Various States of Undress Read Free

“This is getting too weird. Roger, you said that as long as the ring ends up on her finger, she doesn’t care who you party with. She’s getting some on the side, too. Isn’t she?” Trouble’s mouth dropped open. “Ohmygod, Roger. You’re a liar.”
    For a moment, Carolina was still and then to Jake’s horror, she launched herself at Roger, a war cry ripping from her throat. In the blink of an eye, Roger crumpled like a paper cup and Carolina was straddling him, her small hands landing surprisingly accurate slaps on his aristocratic cheekbones.
    “Bastard!” she screeched. “How dare you?” A sob caught in her throat, and Jake reached out, caught her around the waist and hauled her upright. Beneath his arm, her small breasts pillowed as she leaned forward. He shoved the awareness of their warmth from his mind and pulled her back a couple of steps.
    “Let me go, Jason! I’m not finished.”
    Jake turned her body around and muttered into his sleeve. “Care Bear on the move. Oval Office permission requested.” She didn’t resist when he opened the door and walked through with her. Footsteps sounded at the end of the hallway, and Carolina’s tear-streaked face snapped up in alarm. Approaching, head down, cell phone to ear, was the White House deputy communications director.
    “Get me out of here,” Carolina whispered, ducking her head into his shoulder.
    Shit! Jake’s jaw clamped tight. How the hell had he let this happen? For two weeks he’d been in the inner circle and screwing up was not an option. But he clearly had done just that. He shouldn’t have let her jump on top of Roger. The asshole might have hit her back.
    Visions of being bumped back to a desk job in a remote corner of rural Oklahoma ran through his mind. No. The youngest agent ever to make First Family detail was not going lose that position right after it had begun. He was only thirty years old and he did not need for his career to be cut short. Especially not because of Roger Chapman. He needed to fix this.
    “Good evening, sir,” Jake began, turning Carolina to the side. Her shoulders were shaking and he gave them a light squeeze.
    “Hardly.” The bald man stopped walking and held his phone to his chest. “What’s wrong?”
    “We have a situation, sir,” Jake answered. Carolina’s arm snaked around his middle and his stomach tightened. He cleared his throat. “A member of your staff and Mr. Chapman were just discovered together and it wasn’t a . . . business meeting.”
    The deputy chief closed his eyes briefly. “Lord.” He stepped around Jake and poked his head into the China Room. “Young lady. My office. Ten minutes.” He pointed a finger at Roger. “And you. Stay here.” Nodding at Jake, he continued down the hall, muttering into the phone.
    After the echo of the footsteps diminished, Carolina raised her head and swiped at her cheeks. She let out a deep breath. “Thanks.” Her soft lips quirked up in a smile. “Is there a bathroom down here? My dad hasn’t been president long enough for me to have explored the whole house.”
    Jake nodded. He glanced back into the room once more, noting Roger sitting on the floor like a baby, cradling his cheeks in his palms. Asswipe. He deserved a trip to the dentist—courtesy of Jake. Trouble leaned against the wall, deflated. Except for her chest. He almost felt sorry for her, but any woman with the smarts to get a job in the White House should know better. She was a fool, but Roger was worse. He was a complete idiot.
    A wry voice from the command center spoke into Jake’s earpiece. “Chapman’s presence has been requested by POTUS.”
    “Copy that,” Jake muttered into his sleeve. Pointing a finger at Roger, he said, “Oval Office. Try not to shit your pants, sir.” Then he shut the door.
    Carolina stood there, her eyes wide. “That was . . . remarkable, Jason.”
    He gestured down the hall. “This way.” He couldn’t help but smile, though, and when he