I mean him being their Sir or Master.
Yet Leo resists my suggestions and doesn’t date. He insists he only wants me. It’s a push-pull dynamic I know can’t continue forever without something drastic happening, good or bad.
Yet I need him and his grounding strength to bind my soul together.
Why?
One thing’s for certain—I’m infarover my head in DC. I do a damned good job pretending to be a fully functional adult. The truth is I couldn’t do this if I didn’t have Leo lurking in the deep shadows provided by the darkness in my soul, a territory no one else has access to. He’s my rock, my anchor. All the years I’ve spent locked on this path I’ve set for myself, and to deviate from it in any way at this point could mean being yanked out of my closet.
Losing my family.
Losing whatever chance I might have to finally earn my father’s respect.
Because of Leo and his connections, a universe’s worth of doors unlock for me in the political world. I’m serving my third House term when probably the largest door of all swings wide open.
It’s Leo who puts my name into his boss ShaeLynn Samuels’ ear when she’s considering who to tap to be her VP running mate. It’sLeo’sword and recommendation that cements the deal.
Being VP catapults me closer the Oval Office decades earlier than I dreamed possible. Through it all Leo is the true center of my world, even if in our early years together my Congressional campaign schedule meant we’re sometimes forced to go weeks at a time without seeing each other in person.
By the time I accept Shae’s offer to run as her VP, it’s rare Leo and I go more than twenty-four hours without some sort of in-person contact unless one of us is out of town.
Leo is the reason I’ve made it this far and I’d be a complete dumbass to deny that.
All of this is a very long-winded way of explaining how I arrived where I am and leads to me that earth-shattering moment, standing in President-elect ShaeLynn Samuels’ campaign office one November evening not long after her first election.
Because somehow I’m the vice president-elect, and a handsome and innocent young grad student by the name of Jordan Walsh has been hired as the designer for the White House residence and other spaces, like my residence.
And on that night, for the second time in my life, I irretrievably fall in love at first sight.
CHAPTERFOUR
NOW
I manageto follow Jordan’s order and fall asleep again. When I next awaken it’s because a warm, soft hand cups my cheek. A hand that has both comforted me and beaten my ass, among other torments.
That’s not a complaint.
“Good morning, boy.”
I grumble a little because my leg aches like hell. I know there’s a workout on my early schedule, meaning I’m already dreading the day ahead of me. “Good morning, Sir.”
Jordan kisses me and, for a moment, the world stops. Time stands still.
It happens every time Jordan kisses me like this.
Maybe I should feel guilty I feel this way about him when Leo tirelessly fought for me and our relationship during our many years together.
Except Jordan and I are exactly where Leo says he wants us: together, safe, and happy. According to Leo he’s genuinely okay not being with us full-time right now as long as those three metrics are met.
Does Leo miss us when he’s not here? Of course, but he’s pragmatic. He knows that in six years—or two, if I run for re-election and lose—he’ll have both of us all to himself. Besides, I’ll have a plan to publicly come out by then.
I hope.
Jordan’s already prepared my first cup of coffee. He obviously hasn’t taken a shower yet because he’s wearing sweatpants and a black T-shirt, both of which cling to his lithe body. Some mornings when he awakens me he’s already dressed in a suit. Those mornings we usually hit the ground running and he knows he has to get me vertical and presentable as quickly as possible after letting me sleep for as long as he dares without throwing my entire schedule out of whack.
I look into his eyes and, before I can even ask for a respite, Jordan’s brow furrows.
“Are you hurting this morning, boy?”
