught?  Part of her ached to do so.  To accede to their demands.  To just put Emmy and her family out of their misery.  It wasn’t fair to them to put them through all this.  If she went ahead with her plans, she’d be potentially be putting them through even more in the future.  But at the same time, she didn’t see how she could back down.  It wasn’t in her nature.  She was right on this, and she wouldn’t change her plans, her life, her viewpoint, her own future as well as that of all other gay Americans just because of a lousy threat.

Kate warred with herself, swaying back and forth as to what to do. Finally coming to a decision, she fell asleep.

The next morning, they were awakened to Gabby’s excited shriek as she ran into their room.  “Aunt Emmy!!!   Aunt Kate!!! Wake up!!!  Santa came!!! It’s Christmasssssss!!!”

Kate chuckled and smiled as she stretched.  Had Gabby just called her “Aunt” Kate? She liked the sound of that.

Emmy giggled and sleepily kissed her girlfriend.  “Come on ‘Aunt’ Kate.  Let’s go open presents,” she said before rolling out of bed and capturing her niece, tickling her until Gabby was laughing hysterically. “Let’s go munchkin.”

Kate smiled as she followed the two out to the communal living room.  She could get used to this.  Waking up on Christmas morning with Emmy, a few giggling and excited kids of their own.

*              *              *              *              *

They sat around opening presents, laughing, sharing stories, and drinking hot cocoa.  It was, despite the underlying tension, an almost picture perfect holiday.  Emmy and Kate exchanged presents, including what turned out to be matching heart-shaped necklaces.  They laughed at the duplicate gifts, each loving the fact that they’d been clearly of the same mind.  At last, there was one present left under the tree for Emmy from Kate.

Kate smiled nervously as Emmy unwrapped it.  As Emmy pulled out a sheet of paper with the Presidential letterhead at the top of the page, she looked up at Kate quizzically.

“What’s this?” Emmy asked.

“Read it,” Kate said.

After Emmy was done, Kate continued.  “I know it’s a bit of an odd gift. And it’s not really just for you.”

“What is it?”  Emmy’s father asked.

“It’s a press release that went out this morning.  I’m planning on giving a speech tomorrow where I’m going to call for the introduction of a Constitutional amendment that will allow for marriage between any couple, not just heterosexual couples,” Kate explained.

Emmy gave Kate a small smile, not quite sure what to make of it.  “Thank you,” she said before kissing Kate chastely.  Emmy was proud.  Yet at the same time, she couldn’t forget where Kate’s championing of gay rights had gotten them so far.  A death threat, against, among other people, her own precious niece.  As she watched Gabby obliviously playing with her new toys, Emmy couldn’t help but get a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

And as much as she hated to admit it, Christine’s warning had once again crept back into her head.  Kate had given this to her as a present.  But was it really?  Lately, ever since the threat, Kate had been distant, and preoccupied even a little cold at times.  What if this whole family Christmas had just been a ruse?  Something to help with this big announcement.  She’d even asked Emmy to be in her Christmas portrait.  Emmy shrugged it off.  She was being unfair to Kate.  Of course she’d been distant – fairly so – this threat was something that took up a lot of her time.  As well as this big speech, apparently.  It was just the stress.  Emmy knew that.  So she pushed away the feelings and did her best to enjoy the holiday.

*              *              *              *              *

A few hours later, Emmy and Kate were enjoying some quiet time together, watching some Christmas movie on TV.  Kate’s mind was far from the movie.  She was pondering her next steps.  Was she really making the right choice?  Was now the right time?  Was she being fair to Emmy?  To Emmy’s family?  Was she, Kate, just being selfish?  Kate stared off into space as she pondered, unable to comfort herself, unable to fully believe she’d made the right choice.

Emmy had noticed Kate’s distance appear once again.  She’d been a little off for the past few days.  Sure, it was probably just the stress, the pressure that all of them were feeling, but she couldn’t help but feel left out.  Like Kate was keeping something from her, like Kate was silently pushing her away.  Still, it was Christmas and Emmy was determined to be happy, so she did her best to ignore the doubts.

Their movie was interrupted as Beth knocked.  “I’m sorry to interrupt your holiday.  But we just received this.”

She grimly handed the piece of paper to Kate.  Both women read it quickly.

I see you’ve failed to take our demands seriously.  This is stupid.  Very stupid.  Instead of doing as we ask, you’ve gone ahead and scheduled a speech for tomorrow?  One that will apparently deal with this so-called marriage equality issue?  Are you really that dense?

You’d better think long and hard about this, bitch.  We will not be trifled with.  Do not play games.  We certainly aren’t.  You aren’t as safe as you think you are.  You have 24 hours.  That’s right.  You’re going to give that speech, but you’re going to tell the American public that being gay is an abomination and that you are resigning.  If you don’t . . . well, let’s just say you don’t want to find out what the consequences will be.  You won’t like them.

Citizens for the Moral Family

Kate looked up at Beth.  “You’ve got this under control, I take it?”

“We’ve got every agent available on it, Kate,” Beth replied.

“Okay.  Good,” Kate replied.

“Does this change any plans for tomorrow?”  Beth asked.

“Like hell it does.”

“Just checking,” Beth said before heading from the room.

Emmy was shaking. She was overwhelmed.  With fear. With rage. With guilt.

“It’s going to be okay,” Kate said, somewhat distractedly, as she stroked Emmy’s back.

Kate warred with herself.  Was she crazy?  Should she give up this whole plan?  After a moment of self-doubt, she shook it off.  No.  She was the President of the United States and no one told her how to live her life or what to believe in.  She knew one thing for sure.  She wanted a future with Emmy, and that meant fighting for that future.  And fighting for what was right.

“Let’s get some air?”  Kate asked, determination setting in.

Emmy looked at Kate with question in her eyes.  “Really?  You’re not going to take this threat seriously?  Don’t you think you should go . . .”

Kate shook her head. “No.  You and I need some time to catch our breaths, to reflect.  To just be me and you.  I have no doubt that the agents working round the clock will catch these jerks.  And me hovering over my team is not going to make that happen any faster.  So let’s just take a moment to ourselves.”

Emmy nodded and they grabbed their coats and headed outside.  They walked quietly hand-in-hand, neither of them ready or willing to break the silence.  Both were lost in their thoughts.

Emmy couldn’t help but think about how Kate had just brushed off Beth.  While she missed Kate when she was gone, she couldn’t help but think that maybe there was more she should be doing.  Deep down, Emmy knew this was ridiculous. She knew that she should be grateful that Kate wasn’t leaving her scared and stranded alone again.  Why hadn’t Kate cancelled her speech, given the new threat?  Couldn’t it wait?  Surely they’d catch the bastards soon.  Then Kate could give her speech.  Or was it really all about her career after all?  Was Christine right?  Emmy knew she was being silly. Kate was just standing up for what she believed in, trusting the federal agents to make sure everyone as safe. All the same the doubts crept in . . .

