Aced (Blocked #2) (28 page)

Dane returned to his seat with an even larger plate of food.

“That’s repulsive,” Mateo said, eyeing the food mountain.

“C’mon, we had a killer practice this morning.” Dane swigged some ice water. “Jessica says I eat more than swimmers do.” He puffed out his chest like he was proud. “Though they’re tapering now, so they’re eating less.”

Mateo perked up. “What’s tapering?”

“It’s when swimmers rest more—swim fewer laps—before their big meet at the end of the season. Jess bounces off the walls this time of year.”

“What’s her big meet?”

Dane finished chewing his bite. “US Nationals, in April.”

“So, like, what events does she swim?”

That was Mateo’s third question about Jessica.
Interesting
. I glanced at Lucia and noticed her smirk. I’d have to ask her if Mateo had the hots for Dane’s sister.

“Breaststroke and IM,” Dane said. “Individual medley is all four strokes. Jess is really versatile.”

His pride was heartwarming. I wondered if Braxton ever spoke about me that way. Probably not. He’d told me several times I’d sold out by accepting an athletic scholarship.

Once we’d finished eating, Alejandro stood and reached for my empty plate. A man dressed in a black uniform rushed in and took it from him. “I’ve got it, sir.”

“Oh.” Alejandro stepped back and looked around, tugging at his jacket sleeve like he was nervous. It
was
strange to be treated like royalty. I hoped I wouldn’t make a fool of myself during this visit. Alejandro started as he looked toward the West Wing. “Hey, Dad’s here.”

President Ramirez glided through the door held open by one of the marines, and it was obvious where Alejandro got his grace. The president towered over the two agents shadowing him, but when Dane stood, I could tell he was a couple inches taller than President Ramirez.

Alejandro took my hand and drew me to my feet.

“Sweetheart,” Mrs. Ramirez said as she popped out of her chair.

Mr. Ramirez fanned his hands to the side and pressed down on air a few times. “Please, stay seated, everyone.”

“That’s okay; we’re finished. Let’s get—” The president cut off his wife by grabbing her for a kiss. They hugged for a long minute, whispering and smiling at each other. Alejandro rolled his eyes. But I smiled.

“What was I saying?” When her husband let her go, Mrs. Ramirez’s hair was ruffled, and her eyes hazy. I knew what it was like to be undone by a Ramirez kiss. “Oh! Let’s get you a plate, Adolfo.”

“I ate earlier,” President Ramirez said. His wife started to protest but he’d already moved to envelop Lucia in a hug. “
Mija
, so good to see you here.”

“Cool crib, Dad.”

He laughed, but his expression sobered as he turned to Dane. Offering his hand, he said, “Tough game against UC Irvine.”

Dane’s eyes widened in apparent surprise. “We’ll get ’em next time.”

“How are your parents doing?”

“They’re…” Dane frowned. “Good.”

“Send them my best.”

He nodded.

President Ramirez patted Mateo’s shoulder. He was still seated, his fingers flying over his phone keyboard. “A hug for your dad, Mateo?”

“Dad, I just saw you, like, five minutes ago.”

The president shook his head at Mrs. Ramirez but let Mateo stay absorbed. As he approached us, my breath caught in my throat.

“Son.” He and Alejandro thumped each other on the back as they hugged.

Alejandro seemed to brace himself as he looked at me, then back at his dad. “This is Maddie Brooks.”

The president’s sharp gaze met mine, sending my heart rate soaring. Then he broke out in a megawatt smile as he shook my hand. “So
this
is my daughter’s idol.”

“
Dad
.” Lucia sounded embarrassed.

Alejandro had the same deep, dark eyes, but lines around his father’s creased when he smiled. “Thanks for taking care of Lucy.”

“She’s taken care of me, too.” I shrugged. I smiled at Alejandro and almost added,
And so has Alex
.

“Alejandro tells me you’re trying out for the national team?”

Warmth flooded my cheeks. What if I didn’t make it? “Next month.”

“Mr. President?” An older woman with blond hair had entered the room. I took in her flawless beige suit jacket and skirt. She looked familiar.

