the beginning.”
“Exactly.” I nodded as I pulled into my parking spot. “Thanks for listening, Mom.”
“I’m always here for you, Zola. Being your mother is my first job, my forever job.”
We said our goodbyes and I disconnected the call. Somehow a talk with my mother always made me feel better. With a smile, I hopped out of my car. I made a beeline for my loft. I noticed my neighbor Ciara standing outside her door talking on the phone. Unlike her obnoxious boyfriend, she never spoke to me. Even before I knew they were nosey, I’d say hi to her and she wouldn’t speak to me.
At this point I prefer the silence, I thought as I entered my home.
I kicked off my shoes, stripped out of my jacket and grabbed my laptop. I had a few final details that I needed to finish for my party. I needed to plan out the month of October. But the only thing I was behind on was recording content for my website and social media. I stood in the doorway for a couple minutes.
When I get the art on the wall and take the plastic off my furniture, this place will be perfect. I jumped when I heard the knock on the door. And an early delivery—win win!
I all but skipped toward the sound. But when I looked out the peephole, I deflated. Sighing, I turned the handle and opened the door.
“Cam,” I greeted the man who I had planned to call back later. “What are you doing here?”
“We need to talk.” He searched my face. “I didn’t like the way our last conversation ended.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t like the whole showing up at my place unannounced thing. You know this.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. I just…” He exhaled. “I got off a little early because I have to pick up my dad at the airport. Since the flight is delayed and I had to drive in this direction to get to the airport, I took the chance at catching you at home. Even though what I want to say shouldn’t be said over the phone, I am sorry about just showing up like this.” He waited for me to say something and when I didn’t, he added, “May I please come in?”
I stared at him. We always had such a good, uncomplicated vibe. I knew it was probably for the best that we talked face-to-face, but I didn’t want a long, emotional conversation after the day I’d had.
I put my hand up to block the sun and sighed. He was so cute.
The 5’11” man with the swimmer’s build and the caramel complexion was giving me puppy dog eyes and a sad pout—and it was so fucking cute. He didn’t have a baby face. He was one hundred percent full grown man with his chiseled jawline. But the cuteness of his pout combined with the pleading look in his eyes and he was undeniably adorable. I knew he was using his cuteness to his advantage.
And I was on the brink of letting him.
Cameron put his hands together in prayer. “Please.”
I let my head loll back and forth as I considered his request. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a flash of something. I looked to my left and Ciara and Darius were standing on their stoop watching me. They weren’t even trying to hide the fact that they were being nosey.
Them watching, listening, and potentially taking pictures changed things.
I stepped back, sweeping my arm to allow him to enter. “Come in.”
“You’re used to getting your way aren’t you,” I sighed.
“Yes,” he answered honestly.
“Well not with me.”
We took a seat on the couch—he was on one side and I was on the other.
“I don’t have much time. I have work to do. I have a delivery coming. And I have to meet Kia.” I shrugged. “Twenty minutes, tops.”
“Okay, I’ll get straight to the point,” he started, turning his body so he was facing me. “I want to explain what I meant the other night when I said… I um, when I said I had feelings for you. We’ve been doing the friends with benefits thing for a while now and over the last few weeks I realized that I haven’t been seeing anyone else because I only want you. You like direct so I’m being direct…” He paused. “I want to make you mine.”
I watched him watching me. I took a breath. I wanted to respect his