Truly Yours Read online

  “Is something wrong?” Camryn inquired, eyeing him suspiciously.

  Darryl shook his head. His phone rang a second time. “I apologize,” he said. “I need to take this.”

  Camryn watched as he sprinted from the room, clutching the cell phone to his ear. “Hello?”

  Out in the hallway his voice was muffled and Camryn was only able to decipher a word or two of the conversation. But those few words were enough to pique her curiosity. Minutes later when Darryl returned, she had shifted into investigator mode. “Is everything okay?”

  “Fine.” His nervousness was evident as he struggled not to meet her gaze. “I guess I should be going,” Darryl said abruptly.

  Camryn nodded her head. “Girlfriend checking up on you, huh?”

  “Excuse me?”

  She pointed at the cell phone he was twisting nervously beneath his palm. “That call. It sounded like your girlfriend was checking up on you. Asia?”

  He shook his head. “Asia is not my girlfriend. I don’t have one.”

  “Really?”

  He smiled ever so slightly. “Really. It was just an old friend in need of some assistance. And why were you eavesdropping on my telephone call?”

  “So it was a booty call!” Camryn exclaimed, ignoring his question.

  He rolled his eyes as he shook his head. “It was not a booty call, Camryn.”

  “Then why are you blushing?”

  “I don’t blush,” Darryl said, knowing his cheeks were heated with color.

  “Hey, it’s okay,” she said, trying to sound indifferent. “I mean, you’re single, so if a female friend was looking for some attention, there would be nothing wrong with that.” She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

  Darryl took a step in her direction. He smiled smugly. “I like a woman who can joke around, Ms. Charles. And you’ve got jokes.”

  Camryn took a step back. “No jokes here,” she said, a wry smile crossing her face. “I was being very serious!”

  Darryl took a second step forward. The grin on his face was like lighter fluid, igniting a rage of heat between them. It was so intense that Camryn thought she might actually combust. She pressed her knees together, closing the space between her thighs. She instinctively wanted to back up to put as much distance between them as she could muster but she didn’t. Standing like stone, she stood her ground as she met his intense stare and held it.

  Darryl nodded and chuckled softly. “I had fun tonight, Ms. Charles.”

  “Me, too,” she said with a slight nod of her own.

  “You and I make a great team,” Darryl stated.

  Camryn shrugged her shoulders.

  Darryl was about to take another step forward when his phone rang a third time. He quickly silenced the device and apologized. “Sorry.”

  “Don’t be,” Camryn answered. “Duty calls.”

  Darryl eyed her with amusement, the all-knowing expression on her face moving him to grin even wider. “Do you have plans tomorrow?” he asked.

  Camryn nodded her head. “More work, sir.”

  “Sounds like a plan,” Darryl responded. “I’ll bring dinner.” Then he turned and disappeared down the hall.

  Chapter 6

  Asia. Camryn couldn’t help but wonder who Asia was and if Darryl might actually be headed to see this women he called a friend. Asia had been anxious for his attention. Camryn couldn’t help but reason that a friend might have called once but a significant other might have been more insistent. Whoever this Asia was...she was definitely more than a simple late-night booty call, Camryn rationalized.

  She sighed heavily. It wasn’t as if she should care, but she did. The thought was actually disturbing because she shouldn’t care an ounce about Darryl Boudreaux’s private life. And she shouldn’t have been wasting her time wondering whether or not he was headed to another woman’s bed.

  Despite the hours of conversation they’d shared, not once had she asked him about his personal life. It would have been unprofessional, Camryn thought. And if she was honest with herself, she hadn’t really wanted to know. She would have been crushed if Darryl had admitted to having someone special in his life. Someone else he made picnic lunches for and called all hours of the day and night to talk to. Camryn enjoyed thinking she was the only woman who had the man’s attention, even if it was only for business.

  She snatched the plastic container from the corner of the table where she had rested it and moved back to where Darryl had set up their dinner. Gathering the plates and cutlery, she tossed everything back inside the basket, not caring how neat or organized it was. She spied that last plastic container almost by accident.

  Dropping back down to the floor, Camryn pulled the container into her lap, snapping the lid open easily. She couldn’t help but wonder what a taste of Darryl Boudreaux’s treats might do for her, and the scandalous thoughts were as delicious as his candy.

  * * *

  Darryl had been having a good time. Actually, he’d been having a great time with Camryn. Asia calling him out of the blue had been unexpected and unwanted, the woman insisting they needed to talk. Like everything with Asia, what she wanted and needed took precedence over everything and everyone else.

  He still didn’t have a clue about what they needed to talk about. In his mind everything that needed to be said had been spoken the night she shot holes in his wall. He didn’t have anything else to say. But when his phone rang again, he knew that Asia apparently had a lot that she wanted to get off her chest.

  “Hello?”

  “Please don’t hang up on me, Darryl,” Asia Landry intoned. “Please.”

  “What do you want, Asia?”

  “I just want to apologize. I need you to understand that I wasn’t in my right mind when I pulled that gun.”

  “That’s fine, Asia.”

  “Is it really? Do you really forgive me?”

