Each day of work, we’d start with a meeting to discuss the upcoming broadcasts and assign each reporter to a story or stories to cover. While they were in the field, the news anchors usually did promo videos for their upcoming broadcast that night, followed by a lunch/dinner before getting ready to go on air. I didn’t miss being in the field, especially in the dead of winter, but there was one story I was hoping to cover.

“Are you sure you want to go back into the field again?” Leonard, my boss and the news director, asked.

I nodded, a smile spread across my face as we sat around the newsroom table for our daily meeting. “Yes.”

“Who wouldn’t want to cover the floating island?” Mitch asked sarcastically. “I’m jealous Ashtyn mentioned it first.”

“Yep, I call dibs.” I laughed. While we were a successful station and we had news reporters that covered the stories in the field, there had been exceptions. This was one that I hoped would get me out of the newsroom to actually report the news instead of only reading it. However, it wasn’t even close to being open yet. We still had to get through winter, but I saw a blog post this morning that they were making progress and I wanted to claim the story first. I wanted to get in contact with them and schedule a pre-launch interview, hoping I’d get to use the entire island for the day.

“All right. You got it.” Leonard nodded and wrote on his legal pad. “Anything else?” Everyone looked at each other as we shook our heads. “See you back here at nine.”

After my promo videos, I was craving a pumpkin spice latte and wanted it before we had to go live. “Hey. Want to go to Starbucks with me?” I asked Abby as I walked up to her desk.

“Can you bring it back? I’m waiting for a call back on a story I want us to break tonight.”

“Sure.” I smiled. “What do you want?”

“Grande pumpkin spice latte, please.”

“Got it.” She tried to give me money, but I waved her off. “My treat.”

After shrugging on my coat, I left to walk down the block to the nearest Starbucks. The sun had just set, and even though it was dusk, I could make out his car sitting at the light. I didn’t need to look in the window. I just knew. I knew by the feeling in my chest that the red Mustang idling two cars ahead was Corey. The closer I got, the more I prayed that the light would turn green.

But, of course, it didn’t.

My heart started to beat faster, and my pace started to slow as I walked by the car. I tried with all my might to not turn my head and look, but of course, I turned my head, this time praying that he wouldn’t turn to look at me.

No such luck.

Our gazes locked, my feet faltered, and my breath caught. I didn’t stop, though. Instead, I turned my head quickly as though he was just another person in a car. Was this how my life would be now? I either needed to move or move on. That was why whatever I had with Rhys was good. I saved him from his ex, and he could save me from mine.

My legs moved again, and I quickly went inside Starbucks and pulled out my phone to text Rhys while I waited in line to order.

Me: Just saw fuck nut.

I loved the nickname Rhys had chosen for Corey. It fit perfectly. It also put a smile on my face as I typed the words and waited for his reply. I didn’t know if he’d reply right away, but I hoped so. I needed the distraction.

I ordered the coffees, and before my name was called, I received a text back.

Rhys: Where?

Me: He was at the light when I walked to get coffee on my break.

Rhys: Did he say anything to you?

Me: No. I kept walking.

Rhys: Where are you now?

Me: Waiting for my coffee.

My phone rang instead of a text. It was Rhys.

“Hey,” I answered.

“You okay?”

“Well, now I know how you felt on the boat.” Though his encounter was worse than mine. I wouldn’t even know what I would do if I came face to face with Corey. Like actually face to face and not twenty or thirty feet between us. I’d probably slap him.

Rhys chuckled in my ear. “Are you saying you want me to meet you for a quickie in the restroom?”

I smiled. If I didn’t have work, I’d take him up on it. Being with Rhys was like a mini getaway from all my worries. I’d say it was like a stress reliever, but it was more. It was as though we were meant to meet that night at Judy’s, meant to be each other’s escape.

“I would, but I have to anchor the news and all that.”

“Tonight after my poker game then.”

“You play poker?”

“Try to every week. Sometimes work gets in the way.”

“With your friends I met the other night?”

“Yep, and two other guys.”

“What time does it end?”

“When it does.” I heard him laugh again.

“So, you want me to sit and wait by the phone for you?”

“Yeah, and naked.”

I snorted my laughter. “Right. Keep dreaming.”

“But seriously, I’ll text you when they leave, and if you’re still awake, I’ll come over.”

“Okay.” I nodded even though he couldn’t see me. The barista called my name, indicating my drinks were ready. I stepped forward. “Can I get a carrier?” I asked the barista. She nodded.