“What is it, PQ?”

My eyes widened as I realized she was the Secretary of State, Paula Quinlen.

“Bill’s on the line, hoping to discuss the pipeline sabotage,” she said.

“Good. We need to address that.” Mr. Ramirez tugged the hem of his black jacket to straighten it. “Alejandro, walk with me.”

Alejandro paused and turned toward me with a question on his face.

“Maddie too,” the president said, already heading for the door. “I want to get to know her better.”

Alejandro scooped up my hand, and we scurried behind his father’s entourage. Brad fell into step behind us. We headed outside, over a brick pathway, with a cool breeze wafting through my hair.

I leaned in to whisper, “Bill is Bill Nichols? The vice president?”

Alejandro squeezed my hand and nodded like it was no big deal.

Chapter Eighteen

T
HE
O
NLY
W
AY
T
O
I
MPROVE
my first visit to the hallowed Oval Office was to view it through Maddie’s perspective. Her lips parted in a wondrous smile as we passed the manicured lawn of the Rose Garden and entered my father’s workspace. The pale yellow wallpaper was reflected in her glimmering eyes as they scanned the smooth, cornerless shape of the room.

“You two can sit over there,” Dad said, pointing at a grouping of plush sofas and lounge chairs. Maddie grinned at me when I led her over the carpet’s presidential seal to the yellow velvet sofa.

“What?” I asked as we sat.

“That seal is surreal,” she whispered, tilting her head over her shoulder. Behind her was my father’s desk, where he spoke into the speakerphone.

I nodded. The entire Oval Office was unreal.

She leaned in with a secretive grin. “Back at Highbanks, there’s a seal like that with the university’s crest. It’s at the entrance to the oval.”

“So you have an oval, too.”

“More of a quad, really.” She looked at her lap. “If couples kiss on the seal…” Her eyes floated up, and her tongue skated over her lip. “It means they’ll get married.”

Dios
. Her words shot through me like a flaming arrow. The blush of soft pink on her cheeks, the spark of delight in her eyes, the glisten of her wet mouth…I looked to make sure Dad wasn’t watching. He sat on the edge of the desk about ten feet away, his back to us as he continued listening to the vice president. Secretary of State Quinlen stood next to the desk with her arms folded across her chest.

I leaned closer and folded Maddie’s slender hand between mine. Her palm rested on my upturned left hand, hot to the touch. She inhaled a staccato breath, matching my uneven gulps of air. The tip of her tongue flitted to the corner of her sweet mouth. I glanced at the seal, then into her shining eyes. “If I kiss you on the seal, I promise to marry you,
¿sí?”

She gasped, and I wondered if I’d come on too strong. But she curled her fingers around mine and brought our conjoined hands to her mouth. Her soft lips and warm breath feathered my skin. With a sultry look from under her eyelashes, she pressed a kiss to my knuckles. A rush of blood drained from my brain.

“Sealed with a kiss,” she breathed.

I smoothed my hands up her jaw, plunging my fingers into her textured curls. When she closed her eyes and a sigh of pleasure left her lips, I pulled her into me. I had to have her. My mouth found hers in an urgent kiss—a kiss I’d craved since she’d arrived to the White House.

She was so soft, so warm. When her lips parted and her tongue brushed mine, I felt a charge up my spine. The kiss deepened as our tongues touched and played, ratcheting up the heat flooding my chest. I felt her fingers sneak over my waistband, and she tugged me closer, my thigh pressing into her long, gorgeous leg. Pressure built inside of me, and I couldn’t get enough of her.

When I heard the clearing of a throat, my mouth froze on hers. Unsuctioning our lips, I tilted my head to the right, which put me in the direct line of my father’s stare.
Mierda
. Ms. Quinlen’s widened eyes confirmed they’d been observing us for some time.

“They’re
watching
us?” Maddie squeaked. Her eyes were huge.

I unlatched my hands from her hair and brushed them down my suit jacket. “Sorry,” I said quietly. “Got a little out of control there. You have that effect on me.”

