The phone clicked in Dominique’s ear, signaling the end of the call. The only thing worse than hearing his hang up was the fact that she didn’t get to punch off first. Mr. Big-Baller-Shot-Caller was feeling pretty sure of himself and obviously he was used to having women fall at his feet. If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. That’s what Dominique’s mother, Anita, would say right about now. And if there was one thing Dominique Clark didn’t fall for, it was the okeydoke, or one who assumed too much. She had entertained her share of egotistical, successful men who thought they were all that and a winning lotto ticket. Most of the time she’d found out that their overblown egos were covering up an under whelming endowment. The last thing this big girl needed was a little... anything. Just another reason not to even get this started. Dominique figured she was just the one to stand up to Mr. Jake McDonald, and let him know that as hot and handsome as he was, he was a temptation she could resist.

Later that night Dominique returned home to an empty house. Tessa had left the place spotless and she’d dropped Justin off in Inglewood to spend time with his cousins. Dominique looked at her watch: 9:30. After flipping through the movie channels and finding nothing to catch her interest, she decided to put in another hour or so of work. She’d just showered and settled herself in the middle of her king-size bed with photos and articles surrounding her when her text message indicator beeped. Too scared to visit me without your son as a chaperone? Really?

Dominique failed in her efforts to keep a smile from her face as she typed in a reply. Please. Don’t flatter yourself. She waited for his text, and was only mildly surprised when, instead, her cell phone rang.

“Hello.”

“Dominique, it’s Jake.”

Still water and sticky molasses. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“I believe that. You have no reason to be afraid of me. I’m as harmless as a fly.”

“Like the one in the movie starring Jeff Gold-blum?”

“Who?”

“Never mind.” Dominique forced the smile from her face and turned serious. “Listen, Jake. There are a million reasons why we have to keep this relationship strictly professional... and platonic.”

“Name three.”

“One, of course, is my son. I don’t intend to introduce any more temporary men into his life.”

“That’s fair, but what Justin doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Two?”

“Two... I’m not interested in you.”

“Whoa! Way to pierce a brothah’s ego, baby.”

“Just keeping it real, darlin’. I’m focused on my career right now, and on raising my son.”