Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

GARNER ASHLEY, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

I'd known before I'd accepted my sister's suggestion it was a bad idea.

Kenan Harper had been her best friend growing up, the quintessential boy next door who mowed lawns for extra cash, helped at his dad's hardware store, and dreamed about following his favorite uncle into the Navy. Even though I'd been six years older than Kenan, I'd still gotten used to seeing him around. He and Cat were inseparable, to the point I'd expected the two of them to wind up together one day.

But then Cat had gone to law school, and Kenan had joined the Navy and moved to California. I'd been so busy building my own legal career before accidentally entering politics I hadn't given the beautiful boy from Brownsburg, Indiana, a second thought.

Until Cat had recommended him for the position of my personal aide after the election.

"This position is usually filled by a kid," I'd explained, thinking it was a joke. "Not a lieutenant commander in the Navy."

"He's getting out. And he doesn't want to move home yet. His dad's pressuring him to come take over at the shop, and he's not ready. This would be perfect."

"Cat, he'd be fetching me drinks and… I don't know, picking up dry cleaning. It's long hours and low pay. Trust me, he wouldn't want the job."

She'd met my eyes with a familiar look of determination. "He needs this. And you need someone you can trust. Besides, he's already got security clearances, and his military record is impeccable."

"Surely he's married by now. His wife wouldn't want?—"

"Not married. No wife. Hell, I think the closest he ever came to a serious relationship was when he dated Brianna Walters senior year. It lasted three months. He broke up with her before leaving for Purdue."

I'd blown out a breath. The last time I'd seen Kenan was after Cat's college graduation. I'd barely recognized the man who came over for backyard burgers. He was tall and broad, sexy as hell with muscles and sun-bronzed skin.

I'd immediately wanted him, and I'd had to force myself to look away out of fear he'd be able to see my intense attraction. The last thing I'd wanted was to make things weird for my sister or him.

But if he was straight, maybe that would tamp down my attraction. Hell, maybe enough time had passed that I would see him in a different light. And Cat was right about trust. If there was one thing I'd learned in my fifteen years in politics, it was that trust was incredibly rare.

And I trusted Kenan Harper with my life.

I vowed to keep things professional and at least interview the man. If I still felt the same attraction to him, I'd politely pass on his application.

But then he'd shown up for the interview, and I hadn't been able to look away. He was tall, taller than me even, and he had a silent strength I'd never noticed before. His eyes held so many secrets I was desperate to seek them out, to get him to confide in me, if only to share his burdens for a while.

So much for keeping things professional.

I'd hired him on the spot.