White House Men #5
Kenn wants Warrick to be his teacher, his boyfriend…and his Daddy.
Being the president’s son was never something Kenn wanted, but it’s the reality nonetheless. Home from college with nothing to do, he’s elated when his father hires a tutor to prepare him for law school.
Professor Warrick Duvall is kind, smart, and he has time for Kenn when no one else does. When the unthinkable happens and Kenn’s world is rocked to its core, it’s Warrick who is there for him, and the friendship with him is the only thing that keeps Kenn going. Warrick takes care of him, helps Kenn find his footing again, and they grow even closer.
When others start to notice and warn him, it’s time for Kenn to be honest about who he is and what he wants. But how will his father react when he learns Kenn doesn’t want Warrick to be merely his teacher and his boyfriend…but his Daddy?
Care is a slow burn MM gay romance with an age gap and daddy kink (no age play), featuring a Daddy who doesn’t know he’s a Daddy and a needy boy who soaks up all Daddy’s care. It’s the fifth book in the White House Men series, a continuing MM romantic suspense series set in the White House that needs to be read in order. Care ends with a happily ever after, but the suspense plot ends on a cliffhanger and will be continued in the rest of the series.
1
Two Months Earlier
One day, Kennedy Delano Shafer—who much preferred to be called Kenn—would be able to meet new people without being nervous to the point of throwing up. Today, however, wasn’t that day. Rationally, he knew he had nothing to worry about. His parents—mostly his dad—had carefully selected his new tutor from among many applicants. Yes, the president had actually put out an ad to find a private tutor for his son.
Not that it had been mentioned in the listing that the tutor was for the First Kid—and how Kenn hated that term. He wasn’t a child, even if he often still felt like one at twenty-two. Also, the term “first” implied there was a second kid and maybe even a third and a fourth, and that wasn’t the case. He was it, the President and First Lady’s only son. But that was beside the point.
No, an agency had made the initial selection of candidates, narrowing it down to a shortlist his father had then gone through. After meeting with several candidates, he’d picked Professor Warrick Duvall, thirty-six years old, who had pursued a career in law after an honorable discharge from the Army due to getting wounded in combat. Since Kenn’s ambition was to attend law school after graduating from college, Professor Duvall had seemed the perfect candidate to get him ready, his father had told him.
Finishing his undergraduate degree at Amherst was sadly not an option at the moment, not after the assassination of President Markinson and a thwarted attempt to kill Kenn’s father, who had been the vice president at the time. Kenn understood, and he’d agreed he was safer in the White House, but that didn’t mean he had to like it. The tightened security sucked for all of them, but he’d lost all his freedom…and his chance of having sex. Although truth be told, he hadn’t managed to score in the three years he’d been at Amherst. Maybe the idea that one more year would’ve given him the courage to finally get laid was a classic case of self-deception.
Get laid. Score. He scrunched his nose. Such crude expressions. Not that having sex was much better. Or getting fucked. The latter immediately stated his preference, and he wasn’t ready to announce that yet. Just like he wasn’t ready to be honest about his…other needs. How would his father react? And Uncle Milan?
Kenn wasn’t worried about the gay part of his coming out. That, they’d fully embrace. But how would they feel if he confessed to what he wanted in a relationship, who he was deep inside? Could two such powerful, dominant alpha men ever understand it? He didn’t think so.
The bottom line was that he wouldn’t have sex anytime soon, and while that was a relief in some ways—if meeting new people already had him anxious, sex would be an absolute nightmare—it also worried him. How would he ever grow up, become a full adult, if he didn’t scale that particular mountain? A virgin at twenty-two…how pathetic.
Almost as pathetic as the crazy flutters in his stomach and the sweaty hands he was experiencing as the time inched closer to Professor Duvall’s arrival. Kenn slowly made his way from his bedroom on the second floor of the White House into the central hallway, where Seth had taken up his usual spot against the wall. He had an overview of the entire hallway and the staircase, he’d explained to Kenn.
"Hey, Seth."
Protocol stated that Secret Service agents couldn’t strike up a conversation with their protectees, but things were different between him and Seth. With his father’s permission, Seth had become somewhat of a friend to Kenn, and he loved that he had someone to talk to. Someone who was gay and as alpha male as possible. Kenn hadn’t found the courage yet to ask Seth about certain things—that would be the gay part—but one day he would. Over time, addressing the crazy sexy Secret Service agent had become easier, probably because Seth was genuinely nice and made an effort to help Kenn get over his nerves and shyness.