  Darryl took a deep breath and held it.

  Asia continued. “I go to court tomorrow. My attorney has asked for a plea deal.”

  Darryl exhaled sharply. “Asia, why are you calling me? I mean, really. What is there for us to say to each other?”

  “I love you, Darryl. I would never have done anything to hurt you. I need you to know that.”

  There was a moment of pause as Asia waited for him to respond. When he didn’t say anything, she persisted. “We were so good together, Darryl. I miss that. I’m so sorry that I let my jealousy ruin our relationship. I can do better. I’m going to counseling and I want us to work out. I really do. I still love you!”

  “I don’t see that happening, Asia. I appreciate your apology and I wish you all the best but being in a relationship with each other is just not a good thing for either of us. Individually, you and I are spectacular. Together, we are toxic to the extreme. It’s not healthy for me and it’s not healthy for you, either.”

  The woman bristled on the other end, the sting of his words like a harsh slap. “I understand,” she said finally. “But I think we just need some time apart. I have high hopes for us, Darryl. I really do.”

  Darryl nodded into the receiver. “Please don’t call me anymore, Asia. Please.”

  “Anything you want, Darryl,” she responded. “I love you!”

  “Goodbye, Asia,” he said as he hung up.

  Darryl sighed deeply as he maneuvered his car through downtown New Orleans. He hoped that goodbye would be the last and that he and Asia were done for good. Despite her persistence, Asia Landry was not the woman he was thinking about. Because not thinking about Camryn Charles was proving to be nearly impossible.

  The beautiful woman consumed his thoughts and seeing her had only served to further fuel his interest. As long as he had anything to say about it, never again would so much time lapse without them seeing each other. I
f he had his way, he was going to make sure that he saw Camryn every day.

  Camryn Charles was quickly becoming a very sweet addiction.

  Chapter 7

  Maitlyn Parks was almost shouting into her cell phone receiver. Standing outside the Los Angeles courthouse, she battled the noise of traffic and pedestrians around her, everyone fighting to be heard.

  “A slap on the wrist! They gave that girl a slap on the wrist for trying to kill you!”

  On the other end, Darryl shook his head from side to side. “It was her first offense. The district attorney told me they were going to give her a plea deal and that she’d probably just get probation.”

  “And that’s all she got. Her father’s money bailed her out again.”

  “Well, it’s done and finished, Mattie. Let it go.”

  “I will not. The girl tried to kill you. She should be doing some hard time.”

  “She called me last night to apologize.”

  “She what?” Maitlyn screamed. “That’s a violation of your restraining order. Why didn’t you report it?”

  “Because I want this over with, Maitlyn. I need to focus on my work and this project, not Asia Landry. Reporting it would have just made the situation worse. I don’t need this mess to be any worse.”

  Maitlyn audibly sighed. “Her father came over to apologize. He said to tell you that Asia won’t be a problem anymore.”

  “Mr. Landry has always been optimistic when it comes to Asia.”

  “Mr. Landry has always been a fool when it comes to Asia. I don’t know about optimistic.”

  “I’ve got to get back to work, Maitlyn. Thank you for handling that for me.”

  “You’re welcome,” his sister answered. “And you know I’m going away for a while, right?”

  “Yeah, I heard. Something about a cruise, right?”

  “A thirty-four-day transatlantic excursion to Spain and back. I can’t wait.”

  “Wow! Thirty-four days! What will we ever do without you for that long?”

  Maitlyn shrugged. “You’ll survive. We Boudreauxs always do.”

  “Enjoy your trip,” Darryl said. “And have one of those fruity drinks with an umbrella in it for me.”

  Maitlyn laughed. “For you, little brother, I’ll have two!”

  As Darryl disconnected the call and stepped back into the conference room, he felt Camryn staring at him. He lifted his gaze to meet hers.

  “What?”

  “Nothing,” Camryn responded, pulling her eyes from his.

  “No, it’s something,” he said teasingly. “If you’ve got something to say, woman, just spit it out.”

  Camryn held up a hand. “It’s none of my business,” she said. Inside, she had so many questions that curiosity was choking the life out of the cat.

  Darryl dropped down onto a cushioned office chair. “No, it’s not your business but you still want to know. Look at you! Just like last night, you’re anxious to know what I was talking about and who I was talking to!”

  She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please! I wasn’t even paying attention to your conversation or your booty call last night.”

  Darryl smiled. “Okay.”

  She looked at him, not at all amused by his teasing. “Whatever.”

  Darryl chuckled softly. He leaned forward in his seat, his forearms resting on his thighs, his hands clasped tightly together. His expression turned serious. “My ex-girlfriend, Asia Landry, was put on probation today for discharging a firearm inside my home. My sister was there for the hearing and just wanted to fill me in.”

  “Asia Landry?” Recognition furrowed Camryn’s brow. “Not Asia Landry of the James Landry Group?”

  Darryl nodded. “James Landry’s daughter. Do you know her?”

  “I know her work. And his. James Landry has an exceptional reputation in the industry. You worked for him for a while, didn’t you?” Camryn questioned, fragments of Darryl’s résumé coming back to her.

