The President smiled, nodding to King Kincaid, then went on to talk about future meetings the Kings and United States officials had planned, which were regular quarterly conferences.
As if he hadn’t just dropped that huge bomb on me, turning my world upside down. I was seriously alarmed that the Kings would consider his idea, because it wasn’t really a bad one, politically speaking. I wasn’t ignorant enough to miss the gains it could create.
Breathing shallowly, I barely heard the rest of their conversation. In fact, Jack had to nudge me when I was the only one left sitting when they were all standing, lost in my own thoughts as I was. I was pretty sure I shook the President’s hand when we left, but I was absolutely positive that as we made our way through the White House, leaving, I saw Philip standing with a group of Coms, studying papers he held.
Stopping dead in my tracks, I stared.
Pearl slammed against me from behind, whispering, “Lily, keep moving.”
I jerked my head in Philip’s direction, so she could see what I was seeing.
He was still as handsome as before. He wore his suit well, telling me he worked out regularly. The people around him seemed to genuinely like him as they listened to him speak while he pointed to something on the papers.
“Oh,” Pearl breathed, staring right along with me.
“What are we looking at?” Ezra asked, stopped ahead of us, and strolled back.
Jack followed, both of them peering where we were.
They both grunted.
My friends, the group with normally so much to say, expressed their feelings on this topic in such small ways, but all three of them always got their point across.
Philip’s eyebrows furrowed and he stopped talking, looking left, then right. Eventually, straight at me. Those dark, intense eyes leisurely ran up and down my body before meeting mine. Held. If one man could put a thought into his gaze, it was him. After only meeting him once, it was there in his eyes. He wanted me. Not just for the political aspect.
“Diplomatic decision, my ass,” Ezra rumbled.
Jack snorted and turned his eyes on mine, murmuring quietly, “He looks like he wants to throw you on a bed and gobble you up.” He paused. “Bit by bit.”
“With honey drizzled all over her body,” Pearl whispered, gaining a look from all three of us. She didn’t seem to notice, though, peering over my head to where our group had traveled. “We’d better go. The Kings are waiting at the door. They look annoyed.”
Glancing that way, I saw she was right. Clearing my throat and walking with my friends, I took one more look-see at Philip. He hadn’t looked away. For a Com, he wasn’t bad. Not bad at all. But, still, it just seemed wrong. Me with a Com? I seriously hoped the Kings weren’t going to push this.
Chapter Twelve
They pushed.
The limo ride home was quiet, except for Jack and Nikki’s soft murmurs as they got to know one another. It was automatically assumed she was coming with us and would be attending King Hall for the remainder of the year. Her parents were ecstatic about the news, Nikki having called them from the limo during her alone time at the White House.
The Kings waited until we arrived at King Kincaid’s house, then for Nikki to be taken to another room. That was when they attempted to make Jack, Pearl, and Ezra leave the study. The Kings seemed honestly shocked when they didn’t obey.
Antonio had joined our group by now, and he raised his hands, asking calmly, “Whatever you want to discuss with Lily, what’s the harm in letting them stay?” He gestured toward me while I sat with a clenched jaw, surrounded by my friends. “She obviously wants them here. And they,” a gesture to my furious friends, “want to stay, too.”
“This is not their concern,” King Nelson ground out. “This has to do specifically with Lily. Not them.”
“They don’t have to do everything together,” King Fergus specified slowly.
King Kincaid had been sitting mute for some time, but glanced from me to my friends, lingering on their faces. “Let them stay. This is a political decision.”
My friends snorted.
Antonio shut the door and the discussion ended on who was staying or going.
King Venclaire cocked his head and crossed his arms, resting a shoulder against the wall. “You don’t believe Philip Masterson wants to marry Lily for political reasons?”
Jack and Pearl laughed sardonically.
Ezra muttered brusquely, “No.”
King Nelson didn’t appear pleased they were still in here, but asked, “The President seems to think so, and it’s essentially not too far-fetched an idea. What do you four know that we don’t?” He was giving us that adult look meant for slow kids. “And the President doesn’t?”
Ezra gave his own glance of disdain. “He wants to fuck her.” Blunt, to the point.
“He was hitting on her the day we met,” Jack added.
Pearl was still laughing. “We saw him in the White House today. You should have seen the way he looked at her.” She fanned her hand in front of her face. “You could have lit the place up with that gaze.”