Free Separation of Power by Vince Flynn

just couldn’t tell her because he feared she would think less of him.
    When Rielly came back outside she had on jeans, one of Rapp’s flannels and an old wool blanket draped over her shoulders. She plopped down in her chair, tilted her chin up, pursed her lips and closed her eyes.
    Rapp leaned over and kissed her on the lips. “Thanks for the beer.”
    “You’re welcome.” Rielly took a sip of her own and said, “Now tell me all about the meeting.”
    “You know . . . we talked a little bit about this and a little bit about that. It lasted about an hour. No big deal, really. Anything happen at the White House today?”
    “Nice try.” Rielly grinned. “You could care less about what happened at the White House today, and I have no idea what a little bit of this and a little bit of that means. So cut the crap and tell me what happened.”
    “I’m not sure where to start.” Oh, he loved her. She was so beautiful and strong, both physically and mentally. Rapp was equally drawn to both. He knew himself well enough to know that if he were to ever survive in a long-term relationship he would need a woman who would keep him in line from time to time. Rapp had been a loner for far too long and hadpicked up some habits that weren’t very helpful in running a successful partnership.
    In an intentionally condescending tone Rielly said, “Why don’t you start from the beginning?”
    “Well, I wore my gray three-button suit and that tie you bought me for Father’s Day.” Rapp stopped and looked at her with a shitty grin. “Why did you buy me a tie for Father’s Day, by the way? We never settled that. Was it wishful thinking on your part, or were you trying to imply that I may have some children that I don’t know about?”
    “I’ve got all night, Mitchell, my darling. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. You can just tell me, or I can wear you down hour by hour.”
    Rapp smiled as he took another drink. “I can hold out.”
    “Oh . . . I’m sure you can. But two can play at that game.” Rielly gave him a devilish smile and turned her attention to the fire.
    “What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Rapp with a little more eagerness than he would have liked to show.
    “No sex.”
    Rapp groaned, “Oh God. Don’t you pay any attention to all of those stupid relationship books that you and your friends read? They all say the same thing. Never! And I repeat, never use sex as a weapon.”
    “I’m not using it as a weapon.” Rielly shook her head. “If I decide to abstain I will do it on religious grounds.”
    “And what would those be?” Rapp laughed.
    “That I shouldn’t be giving myself so freely to a man who I am not married to, much less engaged.” Rielly quickly took a drink of beer to hide the smile that was spreading across her face.
    Rapp watched her for a second and said, “So you want to become some sort of born-again virgin?”
    “Yeah, something like that.”
    Rapp laughed. “That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. Only a sexually repressed Irish Catholic girl from Chicago could come up with something so ludicrous.”
    “We’ll see how ludicrous you think it is after a couple of weeks of cuddling and nothing else.”
    Still laughing, Rapp held up his hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay. You win. What would you like to know?”
    Rielly smiled triumphantly. “What was the new job offer?”
    “Come to work in the Counterterrorism Center. She hasn’t decided on a title yet. I’d be attached to the Middle East desk in some form or another. Either as a senior analyst or a special assistant to the DCI on Islamic terrorism.”
    Rielly raised her eyebrows in exaggerated excitement. “I like the second one. It sounds very important.”
    With a grimace Rapp said, “I’m not sure I like either of them.”
    “Why?”
    “I don’t know, honey. I don’t know if I can go to work in that damn puzzle palace.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “I’m not used to punching the clock,