Conservative Affairs.

Scott, Riley.

Synopsis.

Jo Carson has spent months biting her tongue and biding her time working in Mayor Madeline Stratton's office. That she doesn't share the mayor's politics is her secret, and it's not the only secret she's keeping in conservative Oklahoma City.

Madeline Stratton believes that you reap what you sow. Yes, she has allowed her marriage to become one of bitter expedience, but she is devastated by the magnitude and viciousness of her husband's sudden scandal that erupts into off-color headlines and late night comedy routines.

When her young staffer offers a hideout no one will suspect she gratefully accepts-and finds Jo's sympathy and advice increasingly useful and needed. Until one night feelings far beyond grat.i.tude will no longer go away....

About the Author.

In addition to having published poetry and short stories, Riley Scott has worked as a grant and press writer and holds a degree in journalism. A chunk of life spent in the Bible Belt has given her a close-up look at the struggle for balance between love and church, home and state. She is a proud New Mexican with a strong love for green chile, dogs, and lively literature.

Dedication.

For every girl who has ever felt like she couldn't share her story, for all the loved ones who have given me the courage and strength to live my own, and for all who have supported, inspired, and encouraged my dreams.

Jo stared at the screen of her laptop, fingers hovering above the keys, yet unable to strike.

In three hours, she had written one word. "Bulls.h.i.+t." It stared back at her from the screen, seeming to resonate within her. It summed up her life pretty well-certainly her job at least.

She finished the last few gulps of her beer and crunched the can, satisfied to have something fold under her pressure. Lately she was the one folding and giving in to whatever her boss wanted.

Most days she got along fine, pretending and dancing on the tightrope that everyone in politics had to manage, but today's a.s.signment was simply too much.

Maybe that's why she had put it off until after her trip to the bar. Nonetheless, Jo had to find some way to write a speech for her boss advocating for the so-called "Defense of Marriage Act."

How great would it be if her ultraconservative boss just got up and recited what Jo had written? "DOMA is bulls.h.i.+t." Jo grinned, picturing the agape mouths of reporters, supporters and everyone else present. It would be a glorious day-but also her last one as an employee of the mayor's office. Unfortunately, Jo had to stick to the guidelines she had been given.

Not that they were really guidelines, she thought. They were more like the spewings of a h.o.m.ophobic monster frothing at the mouth and uttering Tarzan-like phrases: "Man and woman, good. Man and man, perverted. Woman and woman, abomination." Add in some lines from the Bible and maybe a line or two about how gays are out to destroy the universe and families, and she'd have the speech written.

Time to channel your inner judgmental church girl. Shouldn't be that hard for a preacher's kid whose mommy is still praying and pus.h.i.+ng for a white wedding.

She thought about her upbringing in the church, the exposure to the judging and being judged and sighed. "Hate the sin, not the sinner."

She clasped her hands over her mouth, realizing she had spoken the words aloud.

"s.h.i.+t," she whispered. The sounds emanating from her bedroom told her that her latest mistake had woken up and was getting ready to leave. The night's events came blaring back with the speed and force of a giant semitruck. Not only had she decided to blow off steam at the bar after work, ignoring her deadline, but she had also brought home a one-night stand. She closed her eyes, wis.h.i.+ng away the conversation that was impending, as the noise of footsteps sounded again in her bedroom.

She had to stop doing this. Sooner or later, it was all going to come back and bite her in the a.s.s. When it did, there'd be h.e.l.l to pay. Headlines shouting the news, all her secrets laid bare, no job...and no family.

At twenty-seven, people were supposed to be a little more at peace with their lives, weren't they? If so, she was certainly an exception.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the opening of her bedroom door.

"Uh, hi..." The gorgeous blond spoke awkwardly. "I didn't know where you had gone to, so I thought I'd take off."

Lauren...or Laura...or maybe Lisa. The name just simply would not come to Jo's mind.

"All right. Have a good night," Jo said instead.

"Thanks, I had a good time," the blond continued. "What are you doing up, by the way? It's four a.m."

"Just working on some stuff for the morning."

"Oh, that's right. You said you were a law student, right, Sarah?"

Jo simply nodded and forced a smile. "That's right."

"Okay, well, call me." With that the blond was gone.

"Sarah, the law student..." Jo laughed to herself. She was getting too old to play these games. She wasn't a law student; she was a professional liar. Camping out in the closet did that to people. Not that she had much choice, given how high-profile her family was and her job. She couldn't have girls running around telling people they'd slept with Jo Carson.

Still, everyone needed a good lay every now and again, so she had perfected the art of deception, just as she had perfected the art of attracting just about every woman she'd ever desired. Sometimes, she silently joked to herself, she could basically talk a girl out of her clothes. With eyes that dazzled and words that dripped of sweet honey, she had had her way with as many women as she wanted-but never for more than one night and never out in the light of day. Jo wasn't sure if that made her a superhero or a super villain, but either way, she'd take it.