Kate continued to fight with herself.  Question herself and her motivations.  Was it really the time to do this?  Maybe if she just waited for things to die down, for the threat to be eliminated.  But she couldn’t do it.  She couldn’t wait any longer.  Crisis or no crisis.  So she steeled herself and took a deep breath before stopping and turning towards Emmy.

Emmy was confused as Kate stopped suddenly.  “What?  Why are you stopping? Is something wrong?”

Kate offered a small smile and shook her head.  She took Emmy’s hands in hers. “I have one more present for you.”

Emmy’s heart nearly stopped as Kate pulled a small, very recognizable velvet box from her pocket.

“I love you Emmaline Harris.  More than I ever thought I was capable of loving anyone.  I can’t imagine my life without you in it.  I know that being with me is far from easy, but together, we can conquer anything.  And so, if this amendment passes, I want us to be the very first people to be legally married under federal law.  Emmaline Harris, will you be my wife?”

Emmy was stunned.  She had not been expecting a proposal.  Not at all.  Her heart leapt with joy. This was what she’d wanted for so long.  She couldn’t imagine her future with anyone other than Kate.  But then her heart sank as Kate brought up that damned amendment.  What was she to think?  Did Kate really want to marry her just for her?  Or was it for this damned amendment.  For her career. Goddamn Christine.  She had no idea what to think.  Emmy swallowed hard and blinked back a few tears.

She stared into Kate’s blue eyes.  Kate was smiling at her, waiting expectantly.  “I’m sorry.  I just can’t do this anymore.”  Emmy whispered before running off.

Kate stood there, stunned.  What the hell had just happened?

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

“I’m sorry.   I just can’t do this anymore.”

The words, those powerful, hurtful, heartbreaking words, echoed through Kate’s head over and over again as she stood planted firmly to the spot where she’d proposed.  She couldn’t breathe.  Her fingers slowly relaxed, dropping the small velvet box into the snow at her feet.  Unable to process what had just happened, Kate sank to her knees, oblivious to the cold and wet snow soaking through her pants.  Tears rolled down her cheeks as she struggled to comprehend what had just happened.

She’d been planning the proposal for weeks.  She’d tossed around different ideas ranging from the big and grandiose to a surprise under the Christmas tree with their families watching.  However, she’d finally decided to just pull Emmy aside and ask her during a private moment.   She’d worried about proposing right, about saying the right words, about picking the right ring.  Those were the worries she’d had.  It had never crossed her mind that Emmy might be upset, offended even at the prospect of marrying her.  How could she have been so naïve?  So blind?

After taking a few moments to gather herself, Kate brushed off the snow, picked up the ring, and headed inside in search of Emmy.  She needed to figure out what the hell had just happened.  She had no clue why Emmy had reacted the way she had.  She wanted, no needed to understand where Emmy was coming from.  Even if it hurt and even if it broke her heart.  When she found a crumpled, weepy Emmy on the couch in their private quarters, she gathered her courage and entered the room.

“Hey,” Kate said gingerly.

“What do you want?” Emmy said, her eyes reddened from crying.

Kate winced slightly at the harsh tone of Emmy’s voice, but she pushed on.  “I get that you’re upset at me.  Angry at me apparently, for some unknown reason.  I apologize if I’ve offended you.  But Emmaline, I have no idea what is going on.  One minute I’m starting what I hope will be a memorable and romantic conversation with you and the next, you’re telling me you can’t be with me and running away.  I understand if marrying me isn’t what you want.  It hurts, but I understand that.  It’s your choice.  But I do need to understand why.  You owe me at least that much.”

Emmy noted what looked like genuine hurt in Kate’s eyes.  If she wasn’t mistaken, Kate had been crying recently.  This softened her resolve a bit and made her question whether she’d read things right.  But she shook it off.  All of the signs told her she was right.  And she was not about to commit herself to a relationship, to a woman, who seemed to put her career ahead of that relationship.  Put her career ahead of Emmy.

Kate felt a glimmer of hope flicker through her as she watched a range of emotions play out across Emmy’s expressive face.   Hope, love, careful consideration.  But then, those expressions were replaced by ones of doubt, of fear, of judgment, of anger.  Just as quickly as that flame of hope had erupted, it was extinguished.  She saw Emmy’s steely resolve set in and Kate knew she was done for.

“I’m sorry, but you can’t blame me if I find the timing of this marriage proposal suspect. Right before you’re about to announce one of the biggest proposals of your Presidency – a gay marriage amendment.  How convenient that you happened to be engaged and needing a legal gay marriage, right?  Come on, Kate.  I can see through that so easily.  It puts a human face on the issue.  Kate Stewart.  Gay poster child.  And you just assumed I’d happily come along for the ride.  I hate to say it, but I’m starting to think Christine was right about you.  You’ve been nothing but distant lately.  You’re busy.  I get it, but you barely stopped for a second to make sure I was alright, that my family was alright.  You were so wrapped up in this stupid amendment and your political agenda that you didn’t even care that my family was in danger!”  Emmy paused to catch her breath, fresh tears rolling down her face.

Emmy’s accusations hit her like a ton of bricks. Where had this come from?  This was not what she’d expected at all.  “I’m sorry . . .” Kate began, hoping to explain herself.  However, Emmy cut her off.

“I’m sorry too.  I’m sorry that I trusted my heart, that I let you in.  I’m sorry that I let myself get too wrapped up in the fantasy.  That someone like you could actually love me for me.  No strings, no expectations.  In the process, I’ve risked not only my own happiness, but that of my family.  It’s a mistake I won’t make again.”

“Emmaline, I . . .” Kate began again.

Emmy held up a hand.  “No.  We’re done here.  I’m not going to be won over by one of those charming speeches you’re so good at giving.  I meant what I said.  I can’t do this any more.  I’m sorry if I’ve hurt you, but trust me, I’m hurting too.”

The words cut through Kate like a hot, searing knife.  Did Emmy really think so little of her?  That she’d take Christine’s word over her own.  Kate sighed in resignation.  As much as it killed her, she didn’t have the willpower to fight it anymore.  Clearly Emmy had made up her mind.  “If that’s what you really think of me, I guess I have no choice to let you go.”

Emmy nodded, just a brief flicker of self-doubt flashing in her eyes.  Kate certainly looked devastated, but Emmy reminded herself to be strong.  Politicians were masters of manipulation.  It was probably all just an act.  “I’ve already asked Director Bell for a transfer.  Apparently because of the holiday, we’re short staffed.  So I’ll be on your service for a few more days.  In the mean time, please, just leave me be.”  With that, she left the room.

Kate collapsed onto the couch in a fit of sobs.  How could she have mucked things up so badly?  Not only that, but she hadn’t even seen this coming.  How could she have been so oblivious?  Before the death threats came in, she’d been happily planning the perfect Christmas and the perfect proposal.  Then, suddenly, everything had come crashing down around her.

