He shut off the blender and poured the smoothie into a cup. “That’s very good. I’m glad you can cook. I know Frankie will be too. That girl can eat.” His eyes lit up when he talked about her. So as long as Frankie still liked me, I was a shoe-in. Hopefully, we still clicked the way we did yesterday.
Even paced footfalls sounded above then moved closer to the kitchen. Frankie rounded the corner with her pretty face angled down at her phone. She was such a beautiful kid. Her penny brown skin glowed in the sunlight. It made her cheekbones pop.
When she looked up and saw me, a bright smile stretched across her face. “Xari, you’re here.”
“I am,” I nodded. “Cute outfit,” I wiggled my fingers at her khaki uniform skirt and white button-down shirt.
“Ugh, it’s hideous.”
“It’s plain but it’s supposed to be. Let’s make a deal. You fix yourself a reasonable breakfast and when you get home we’ll go through my clothes.”
“She has homework.” Senator Freeman frowned at me, a line deepening between his dark brows.
“Right. Of course.” I smiled making sure to toss a wink at Frankie. “I meant after homework.”
“Miss Lucas, are you able to use Google Drive?”
“Yes,” I answered.
“Good. I expect to see a schedule for Frankie’s activities, homework, and anything else you can think of. I’d need it updated weekly and accordingly. Is that something you can do?” I wanted to mock his buttoned-up tone and mannerisms but I rolled my lips between my teeth and held it in.
“Absolutely. I’m proficient in the entire Microsoft suite as well as all the Google apps. I can make lists, spreadsheets, and schedules.” I mirrored the senator’s tone and he seemed pleased.
“Good. If you don’t mind, I’ll get dressed and we can all ride to Holy Trinity and drop Frankie off so you can see the route we take.”
“I don’t mind,” I smiled. Senator Freeman kept his eyes on mine the entire time we spoke, and it made me wonder once again if I was imagining the eye-fucking.
When he disappeared up the steps, I looked at Frankie. “How long does it usually take for you to finish homework?” I hopped on the counter and swung my legs back and forth.
After she gave my shoes a serious once-over, she shrugged her shoulders and said, “If I get homework in all subjects, it takes me over an hour.”
“Over? So, are we talking an hour and a half? Two hours?”
“Sometimes an hour and a half, sometimes two.”
“If you get it done in an hour, I’ll take you to my place and let you go through my clothes`.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, I have some vintage pieces too.”
“Okay, you have to let me at least take pictures in some of them and we have a deal.” I extended my hand and we shook on it. I pulled her in and fluffed her ponytail so she’d look even cuter.
“God, I hope my father doesn’t screw this up for me. If you were my nanny it would be like I didn’t even have a nanny. Just an actual…”
“Friend?” I smiled softly at her and she nodded.
“Not to sound all corny though.”
“You don’t sound corny, Frank. Hey, why don’t you like for people to call you that? I like it. It’s edgy.”
“It makes me sound like an old man.”
“Cut it out. You’re so gorgeous that calling you an old man name is an oxymoron. Like calling a big guy Tiny. You’re a knockout so calling you Frank just adds to the appeal.”
We traded warm smiles. “Oh my god, you have dimples!” She rushed over and poked her finger into my cheek, making me laugh. “When you move in, can we have sleepovers? I know, it’s probably stupid but I’ve never had one or been invited to one.” My heart twisted a little because she reminded me so much of myself.
“Come here, Frankie. Can I hug you?” I hopped off the counter and pulled her in. I was only a little taller than her in my heels. This time they were Jimmy Choo.
When we hugged in the middle of the kitchen, I felt like I had my first friend outside of Navy. Was it pathetic that I felt a connection with a twelve-year-old girl?
“Okay, let’s roll, Team Freeman.” The senator’s voice was loud. It filled up the air and made that same something buzz through my veins again. He strolled into the kitchen and I tried not to bite my lip at the way that man wore a suit.
He towered over me by at least eight inches. His caramel skin was smooth and didn’t have one wrinkle. His cocoa brown eyes were framed with dark lashes. A bold nose led to a set of full pink and brown lips.
Such a waste of perfectly fuckable lips.
He probably couldn’t hold suction on a clit if his life depended on it.
I ran my gaze over his close-cut facial hair and trailed down his neck to the silk canary tie and the gray suit jacket stitched around his muscular body. If he ever decided to leave the Senate, he’d have a career as a model. His bone structure was phenomenal. He looked like a fucking superhero.
“By the way, he says Team Freeman…a lot. Like, it’s obscene,” Frankie told me, rolling her eyes.
“Noted,” I laughed. We walked outside to a waiting car.
“I have a driver but he’s only appointed to me. If you don’t mind, I’d assign you as a driver for Frankie.” The driver smiled politely at us all and opened the passenger side. Frankie didn’t waste any time. She hopped in the front seat, leaving me and her father to the backseat. We exchanged glances. His begrudging. Mine amused.
“Now we get to know each other,” I laughed. “So, what’s your favorite color?”
He drew in a breath, held it for a second, then let it out slowly. It was almost as if he didn’t know how to handle me. “I’m just fucking with you.” I waved my hand at him and he glared, narrowing his brown eyes to slits.
“Miss Lucas, we don’t use language like that. Especially not in Frankie’s presence.”
Something told me Frankie used language just as bad as mine, but I wasn’t going to mention a peep of it to her father. I zipped my lips and flashed an apologetic smile.
“Won’t happen again, Senator Freeman.” I caught Frankie’s snicker in the front seat. I wished she could feel me shooting playful laser beams at the back of her head.
“You can call me Mr. Freeman. It’s fine.” The driver pulled up in front of a quaint school with Holy Trinity Private Academy in white uppercase letters running along the top of the brick building. I hopped out with Frankie and looked around at the scattering of kids laughing and talking on their way into school.
Frankie got out and looked around, then at me. “Will you walk me in, Xari?” I looked over my shoulder to see her father leaning against the side of the black Cadillac, watching. He did not look like he had a twelve-year-old, that was for damn sure.
“Of course. Come on.” Once we were inside, I tipped my head down a little and said, “None of these bitches are bothering you, are they? I’m not above fighting a child.”
Frankie giggled into her hand then shook her head. “No. I just don’t always feel…I don’t know…connected?”
“You feel lonely?” Once again, the kid reminded me of myself when I was her age. I was always so far ahead of my peers academically that I felt isolated. My parents made sure I went to a private school with the best educational opportunities but I still managed to alienate myself by being me.