Stretching her neck from side to side, she tried to think back to the s.e.x she'd had with the blond or the buzz still rolling around in her head from the beer. All she could think of, though, was that stupid DOMA speech and what a hypocrite she was.

She had to write the speech. She needed this job to prove herself professionally. If she wanted a future as a writer in any shape or form, this was her foot in the door. Besides which, people like Jo Carson didn't just come out of the closet. There was too much at stake. There was always too much at stake for the offspring of Michael Carson, who didn't dare be anything but perfect cookie-cutter children.

She was reminded of that every time she called home. Her sisters, Tori and Alli, had dutifully acquired everything a good little Carson was supposed to have-the das.h.i.+ng husband, the kids, the nice little suburban house-and her mom never let her forget it.

Blah, blah, blah. Jo had heard it all before-and it was getting worse. Last time they had spoken, her mom had thrown her for a loop. "You're going to meet him this year, I just know it."

"Who, Mom?" Jo had asked, hoping that she didn't already know the answer.

"Well, your Mr. Right, of course, darling. I just have a feeling. You'll meet him this year, and then we can plan another wedding. Now I've been thinking, turquoise would be a beautiful accent color, and you could use black for the bridesmaids' dresses..."

Jo had stopped listening. Martha Carson had gone into overdrive while planning both Tori's and Alli's weddings and was dying to see her middle child walk down the aisle. Nothing in the world was worth having to listen to her planning yet another wedding.

Would she have any interest at all if she knew the person I wanted to marry was female? Jo couldn't help but wonder, though she knew the answer. Of course she wouldn't. It would roil the empire her family had worked to create, and it would divide the Carsons forever. She had a pretty solid feeling that even her sisters would turn their backs on her if it ever came to that.

With a sigh, Jo ran her fingers through her long dark hair.

"Well, Jaws," she said, reaching down to pet the s.h.i.+h tzu half asleep at her feet. "It looks like it's time to spread some hate."

Chapter One.

The all-too-familiar ding of her work-issued BlackBerry produced a stinging pain in Jo's right temple. She craned her head to the side to crack her sore neck, then opened the email.

"Meet me in my office in 5. Need to discuss DOMA speech.M"

Unable to do anything else, Jo burst into laughter. Whatever could good old "M" want to discuss about the DOMA speech?

For a brief moment, she fantasized about coming out right there in her boss's office. "Ma'am," she'd start. It was always best to be polite and recognize authority-or so she'd been taught. "The reason your DOMA speech isn't quite up to your standards is because you asked me to write it and I might possibly be the biggest v.a.g.i.n.a lover on the planet."

Stifling her laugh and shaking her head, Jo gathered up a notebook and headed off to receive a list of rewrites.

Calm, steady and collected, she knocked lightly on the door and prepared to turn on the charm.

While she waited for permission to enter, she ran her fingers over the elaborate bra.s.s nameplate on the solid oak door. "Madeline Stratton, Mayor of Oklahoma City." It wouldn't have been out of place in a European palace; like almost everything in the office, it was over the top. Although the ornate decor was largely a holdover from the previous administration, anyone who had observed Madeline's air of authority and her ability to captivate an entire audience at first entrance into a room could have easily a.s.sumed she was the one who had decreed it to be so extravagant. Jo knew that was not the case, though. Reflecting upon her boss's true demeanor made her smile, despite the uncomfortable task awaiting her.

"Josephine?"

"Yes, ma'am," Jo replied, sticking her head in the door. "Are you ready to see me?"

The Honorable Madeline Stratton waved her hand welcomingly and nodded. "Of course. Come on in and have a seat."

Jo cleared her throat and took the offered seat. "So, about the speech..." she began.

The mayor held up her right hand to silence Jo. "First things first, Josephine. I liked the overall tone of the speech. It flows nicely. Ups and downs in the right places, good message points, everything."

Mayor Stratton was known for her dramatic pauses when speaking, personally as well as publicly. The time she was allowing to elapse now was painful. Jo was sure everyone within a ten-mile radius must be able to hear her heart pounding out of her chest.

Could she know? Was this the end? She forced herself to breathe, cringing when the exhalation came out loud and anxious-sounding.

Quickly the mayor spoke up. "It's all right. I liked the speech. There was only one thing I wanted to address."

Jo nodded, giving her the go-ahead.

"It doesn't quite pack the punch I would like for it to, especially when dealing with such an important issue."

When Jo didn't reply, the mayor added, "What I mean is, you use all the right messaging and wording, but it has the propensity to appear to some-your father's friends, the conservatives on the city council, for instance-as though I'm accepting of this lifestyle. Not supportive, but accepting-and you and I both know that we can't let our opponents use trivial stuff like this to torpedo our reform agenda. I can't stand the thought of all our hard work being in vain. The people are trusting us to do what we said we would. If we let a marginal issue like this distract or divide us, we'll lose the support of half of the city council and some very important donors. If that happens, we can kiss reelection next year goodbye and the last of our reform agenda with it."