Allowing herself some time to just be heartbroken, some time to wallow in self-pity, Kate didn’t hear Beth enter the room.

“Kate.  What on earth is the matter?  I don’t like getting involved in people’s private lives, but this is the second time in a few days that I’ve found you in a state like this. We’ve got the threat investigation under control, so I’m guessing this isn’t about that.  What is going on?”  Beth sat gingerly on the couch beside Kate, flailing her hands awkwardly before finally gently patting Kate on the back.

Before Beth knew what was happening, Kate had pulled her into a tight hug and was weeping opening into her shoulder.  Beth awkwardly rubbed Kate’s back, doing her best to comfort the distraught woman in her arms.  This was a far cry from the cool, calm, and collected President that Beth was used to dealing with.   “What is it, sweetie?”  She asked, hoping to figure out and solve Kate’s problem so that she could escape.

“Emmy . . . she . . . marry . . . left . . .hates me.”  Kate said between sobs.

“Okay, I didn’t get most of that, but I’m guessing you and Harris had a fight?”  Beth asked.

Kate shook her head.  Took a deep breath and tried again.  “I asked her to marry me.”

“I take it that it didn’t go well?  Those don’t seem like tears of joy,” Beth said.

“No.  She told me that all I thought about was my career.  That I’d been cold and distant.  That I didn’t care that her family was in danger. That I was just using her to further my political ambitions.”

“She’s crazy.  Don’t worry.  She’ll come around.  It’s just the stress,” Beth tried, hoping to reassure her.

“I don’t think so.  She’s deadly serious.  I just don’t get it. I didn’t see this coming at all,” Kate said as she wiped away some tears.  “I thought things were going great.  Apparently I was mistaken.  And I did take the threats very seriously.  You saw how hard I’ve been working with the FBI to track down those bastards.  It’s all I think about.  It keeps me up at night.  How could she not see that?”

“Did you ever tell her that?  Let her see you worry?” Beth asked.

Kate looked down at her hands and shook her head.  “No.  I was trying to be strong for her.  I didn’t want to worry her any more than I had to.”

“Well there’s your problem, sweetie.  You need to talk to her.  And she needs to talk to you too, from the sound of it.  Both of you are too caught up in hiding your feelings, in acting like everything is fine.  When those feelings finally do come out, well, quite frankly, shit hits the fan.  You need to let her see the real you.  Even the messy parts.  That’s part of being in love.  Trusting that person completely.  Letting them tear down those walls.  So go talk to her.”

“She won’t listen,” Kate protested.

“Then you keep trying, keep talking, until she will.  If she’s got you this upset, clearly she’s worth the fight.”

“You’re right,” Kate said.  “Thanks, Beth.  And uh . . . sorry for ruining your shirt,” Kate gestured to Beth’s tear and snot-stained shoulder.

Beth smiled and waived her off.  “Don’t worry.  My son has done much worse to my clothes.  This is nothing.  Go get your girl.”

Kate swallowed hard and nodded as Beth took her leave.  Beth’s advice really hit home.  Kate had been oblivious.  A combination of past broken relationships, her military upbringing, and her political career had taught her to protect her emotions.  To tuck them away deep down.  To act as if everything was under control, even when it wasn’t.  Clearly Emmy had taken her stoic attitude as indifference and even coldness.  It still hurt that Emmy would trust Christine’s version of herself over what Kate had shown her.  However, if she was being completely honest with herself, she hadn’t done her best to always give Emmy a reason to trust.  If she couldn’t trust Emmy with her emotions, all of her emotions, not just the good ones, then why should Emmy trust her?

Resolved to seek out Emmy in the morning, Kate dragged herself to bed.  After all, whether or not she had resolved her own personal problems, she still had a big speech to give the next day.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy had a rough and fitful night of sleep.  She couldn’t help but let the doubt invade.  Had she made the right call?  Everything in her heart was yearning, screaming at her, telling her she’d made a terrible mistake.  But her head, it was telling her a different story.  She wanted so badly to believe that Kate had only the best intentions at heart, but the evidence of late suggested differently.

Kate had made an attempt to talk to her again this morning, but Emmy had once again pushed her away.  She wasn’t ready, not yet anyhow, to hear what Kate had to say.  Deep down, she knew it was because she didn’t trust herself to stand firm.  She didn’t trust her heart not to give in, to tell Kate she’d made a big mistake. To beg Kate to take her back.  So she pushed her away.  It was her only defense.

Emmy sighed to herself as she accompanied Kate to the stage where she’d deliver her landmark speech.  As Kate began to speak, Emmy struggled to focus on the job at hand.  The place was crawling with agents, given the recent threats, but Emmy knew she had to be hyper-vigilant.  And whether or not she was romantically involved with Kate, she still had a duty to protect her.

Kate’s speech was going well.  She felt good as she delivered each word, each line, which had been carefully crafted over the past few days.  She somehow had managed to push her troubles with Emmy to the back of her mind, to just live in the moment as she called for this historic law.  All of a sudden, out of the corner of her eye, Kate noticed a man nearing the front of the crowd, moving with purpose.  Her heart dropped as she realized what this meant, who this man probably was.  Though she didn’t recognize him, his intentions were written all over his face.

Emmy clearly had seen him at that exact moment as well, as Kate felt Emmy moving towards her just as the man raised his arm, a gun extended.  Kate paused her speech.  From the sudden silence, a gunshot erupted.

Emmy had seen the man and the evil intent in his eyes.  She dove to cover Kate just as he raised his gun, but before she knew what was happening, Kate had pushed her aside.  Kate had covered Emmy’s body with her own.

And Kate had taken that bullet.

Emmy saw a look of shock and apology in Kate’s blue eyes as she crumpled to the ground.  Chaos erupted around them, but Emmy couldn’t hear anything.  Her heartbeat was thundering in her ears as blood seeped through the shirt of the woman she loved.  Yes, the woman she still loved.  Emmy quickly put pressure on the wound.

A few tears rolled down Emmy’s face as she looked down at Kate.  “Why?  Why did you jump in front of me?  Why Kate?” she asked.

Kate gasped, clearly struggling to breath.  “Because . . . Because I love you more than life itself.”

“I’m so sorry,” Emmy responded.  She noticed Kate’s eyes glaze over.  “Help is on the way.  You stay with me, you hear?” Emmy said, openly sobbing as she struggled to contain the blood.   By this time, medics had arrived and were taking over.

“Emmali . . .” Kate started to say.  However, losing consciousness, she didn’t finish.

“You stay with me!!!”  Emmy screamed again, franticly.