“I’ll call you tonight,” Rhys stated.

“Okay, don’t forget to watch my newscast. Ratings and shit.”

Rhys laughed again into my ear. “I’m already on that channel.”

We hung up, and I grabbed the light brown carrier and turned around, right into a hard body. The hot coffee fell backward and down the front of my grey, wool coat.

“I’m so sorry,” I muttered, looking down to see the beige liquid pooling on the floor.

“I should be the one to say sorry,” the guy stated. “I didn’t get any on me.”

I looked up and into his brown eyes. “Yeah, but I think I ran into you. I’m really sorry.”

“Don’t be. Let me buy you two more.”

I smiled and looked down at the mess. “That’s okay. Really. It was my fault.”

“Well, at least let me get your coat dry cleaned for you.”

A Starbucks employee with a mop came up to the spill. “We’re already making you two more.” The man and I stepped away so she could clean it up.

“See. No harm.” I took a napkin the guy was handing me. “Thank you.”

“You’re Ashtyn Valor, right?”

I smiled slightly and nodded as I tried to soak up the coffee from my coat. “I am.”

“You’re even more beautiful in person.”

My entire body flamed with embarrassment. Compliments just had that effect on me. “Thank you.”

“Seriously, let me get your coat cleaned for you.”

“It’s really not a problem.”

“Then let me at least buy you dinner.”

I glanced up and really looked at this guy. He wasn’t bad looking at all. He had short, light-brown hair and a nice smile. That was all I could see without making him take off his coat.

“Unless you have a boyfriend.”

I hesitated a moment. Corey and I had broken up, and Rhys and I were just … screwing. “I don’t.”

“Then let me take you to dinner.” I opened my mouth again to protest that spilled coffee didn’t equal dinner. Instead, he continued, “This is how it works, right?”

“What’s that?”

“In those romance movies. The guy and the girl have a chance encounter, and it leads to them falling in love.”

My eyes widened in surprise at his romance movie reference. Men usually didn’t watch love stories unless they were forced by women in their lives, and then they usually liked them, but more than likely they’d never admit it. Was this guy saying he liked romance movies? I did, especially when my favorite romance novel was turned into a movie.

“I’m kidding. But seriously, I would like to take you to dinner.” He stuck out his hand. “I’m Philip.”

I took his hand. “It’s nice to meet you.”

The barista called my name again, and after I grabbed the carrier, I slowly turned around. I was about to tell him no thank you, but he said, “Everyone’s gotta eat.”

I paused another moment and thought about what was actually happening. He was right, and maybe those people who made up hopeless romantic stories really did know what they were talking about. Maybe this was how I was to meet the next person I was supposed to date. And by Philip’s knowledge, fall in love.

“Sure. Let me give you my number. I really need to head back to the studio.”

“Right.” He smiled and dug into his pocket for his phone. “You do the nightly news.” I nodded and then rattled off my direct line at the studio as he saved it into his phone. “I’ll call you to set it up, and sorry again about the coffee.”

“It really wasn’t your fault.”

I opened the door and headed back to work. On the way back, I realized Philip looked familiar to me. I couldn’t place where I knew him from, but I had a feeling I’d seen him before.

My phone buzzed, waking me up. I grabbed it from the nightstand, squinting to read the screen.

Rhys: You awake, Cupcake?

I smiled and texted back.

No.

Rhys: Are you naked?

I laughed, remembering how that question just the other night had turned into so much more.

Me: No.

Rhys: Do you want to be?

Me: What did you have in mind?

Rhys: I’ll be there in three minutes and show you.

I chuckled to myself. It took him longer than three minutes to walk across the street last time.

Me: I’ll be waiting.

Six minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I walked to it wearing only a long T-shirt with no pants, no panties, and no bra. If I weren’t worried a neighbor might walk by when I opened the door, I would answer it naked.

“Cupcake,” Rhys greeted and stepped forward.

I stepped back, pulling on his shirt to bring him inside. He shut the door behind him, but we didn’t move.

“You still thinking about him?”

“No.” It was true, but only because I was sleeping. The entire evening, I’d thought about what Corey must have thought when he saw me. Or at least a part of me hoped that seeing me had tripped him up too.

“Because you were sleeping?”

I laughed. Seemed Rhys knew me better than I thought he did. “Maybe.”

“You really want to do this?”

