Lady Liberty by Vicki Hinze Read Free Book Online Page A

and sat back on her seat. “It’s our duty to change the world, if we can.”
    She was still quoting Mr. Tibbs. Jonathan rubbed at the tense muscles knotting his neck.
“To Sir with Love
had a powerful impact on you, didn’t it?” After the first time she had mentioned the movie, Jonathan had watched it three times. He remembered the line.
    “It did.” A near smile curved her lips. “Mr. Tibbs is one of my all-time favorite characters. He had purpose, clear vision, and discipline.”
    “He also respected human nature. He would pause to celebrate.”
    “Ah, you’re going to lecture me again, aren’t you, Agent Westford?” She lifted her glass of cola in mock salute. “Stop and smell the roses.”
    “And their leaves and stems.”
    “What about the thorns?” Thoughtful and suddenly pensive, she thumbed the rim of her glass and her playful tone disappeared. “You never mention the thorns.”
    “Appreciate those, too.”
    Totally serious now, she looked up into his eyes, seeking something she needed. “Why?”
    He debated brushing off the question, but then remembered asking her once why she helped fair-weather colleagues. She’d told him it was the work that mattered, not who did it. If it was good, it was good. Harrison had heard her response and later told Jonathan that was when he had decided Liberty had more class than anyone else he knew and bigger balls than 90 percent of the men on the Hill. Jonathan had drawn that conclusion far earlier in her career. And if she had the courage to ask about the thorns, he had the courage to answer her. “Because thorns are sharp and they prick.”
    She thought about that, then responded. “Only if you’ve felt the prick can you truly appreciate the softness of the petal.”
    Not exactly as he would have put it, but it would do. He nodded.
    She tilted her head. “Do you ever wish you could push a button that would keep you on an even emotional keel, and then just stay there?”
    He exaggerated a level look down his nose at her. “Every time you take a Band-Aid from a potential terrorist.”
    Not at all intimidated, she glared at him. “You’re as irreverent as you were when we were together, Agent West-ford.”
    They had never been together. They could never be together. Of course, she didn’t mean it that way. She was referring to when he headed her guard detail. “Terrible character flaw, ma’am. I’ll work on it.”
    That remark earned him a grunt, then a cautious “Don’t.”
    He cast her a quizzical look.
    “Don’t work on it. It’s honest,” she said with a slight shrug. “In this job, I don’t get a lot of honest reactions. I like them.”
    “Gabby always gives you honest reactions.”
    “And bad advice,” she said, looking torn, a little confused, and maybe slightly wistful.
    “Not intentionally. She just hasn’t pegged how your mind works.”
    That comment surprised her; her eyes widened and then narrowed with suspicion. “And you know this because …”
    “I have pegged it.”
    “You know how my mind works?” Disbelief etched her voice.
    “Yes, I do.”
    “I’m not sure I like that.”
    “I know I don’t. But there it is.” Regret etched his tone. Honest remarks, but he wished they hadn’t surfaced. Being near her was hard enough without adding new complications.
    “Excuse me,” Cramer interrupted. “Priority call from Senator Wade, ma’am.”
    Their private moment was over. Jonathan stepped away. Evidently Harrison had assigned Cramer to fill in for Grace. Wade was a Democrat; the House minority whip, not that party affiliation mattered to Liberty. The night she had accepted the nomination for vice president at the national convention, she had vowed not to represent Democrats or Republicans or Independents but to represent Americans. On discovering that she hadn’t been spewing rhetoric, the party hadn’t much liked it, but the voters had, so the members took her vow in stride—at least, publicly.
    “Thank you.”