As they wheeled Kate away, Emmy collapsed onto the floor, her hands and shirt covered in Kate’s blood.  How could she have been so stupid?  So blind?  She’d been offered everything she ever wanted and she’d just thrown it away.  And now, it might be too late.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

The next few hours were a whirlwind of activity, but Emmy hardly noticed.  People spoke to her, offering their condolences and prayers.  She heard the words, but they didn’t register.  It was as if she was underwater.  The messages were muddled.  She couldn’t focus on anything other than the cold and hard fact:  That Kate had been shot.  That Kate had risked her life.  For her.  That Kate might die.  And it would be all her fault.

Somehow, through the fog, she gathered that Kate’s internal injuries were critical.  She’d been rushed into emergency surgery and the best doctors in the city were working on her.  Somehow, Emmy had been hoping for the miracle, like what happens in the movies.  The hero gets shot, but it turns out it’s in a non-vital area.  Or a coin in her pocket miraculously stopped the bullet.  Not so.  She’d been told, in no uncertain terms, that Kate, that the love of her life, could die on that operating table.  That was something that she was not prepared for.  Something she would never be prepared for.

As she sat in the waiting room, Emmy couldn’t escape the fact that she’d failed Kate.  The fact that she had failed to perform her job, to protect the President, was the least serious offense in her mind.  She’d failed to protect the woman she loved, but she’d also failed her in so many other ways.  She’d failed to have faith, to trust in Kate, to trust in her love.  She’d taken the word of a stranger, Christine, over the love and devotion Kate had shown her. She’d let the stress and the threats of some crazies, get to her.  She’d let herself doubt.  And because she’d failed to communicate, to tell Kate what she was feeling, those negative thoughts had boiled over at the worst possible time.

Yes.  Her biggest failure was that she’d possibly broken Kate’s heart.  Kate had put her heart on the line, had asked her to marry her.  And what had Emmy done? She’d tossed it away like some piece of worthless trash.  And the worst of it was, she might not ever get a chance to fix it.

The realization hit Emmy like a punch to the gut.  She hadn’t told Kate that she loved her.  Kate’s last words to her had been words of love.  But she’d slipped away before Emmy could respond.  Now Kate was fighting for her life and she didn’t even know how Emmy felt. She didn’t know how big a mistake Emmy had made, and how much she regretted it.  And now, Emmy thought with a sickening realization, she might never get the chance to tell Kate how she felt.  To apologize.  To beg for her forgiveness, and for her understanding.  To tell Kate that she loved her. More than life itself, to use Kate’s own words.  To tell her that she’d been a fool to throw it away so casually, over something so stupid.

The realization made her stomach roil in protest.  Unable to bear the pain, unable to face what her blindness has yielded, Emmy raced to the bathroom, barely making it before losing the contents of her stomach.   When her stomach finally stopped churning, Emmy collapsed onto the cool tile of the bathroom floor and leaned her head back against the stall door.  She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing, attempting to regain some semblance of control.  After a few minutes, she rose and headed to the sink.  Splashing some cool water onto her face, Emmy stared back at her reflection in the mirror, her clothes still stained with Kate’s blood.

What the hell have you done, Harris?  You’ve royally stepped in it this time.  And unlike past mistakes, Kate could die before you get a chance to try and make this right.  And even if she lives, she may not want you back.  Sure, she took a bullet for you, sure, she loves you.  But love is complicated.  And why should she trust you again with her heart after the way you trampled all over it?  Emmy let out a deep sigh and dried off her face.  She had to come to terms with the fact that right now, there was nothing she could do to change what had happened.  Right now, there was only one thing she could do.  Pray.   And pray hard.

*              *              *              *              *

As Emmy walked back into the waiting room, she saw Beth, along with Director Bell and the Vice President, Brian Baker.  They were in mid-conversation, but halted as she approached.

Bell was the first to speak.  “Agent Harris, you’re relieved of your duties effectively immediately pending the outcome of an investigation into your failure to protect the President.  I’ll speak with you about this in more detail.  For now, you are dismissed.”

Emmy was stunned.  How had she not seen this coming?  Of course she’d be losing her job.  She’d failed on the number one job of a Secret Service agent – to protect the President.  Yet, even if she was to be relieved of her duty, she wanted, no needed to stay.  She needed to keep vigil.   As Kate’s girlfriend.  Then it occurred to her that she no longer even had the right to claim that title.  And the loss of that position was one of her own doing.  She struggled to fight back tears as she replied, almost in a whisper.  “Yes, sir.  Please, sir.  Please let me know how she’s doing.”  And then, with a bone-deep resignation, she turned to go.

Before Emmy got more than a step towards the door, Beth spoke up.  “William.  If I may suggest – you may want to reconsider what you just told Agent Harris.  As I’m sure you’re aware, Agent Harris was attempting to do her job when that stubborn woman with an overgrown sense of duty whom we call the President, stepped in front of her.  In Harris’s defense, I’m not sure there was anything more she could have done.  And trust me, William.  If  . . . when President Stewart regains consciousness, she’ll have your head if you dismiss this woman.  In addition, as the President’s significant other, I think she has a right to be here.”

Emmy silently shot Beth a deep look of gratitude.

Bell grumbled and then responded.  “Last I heard it, directly from Agent Harris’s lips, these two were no longer involved in a romantic relationship.  And in fact, Harris had requested a transfer.  Never mind the fact that I should never have allowed Harris to remain on the Presidential service once they became involved.  What happened today is exactly the type of situation that could have been avoided.”

“That well may be.”  Beth replied.  “But what’s happened has happened.  There’s no need to unnecessarily punish Harris now.  And I’m not so sure their relationship is over.  But you’d have to ask Harris on that one.”

“It’s not over, sir.  At least if I have anything to do with it.”  Emmy interjected, swallowing hard as she was once again hit with the realization that their relationship might indeed be over, in the very most final sense of the word, if Kate didn’t pull through.

Bell nodded.  “Very well, you might as well stay and hear this then.  We’re just briefing the Vice President on the situation as it stands now.  Brian has taken over the Presidency on a temporary basis, while Kate is incapacitated.”

Emmy nodded and struggled to breathe.  The fact that Kate could not fulfill the Presidential duties at the moment reinforced even more the seriousness of her condition.  Emmy struggled to contain the overwhelming feelings of guilt, anguish, sadness, and fear that threatened to overtake her once again.

Bell began his briefing.  Brian Baker, a tall, gruff-looking man, was listening intently.  “As you know, we caught the shooter, moments after the shot was fired.  The failure to secure the perimeter and to apprehend the man prior to the attack is unacceptable and we’re in the process of getting to the bottom of it.  What we know so far is this.  The shooter, a man by the name of Gary Zinman, is a member of a small, but sophisticated extremist group.  We captured Zinman alive and it didn’t take long for FBI agents to get him talking.  He’s named all of the other members of his group and we’ve got units out to apprehend them.  So far, everything he’s told us lines up with the intelligence we’ve gathered so far.  As you’re probably aware, we were close, but apparently not close enough, to getting these guys as of late yesterday.  President Stewart had made it abundantly clear that this was her number one priority and hovered over our shoulder every step of the way.”