The cold calculation behind the words. .h.i.t Jo like a slap in the face, but she didn't let on. Her stomach churned, as she battled internally with the words. The mayor seemed to be coming from a place of legitimate concern for most of her const.i.tuents-to the detriment of a minority. Though the words stung, she couldn't help but admire the strategy behind them. "Yes, ma'am. I will make some edits, but may I ask one question?"

"Go ahead."

"How would you like me to go about making these changes?"

"Josephine, you're a brilliant writer. I'm sure you'll figure it out. Just make sure that you are crystal clear about my disapproval of the gay lifestyle. Also, include information on the importance of preserving the sanct.i.ty of marriage and how gay marriage, even civil unions, will undermine family values."

Biting her tongue, Jo smiled and nodded. "Will do."

She stood and turned to leave.

"Oh," the mayor exclaimed fervently. "And put something in about the actions that I plan to take to prevent gay marriage..."

Jo spun on her heel. "What type of actions?"

"Right now, we'll work to support civic and city groups that want to protect traditional marriage. We'll also stand behind the city council if it needs us to put forth any related proclamations. And...and...and..." Madeline tapped her fingers on her desk as if trying to drum up the perfect answer.

"Burning gays at the stake?" Jo offered and silently cursed herself for the answer.

Her boss broke into laughter as if this was the most humorous thing she had ever heard. "Oh, you truly do have a wicked sense of humor. Your father was right about that one."

The mention of Jo's father still stung-as if she could never have landed a job such as this one without his help. She forced a smile and nodded in agreement.

"That'll be all, Josephine. I'll look forward to reading through it again when you've finished the rewrites."

The piercing blue of Madeline's eyes captured Jo's gaze for a second longer than was necessary-or advisable. Quickly, she exited, afraid of making the moment awkward. Well, more awkward.

As her heels clicked slowly down the tiled hallway leading back to her cubicle, Jo mulled her job situation over in her mind for the millionth time. She was, she had been told, the best speechwriter the office had ever had; reviews of the mayor's speeches were off the charts. It was more than being good at her job, though, that was keeping her chained to a place she should want to leave. She had always loved politics. It was fast-paced, ever-changing, exciting. She was actually doing things to make a difference in the world.

Politics was where she had always wanted to be. But...did she really want to be working here, for Mayor Stratton? It hadn't felt as if she really had a choice, thanks to the "Daddy connection." Her heart wrenched. As much as she wanted to fight it, she let out a sigh of acceptance. This was her life, and she was who she was.

If only Mayor Stratton didn't hate the one thing Jo was sure that she was...Jo would have liked her just fine. She was a good boss, fair and loyal. She was a strong woman, and Jo loved strong women.

h.e.l.l, if the woman weren't so d.a.m.n conservative, she might even have considered taking Ms. Madeline out for a spin. She let her mind contemplate that thought for a little while. No doubt about it, with that blond hair, those long legs, and those gorgeous blue eyes, Madeline Stratton was hot. She also possessed an incomparable intellect, something that Jo always found so enticing. Accomplished, beautiful and sharp as a tack-she was the full package. Forty-two, but with the body of a twenty-five-year-old, she could have been the poster child for a "Republicans Are s.e.xy" campaign.

"What the h.e.l.l, Jo?"

Gabe, the mayor's scheduler, had popped out in front of her while she was walking and moved quickly aside now to avoid a collision. She gasped; she'd nearly plowed into him. She blushed, thinking that somehow he had read her mind. What was she doing, anyway, thinking about sleeping with her boss?

"Oh! You scared me!" she finally sputtered.

"Chill out, man," Gabe said, laughing. "Did you seriously just make a joke in Madeline's office about burning gays at the stake?"

A sheepish grin spread across Jo's face. "Maybe," she replied with a shrug. "But, in all seriousness, Gabe, I think she'd take it almost that far if that's what was needed to get her programs pa.s.sed."

"Do what we all do," Gabe said. "Just go with it. Take it to the extremes she wants to take it. If we need to rein her in before the speech, we will. But it's her career."

Jo never tired of this-the team ethic the mayor had engendered in the office. She was the new kid on the block-she'd been working for the mayor for less than a year, replacing someone who'd left for a job in DC-and most of the others had been there since the beginning of her term over three year ago, but people were still looking out for her. It felt good knowing they had her back-just as she had theirs. "Okay, thanks, Gabe. I'm going to 'go with it.'"

He patted her on the shoulder. "Go get 'em, tiger. Or attagirl. Or some cliche that's supposed to make you want to grab the bull by the horns and seize the day."

She shook her head, laughing and thankful for phenomenal co-workers. "Thanks, crazy."