Various States of Undress Read Free Page B

and gave him a sweet smile. You’re going down in flames.
    He blinked and looked away. Her smile got wider. He knew it. Good.
    As the study door opened again, Carolina stood and smoothed her hair behind her ears. She turned to watch her father walk into the Oval Office, and, as usual, a swell of pride raced through her middle. This time though, it was followed by fear. Not of what her dad would do, but of what he must be thinking of her. She’d never attacked anyone before in her life, much less the man she was supposed to marry.
    Patrick Fulton perched his broad frame on the edge of his desk and folded his arms. He looked at Roger first, his expression unreadable. Then his piercing blue eyes turned to Carolina. He winked. She let out the breath she hadn’t known she had been holding.
    Roger coughed. “Sir, I just want to let you know that—”
    “Here’s what I’m thinking,” the president interrupted in his deep baritone. “I just got off the phone with Senator Davis.” He pointed at Roger. “Your boss says you’re fired. I agreed. If I were still your boss, I’d not only have fired you, but I’d have kicked you into next week too. But I think you’re off the hook on the second part since the senator is too much of a lady to plant her foot in your ass.”
    Roger gaped like a guppy. “But, I—”
    The president pushed off his desk and walked forward to grab Roger’s hand in a strong grip. “Good luck. You’ll need it.” He turned to his right. “Phil?”
    Phil clapped a hand on Roger’s shoulder. “Time to leave.” He ushered the younger man out of the office and followed, closing the door.
    For a moment, trepidation began a slow path up Carolina’s spine, but before it could steal her senses, her dad’s arms came around her and she found her nose pressed to the front of his shirt. “Thanks, Dad,” she said in a muffled voice.
    He squeezed her shoulders and pulled away to survey her face. “You’re welcome.”
    “So . . .” She looked up at him, noting the smile twisting the corners of his lips. She frowned. “This isn’t funny, you know.”
    He shook his head. “It’s not. I know.” Then he let loose a signature grin, complete with the tiny gap between his front teeth. “But it kind of is. You have to see it. I watched the security tape twice.”
    Carolina groaned.
    “Your mother watched it three times.” He chuckled at her gasp of horror. “Oh come on . . . like she’s never heard the word “bastard” before. How long have we been in politics?”
    Carolina sat back down on the sofa. “My whole life.”
    Patrick sat next to her. “And I’m sorry about that. But, glad too. The opportunities you girls have had . . . well, I’m glad you’ve had them—still have them.”
    “Virginia and Georgia may still have them, but I think I’m toast. Crispy. Burned to ashes,” she muttered.
    Patrick rolled his eyes. “Don’t be so dramatic. Leave that to your sisters. Between the two of them, there are enough theatrics to fuel a bonfire.”
    Carolina nodded. “True.” She paused and folded her hands. “But I still have to figure out what I’m going to do.”
    “What do you mean? You’re in your last semester. Your classes are finished and all you have left is your thesis. Don’t you want that master’s degree?” Patrick frowned.
    No, I want to run screaming from school. I’m twenty-four years old and I’ve been in college my entire adult life, her conscience said.
    Shut UP, she answered silently and cleared her throat. “Sure. I’m just not sure the university will want me to stay. I mean . . . would you want your kids’ principal to be me after what you saw on the security footage? And after how the media will turn the situation into a ball of flames by tomorrow?”
    “Yes.”
    “I would too, honey.”
    Carolina’s head jerked up and she looked at her mother, who stood just inside the study doorway. “Uh. Hi, Mom.” Her eyes widened as another head poked