Emmy zoned out for a moment as those words hit home.  Bell’s words knocked the wind out of her.  She’d doubted Kate.  Told her that she didn’t care about finding these creeps, that she’d taken her family’s safety too lightly.  Clearly that hadn’t been the case at all.  Why hadn’t Kate told her she was being an idiot?  Then it occurred to her that she hadn’t let Kate get a word in edgewise.  She’d just ranted and yelled and run off.  Emmy thought she might never recover from what felt like a never-ending feeling of failure.  She knew one thing for sure.  If she got the chance, she’d spend the rest of her life making it up to Kate, but right now, that was not in her hands.  It was in the hands of those doctors, in the hands of God, in the hands of Kate and her will to live.  Emmy just hoped and prayed that Kate still felt like she had something, or more importantly, someone, to live for.

Emmy slowly tuned back into the conversation.   Apparently, Zinman had gained access through the tight security because they’re recruited a Secret Service agent to join their cause.  An agent named Charles Burke.  She didn’t know him well, but Emmy couldn’t help but feel betrayed beyond words. Burke had sworn an oath to protect the President and he’d thrown that away over something like gay rights?  Was that really a cause worth killing for?  She struggled to focus as the others around her continued their discussion.  Ways to deal with the media, ways to continue the investigation, and all other sorts of things that were not really of Emmy’s immediate concern.  Right now, all she was focused on was Kate.

*              *              *              *              *

A short time later, Kate’s parents, who had left just this morning to head back to their home in San Diego, arrived.  Kate’s mom immediately pulled Emmy into a tight hug.  Emmy felt a little guilty, given the way she’d left things with Kate and the way she’d failed her this morning.  Despite this guilt, she sunk into the older woman’s arms, needing desperately to feel some comfort.  After Kate’s parents had been briefed, the group settled in to hold vigil, waiting for any news from the operating room.  They struggled to make awkward small talk, but it was all they could do to manage the time and the stress.

After a while the conversation died out and they settled into a tense silence, each person struggling to find ways to occupy themselves.  Eventually, Barbara Stewart broke the silence.  “Thank you, Emmy.”

Confused, Emmy studied her.  “For what?”

“For trying to save my daughter.  I saw what you did.  Kate can be so pig-headed sometimes,” she shook her head.  “Stepping in front of you,” Barbara paused for a moment before qualifying her statement.  “Not that I’m suggesting that I’d want you to be shot.  Of course not.  But perhaps if she’d have let you do your job, you could have gotten both of you out of harm’s way in time.  So thank you.”

Emmy sighed.  The last thing she wanted was any sort of suggestion that she’d done her job, that she’d protected Kate.  She hadn’t.  She hadn’t protected Kate’s life.  Or her heart.  “You’re welcome.  But I’m sure Kate told you how horribly I treated her last night.  That the last real conversation we had, I said some hateful, hateful things.  I’ll never forgive myself.  And if she pulls through this, I’m not sure she’ll forgive me either.”

Barbara shook her head and placed a gentle hand on Emmy’s knee.  She peered into Emmy’s eyes with the same blue eyes her daughter possessed. “You’re the love of my daughter’s life.  That much I know.  Any differences you have, you’ll work them out.  So, when Kate pulls through, you two can talk that out.  Because you love each other and you make each other happy.   And that’s all there is to know.”

Emmy sighed and nodded.  “Thanks.”  It was the only response she could manage before tears began to roll down her cheeks.  Barbara pulled her in for another hug, but their embrace was cut short by the entrance of Kate’s surgeon.

Emmy wiped her eyes and peered up at the man expectantly, desperately trying to garner any sort of sign as to Kate’s condition from the doctor’s expression.

“She’s stable.  For now,” he began.

Emmy let out a breath she hadn’t known she’d been holding.

The surgeon continued. “She sustained massive internal bleeding and the bullet nearly hit her heart.  A few millimeters over and we’d be having an entirely different conversation.  She’s not out of the woods yet.  She’s still unconscious and the next 24-48 hours will be key.  If she can hold on for that long, she’s got a fighting chance.  She’s in the ICU, but can take visitors.  Only one or two people at a time.”

“Thank you doctor,” Kate’s father replied.  “For everything you’ve done for my daughter.”

The man nodded and headed out the door.

Emmy waited for Kate’s parents to leave to visit their daughter, but surprisingly, they made no move for the door.

“You should go first, Emmy,” Kate’s father said, as if reading her thoughts.  “It’s what Kate would have wanted.”

“No, you should . . .”  Emmy started to protest, but he raised a staying hand.

“I insist. Go.”

Emmy nodded.  “Thank you.  I won’t be long.”

“Take your time, dear.”  Barbara said.

Emmy offered them a small smile and let the nurse lead her to Kate’s room.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but the sight before her sent a jolt right through her body.  Kate looked so small, so pale, so weak.  Lying there in the bed, her blonde hair unkempt and matted, her body a mess of wires and tubes, the only noise in the room was the sound of the heart monitor and the respirator.   The sight . . . it left Emmy breathless.  She quickly moved to the chair beside the bed, not trusting her legs to hold her much longer.

Emmy gingerly took Kate’s hand between both of her own, laid her head on the bed, and began to sob.  She took a few moments to just be in the moment.  To allow herself to feel the gamut of emotions flooding through her.  The guilt, the pain, the heartache, the fear, and now, the relief.  The relief at the fact that Kate had at least made it through surgery.  After a few minutes, Emmy steadied her breathing and looked up at the woman she loved.

She gently reached out and caressed Kate’s cheek, taking a moment to smooth out her hair, to tuck a stray lock behind her ear.  Finally, she began to speak.

“Hey.  It’s me.  I’m not even sure if you’d want me here if you were awake and had a say in things.  I’ve messed things up in the worst way.  I’m not going to say much right now because you need to focus on getting better.  I hope that when you wake up, you’ll give me a chance to apologize for all the ways that I’ve failed you.  I hope you’ll forgive me.  Because I know that I’ll never be able to forgive myself.  I love you Kate Stewart, so much.  More than I ever thought possible.  I’ve been a fool to push you away.  It was and probably always will be the biggest mistake of my life.  So I need you to stay with me, to pull through.  So that, if you’ll have me, you can spend the rest of our lives making sure I never live that mistake down.  I’m trusting in you to fight.  You are one of the most stubborn, brave, and strong people I’ve ever met.  So right now, I need you to be a fighter.  For me.  For you. And hopefully, for us.  Because I love you, Kate Stewart, and I don’t know if I can live without you.  Please don’t make me test that theory.  Please, I need you to live.”

Emmy’s face was streaked with tears as she stared at Kate’s limp, pale body.  After taking a few more moments, Emmy squeezed Kate’s hand, gently kissed it and rose.  “I’ll be back soon.  I love you so much, Kate.  More than life itself.”  She needed to let Kate’s parents have some time with their daughter.  Just as Emmy turned to leave, a sound that filled her heart with dread rang out.

