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 Boring as hell. I ll never know why I had to dress up like a penguin to get those guys to channel
some of their profits into medical research. They re willing enough to create the problems,
especially when it comes to occupational cancers, but not so enthusiastic about solving them; they
seem to think there s an inexhaustible supply of fresh human beings waiting to be fed into their
furnaces. And right at the point when I was finally getting rid of them and planning to spend a little
time with you, George turned up with that report. It seemed like a good opportunity to get you and
Howard working together for a change.
 I don t suppose he was very keen on the idea, was he?
Kearney shook his head.  Don t make the mistake of underestimating him, Chad. He may not be
much fun but the man s sharp enough politically and he recognizes ability when he sees it. Plus, he
doesn t have to like you to respect you and work with you; after all, you don t like him!
 True.
They were standing face to face now, and Kearney s hand took a possessive hold on Ryan s
jeans-covered backside as Chad moved into his personal space, hands sliding smoothly over the
front of the man s dress-shirt.
 Damn, said Kearney,  we re out of time. His lips came to rest softly in Ryan s blond hair.  I
was hoping we might get an hour or so together, but I have to leave. I wasn t planning to travel in
this outfit, I ll have to change on the plane. You want to ride out to Andrews with me in the car?
 If you like. He managed to make his acceptance sound almost casual whereas in fact his heart
was racing wildly at even having been asked.
 Thanks. A moment of silence, in which Kearney s arms closed around him more tightly.
 Chad, you re there when I need you and you re whatever I need you to be. It seems to me all I do
in this relationship is take. There must be something I can do in exchange. What can I do to make
you happy?
 You can stand here like this and ask me that? Astonished, Ryan drew back and looked up into
his face.  Don t you know I constantly wonder what I ever did to deserve anything from you at all?
You don t owe me a thing, Doug. Being with you is enough.
Not convinced, Kearney bit his lip.  No, there has to be something. Ask me. Let me start giving
something back.
 Anything?
 Anything.
A distant expression crossed Ryan s face.  There is one thing I d like, he conceded, smiling.
 Uh-huh?
Ryan took a deep breath.  I d like us to spend a night together some time. I ust want to wake up
next to you one morning and pretend you re really mine.
 That s all? Kearney was incredulous.  No car, no condo, no polo ponies?
Ryan laughed, delightedly burying his face in the President s shirt-front as though falling into
some childhood snow-bank.  Where would I keep polo ponies? he asked.  I m supposed to be
moving into the White House; there wouldn t be room. And all I ve ever wanted was your time.
 Which is exactly what I can t give you at the moment.
 I know that. I ll survive.
 Although waking up with you is definitely on the agenda  and so are nights together, as soon
and as often as we get the chance. Which may not be often, he conceded.
 That s okay, Ryan told him.  I m sure you ll be worth waiting for.
 Glad to hear it, Colonel Ryan, the President told him, closing in for a deeply indulgent and
very thorough kiss.  Because I m pretty sure you will be, too.
Thirty-five minutes later, with the President still dressed in his dinner suit  although he now
carried the tailcoat over his arm  the two men plunged side by side into the rear of a limousine
waiting under the Portico.
 I ll be home late Wednesday, Kearney told him, brusquely.  Stay in touch with Berry while
I m away, will you?
 I will. We ve already fixed it up.
 Good. Kearney s face twisted into an ironic grin.  Sometimes I think you re a better father
than I am, Chad.
Ryan s reaction was one of astonishment.  That s completely bizarre.
 I know. But you can be there for my daughter in ways that I can t. I wish you d change your
mind about having Secret Service protection of your own, though. It was an old debate, much
rehearsed between them, which had remained unresolved and looked likely to do so again.
 I wouldn t be comfortable, Ryan told him.  I can t imagine how I d feel if someone was hurt
trying to protect me. And anyway, you know the Vice President would call it  egregious
misapplication of finite Government resources . 
 He probably would, at that. But we re coming to the point where I may have to pull rank on
you. I don t like the thought of you not having your own agent.
Reluctantly Ryan acknowledged that he had been on the losing end of this battle ever since the
subject was first raised.  Do you have someone in mind?
 I do. Olivia Hernandez. She s one of Joel s best people and she knows about ... well  she
knows, okay?
 Why does she want to transfer off the First Lady s team?
 She doesn t but she s due for rotation, and she s asked to be assigned to you. I think you d work
well together. Kick it around while I m away, will you?
 All right, I promise. But it ll feel strange.
 This whole deal feels strange, if you ask me. I still look at myself in the mirror every morning
and ask why any rational electorate would want me as their President; everything else is so surreal
that I stopped believing in it years ago.
 Does that include me?
 Yeah, you, me, everything. Kearney looked out towards the sleeping city.  I need a vacation.
I ve been trying to get to my house in Vermont for months but I couldn t find a decent excuse.
You d go with me, wouldn t you? I want to show you the place.
 Of course. But I don t see how. The long lenses of the paparazzi would be no more appealing
for the change of venue, and the kind of vacation Kearney had in mind would warrant a dramatic
increase in media interest. Was there nowhere on the planet a hard-working President could find a
little peace and quiet?
 We ll think of something, Kearney assured him, with a grimace, folding Ryan s hand into his
own as the silent streets swept past their windows.
They were waved through the perimeter at Andrews Air Force Base by gray-faced and
expressionless men, rigidly formal as they passed; the outriders peeled off and their driver took a
wide, sinuous course like the turning circle of an ocean liner, bringing the motorcade into formation
under the shadow of the wing of Air Force One. Despite it being scarcely 3 a.m., there was a group [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]