These high ceilings, crisp white tablecloths, and that signature 'Ivy League Scramble' with eggs, sausage, and goat cheese makes me feel at home. I've brought Vivian here to the Harvard Club for brunch, and I can tell that even she's impressed. I know what you're thinking, this is a club exclusively for Harvard alumni and that makes me some sort of effete liberal.

In fact, if you’re so inclined, the whole Harvard thing with my protecting the environment makes me one of those wimps you see on television.

You couldn’t be farther from the truth.

You want to know why I’m against Liam? Really?

I watch as Vivian delicately nibbles at her Berry Bowl, placing one berry at a time in between her lips—raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, and blueberries. Watching her lips redden under the stain of the berries makes my cock twitch.

It’s been two weeks since my office. Two weeks of meetings—either meeting with her directly, or her and Liam. And every time I’ve tried getting close to her…her defenses go up. What am I doing wrong?

In fact, why am I even bringing her here? To impress her? What am I? 16? Trying to wow a girl into letting me in her pants.

Why am I so affected by her?

"Recognize anyone you know?" Vivian asks. I'm looking around, not because I expect to know anyone, but because the last thing I need right now is my cock tenting my khakis. I need a distraction.

"I'm a Harvard alumni," so the likelihood of me running into an old friend is pretty high. Maybe someone I played football with. Maybe an old study group partner.

"I see, well I—"

Her response is cut off when her phone rings. It's a shrill and high-pitched ring tone, and I have no idea how she can stand to have that on her phone. People are looking at us, frowning. The club rules are strict about the use of cell phones. Ringers have to be set to silent, so I'm expecting someone to lodge a complaint.

"It's my office. I have to take this; I'll be right back, I'm really sorry," Vivian says, waving to me with her hand apologetically. I watch as she scoots her chair back and exits the room to answer the call. I can't help but look at the way her perfect ass sashays across the dining room floor and out of my view. I don't use the word 'perfect' lightly, but even I'll admit that she's a damn near perfect woman. Her petite but curvy frame coupled with the way her blonde hair cascades down and around her shoulders, drives me wild. I reach down to take a sip of my coffee when I hear a commotion coming from the back of the room. It sounds like it's coming from the entrance, and I look around to find the source.

"Sir! This is a member's only club. I'm going to have to ask you to leave!"

I turn around to see a man from the security desk waving down someone who is trying to enter the dining room as a non-member. He seems to be walking fast.

"The fuck it is! Do you know who I am? I'm here on important business; give me a few fucking minutes," he says with a snarl.

Wait a minute … the man in question is heading straight toward me and I recognize that voice anywhere. It's Liam Jeffries."

He storms up to my table, one fist balled in his pocket. I can tell from his posture that this is going to be a hostile visit. "Who the fuck do you think you are, Carter?"

"It's nice to see you too, Liam," I say, standing up to greet him with a fake smile. Given his agitation, it doesn't seem like a good idea to remain sitting. There's no way I'm going to let him get the best of me. If he's going to cause a scene and call me out in front of all these people, he better be ready for the consequences.

"Fuck you, Carter. I know all about your little plot to take me down."

"Well, that's dramatic."

"Is it? Mayor Tina Ling paid me a fucking visit and how do you think that went?"

Shit. What's she doing visiting Liam? Was that before or after she had my pants unbuttoned?

"You tell me. And if I were you, I'd keep my voice down—this isn't the kind of place you want to air out your dirty laundry, if you know what I mean. That'd be poor form for the Mayor of New Kingston, don't you think?"

"You know what's poor form? You fucking trying to take away 10,000 jobs from the city of Kingston. That's what. You Democrats are all the same—shouting and crying about the fucking environment. That's all a fucking hoax. It's just a way for you to push your agenda of moving fucking jobs and getting to tell us what to do."

Now he's really pissing me off, and I find myself clenching my jaw. "Are you seriously kidding me, Liam? You think I don’t care about those people in your town? That’s why you go on television to go tell me to go fuck myself? Because you think I care more about a goddamn owl?"

"Because I fucking know how to get things done. It's you and your big government fucking—"

I cut him off mid sentence. "You know what your problem is, Liam? Your ignorance. You don't really give a shit about people! Because if you did, you'd give a shit about all of the pollution you're planning on subjecting the citizens of New Kingston to with these five factories of yours. Way to go, Mayor," I say, clapping my hands in mock support. "What good is a damn job when your citizens overtax your healthcare system because they’re being poisoned in their own homes!" I'm oozing sarcasm.

"Ha! You're out of your fucking mind, Carter. Are you really interested in seeing the unemployment rate spike to unprecedented levels? People will be out on the street—families decimated. Are you really thinking about what it means to not bring a paycheck home for your family? To have to fill your bathtub up with water because you know your water is getting shut off for non-payment. No, you wouldn't know anything about that. You've been wealthy from the moment you took your first breath. So you can go fuck yourself if you think I'm falling for any of your nonsense."

"Watch yourself," I growl, flashing my teeth. "You're the one not thinking. You're so narrow minded that you can't think about tomorrow—about future generations. It's not all black and white Liam."

"No, it’s all about black and white with you, Carter," Liam says, snarling at me. "What the fuck are you doing here with Vivian, anyways?"

I'm trying to not let Liam get under my skin, but his presence is causing my pulse to quicken, and I find myself clenching my jaw. He isn't hearing a thing I say, and he better watch how he talks to me.

"My relationship with Vivian is something you won’t ever understand, Mayor Jeffries," I tell him coldly. "You don’t have the patience to deserve a woman like that."

"You better watch yourself Mr. High and Mighty Governor," Liam says, a spark of pure anger in his eyes. "You think you have it all, don't you? You think you've got the new legislation and the Senator behind you, but let me tell you something asshole. That cute blonde you're trying to impress here today? Well, I've already slept with her, so I hope you enjoy my sloppy fucking seconds."

That's it. Now he's really overstepped his bounds. I don't care who's watching. It's my instinct to reach back and throw my fist right into the middle of Liam's face. It hits him with a sickening thud and I see a thin line of blood leak from his nose. The punch catches him off guard and he stumbles back into the table behind him. There's a husband and wife dining at that table, and their drinks are knocked over, the contents spilling into their laps.

"Hey, watch it!" they say, raising their arms in protest.

But before anyone can respond, Liam flies into me, throwing a punch that grazes my jaw. Our arms are now locked together and we tumble onto the dining room floor. The outside world is a blur, but I vaguely hear shouts and murmurs coming from fellow diners. People have their cell phones out. Are they recording us? I can hear security trying to break us up, but Liam isn't slowing down and neither am I. I refuse to let him get the best of me. I have my knee on his chest and I hit him again, but now there are two police officers yelling in our direction, "Break it up!"

Liam and I let go of each other, and one officers yells for us to get on our knees with our hands up. We both comply and as soon as we go, they walk over, pull our hands behind our backs and place them in handcuffs.

"Do you have any idea who you're handcuffing?" I ask.

"Save it for the judge, tough guy. We've seen enough from the two of you. We're taking you in."

"To the county jail?" Liam asks. "You've got to be kidding. I'm the Mayor of New Kingston. You can't do this."

The officers aren't listening and they begin reciting the Miranda warning, "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can be used against you in a court of law…"

Liam looks over at me and shakes his head in disgust. "Great, now look what you've fucking done."

"What I've done? You're the one who came marching in picking a fight."

"Knock it off, both of you," one officer says. "You can both cool off in county."