The heart-monitor let out a high-pitched squeal as Kate flat-lined.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The squealing of the heart monitor invaded the room and Emmy struggled to function.  She opened her mouth to cry out for help, but was unable to muster the air needed to make a sound.  Fortunately, a team of doctors and nurses rushed into the room and immediately began to work to resuscitate Kate.

Emmy didn’t know exactly what happened, but she somehow ended up back in the waiting room, struggling, along with Kate’s parents, to hold out hope.  They’d managed to restart Kate’s heart and had rushed her back into the operating room for more emergency surgery.  Something about more internal bleeding.  Emmy was sure there were more details, but she couldn’t focus on them right now.  All she could focus on was the fact that Kate could die.  It was a very real chance.  And she didn’t know how she’d deal with that if it happened.

The hours ticked by.  With each passing hour, each passing minute, each passing second, Emmy grew more and more on edge.  It was as if her life, her happiness, her future, were grains in an hourglass.  And they were slowly slipping away.  She struggled to be patient, reminding herself that just because there was no news did not necessarily mean that things had gone badly.  In fact, it meant that Kate was still alive, still fighting.  She knew what a strong woman Kate was.  Emmy just prayed that she was strong enough.  Strong enough to fight death itself.

After what seemed like an eternity, the surgeon came into the waiting room.  Emmy saw his lips moving, heard the sound of his voice, saw the expressions on his face.  But only two words got through.  “She’s alive.”  Emmy slid to the floor, unable to withstand the stress and pressure, overwhelmed with the sudden relief brought on by the news.  She broke down for what seemed like the thousandth time since the incident, crying until she could cry no more.  She vaguely registered the comforting arms of the Stewart family around her, but only one thing stuck in her mind.   She’s alive.

As Emmy was escorted back to Kate’s bedside, she struggled to temper her joy.  Kate had made it, but she wasn’t out of the woods, the doctor had made that much clear.  And given the near heartbreak Emmy had experienced just hours before, she was careful not to let her guard down too much.  But she would stick with this woman for as long as she’d have her.  Emmy realized that she’d stick with Kate for the rest of their lives, whether that proved to be years or just a few hours was yet to be seen.  Emmy was praying that it would be the former and not the latter.  Because if there was one vital lesson she’d learned over the past day or two, it was that love was what mattered.  Above all else.  She’d put too much stock in rumors, in doubts, in inconveniences, in trivial problems.  Never again.  If Kate fought this battle and won, Emmy would made damn sure she never, ever, ever took the gift that was Kate’s love for granted.  Ever again.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy refused to leave Kate’s bedside over the next few days.  Kate had finally been weaned off the ventilator and was breathing on her own, which was a good sign.  However, she’d yet to regain consciousness.  Emmy was determined to be there if, no when it happened.  Every once in a while, one of Kate’s parents would hold vigil just long enough for Emmy to get food or use the restroom.  Emmy had protested even these small breaks.  Each beep of a machine was what she lived for.  Anything that let her know that Kate was holding on.  She hadn’t slept much, deathly afraid that she’d fall asleep, only to miss Kate slipping away again.   She’d resisted, but a stern look from Beth and a reminder that she’d be no good to Kate if she ended up in the hospital right alongside her was all it took.  Kate’s parents hadn’t pushed for more time with their daughter, silently knowing that Emmy needed the time more than they did.  They also knew that deep down, Emmy was what their daughter needed as well.

On the third day of Emmy’s round-the-clock vigil, Beth quietly slipped into Kate’s room.   She whispered to Emmy.  “There’s someone here to see you.”

Emmy shook her head.  “Whoever it is, tell them I’m busy.”

Beth pressed on.  “Actually, I asked him to come.  I thought maybe you could use some support.”

Emmy looked at her quizzically.  “Who?”

“Your father.”

“Uh, thanks, Beth.  I appreciate it, really I do.  But my dad and I can talk later.  Right now, Kate needs me.”

“Harris.  Seriously.  You look like death warmed over. All you’ve been doing for the past several days is sitting here and beating yourself up.  Punishing yourself for something that isn’t your fault.  I think you need to talk to someone.  And that someone is your father.  If I can’t talk some sense into you, maybe he can.”

Emmy sighed.  The last thing she wanted was a lecture from her father.  Not because she didn’t appreciate his advice, but because she was afraid he’d be right.  He was almost always right.  And right now, she needed to blame herself.  It was what she deserved. “Tell him I’ll call him later.”  Emmy said, hoping to put him off for at least a while.

Beth shook her head.  “I am under strict orders to not take no for an answer.”

“But Kate will be alone.  Her parents ran back to the hotel to get a change of clothes and a shower,” Emmy protested, grasping at anything that would allow her to stay with Kate.

“I’ll sit with her.”  Seeing the struggle on Emmy’s face, Beth patted her reassuringly on the arm.  “Emmy.  It will be fine.  Trust me.”

Emmy let out a resigned sigh.  “Fine.  I’ll go.  But only for a few minutes.”

Satisfied, Beth nodded.  “Go talk to your father.  She’ll still be here when you get back.”

Emmy struggled to move, but slowly left the room.  She hoped and prayed that Beth was right and that she wasn’t making a terrible mistake by leaving Kate.

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy headed to the waiting room where she met her father.  All her resolve to keep the conversation brief and unemotional went crumbling to the ground with just one word from her father.

“Emmaline,” he said, empathetically, his arms outstretched for a hug.

Emmy immediately allowed herself to be enveloped in his strong arms as gut-wrenching sobs began to wrack her body.

“Shh, shh.   Honey.  It will be okay,”  he said as he gently rubbed circles on her back.

They stayed that way for several minutes, only the sounds of Emmy’s cries breaking the silence.

Finally, as Emmy’s sobs subsided to the occasional whimper, Stephen broke the silence.  “Why didn’t you call us, honey?  Your family.  You clearly needed someone to lean on.  You shouldn’t have gone through this alone.”

“I texted,” Emmy argued half-heartedly.

“Emmaline,” Stephen said in an exasperated tone. “The occasional text with an update on Kate’s condition is not the same thing as the love and support of your family.”

“I know,” Emmy said softly as she stared at her hands.

“So why didn’t you ask us to come?  Why did Beth have to finally summon me?”

“I don’t know.  I guess I feel like I don’t deserve any sympathy right now.  What happened to Kate is my fault.”

“That’s not true,” he said matter-of-factly.

“Yes it is,” Emmy replied, still unable to make eye contact as a new wave of sobs wracked her body.

Her father gently lifted her chin so that she had to look him in eye.  “Honey.  You listen to me.  None of this was your fault.  Do you understand?  The only person to blame is that man who pulled the trigger.  That is where the blame lies.  Nowhere else.  Do you hear me?”

