Madam President (20 page)

Prince Hassan retracted his hand casually, although he felt stung by her actions. "I trust that you are enjoying all that my lovely nation has to offer."

"Unfortunately, this is a business trip, Your Highness," Dev interrupted. "We've had no free time for sight seeing. Perhaps another time.”
Like ten minutes after never.

He frowned. "Perhaps." Then his frown shifted into a smile that the women were sure only
he
found charming. "I believe then that I need to make the most out of our short time together." The man handed a full glass of champagne to Dev, who took the glass without thinking. Then he turned to Lauren and smiled broadly. "It seems that I need some more champagne. Would you care to join me, Ms. Strayer?"

Dev stepped in between Lauren and the Prince, her temper flaring. "No, she would not, you son-"

"Why, yes." Lauren laid a calming hand against Dev's back, then moved around her. "Thank you, Your Highness. I would be delighted."

The man's chest immediately puffed out, and he tossed Devlyn a conceited grin.

No unmarried woman would refuse him. And that a woman could be chosen over him? That was unthinkable.

"One moment please, Your Highness. I need to speak with Devlyn." Lauren immediately grasped Dev's hand and walked them several feet away. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "Let me handle this, Devlyn."

"I will not!" Dev whispered back angrily. "He's making a play for you right in front of me! Of all the arrogant pieces of"

"I know." Lauren made a face. "He's a pig. But I've got the sneaking suspicion that you punching him in the nose wouldn't do anything for our two country's relations." A pale brow lifted. "Right?"

Dev's expression turned sulky. "I wasn't going to punch him.”
Yes, I was. Shit. I'm going insane.

"Uh huh." Lauren smiled gently. "I know you were only trying to get him to leave me alone by telling him we were lovers. And for most men, I think that would do it. But Prince Hassan is apparently the over eager type who needs a little extra convincing." She patted Dev's arm reassuringly. "Trust me."

Devlyn exhaled unhappily. "Do I have a choice?"

Lauren pretended to think for a moment before she smiled sassily. "Ummm... not really."

Blue eyes took on a dangerous glint as Dev peeked over her shoulder at the Prince. "I'm going to be watching him. And if he gets even the tiniest bit out of hand"

"I know. I know. Now go greet your other guests before you get a reputation for being a horrible hostess." Lauren squared her shoulders, realizing that she'd never even had the chance to be nervous in her surroundings. Things had just happened too quickly. "I'll be fine."

Dev flashed her a gleaming smile full of admiration and affection. But there was a serious edge to her voice that garnered the younger woman's complete attention. Piercing eyes bore straight into Lauren, and they stopped speaking for a long moment as the rest of the world faded away. "Just don't forget who your escort is tonight," Dev finally whispered softly, her heart thundering in her ears.
This should be for real. Not some stupid ruse.

Lauren swallowed. "I won't." Several more seconds passed before their surroundings seeped back into their consciousness. Lauren closed her eyes for a moment to clear her head.
Time to get this fixed.
She purposefully strode over to Prince Hassan, who had been waiting, stealing furtive glances at the women and wondering if his bed might be warmed by more than just Lauren tonight. Lauren wrapped her arm around his and headed them in the general direction of the bar. "We need to have a little talk."

"I was hoping you would see me alone."

"I... um... I wanted to make something clear to you, Your Highness. I thought it best if we spoke privately. That's all."

"But a woman as beautiful as you should not be required to think."

Lord, help me. Maybe I'll be the one to punch him.
Prudently, Lauren decided to plow ahead, ignoring his last remark. "I'm flattered by your attentions, Your Highness."
Gag.
"But I'm perfectly happy with Devlyn."

"Obviously, President Marlowe values you, or you would not be attending a function such as this. But you are merely a lover and not her wife, correct? I have four wives and several lovers. And it is you that I am interested in tonight."

Lucky them.
“Be that as it may, I only have one lover, and I'm not interested in any others." Lauren was running out of patience quickly. What was it going to take to put off Romeo? Her imaginary status as Devlyn's lover was apparently far enough below that of a spouse that Prince Hormones felt free to try his luck. A server finally passed them, and she snatched a flute of champagne from the tray, tossing it back in one deep swallow. "Your Highness, I'm trying to be discreet here. But you've left me no choice but to be rather explicit."

He leaned closer, obviously extremely interested.

"I am
completely
satisfied." Lauren wriggled pale brows, and her voice dropped to a sexual purr that did an excellent job of conveying in
exactly
what way Dev satisfied her. "I wouldn't trade Devlyn for ten men." She licked her lips slowly and tried not to burst out laughing at the look of surprise, then arousal, that swept across his face. "No offense."

The Prince cleared his throat, suddenly embarrassed. His respect for the tall American jumped several notches. "None taken, Ms. Strayer. I'm glad that you are so," he paused and smiled with open appreciation, "satisfied." Lauren was a beauty. But he wasn't foolish enough to chase after a lost cause.

