Risky Business of Love. Yahrah John St.

hand and pulled away. “I know you mean well, Rachel, and I thank you for your concern, but I’m going to have to deal with Diamond myself.”

      Rachel threw up her hands. “Okay, okay. It’s your funeral. I’ve spoken my piece. I told Dad I would have a talk with you and I did.”

      “So Dad put you up to this?” Ciara inquired. “I should have known.” Diamond was Robert Miller’s least favorite person, which was surprising considering they’d once had a grand love affair. But then again, her father had been young and naive and maybe somewhat of a risk taker. And of course now after twenty-five years with her stepmother, Pilar, Robert had become somewhat of a stuffed shirt. “Well you can tell him that I’ve been properly warned, but that I’ll take it from here.”

      “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Rachel couldn’t resist delivering one final comment.

      “Duly noted,” Ciara said.

      Jonathan began his Friday clashing with his father’s expert opinion even though he’d rather have spent a leisurely morning making love to Ciara. He’d already prepared himself to hear about the dangers of dallying with the press because his father would have had overnight to think of an appropriate lecture.

      True to form, when he arrived at his campaign headquarters, Zach, Reid and his parents were already huddled together in the conference room.

      “Good morning,” Jonathan said to the elderly woman serving as his receptionist. A retiree, she’d generously volunteered her time as a contribution to his campaign and she just so happened to make the best cup of coffee Jonathan had ever had.

      He was dropping his briefcase in his office and walking toward the conference room when Dorothy handed him a mug. “Thanks, Dorothy, you’re a doll.”

      Dorothy returned a generous smile right back at him. She just loved it when the young man showed his pearly whites.

      Jonathan knocked on the door before entering. “Can anyone join in this conversation? Or should I make myself scarce?”

      “Come on in, Johnny boy,” Zach said, rising from his seat and shaking his best friend’s hand, “because we have a lot to discuss.” As Jonathan entered, Zach closed the door behind him.

      His father didn’t waste any time laying into him. “You can’t get involved with a member of the press. Do you have any idea the damage you could do or might have already done? And the campaign hasn’t even started yet.” Charles Butler shook his head.

      Jonathan took a seat at the head of the table. They must have thought he had never been in a campaign before. “I’m well aware of my actions, Dad. I’m not five years old.”

      “Then you must know how precarious this situation is.”

      “Jonathan, you know we only want what’s best for you.” His mother tried the maternal approach. “Perhaps you should end things with this Ciara Miller before it begins.”

      “So you know her name,” Jonathan said. “I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. But what all of you need to know is I won’t be interrogated by any of you. This is my life and I choose how to live it.”

      “Once you become a politician and are in the public eye,” his father said sternly, “you give up all rights to life solely as you see fit. I urge you to reconsider this behavior. It could be detrimental to your campaign.”

      “I have to agree with your father.” Zach looked at Reid, who was sitting next to Jonathan. Reid stood up and moved to another chair down the table. “Listen, to me, Jonathan.” Zach scooted his chair next to his friend. “How do you know this Miller woman isn’t setting you up for some sort of scandal? That she hasn’t been paid off by the opposition to bring you down?”

      “I don’t, but I will keep my eyes wide open,” Jonathan said defensively. He didn’t know why he was fighting so hard to maintain contact with Ciara; he barely knew her. Could it be because Ciara had completely surprised the heck out of him? Sure, they’d had great sex, but it was more than that—she excited him more than any woman ever had.