Somehow, she believed him. At least mostly.  She nodded and swallowed hard.  “But the guilt.  It’s killing me.  I left things with her so badly.  She proposed Daddy.  On Christmas.  And I turned her down because I was thought she was just using me as a part of her plan to promote gay marriage. I crushed her, Daddy.  And then she got shot.”

“Emmaline.  Why on earth would you think she was using you?”

Embarrassed to say what had caused her to rebuff Kate, Emmy again looked away.  “I  . . . um .  . . an ex-girlfriend of Kate’s approached me and warned me not to trust her.  That Kate only cared about her career.”

“And you believed her?” Stephen asked incredulously.  “Over the woman who, as far as I can tell, has done nothing but love you from day one?”

“I know, it was beyond stupid. It was the stress. Kate wouldn’t talk about the threat with me.  Apparently she was taking it seriously, but to me it felt like she didn’t care.  And then when she told me about the gay marriage amendment and then proposed, it just felt, I don’t know, too convenient.”

“Emmaline.  Did you ever think to stop and talk to Kate about how you were feeling?  Tell her that you were scared and that you needed her? That you needed to know what she was doing to deal with the threat?”

Emmy shook her head.

“It sounds to me like you two need to talk more.  But that’s easily solved,” Stephen said.

“Is it?  What if she won’t forgive me?” Emmy asked.

“She will.  Though it was a rather overly romantic and heroic gesture, it doesn’t take a bullet to see that she loves you.  I know that you’ve been hurt before and that you’re afraid to trust, but she’s different.  Even I can see that.  I may not have always been supportive of you being with a woman, I know I was shocked the first time you brought a girl home.  But one thing I know for sure.  She makes you happier than I’ve ever seen you.  Don’t let that get away.”

“Thank you, Daddy,” Emmy said, feeling just a small amount of relief for the first time in days.  She wrapped her arms around him again and just let herself relax in the warm, protective arms of her father.

Beth entered, interrupting their moment.

Instantly, Emmy panicked.  “What?  What is it?  Is she . . .  Is she . . .”  She couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence, unable to verbalize her worst fears – that Kate had slipped away.

Beth shook her head and offered her a reassuring smile.  “She’s awake, Harris.  And she’s asking for you.”

Emmy might have collapsed to the floor, her legs giving out with the relief, had her father not been there to support her.  “Go,” he said.  “I’ll be here if you need me.”

Emmy offered him and small smile and nodded.  With a deep breath, she headed back to Kate’s room, not sure what to expect.

*              *              *              *              *

“Hey.”  Emmy said gingerly as she entered the room, taking a seat at Kate’s bedside.

“Hey yourself.”   Kate rasped, the weakness in her voice an unfamiliar trait.  Gone was the normally strong and confident tone.

“Kate, I am so sorry . . .” Emmy began.

Kate shook her head. “Don’t.  It’s okay.  Please don’t think that any of this was your fault.  It was those nutcases who planned this.”

It was Emmy’s turn to interrupt.  “It’s not just that.  I let you down.  Before the shooting.  You asked me to marry you, you put yourself out there.  Laid your heart on the line.  And I trampled all over it.  Because I was stressed?  I don’t know.  Because I was afraid to believe in happily ever after?  Maybe.  Because I stupidly let the words of some jealous ex of yours get to me?  Definitely.  Whatever the reasons are, they aren’t good ones.”

“Emmaline, please,” Kate began.

Emmy shook her head.  “I need to say something, need to ask you something.  Is that okay?”

Kate nodded, pulling their joined hands together and placing a gentle kiss on Emmy’s knuckles.  “Anything.”

“It may sound clichéd, but I learned one very valuable lesson these past few days.  That I can’t take life or love for granted.  I nearly threw it all away because I was stupid and because I let my fear win out.  I have done nothing lately to deserve this, but I want you to know that I love you and I want to keep on loving you for the rest of my life.  I want to wake up to you every day, go to sleep with you every night.  I’d like to think that I would have come to this conclusion on my own anyway, but nearly losing you has made one thing crystal clear.  I cannot live my life without you.  You are my world.  The air that I breathe.  The beat of my heart.  I love you Kate.  And if you’ll still have me, I would be honored to call myself your wife. Will you marry me?”  Emmy looked at Kate expectantly.

Kate took a deep breath before responding.  “Maybe.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

“Maybe.”

Emmy’s heart sank as the words slipped from Kate’s lips.  What did that mean?  On the one hand, it wasn’t a no.  But still . . .  “Maybe?”  Emmy finally responded.

Kate nodded slowly.  “I want to marry you, Emmaline.  But you broke my heart when you turned me down.  I trusted you with my heart.  And you didn’t trust me in return.  I love you so much.  But there’s a difference between love and trust.  And we need to work on that.  So .  . . maybe.  Let’s just give it, give us, some time.  Is that okay?”

Emmy nodded.  She wanted to talk more, to explain herself, her actions.  But she knew that she couldn’t.  Kate was right.  Actions spoke louder than words. Plus, Kate needed her rest.  “Of course it’s okay, babe.  As long as you’re not giving up on me, that’s enough for me.  We’ll start over.  And I’ll make sure I try and show you every day how much I love and trust you.  We need to work on talking about our feelings.  That much I learned over the past few days.  So we’ll work on it.  And then if . . . no, when . . . we get on solid footing again, I’m going to marry you.  Do you hear me?”  Emmy said, a smile indicating to Kate that they were okay, that things would be fine.

Kate nodded and smiled back.  “I love you so much, Emmaline Harris.”

“I love you too.”  Emmy replied, placing a light kiss on her lips.  She could tell that Kate’s energy was already fading.  “But you get some sleep.  I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Kate nodded again and drifted off to sleep, content to know that things were okay.  Maybe not perfect, but that they’d get to some semblance of that happily ever after.  It would just take some time.

*              *              *              *              *

Over the course of the next few months, Kate slowly recovered and eased her way back into her Presidential duties.  Gone was perhaps just a little of the perky, easy-going side of her, but Emmy knew she’d be able to draw that out in time.  In the meantime, Kate had a renewed sense of focus.  Given what had happened to her, Kate felt an even more firm sense of duty to the cause of marriage equality.  She was not about to give in just because of a little bullet, as she often put it.  After getting her fair share of lecturing, including from Beth, who had called her a “lovesick idiot,” Kate dove right back in to her job, no hesitation whatsoever.

The remaining members of the group responsible for the assassination attempt had been rounded up.  It had been a small operation and the threat had been, at least for the moment, neutralized.

Emmy still dealt with her feelings of responsibility and guilt.  Despite repeated assurances from Kate and everyone else under the sun that the shooting had not been her fault, those feelings were not something that went away easily.  Over time, however, they waned.  It was something Emmy would live with for the rest of her life, but the pain lessened and the burden became less heavy.