"Hey, Kenn. How's life?"
"I loved that British TV series you recommended."
"Hustle?"
Kenn nodded.
"I know, right? I keep telling people about it, but it's not that well known here. But it's so good."
"It's got that dry British humor I love, plus action and smart plots."
"I couldn't agree more. Heist movies are my jam, and this whole series centers around heists and smart cons."
Kenn had binge-watched the entire first season of Hustle and was well on his way in the second one. Not much else to do for him but read and watch TV now that he was home all day, but hopefully, that would change soon.
"Your tutor has arrived," Seth said after listening to his earpiece.
A fresh wave of nerves rolled over Kenn, and he bit his lip. "What if he doesn't like me?"
Seth gently squeezed his shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about that if I were you."
"Have you met him?"
"No, but I know he's a good guy. Otherwise, your father would never have hired him. He spent more time selecting the right tutor for you than he did on picking people for staff and cabinet posts."
Kenn couldn’t help but smile. Seth had such a way of helping him relax, and in this case, he was probably right. His father had spent an inordinate amount of time and energy on selecting the perfect tutor for Kenn to the point where even his mom, with her endless patience, had given up.
The elevator opened, and a man stepped out. He was shorter than Kenn had expected—maybe an inch taller than Kenn. He didn’t have the perfectly toned body Seth had but a much rounder and softer one. It made him look friendly, even in his crisp dark blue suit and a white dress shirt with a blue-and-white-striped tie. He had his finger between his collar and his neck but dropped it quickly when he spotted them.
"Hi," Professor Duvall said, frowning slightly. He took two steps toward Kenn and extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Shafer."
"Kenn. You can call me Kenn." His voice was way too soft, and he was irritated with himself already that he couldn’t project more confidence, but his body wasn’t cooperating.
Duvall looked at Seth, but the Secret Service agent stayed silent. "Right. Kenn. I'm Warrick Duvall. Professor Duvall. Which you probably figured out by now."
He was stammering. Wait, was he nervous too? Somehow that thought took some of Kenn’s trepidation away. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Professor.”
Duvall checked in with Seth again, then turned his attention back to Kenn. "You'll have to forgive me, but I'm not familiar with the protocol here. Do I…?" He gestured at Seth.
Oh my god, he totally was nervous. How about that? “That's Seth. He's one of the agents on my Secret Service detail. Technically, the agents aren’t supposed to start a conversation with their protectees, but it’s different for Seth. He and I are…"
Shit. Had he said too much? Secret Service agents weren’t allowed to be close with their protectees, so had he gotten Seth into trouble? What if Seth’s boss wasn’t okay with it, even though Kenn’s dad was?
"We're friends,” Seth said smoothly. “As much as my job allows it. With his father's permission."
Duvall cleared his throat. "Okay. That's good to know."
"Generally speaking, you can ignore the agents. Just pretend we're not there."
"That’ll take some adapting, I'm afraid. Ignoring people isn’t a habit of mine."
Seth’s mouth curled up in a smile that communicated approval. The man appreciated it when people treated him with respect, and Kenn could understand why. Being a Secret Service agent wasn’t easy, and Seth had shared some horror stories he’d heard from other agents with Kenn—without revealing the identities of the protectees involved. Seth would never break confidentiality.
"You'll get used to it after a few days,” Seth said, then stepped back again, positioning himself in his usual spot.
"Right. President Shafer…your father, I mean…told me you're considering law school. Can you tell me what draws you to studying the law?" Professor Duvall asked.
What did he do now? Were they supposed to stand here awkwardly in the hallway? Seth subtly nudged his head toward the sitting area. Of course. The professor wouldn’t take the initiative here. That was all on Kenn. He took a deep breath. “Why don't we sit down for this conversation?” He gestured at the sitting area in the hall. “I’m sure you have more questions for me. Can I offer you something to drink?"
It had come out as smoothly as he’d hoped, and he couldn’t hold back a smile. Maybe he was finally getting the hang of this whole being social thing.
“I’d appreciate that. A cup of tea, maybe?”
The professor walked in front of him, his gait somewhat stiff, like he was favoring one leg. Kenn’s dad had told him Professor Duvall had gotten injured in combat, so maybe that was the cause of his uneven walk?