I bit my lip. “Well … I’m not wearing any panties.”

Rhys’s blue eyes dropped to look down as though he could see through my sleep shirt. Before I knew it, he was lifting me in the air and my legs went around his waist as he carried me to my bedroom. No more words were spoken until he set me on the bed and we both started to strip ourselves of our clothes.

“On all fours.”

I smiled and turned, moving to be on my hands and knees. There was no foreplay. No needing to make sure the other was ready. All systems were a go as I spread my legs a little and waited for the bed to dip behind me.

“I kinda love having you across the street from me.”

I chuckled. “It is coming in handy, huh?”

The bed dipped, and Rhys grabbed a palm full of my butt cheek. “So handy.” He ran his fingers along the slit of my pussy. “You sure you weren’t having naughty dreams about me?”

I shook my head.

“So you’re always wet?”

“Only when it comes to you.” That was true. In the past, I’d always need at least kissing and rubbing to turn me on, but thinking of Rhys and hearing how cocky he was, made me ready.

He groaned. “Christ. Don’t tell me that or I’ll be waiting at your doorstep every night.”

“Will you just fuck me already?”

Rhys groaned his response and then I heard him rip open a condom wrapper. It didn’t take him long before he grabbed my hips and slammed into me. I cried out as he filled me, enjoying the ride and the pleasure building inside me with each drive of his shaft. We were no longer having stranger sex, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t embarrassed by anything that was happening right now. All I was thinking about was how good Rhys’s cock felt as it hit the spot that made me moan.

“Hearing you moan is enough to make me come,” Rhys grunted, still thrusting into me.

“Close,” I panted.

He reached around with one hand, kneading my breast and then pinched my nipple. It sent a spark of electricity down my spine, straight to my toes, where a cool sensation started to build from my feet up. It was weird because even though my body was hot and there was a light sheen across my skin, the cool sensation was the spark I needed before coming apart. Rhys grunted a few more times and then he stilled, spilling into the condom.

Rhys leaned forward and placed a kiss in the middle of my back and then slid out. He went to the bathroom, and a few seconds later returned and reached for his boxers.

“Wait,” I said.

He looked up at me.

“Do you want to stay the night?”

Rhys stared at me as I lay with the sheet draped across me. “Only if you sleep naked.”

I smiled and lifted the covers to show him I was still without clothes. He threw his boxers back on the floor and grinned as he climbed in behind me.

I didn’t know what was happening between us, but if it was only friends with benefits, I was definitely loving the benefits.

The next morning, I woke to the sun shining through the blinds and a warm hand caressing my inner thigh. I also thought I smelled coffee.

“Did you have coffee without me?” I mumbled, looking over at Rhys.

He rolled over toward the nightstand. “You mean this coffee?”

I sat up, smiling. “Yes.”

Rhys handed me the warm cup of heaven. “Is this the way to your heart?”

I paused, my hand halting the mug at my mouth. “Are you after it?”

It was Rhys’s turn to take a moment to respond. “I love what we’re doing, Cupcake, but I don’t think we’re both ready for that.”

I nodded and took a sip of the java before responding. “I agree. So, are we doing a don’t ask/don’t tell situation?”

“Meaning?”

I shrugged. “Are we going to date other people?”

“Do you want to?”

“I’m not sure.” I took another sip of my coffee, and so did Rhys. “But I was asked out last night.”

“You were?”

I told Rhys about Philip. If he did call, would I go?

“While I don’t want what we have going on to end, I think maybe you should go out with this guy. He could be what you’re looking for.”

The thought of not continuing whatever it was that we had together made me sad. “If he even calls.”

“No guy in his right mind would pass up the chance to go out with you.”

Except Corey. I wasn’t enough for him. “We’ll see. I’m not even sure I want to date yet.” He nodded his understanding and then I asked, “Want to go to breakfast?”

“I would love that, but I have brunch with my folks before I need to head in for tonight’s game.”

“Oh!” I perked up. “What did your mom say about us hanging out?”

Rhys laughed. “Haven’t told her.”

“She didn’t see our picture?”

“She doesn’t use Facebook.”

“So she doesn’t know you’re sleeping with Ashtyn Valor?” I teased.

He laughed. “No, and I have no plans to tell my mother who I’m sleeping with.”

I smiled. “I’m going to jump in the shower. Want to join me? You know, save water and all that?”

“I will never turn that offer down.”