"Thank you. I am a very lucky woman." Relief flooded her.
Finally.
Just then David joined them.
Perfect timing.
“It was a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I hope your meetings tomorrow go very smoothly."

"I'm sure they will. It seems that President Marlowe is a master at getting and keeping what she desires most."

Lauren ducked her head and smiled. "I agree. Good night." She turned to David. "I believe there was someone you wanted to introduce me to?"

David stared at her blankly.

"Across the room," she prompted, tilting her head in a direction she's chosen randomly, hoping it would put her as far away from Prince Dipshit as she could get.

David's eyes widened slightly with recognition. "Oh, yes, of course." He quickly scanned the crowd and threw out a name. "If you'll excuse us, Your Highness?"

The Prince nodded and insisted on taking Lauren's hand and giving it another little kiss.

"You're a lifesaver, David," Lauren said softly as soon as they were out of the Prince's earshot.

He stopped walking and looked at her curiously. "How'd you know my Secret Service name?"

*
 
*
 
*

The Prince smiled at Dev. He had managed to avoid her for the past two hours but he was about ready to retire and decided a quick goodbye was in order. "It seems that your Ms. Strayer is very much taken," he conceded.

Dev spun around at the sound of the Prince's voice, and another glass of champagne was thrust into her hand.

She had downed hers in one swallow when Lauren and the Prince left in search of a server or the bar. And even as she tried to mingle, she found her attention drifting across to Lauren. It was only after Lauren had finally broken away with David, that she felt comfortable enough to begin mixing with her guests. "I told you that this afternoon," Dev stated flatly. "What finally convinced you?"

The young man burst out laughing. "Ms. Strayer's declaration of her ‘satisfaction' in your ‘arrangement'."

Dev blinked.
What? Oooooo
...
Well, thank you, Lauren!
She grinned rakishly at the Prince, who looked as though he would high-five her if he were familiar with the gesture.

Instead, he slapped her between the shoulders with gusto. Apparently, Dev had been accepted as ‘one of the boys'. "I have no hard feelings, Madam President." His brow furrowed a little, not quite understanding why this whole thing seemed to bother the American President so. Lauren was merely her lover. President Marlowe was a beautiful and powerful woman, and her nation obviously accepted her sinful ways. Surely she had dozens of lovers. "She's just a woman," he finally said, still puzzled but willing to let it go. He waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing that we should allow to interfere in our negotiations tomorrow."

"Until tomorrow then," Dev ground out, needing to make a hasty retreat before she did something stupid.
It'll only make Lauren mad if I go ahead and punch him in the nose.

"Anxious to get back to your beautiful blonde?" he laughed. "Ahh... I cannot blame you a bit. Lucky for me, she can easily be replaced with another beautiful blonde."

Dev's eyes darkened with unspent anger, and she moved to shake Prince Hassan's hand. She grasped it firmly and leaned forward, placing her lips near his ear. "That, Your Highness, is where you are dead wrong."

CHAPTER IV

April 2021

Sunday, April 4
^th

 WHY SO GLUM, chum?" David leaned over the chessboard, wondering why he always fell for that same gambit.

"Oh, I don't know." Dev sighed, then sipped her brandy. She leaned back in her chair and watched pensively as David tried to get out of trouble again. Would he never learn?

They were in the spare office in the private residence of the White House. It was a cozy room that Dev had turned into a family game room of sorts. The kids loved it. On this chilly spring night, however, her babies were fast asleep, as was, Dev suspected, nearly everyone else in Washington D.C. without insomnia. But David's wife was out of town visiting relatives, and her old buddy was lingering in Dev's quarters, not wanting to go back to his empty house.

"The only time you drink is when you're having women troubles," David said casually, his eyes never leaving the board.

Dev looked into her snifter and frowned. "It's brandy, for God's sake. And I certainly don't have women troubles. No women, no troubles."

"Well, I'm really glad to hear that.”
Here goes nothing.
” Because guess who's in town this week?"

"The Emperor of Japan?"

"Noooooooo" David moved his knight.

Dev leaned forward and made a move that would allow the game to continue as long as David didn't do something stupid. She wasn't ready to be alone either. "King of England?"

"Noooooo" His brows knitted together.
Why didn't she go for the quick kill?
“Think a little less political. More, umm, your type."

"My type?" Dev kicked her long legs out in front of her. "David, I don't have a type."

He leaned back in his chair, after making his move, and leveled his best brotherly stare at his friend. "Yeah, I know. And it's about time we changed that."

Dev glared at the ruddy-skinned man. "David, please don't tell me that you went and did something incredibly stupid like-"

"I set you up on a date."

A dark head dropped. "Oh, God!" Dev set her snifter on the table next to her, its heavy crystal bottom making a loud thump. Then she changed her mind and irritably jerked it back up again. "Isn't my life already complicated enough without you fixing me up? Half the U.S. and one horny Arab prince already think I'm sleeping with Lauren."