“Me too. But in the Oval Office? Holy mortification.” Her gaze remained on her hands twisting in her lap.

“If there’s nothing else, Mr. President, I’ll head out.” Ms. Quinlen said.

“Let me introduce you to my son before you go.”

Please, no. Don’t make me look her in the eye.

“Alejandro?”

Pony up, Ramirez
. I stood and swallowed. “Pleasure to meet you, Secretary of State Quinlen.” I approached the desk with my hand extended.

“You look so much like your father.” She smiled as she shook my hand. “And this is your girlfriend?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Before I could bring Maddie over, she’d popped off the sofa, and Ms. Quinlen walked over to shake her hand as well.

“My, you’re tall.” She looked up at my elegant girlfriend.

I circled the sofa to stand next to Maddie. “She plays volleyball with Lucia.”

“Ah. That’s how you two met.” The woman’s expression seemed to soften. “Lucia the matchmaker.”

I stifled my snort.

“Maddie does more than
play
volleyball,” Dad said on his way toward the sofa across from us. “She
dominates
the game.”

I exhaled. Dad complimenting her was a good sign.

“She apparently dominates my son’s thoughts as well,” Dad added with a smirk.

I wanted to crawl under the sofa. How to veer this conversation back on track? “Maddie’s trying out for the national team soon.”

“Wonderful! Good luck.” Ms. Quinlen nodded at my dad, then left.

Dad gestured to the sofas. “Let’s have a seat and talk. Or would you like the room to yourselves?”

Maddie’s giggle betrayed her nervousness. Once we sat across from Dad, he patted his thigh as he studied us, like he was assessing the strength of our bond. Silence stretched between us, and I fiddled with my watch.

“Everything okay with the pipeline construction?” I asked.

One eyebrow arched. Was he on to my attempt to redirect the conversation?

“A few Montana building sites have been vandalized. But we’ll catch the perpetrators. We already have a few leads.”

Maddie’s back straightened. “The Keystone pipeline’s being vandalized?” I was impressed she knew of the pipeline project.

“Yes.” Dad nodded. “We think the vandals are environmental vigilantes; they’re angry Congress approved the project.”

She rubbed her index finger along her lip. “The pipeline’s bad for the environment?”

My shoulders tensed as I watched the exchange.

“There are some downsides, yes. Environmentalists are concerned with increased tar sands emissions. But the pipeline’s much more efficient than rail transportation of oil, which reduces pollution. And we’re creating thousands of jobs.”

“Shouldn’t we focus on alternate energy sources?” asked Maddie.

Dad leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. Nothing excited him like oil. “We
are
exploring alternate energy. But our technology’s not there yet. Take hybrid cars, for example. They’re not cost-efficient, they require more energy to produce, and their battery disposal can be hazardous.”

Dad kept talking, but I heard little of his speech. My attention zeroed in on the striking girl next to me. I loved her jaunty curls. The slope of her long neck. Her caramel skin. My lips tingled with the desire to kiss every inch of her.

My dad’s chuckle interrupted my thoughts. I looked up to find him shaking his head. “What’s funny?” I asked.

“I’ve never seen you like this.”

“Like what?”

“Like…” His smile faded, and he leaned back. “Never mind.”

“Is it bad, what you’re seeing?” I felt my heart rate increase.
Am I disappointing him?

“No, not at all,” Dad said. “You’re growing up. I just…I don’t want you to go too fast. You two haven’t had time to get to know each other all that well.” He looked at Maddie. “What does your brother think of you and Alejandro?”

“My brother?” She shifted on the cushion as she snuck a glance at me. “Well, he’s not a big fan.”

“And why is that?”

Maddie took a deep breath. “He believes Republican policies hurt black people.”

She was brave—I had to give her that.

“It’s more like progressive policies hurt black people, but that’s a discussion for another day.” Dad leaned forward, and my heart galloped. “What I want to know is, do you agree with your brother?”

“You’re interrogating her, Dad.” I tried to give her a reassuring look. “You don’t have to answer that.”