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fancy.”
    I shook my head. “Seriously, do you think I still fall for powerful guys?”
    Russell didn’t meet my eyes immediately. “Definitely. I know for a fact four years at Harvard and two at Georgetown is a six-figure education and you only owe twenty thousand. That’s a lot of sexual favors, honey.”
    I laughed out loud over the huge assumption he happened to make. “I qualified for grants and scholarships you know. The twenty grand was for a loan I had to take out because I didn’t apply for certain grants before deadline.”
    “Your dad didn’t take care of that?”
    “No. He wanted to but my mom wouldn’t hear of it. She said I was smart enough to take care of myself and there was no reason why she and my dad should have to take money from their retirement to pay for my education. In case you missed the memo, I can go into corporate law. My minor was in in pharmacology and I planned to be a suit at a pharmaceutical company.”
    “How’s that working out?” Russell inquired with a hint of playfulness in his tone.
    “Fine, as far as I know. If I’m lucky, after finishing up this whole campaign aide business, I’ll probably become a pharmaceutical lobbyist here in Washington and take the bar exam here after all.”
    “Whoa, a woman with a game plan. How ambitious.”
    I looked out of the window and studied the buildings of the capital as we drove past them. “Don’t think I don’t know it.”
     

     
     
    A fter lunch with Russell, we drove back to the campaign office in time for the arrival of Governor Coburn. It was great to see him again but I knew my fondness for him went beyond the professional level. If I wasn’t careful, I would screw everything up big time. This was not part of the plan and I couldn’t let a few moments of lust destroy everything I’d worked so hard to achieve.
    I knew why I’d snapped at Russell, and part of it filled me with joy while another part of me wanted to snap myself out of it. For several weeks, I’d been in complete and utter joy at liking the Governor from afar and imagining us together sexually. However, he was married with children.
    Then this new guy came on to the scene and was just as attractive but happened to be only a couple years older than me, stable and single. He obviously had poached on territory that I considered sacred between the Governor and me. I couldn’t imagine having a fling with Russell but maybe I should, if only to put my priorities in order.
    A relationship with my boss was risqué but not entirely unheard of. An affair with the governor could increase my moral turpitude to an off-the-charts level, and leave me persona non grata in a town where everyone knew everyone. Did I really want my whole life reduced to a cheesy tell-all and a made-for-television film on HBO if I was lucky? However, with my lack of luck, I’d probably only get Lifetime because the executives at Home Box Office would think me too unsavory to touch.
    Nope, I wouldn’t end up another D.C. cliché or punch line joke. Not after all the money, time and effort I’d sunk into achieving an education in the first place. Plus, I knew the damage an affair could do. I’d been involved with one during my time abroad and still had nightmares because of it. I wouldn’t allow my lady parts to ruin my life a second time by repeating the same stupid mistakes I’d made at nineteen.
    Therefore when work ended and Russell sidled up to me to make sure we were still on for our date, I agreed and smiled, much to the Governor’s chagrin. He didn’t look too happy but at least Kylie beamed at me as I left work.
    Andrea flitted around the apartment, loud music playing in the living room, as I showered and got ready for my date. She whistled and displayed two thumbs up as I walked into the kitchen for a bottle of water.
    “Wow, you look amazing. Who’s the lucky fella?”
    “Russell Berkeley. He’s my immediate supervisor but he’s single, attractive and funny so those