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“Why do I like McDonald’s, even though I have personal chefs cooking for me at the White House? Sometimes, a man’s character is formed long before he sets foot in 1600 Pennsylvania, sweetheart. And I grew up on Big Macs and hush puppies, so it’s too late for me to change.”
Suddenly, I remembered how he was famed on the campaign trial for eating dozens of fries and burgers. In fact, the whole junk food thing had endeared him to voters as a “regular American” who was “just like them.”
“So you weren’t pretending when you said McDonald’s apple pies are your favorite food?” I asked slowly. “That was real?”
He grinned again before taking another sip of whiskey.
“It was real,” he confirmed. “Besides, those things are really good. Have you had one before?”
I blushed a little. In fact, I’d just grabbed a pie yesterday, devouring it while I walked home from work.”
“Yeah,” I admitted shyly. “They’re real tasty.”
“See?” he asked with a pleased smile. “Now what could be more American than a warm apple pie?”
And I had to say that Thomas had a point. I know that McDonald’s isn’t good for you, and that their pies are loaded with sugar. But as a girl who likes to eat, sometimes the syrupy goodness paired with a flaky crust is exactly what you need. A sudden thought occurred to me. How in the world had we just bonded over Mickey D’s apple pies?
It’s his charm, the voice in my head whispered. This man got fifty million people to vote for him last year. He knows exactly how to build rapport to garner votes. You’d vote him now, wouldn’t you?
I flushed because it was true. This man was a master politician, and I was being played just like any of his constituents. But I had to keep my guard up because this wasn’t a political rally or a barn-raising event. This was business. So I took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eye.
“What can I do for you, Mr. President? Am I here for something in particular?”
He smiled again, although there was a gleam in those blue eyes now.
“Well, what do you think you’re here for, sweetheart?”
Hmm, very clever. Answering a question with a question. I took a deep breath.
“To be honest, I don’t know,” was my honest response. “I know I was supposed to meet a client for maybe dinner or drinks. I figured he’d put the moves on me, but that’s where everything went off track. Because I never figured he’d be you,” was my slow reply.
Thomas swirled his glass thoughtfully, the amber liquid forming graceful waves.
“Well, why don’t you pretend that I’m just another guy?” he asked. “Someone who’s interested in getting to know you?”
I took a deep breath.
“Honestly sir, I don’t know if I can do that. After all, how? You’re you, and I’m just me.”
“That’s it exactly,” he said, his gaze suddenly direct. “You’re you and I’m me. Nothing’s different. You’re a very beautiful woman whom I’d like to get to know, and this shouldn’t be different from any other interaction. Within reason, of course.”
I swallowed heavily because the truth was that I was insanely attracted to this man, but I had no idea how to behave. He was the leader of the free world for crying out loud! What was I supposed to do?
But President Burke is used to fame and adulation and he knows how to make people comfortable around him. So the big man leaned back and smiled.
“Sweetheart, why don’t you dance for me?” he suggested, that massive form relaxed. “I’d like to see more of what you have.”
I gulped.
“Um sure,” was my hesitant reply. “Should I set my drink down here?”
He nodded silently, blue gaze already deepening to a cobalt.
“Anywhere is fine,” came that slightly sibilant rasp. “Just get comfortable sweetheart. Do what you do best.”
I took a deep breath because dancing isn’t what I do best. In fact, my ambition is to get a master’s in library science, and to maybe become a writer after that. Or an academic librarian. But this didn’t seem like the right time to share my aspirations. After all, he only knew me as Pearl Evanescence from the Pink Flamingo. Oh wait. Maybe he knew everything about me already, given that they’d already done some type of stealth background check.
Stop over-thinking things,the voice in my head warned. You’re driving yourself crazy with all this back and forth. Just get out there and dance. That’s what the client wants, and you need to deliver, especially because this is the President of the United States.
