“Can I call you?”

Camilla stood on the sidewalk in front of WTZB’s news van.

“I’d like that.” She smiled, and Hunter returned her grin. “Congratulations. This partnership is a good thing for us all. You really are a great guy.”

Hunter’s gaze softened. “Thank you. You know I try to be, but that’s according to who you question I guess.”

“I can see it for myself.”

Hunter reached for her chin and caressed the outline of her face, causing a ripple to sail down her flesh. She shuddered and took in a breath.

“Thank you for the roses,” he said.

Camilla’s smile widened, and a small giggle slipped from her lips. “Thank you for mine. I meant to tell you that at the club earlier this week, but I got a little sidetracked.

“What stole your focus?”

Camilla glanced away from him and cast her eye around the scenery. Although they landed on people in the distance, really, Camilla was inside her head, like she always was. She couldn’t tell Hunter seeing him with Kelly had made her jealous, so she decided to take another route.

“If I ask you a question, would you be honest with me?”

“Of course.”

Camilla’s eyes drifted to his lips then back to his handsome face.

“The girl at the club, are you dating her?”

Hunter’s brow creased a bit. “Kelly?”

“I guess. I don’t know her name.”

“No, she’s just a friend.”

“And by just a friend you mean you guys have a platonic relationship, or is she a friend with benefits?”

Camilla already knew the answer to this question. But Hunter didn’t know she’d seen Kelly leaving his apartment the morning they met, so she held her breath to see if he would lie to her.

“Kelly and I aren’t friends with benefits. We have been before, but she’s not someone I’m dating nor currently seeing.” Hunter held her attention. “Listen, Angel, I have no reason to proclaim false truths. I don’t know what you’ve heard about me, and yes, I’ve been a bachelor for a long time, but I wouldn’t lead you on. I told you that night at the club why you interest me and why I wanted to get to know you. You have every right not to believe me, but I wouldn’t say that knowing I wasn’t serious. Give me a chance before you give me a sentence.”

Camilla’s breathing held steady, and her eyes were trapped in his.

“Okay,” was all she said.

Hunter smiled, a charming, primitive leer that was as contagious as he was. Camilla glanced away as she bit down on her bottom lip. The news van waited with Allison in the passenger seat and the cameraman behind the wheel.

“I’ll call you, so pick up,” he said.

Camilla nodded, and she turned and climbed into the van. Once buckled in, Hunter closed the sliding door and tapped the side twice. The van pulled away from the curb, and he watched it disappear down the street, thinking about how bad he’d wanted to kiss her. But she wasn’t ready for that public display of affection. Not yet, Hunter determined. He’d wait until she trusted him and then there was no holding back.

Allison twisted in her seat to look at Camilla.

“If you don’t turn around, your seat belt is going to choke you,” Camilla said.

Allison laughed. “If I ever get too far into your business, and you don’t want me there, just tell me to mind my business, but until then, I need the juice.”

Camilla laughed and shook her head. “I swear you sound more and more like my best friend.”

Allison nodded with a grand smile. “Hey, I can be your best friend, too. I’m all good.”

They both laughed and so did the cameraman.

“You even have Alan laughing at you,” Camilla said.

“Alan knows the deal by now,” Allison responded. “So, this time, I won’t question you to death, but I’ve got to tell you, honey, that man right there wants you bad. Honestly, I’ve been living in Chicago all my life, and I’ve never seen Hunter interact with a woman romantically. Have I seen him in pictures at an event with a woman on his arm? Of course, but in public like this, showing her off in front of the camera, whispering sweet nothings in her ear. Having her involved in a personal and professional venture of his?” Allison shook her head. “No, no, and no.”

A blush fell over Camilla. “You could see all that?”

Allison nodded. “We all saw it, even the viewers at home.”

Camilla didn’t know how to feel about that. On the one hand, the more she spent time with Hunter, the more she wanted to stay, but she wasn’t entirely sure that was a good thing. They rode back in silence with Allison sneaking a smirking peek back at Camilla every now and again. And Camilla could only think about the next time she would hear Hunter’s voice again.

* * *

“Say what now?”

Corinne shifted the phone from one ear to the other. Camilla snickered.

