Figure of Speech

by Kasha Thompson

Working in the White House had never been an if for me; it had always been a when.

The President flashed his signature smile. The type of smile that could win over votes, the type of smile that made you want to believe change was possible, the type of smile that made you want to push your panties to the side.

“I guess I’m just lucky.” “Don’t try to be modest. You’re not very good at it.”

“Look, you don’t remove a player from the roster until you have a replacement.”

I, on the other hand, had my fill of romantic relationships. I’d wasted entirely too much time on men who didn’t deserve my

attention. And I can admit when I fall in love, I can be a little crazy.

Netflix and pill,” Alan said, following me to my office. Confusion shadowed my smile. “Netflix and pill?” “Yeah, Netflix and my pillow.”

It was important I establish dominance quickly so others knew I was not one to be trifled with.

Never let them see you sweat because the minute you do, it’s over and whatever is left of you is getting picked on by the vultures.

Can you imagine the balls it takes to decide you have the wherewithal to run an entire country?

The President’s time was valuable and the fact that he’d spend twenty minutes of it talking to me was noted.

First rule of any DC job was to make friends with the gatekeeper.

God was not playing around when he created Theodore Elmsworth.

“Do you ever pinch yourself? I mean, over all this.” Teddy popped another roll in his mouth, chewing slowly. “No, I deserve all this. I worked hard. No pinching required, my hard work and dedication manifested this.”

As we walked to our assigned seating, Seth leaned in and whispered, “You know he wants to sleep with you, right?”

“I can wait. You’re worth it.”

“I feel like you're ignoring all the reasons not to do this. This could end up being a dumpster fire.” “Sure, it could, but you're smart. You’d never let that happen to you.”

that overachiever workaholic ideology is a generational defect.”

Teddy was comfortable and when we were together, we could be our authentic selves. Maybe that was why I was working so hard to assert my boundaries.

“Clover?” “Hmm,” I mumbled, still lost in my thoughts. “You make me nervous.” His words snapped me back to reality. Why would I make the most powerful man in the world nervous? “I doubt that.” I rolled my eyes. “No, you do.” His tone turned serious. “Because I need you and I don’t think you need me.”

If this man wanted to love me, who was I to smother that desire?

“I’ve worked entirely too long to just settle for being some man’s wife.” “He’s more than just some man. He’s the President of the United States.

“Maybe you can have both?”

I’ve never been loved the way you love me. The fact that I willingly walked away from all that … from you is crazy.

“You’re my home. So, if you’re there I’m straight.

“Understood. We can revisit that after the wedding.” A girlish giggle filled the cabin of the car. “We’re not even engaged.” “If you think I’m not gonna put a ring on your finger before this year’s over, you haven’t been paying attention to just how much I love you.”