“Uh. Yeah.” How did she know that?
“Then it’s technically your government too.”
“You’re right,” I said lamely.
I was usually a pretty confident person, and if there was one thing I’d learned from my parents, it was how to lie effectively. Well, that and how to relieve people of their money and valuables in any way possible. But I was off my game today.
Marilee studied me for a few seconds, and I thought she’d push me about what was going on, but instead she retrieved her laptop and opened it up on the little table in front of the loveseat.
“Let’s review your schedule for this week.”
We spent the next few minutes looking at the event schedule. Tomorrow there was a group tour of the Seattle landmarks starting at ten a.m. We had some free time then until the conference’s opening sessions started at three. This was followed by a cocktail reception and dinner in the hotel ballroom.
Then Marilee went over her rules which included not going anyplace without her, staying in her line of vision at all times, and letting her go through doors first.
“The most important thing is if I give you an order, I need you to follow it without question.”
“Are you this bossy in bed?” I asked, then I immediately slapped my hand over my mouth in horror.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry, that was so inappropriate,” I mumbled against my palm.
Marilee gave me a smirk. “The answer to that question is yes.”
I felt heat rising in my cheeks. I was always easy to blush thanks to my fair Irish complexion.
“But the reason I need you to obey me without question is because I’m here to keep you safe. If I see, hear, or even suspect you are in danger, my top priority will be to get you to safety. Anything I tell you to do will be with that goal in mind.”
“Got it,” I said.
Just then my stomach growled loudly.
“Do you want to get dinner?” Marilee asked. “It’s after six. There’s a pretty good brewpub down the street, they serve a hell of a burger, and their beer is good too if you like that kind of thing.”
I laughed. “I’m Irish. We put beer in baby bottles,” I joked. “And a burger sounds good.”
Twenty minutes later we were ensconced in a booth at the back of the restaurant, food on the way. I ordered a lager, because of course I did, but Marilee stuck with Coke, telling me that she wasn’t allowed to drink on duty.
“You girls know what you want to order for food?” The middle-aged server had brassy red hair and the air of someone who’d already been on her feet for way too long.
“I’ll take the cheeseburger please,” I said. “Medium well.”
The server turned to Marilee.
“I’ll have a double cheeseburger with fries and a salad,” she said. “Ranch dressing.”
“How do you want your meat?”
“Very rare. Seared on the outside but still bleeding inside.”
The server laughed. “Got it. I’ll let the cook know.”
“What do you have against cooking your food?”
“I need the blood,” she said solemnly.
“What are you? A vampire?” I joked, taking a sip of my beer.
“That’s exactly what I am.”
