Free Madam President by Blayne Cooper, T Novan

children.
     
    Lauren's voice turned scolding as she glared at her four-legged friend. "Gremlin!" You are in so much trouble, you little shit. "I'm so sorry, Madam President."
     
    "Devlyn, remember?"
     
    Lauren ducked her head. "Right. And I am sorry. That's so strange." Pale brows furrowed. "Grem loves everybody." Seeing Dev's scowl, she realized how that must have sounded and added, "But he has had a really stressful day. But he's totally, one hundred percent safe, I swear. He's usually afraid of his own shadow."
     
    Dev suddenly growled back at the dog and he jumped, scooting under the bed with a loud yelp just as fast as his tiny legs would take him. "Okay, I'll buy that," Dev agreed amiably, quite pleased with herself. Mental note: consult David about finding the best dog bribes for dogs more chicken than canine, who obviously hate me.
     
    Dev pushed herself to her feet, groaning. It had been a long day. And she'd been looking forward to relaxing. Reluctantly, she roused the kids. "I think we should give Ms. Strayer her privacy now."
     
    "Don't go," Lauren heard herself say, a little bewildered by the urgency in her own voice. She could feel her cheeks tingling with heat.
     
    "Okay," Dev replied immediately, a grin forming. "Wanna chat while the kids play?"
     
    Lauren nodded, and the women moved to the sofas. The younger woman sat down first, and Dev fought the urge to plop down next to her, moving to the opposite couch instead.
     
    "That's a pretty skirt." Lauren's gaze swept down Dev's legs . She should wear them more often. Fantastic legs. The thought might have been startling, but for the fact that it was so undeniably true.
     
    Dev's voice called her back to the moment, and now it was the President's turn to blush as she picked nervously at the material. "Thanks." Devlyn rooted around in her pocket until her hand emerged holding a foil wrapper. A sweet aroma drifted toward the writer.
     
    "Wanna share my Hershey Bar?" Dev passed over a piece of chocolate.
     
    "Sure!" Lauren reached out happily. A Hershey Bar? Oh, boy. Thank God we're not on a bus.
     
    CHAPTER II
    February 2021
     
    Tuesday, February 23 rd
     
    L AUREN PAUSED IN her writing and pushed away from her desk. She tilted her head to the side in deep thought, her fingers absently twirling a pen as she read over her latest journal entry. This wasn't a private journal, although her personal thoughts were woven around her professional observations. She would extract them later. Or not. Depending on exactly what they were and how they related to what she was trying to convey. This was her collection of handwritten notes about her 'subject'. And they already filled a single, heavy-duty, three-ring binder.
     
    The writer had to admit that her first month as Devlyn's biographer had been little more than a blur. A whirlwind of motion and activity. Pledges and compromises. Deals and sacrifices.
     
    It had taken every single one of the last twenty-nine days for her to begin to become accustomed to rising at five in the morning so she could start the day with Dev. Lauren had actually groaned out loud when she found out that on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays the President and a flock of Secret Service Agents went jogging. She smirked to herself as she began scratching out a few more thoughts. That wasn't quite true. They didn't jog . They raced the three miles around south lawn jogging trail as though their feet were on fire. Their blistering pace kept press corps participation to a bare minimum, and Lauren already knew Devlyn well enough to know that was no accident.
     
    The President approached her workouts with the same single-minded intensity with which she approached everything. Dev wanted to sweat. She didn't mind if some good conversation took place while she was doing it though, which was the only reason Lauren could make herself attend. But President Marlowe wasn't going to slow down to let it happen. She set the pace. And that made Lauren even