As soon as they sat, Denali came hurrying toward them, flashing Kenn one of his sweet smiles. The White House server was pure sunshine, and Kenn was happy they were becoming friends. Denali was one of the few people he didn’t feel awkward around, probably because they were close in age.
“Can we have tea, please?” Kenn asked him. “And maybe some of Mrs. Morelli’s cookies?”
Denali’s smile widened. “She baked fresh chocolate chip cookies for you this morning.”
Kenn laughed. “I’d better eat them, then, before my dad smells them. He’ll devour them all if he gets the chance.”
“The Secret Service agents were complaining that someone told the president where Mrs. Morelli hides their stash of cookies. Apparently, he ate quite a few of them.” Denali hooked his thumb over his shoulder at Seth, and Kenn giggled.
Seth coughed loudly from his spot against the wall. “I’m pleading the fifth.”
“I’ll be right back with tea and cookies,” Denali said, looking amused, then rushed off.
“Can he do that, pleading the fifth?” Professor Duvall asked.
Kenn turned his attention back to him. “Excuse me?”
“Can a Secret Service agent refuse to answer a question like that?”
“Erm, I don’t know. I guess it depends on who’s asking the question?”
Professor Duvall leaned forward. “Let’s say his supervisor asked him or the director of the Secret Service. Could he refuse to answer?”
Kenn thought quickly. The Fifth Amendment protected people from incriminating themselves, didn’t it? “If he was the one who told my father about the cookies, then yes, because answering would mean incriminating himself.”
“But does that apply to an employer-employee relationship? Isn’t the Fifth Amendment only applicable in a legal situation, say, a police interrogation or a court case?”
“I wouldn’t think so because if he confessed to someone, including his supervisor, they could then be called as a witness and testify to what he’d told them. So I’d think in no situation can you be forced to answer questions that would incriminate yourself.”
“What if your father asked the question? What if the president of the United States demanded that Seth tell the truth? He’d have to answer then, wouldn’t he? The president is the highest authority in the country, superseding even the Supreme Court.”
“He’s not.” This, Kenn was certain of. “The president isn’t above the law. That’s why we have checks and balances so that the Judiciary Branch can check the Executive Branch. If Seth refused to answer, the government could sue him, I think, but that case could take its course through the system, maybe even ending up at the Supreme Court, which would rule in his favor because of the Fifth Amendment.”
Professor Duvall sent him a broad smile. “Well argued. In this case, there are a few things that make it more complicated, since Seth is a federal employee and thus bound by what’s called a Kalkines warning that could make it mandatory for him to tell the truth, but we’ll get into more detail about that later on. For now, let’s talk about what draws to you studying the law.”
He’d prepared for this question. “I want to make positive changes in our society through the law. My father does it through politics, but I think people underestimate how important laws are at every level. I want to make a difference by using the legal process.”
Denali showed up with their tea and cookies, and Professor Duvall nodded at him, waiting with his answer until Denali had walked off again. “That’s a lofty goal. In which areas would you like to make a difference?”
“Social justice, first and foremost, which I don’t know much about yet, but I’ve been trying to learn more about how laws favor white people. I still have a lot to learn and understand, but I know that inequality is built into our legal system and that the system helps perpetuate it.”
Professor Duvall’s eyes lit up. “I can see why your father thought me a good match. I’m passionate about social justice, and I’d love to teach you more about this if you feel we’d be a good fit.”
A good fit? What did he mean? “I’m not sure I understand. My father already hired you.”
“He did, but if you were to tell me you’re not comfortable working with me for any reason, I’d walk away all the same.”
Not comfortable? Kenn had no idea what the man was referring to. What an odd phrase. Maybe he’d meant it in more general terms, as in that Kenn wouldn’t like him? “No objections on my end, Professor. I’m excited to learn from you.”
A flash of relief passed over the professor’s face. “I’m glad to hear it. Let’s get started, then. I made a first schedule of topics. Why don’t we have a look at that? And you can tell me if anything is missing or if I’ve listed things you already know about.”
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Nora Phoenix is a bestelling author of MM romance. She writes in various subgenres of gay romance, including contemporary, mpreg, and sci fi. Nora is known for a mix of steamy romance, usually a dash of kink, all the feels, and some suspense.
Proud single mom. Book addict. Eternal optimist. Unapologetic feminist. Ace. Panromantic.
Care #5
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