A Man for Amanda

by Nora Roberts

  "And tonight we found it, not Livingston," Lilah reminded her.

  "Luck," Amanda murmured.

  "Fate," her sister insisted.

  When the phone rang, Amanda was the first up to answer. "It's the police," she said, then settled back to listen. "I see. Yes, thank you for letting us know." She hung up, blowing out a disgusted breath. "Looks like he got away. He didn't go back to the BayWatch for any of his things, or he slipped in and took what he wanted and left the rest."

  "Do they think he'll come back?" Alarmed, Coco patted her chest.

  "No, but they're going to keep an eye on the house until they're sure he's left the island."

  "I imagine he's halfway to New York by now." Suzanna shifted the drowsy children on her lap. "And if he comes back, we'll be ready for him."

  "More than ready," Amanda agreed. "They have an APB out, but...I guess that's all that can be done for tonight."

  "No." Sloan crossed the room to her. "There's a little more that has to be done." He nodded to the rest of the room as he pulled her toward the doorway. "You'll excuse us."

  "They might, but I don't," Amanda told him. "Let go of my arm."

  "Okay." He did, then nipping her by the waist, hauled her over his shoulder. "It's always the hard way with you."

  "I will not be slung around like a sack of pota­toes." As he climbed the stairs, she wriggled, trying for one clear shot with her foot.

  "We left some loose ends before you stormed off to go tangle with an armed robber. Now we're damn well going to tie them up. You like straight talk, Cal-houn, and you're about to get some."

  "You don't know what I like." She slammed a fist into his back. "You don't know anything."

  "Then it's time I found out." He kicked open the door of her room, stalked over and dumped her onto the bed. When she scrambled up, fists raised, he shoved her down again. "You sit where I put you. So help me, we're going to have this out once and for all."

  Amanda stunned them both by covering her face with her hands and bursting into tears. She couldn't stop them. Everything that had happened in the past few hours reared up to set off an emotional jag that knocked her flat. On an oath, Sloan stepped toward her, then away, then dragged a helpless hand through his hair.

  "Don't do that, Mandy."

  She only shook her head and continued to sob.

  "Come on now, please." His voice gentled as he crouched in front of her. "I didn't mean to make you cry." Lost, he stroked her hair, patted her shoulder. "I'm sorry, honey. I know you've been through hell tonight. I should have waited to start on this.'' Curs­ing himself, he rubbed her arm. "Look, you can hit me if it'd make you feel better."

  She sniffled, drew in a hitching breath, then clipped him hard enough to send him sprawling. Through a veil of tears, she studied him as he dabbed at his mouth with the back of his hand.

  "I forgot how literal minded you were." He sat where he was as they watched each other. "You fin­ished crying?"

  "I think so." Sniffling again, she dug into her pocket for a tissue. "Your lip's bleeding."

  "Yeah." He started to reach for the tissue, but she was wiping her face with it. Laughing, he sat back again. "God Almighty, you're a piece of work."

  "I'm glad you think this whole thing is a big joke. Men breaking into the house, waving guns around. You're lucky I didn't find you facedown in the road with a hole in your head."

  He saw the tears welling again and took her hands. "Is that what this is about?" He pressed a kiss to her freshly bandaged palms. "You're upset because I went after him?"

  "I told you not to."

  "Hey." His gaze fixed on hers, he raised a hand to cup her chin. "Do you think I could stand around after he'd taken a potshot at you? The only thing I regret is that I didn't catch up with him, so I could rearrange that pretty face of his."

  "That's just stupid machismo," she said, but turned her cheek into his hand.

  "That's the second time tonight you've called me stupid. I'd like to get back to the first time."

  Instantly she pulled back and pokered up. "I don't want to talk about it."

  "Too bad. That little chase was quite a diversion, but it's done now. We're not. How come you jumped all over me when I mentioned marriage?"

  "Mentioned it? You ordered it."

  "I just said that—"

  "You just assumed," she interrupted, then pushed by him to stand up. "Just because I love you, just because I've made love with you, doesn't give you any right to take me for granted. I told you before that I make my own plans."

  "I've had it with your plans, Calhoun." He took her arm to hold her still. "I've got plans, too, and needs. It so happens they all include you. I love you, damn it." He emphasized the point with a quick, frus­trated shake. "You're the only woman I've ever needed, really needed. The only woman I've ever wanted to spend my life with, have children with, make a home with. God knows why when you're as ornery as a mule with two heads, but that's the way it is."

  "Then why didn't you just ask?"

  Baffled, he shook his head. "Ask what?"

  She made a strangled sound and began to pace again. "It's not like I'm asking for Byron or Shelley. I don't expect you to get down on your knees with a hand over your heart. Maybe a little violin music wouldn't have hurt," she muttered. "Or some can­dlelight."

  "Violin music?"

  "Forget it." She stopped, hands on her hips, to face him down. "Do you think just because I'm sen­sible and organized that I don't need any trappings, any romance? You come here, change my entire life, make me love you so much I can't see straight, then you don't even have the good sense to do it right."

  "Hold on." He held up a hand before she could stride by him again. "Are you saying you're mad because I didn't ask you fancy enough?"

  The sound came again, louder this time. Her face was flushed with temper, her eyes glowing with it. "You didn't ask at all, but why should you? You already know the answer."

  Trying to figure women, he thought while he rubbed his hands over his face, was like...trying to figure women. "You wait here," he told her, and strode out.

  "Typical," Amanda called after him, then plopped down onto the bed. She was still stewing, her chin on her hand, when he came back in. "Now what?" she demanded.

  "Just shut up a minute." He set the tape recorder he'd borrowed on her dresser, then pulled out a pack of matches. Systematically he began to light candles, moving from one part of the room to another while she scowled at him. When he was satisfied, he turned off the lights.

  "What are you doing?"

  "I'm getting things ready so I can ask you to marry me without having you throw something at me again."

  Chin up, she jumped out of bed. "Now you're making fun of me."

  "No, I'm not. Damn it, woman, are you going to argue with me all night or let me try to do this right?"

  There was enough exasperation in his voice to make her stop and consider him. He didn't look ter­ribly comfortable, she noted. And because he didn't, she wanted to smile. He was doing it for her, she realized. Because he loved her.

  "I guess I'll let you try. What's that?" he asked, gesturing to the tape recorder.

  "It's Lilah's." He punched the Play button. The soft, weeping sound of violins flowed into the room. Now she did smile, though her heart was beginning to thud.

  "It's lovely."

  "So are you, I should have made a point of telling you that more often." Stepping toward her, he held out a hand.

  "Now's a good time to start." She placed her hand in his.

  "I love you, Amanda." Very gently, he touched his lips to hers. "I love everything about you. The woman who makes lists and lines up her shoes in the closet. The woman who goes swimming in freezing water, just so she can be alone for a while. I love the incredibly sexy woman I found in bed, and the tough one, who knows her own mind. It's all the things you are I don't want to live without."

  "I love you, too." She lifted a hand to his face. "I meant it when I said you'
d changed my life. Tonight, when I read Bianca's letter, I understood how she felt. I'll never feel about anyone the way I feel about you. I'll never want to."

  Smiling, he caught her wrist, turning it so that he could brush a kiss over her hand. "Then you're going to marry me?"

  She laughed as she threw her arms around him. “I thought you'd never ask."