Once Kate was fully recovered, Emmy went back to her duties, still firmly ensconced on the Presidential detail.  It had only taken one stern look from Kate and Director Bell never raised the issue of Emmy’s performance again.  Kate also refused to hear any suggestion that for both of their safety, Emmy be put on a different detail in order to avoid another incident such as the one that had occurred that fateful day.

Despite Kate’s insistence that Emmy remain on the job, Emmy could see the strain it put on her girlfriend.  Every time they were in public, which was often, Emmy could see the worry on Kate’s face, and could sense her tension and fear.  It was as if Kate expected another gunman to come at any moment, to attack Emmy, to take her away from her.

One night, as Kate lay in her arms, Emmy finally broached the subject.  It took her a few minutes to gather her courage. Why was talking about feelings always so tough?  She slowly traced patterns on Kate’s chest with her finger and played gently with Kate’s hair.  The fidgeting, an obvious sign to Kate that something was on Emmy’s mind, finally caused Kate to speak up.  “Emmaline.  What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“Nothing ,” Emmy said, not quite sure she was ready to say what she had to say.

“Emmaline . . .” Kate said in a stern tone.

Emmy sighed, cursing herself for being so transparent.  “Okay . . . “ she began, hesitating a bit.  “So . . . I was thinking about resigning from the Secret Service.”

Kate sat up immediately and turned to face Emmy, studying her face intently.  “Why on Earth would you do that?” Kate asked.  This was coming totally out of the blue and she knew that Emmy loved her job.

“For you.”

“I never asked you to do that.  Nor would I ever ask that,” Kate responded, totally confused.

“You didn’t have to ask.  I can see how stressed you get every time I’m on duty.  How worried,” Emmy said.

“I do not,” Kate protested, before Emmy cut her off.

“Yes, you do.”

Kate sighed.  “Alright, maybe a little.  But it’s okay.  I’ll deal with it.  I would never ask you to quit over my own little neuroses.”

Emmy shook her head.  “It’s okay.  I love you so much and I know you’d never ask me.  Which is why I’m the one deciding.  On my own.  I don’t want to put you through that any more.”

“But you love your job, Emmaline.”

Emmy smiled.  “I do.  But I love you more.  And no job is worth risking your happiness.”

Kate stared into Emmy’s deep brown eyes, searching for some indication of how to respond. It hurt her heart to know that Emmy was quitting for her.  But on the other hand, she couldn’t ignore the immediate wave of relief that had washed over her when Emmy had first said she was contemplating leaving her job.  Not that it would completely protect Emmy – as they had both learned so painfully – there were no such guarantees.  But at least she’d be out of the job-required line of fire.  “Are you sure?”  Kate finally asked, gently cupping Emmy’s cheek with her palm.

Emmy nodded.  “I am.  Yes, my job makes me happy.  But you and your peace of mind make me happier.”

“What will you do now?  If you quit?” Kate asked.

“I’ll figure something out.”  Emmy said.

Kate still hesitated.  It seemed unfair for Emmy to give up her dream job just for her.  It was too much.  “I don’t think I can ask you to do that.  It’s too extreme, Emmaline. It’s unfair to you.”

Emmy shrugged.  “So don’t ask.  It’s my decision and I’ve made it.  Besides, the look of relief on your face is all the response I need.”

Kate had nothing else to say.  Instead, she pulled Emmy towards her, crashing her lips against Emmy’s.  After a few moments, Kate pulled back.  “Thank you.”  She whispered.  “Now take me to bed.”

*              *              *              *              *

Emmy did “figure something out.”  Kate watched Emmy’s new star status rise astronomically over the next few months.  Emmy had become a very visible and outspoken advocate for gay rights, even forming a new foundation to further the issue.  This came as a bit of surprise to Kate, since she knew that Emmy was deathly afraid of public speaking – indeed, Kate had had to hold Emmy’s hair back as she was sick right before her first big speech.

Kate watched from the wings with pride as Emmy gave a thoughtful and articulate speech on the issue.  Emmy had worked day and night with speech coaches and it clearly showed.  Gone was the nervous, fidgeting, frazzled version of her girlfriend.  Instead, Kate watched as the talented, confident, and strong woman she loved spoke to the large crowd as if it were simply a private conversation.  Clearly the crowd loved her, watching her with rapt attention.  She was intoxicating.   She was enchanting.  And she was, Kate thought, entirely hers.  Her heart felt as if it might burst with pride and love.  Emmy had done this for her.  She had overcome her fears.  For her.  She had given up her career.  For her. She had taken up this cause with a fire and a passion that was nearly untamable.  In short, Emmaline Harris was remarkable.  She was breathtaking.  She was, in all her imperfections, perfect for Kate.

Kate was brought out of her thoughts by the sound of thunderous applause.  Emmy smiled, waved, and headed off stage.

“Well?” Emmy asked, clearly wanting Kate’s opinion.

“You were amazing, Emmaline.”  Kate pulled Emmy into her arms, placing a lingering, sensuous kiss on her lips.

Emmy smiled into the kiss before pulling back slightly to look into Kate’s eyes.  “What was that for?” Emmy said, grinning, her eyebrow arched slightly.

“Yes,” Kate replied simply.

Emmy was confused for a moment, but after studying her girlfriend’s expression for a moment, it hit her.  Her eyes brightened with joy. “Yes?”

Kate grinned, revealing her dimples, before nodding.  “Yes.  Yes, I will marry you, Emmaline.”

Epilogue

One beautiful June day, the American public witnessed the first President to get married in the White House in almost 130 years, and the first ever same-sex union.

It hadn’t been an easy fight.  After Kate’s shooting, public support had been even stronger for the gay marriage issue.  The fact that Kate had been willing to risk her life for the woman that she loved had helped to soften the hearts of some former opponents.  Despite this, however, there was still enough resistance in some circles that the amendment had not passed right away.  It had taken time to get it through Congress, and to get the requisite number of states to ratify it.    But they had done it.  Gay marriage was legal.  Or, in reality rather than saying gay marriage was legal – marriage equality had been achieved.  In addition, perhaps bolstered by the public support for marriage equality, Kate won re-election easily over her more conservative opponent.

Both clad in beautiful white dresses, they took turns walking down the aisle on the arms of their fathers.  The White House Rose Garden had been chosen and it couldn’t have been a more beautiful setting. Beth, who had gotten her non-denominational minister’s license just to preside over the ceremony, led them through their vows.

The two brides smiled at each other, unable to fully believe that this day had arrived.  Their vows, which they had crafted themselves, were simple and yet so meaningful to each other.

As they exchanged rings and words of love, they both giggled, giddy at the thought of spending their lives together.  Their “I love yous” said so little, but said also so much.  They said all that needed to be said.

As Beth pronounced them “wife and wife,” it simultaneously hit both women.  This was for real.  This was forever.  This was their happily ever after.