“Hunter asked me out, but when I told him you were coming up for girls’ weekend, he suggested we double date.”

Corinne slipped a string of hair behind her ear. “With who?”

“I’m not sure. I told him we worked together before, but now you were a flight attendant—”

“A stewardess,” Corinne corrected.

“Okay, a stewardess. What’s your deal about being called a flight attendant?”

“Because it sounds so regular. I’ll have you know I’m certified by the Federal Aviation Administration. I have a degree in social studies and communications and foreign language. I’m not just a flight attendant. I’m a stewardess.”

“Honestly, Corinne, I don’t think there is a difference.”

“Yes, there is.”

“I’m certain the definition is the same.”

Corinne went to object again, but Camilla cut in.

“But, hey if stewardess is what you prefer, I promise to try and never regard you as a flight attendant again.”

“Thank you.”

“However, for the sake of getting through this conversation, you should know I told him you were a flight attendant. He seemed to have someone he thinks you’ll get along with.”

“He said that?”

“Not in those exact words but something close to it.”

“Oh my God, it could be anyone but if it’s one of his brothers…” Corinne purred. “I have never been the type to fawn over men, but those brothers are beyond beautiful, and educated. It’s something about a sexy ass beautiful black man, and him being financially settled is like icing on the cake.”

“I take it you’d be happy to go out on a date with one of his brothers then.”

“Is that a joke?” Corinne asked, seriously interested in the answer.

“It’s not!”

“Well it should be. If any of them are as intelligent as they’re made out to be, do you know what that means?”

“I’m sure you’re going to tell me.”

Corinne laughed. “It means I could have an orgasm from a simple conversation.”

Camilla balked and fell over laughing. She was sitting in the middle of her queen size platform bed dressed for bed. The two-piece top and bottom were made of black silk with a trim of lace crawling down the front of the top. It wasn’t one of Camilla’s sexier gowns, but it provided a simple, comfortable, and cute look. While she laughed at Corinne, Camilla couldn’t help but think about why she wasn’t wearing her cotton pajama top and bottom instead. Because over the last week, meeting Hunter made her want him in ways she shouldn’t care to think about. If he knocked on her door right then, she would probably welcome him in, but somehow, she had to stop lusting after him long enough to really get to know him. Camilla was afraid of what might happen should that take too long. Besides that, Hunter still wasn’t aware she lived in the only other apartment on the hall. To know he was so close played on Camilla’s nerves.

She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Wow, there aren’t many times that something shocks the hell out of me, but that was one of them.”

Corinne chuckled. “I’m only telling the truth. You know the ratio of good men to toxic ones is just plain staggering.” She paused. “Now, I have to Google his brothers.”

Camilla laughed some more.

“What is so funny?”

Camilla wiped her eyes. “You are so serious about this. Corinne, you should really calm down. It’s just a date.”

“Let’s make a deal.”

“Oh no…” Camilla whined.

“Come on, let’s make a deal.”

“What about?”

“If by the end of our double date, you haven’t had an orgasm, I’ll never bring it up again.”

Camilla shook her head as she laughed again. “You know, just to appease you, you’re on.” She chuckled. “I told the assignment editor at WTZB she reminded me of you.”

Corinne perked up. “That means we’ll get along great, I think.”

Camilla chuckled.

“Is she coming on the date, too?”

“Oh no, although I think she has a crush on Lance.”

“Look at you, know them by first name now. Have you met his brothers?”

“Not yet.”

“Yet, huh?”

“I meant no.”

“Girl, you don’t have to backtrack on my account.”

“Oh, look at the time, it’s late, I should go.”

Corinne laughed. “That’s all right, I need my beauty rest anyway.”

“Good night. I’ll see you tomorrow afternoon!”

They both squealed. “It will be so good to have you here.”

“Don’t I know it.”

They laughed again.

“All right, girl.”

“Good night.”

Camilla traced the edge of the phone and stretched out across her bed. Reaching down, she pulled the duvet cover up to her arms and rolled to the side. It was 11:42, and she wondered what Hunter was up to. Go to sleep,

Camilla. But sleep evaded her, and she drowned in a pool of risky thoughts.