  He nodded. “I did. Years before I dated his daughter.”

  “How long were you two together?”

  “Not long at all really. There was a lot of back-and-forth in the relationship. I officially broke things off a few times over the last year but we still had a few issues between us.”

  “Sounds like it if the woman was shooting at you.”

  Darryl shook his head. “She wasn’t shooting at me!”

  “Lucky for you she missed.”

  He laughed again. “Okay, so that’s all of my dirty secrets. What about yours?”

  “I don’t have any secrets. And I definitely don’t have a jealous boyfriend trying to shoot me.”

  “Well, that’s good,” Darryl countered.

  “Why is that good?”

  Darryl grinned. “It just is,” he said smugly. He leaned forward and grabbed her hand beneath his, caressing her fingers softly.

  Camryn laughed. “Oh, no, you don’t,” she said, pulling her hand from his. “We’re just becoming friends, Darryl Boudreaux. It’s not going any further than that and I mean it.”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Darryl said coyly. “I make it my policy not to mix business with pleasure, Ms. Charles.” He met her gaze. His teasing stare felt like a soft caress.

  The silence was awkward, Camryn feeling just a hair shy of foolish for even implying that Darryl might have wanted anything more. And then he reached for her hand again, his touch telling her something different.

  Camryn bit down on her bottom lip, snatching her hand away a second time. “I mean it, Darryl!”

  “Okay,” he said, his tone still smug. Then he winked an eye at her, causing a ruffle of heat to waft up her spine.

  * * *

  Camryn had no idea what had possessed her to call him. But she had, waiting until just before noon to dial Darryl’s number and casually ask about budget numbers. The question had been random and she could hear in his tone that he knew she had no interest in his budget. Then she asked him what it was she really wanted from him.

  “Do you play racquetball?” Camryn asked.

  “I’ve been on the court before. Why?”

  “I need to get some exercise.”

  Darryl chuckled. “I think I can help you out with that! Where do you play?”

  “The Elmwood Fitness Center down in Harahan.”

  “Can I rent a racquet?”

  “I have an extra you can borrow.”

  “I can be ready in an hour,” Darryl said. “But you have to drive.”

  She laughed. “I don’t mind driving. I’ll see you in about an hour.”

  * * *

  Forty minutes later Camryn was sitting in her car, the air conditioning running on high while she anticipated Darryl sitting in the seat beside her. The man still made her stomach quiver with butterflies when they were in close proximity of each other. The fluttering had started when she’d dialed his number. It had revved up the second he’d agreed to play racquetball with her. And sitting in the Roosevelt Hotel’s parking lot anticipating them being in each other’s company had her stomach on overload. She was desperately hoping to use the time to get a grip on her nerves. Glancing at the clock on the dashboard, she figured she’d give herself a good ten-minute pep talk before calling him down to meet her.

  She was fantasizing about the two of them, imagining them naked together, when there was a sudden knock on the passenger-side window. Camryn jumped, completely startled from her thoughts. She looked over to see Darryl peering into the window. He pulled open the car door and slid inside, tossing his sports bag to the backseat.

  “You could have called. If I hadn’t come down to get my sneakers out of my car, I would still be upstairs thinking you weren’t here.”

  Camryn shook her he
ad. “I was trying to give you a full hour. I would have called when I was ready for you.”

  “Oh! You want me to get out?” Darryl dropped his hand to the door handle.

  “You’re here now,” she quipped, laughter dancing in her eyes.

  “We need to talk about your attitude,” Darryl teased.

  “My attitude? I don’t have an attitude!”

  He gestured toward the car keys. “I beg to differ but we’ll discuss it on the ride. Let’s get rolling.”

  “And you’re giving orders!” Camryn exclaimed as she shifted the car into Drive and pulled out into traffic.

  Darryl laughed heartily. “I’m glad you called. I needed to get away.”

  “Is business wearing you down?”

  “It has just taken a lot to put everything in order. Once we break ground, the schedule will ease up substantially. Then it’ll just be ensuring the builder is on schedule and double-checking behind the inspectors.”

  “You have a wonderful design, so I’m sure it will all go smoothly,” she responded. “You had a damn good architect, you know!”

  He shook his head. “I’m sure.”

  The two laughed.

  “So, how long have you been playing racquetball?” Darryl asked.

  “For a few years now. And I’m very good, so you better be prepared to get your butt whopped. I plan to beat you down.”

  “You might take a beating,” he chimed sarcastically. “I will not be beaten by a woman.”

  “How chauvinistic of you!”

  “Not at all. I don’t have any problems with a woman flexing her moxie to prove she is just as good, or even better, than her male counterpart. However, I will just not be outdone by a woman.”

  “So, what you’re saying is that a woman can’t beat a man?” Camryn looked at Darryl inquisitively.

  “I’m saying that a woman, specifically you, can’t beat me. I can’t, however, speak for my brethren and their women.”

  “Aren’t you full of yourself?”

  Darryl leaned back, his hands crossed behind his head. “Truth hurts.”

  “I’ve got truth for you!” Camryn laughed again.