by Tiana Cole
“It’s nice though and colorful. Is this EA housing?”
“Yes. I wanted to get the lay of the land and then figure out where I wanted to live. I’m kind of regretting that right now.” She laughed but she was serious. The place was too small. The mattress was too thin and soft and the box spring was trying to stab her to death. It was a certified hell hole, and it was hers for at least the next six months.
“That’s smart. I spent ten days in a hotel and the place I settled on is tiny. It’s not quite as small as your place but it’s quite small for a house.”
“I’m jealous you have a full place, complete with doors and separate rooms. Anyway,” she stepped into ridiculously high stilettos she hoped made her look six feet tall and smiled. “I’m ready now. Shall we go?”
“Maybe,” he shot her a slow, lazy grin that made her blush all the way to her toes. “But I’m just going to take another long minute to stare at you.”
Amanda twirled with a laugh. “Better?”
“Much.”
With a shake of her head, she rolled her eyes and smiled. “Let’s go before you start trouble.”
“Me? My mom says I’m an angel.”
“And I have no doubt you are, when she’s around.” He laughed and she knew it was the truth. When they arrived at the small French restaurant, Amanda felt her nerves kick into high gear. “This place seems kind of expensive, Alex.”
“I can afford it,” he told her with an amused grin. “Let’s just get to know each other and have an amazing date, alright?”
That sounded easy enough. She nodded and smiled up at him. “Thanks Alex, I think I can do that.” A quick fortifying breath and she walked in the door he held open for her.
“Of course you can. You can do it all, Amanda.”
She smiled at him despite her uncertainty. She might not be able to do it all but she was willing to test her new adventurous spirit, and she did so by trying all manner of French cuisine. Snails and foie gras, gizzards, chateaubriand and the most delicious mousse she’d ever tasted. She tried it all, savored it and enjoying entertaining conversation with a very handsome man. “This was all very delicious. Have you tried French cuisine before?”
He nodded. “On my gap year before doing my compulsory tour with the military, I spent three months backpacking through France.”
“That sounds amazing. I envy your adventures.” She wished she’d had that kind of excitement in her life. How would she ever keep the interest of a well-traveled man like Alex with her boring life? “I’ve hardly been anywhere.”
“There is still time Amanda, and I hear that in America teachers get summers off.” He winked and she was glad to be seated because she would have melted to the ground into a pile of lust and infatuation in that moment.
“You’re right. Maybe I’ll start my adventures on Thanksgiving break.” She could go skiing or snowboarding, she could pick up a man in a bar, or she could skydive…or something.
“That’s more like it.” He smiled and she felt like she’d accomplished so much by making him smile. It really was a ridiculous thought, one she needed to curb if she wanted to avoid getting her heartbroken by this man. She had a tendency to move too fast, only to find herself devastated later by her impetuousness.
On the walk back to his car, Amanda was surprised when his fingers mingled with hers until their palms were clasped together. She couldn’t remember the last time she walked hand in hand with a man. It was a sweet moment and she promised herself she would cherish it, no matter how it all turned out between them. His big black SUV came to a stop in her designated parking spot and she turned to him.. “Thank you for a lovely night, but please don’t get out.”
“I’m walking you to your door, Amanda.” His tone brooked no argument. Or so he thought.
“Please, Alex. I had a really good time.” She smiled through her struggle to explain herself without actually explaining anything at all. She’d perfected this skill as a teacher, but apparently her mind wasn’t at its best when Alex was around.
“Good, because I’m walking you up.” He hopped from the car before she could say anything more, walking around and pulling her door open with more force than necessary.
“You’re stubborn.”
He flashed a smile so beautiful and blinding she stumbled getting out of the vehicle. “I know. So are you.” He steadied her around the waist and tucked her into his body. “Besides,” he whispered when they arrived at her doorstep, “when we finally do kiss, I want you to be absolutely certain that with me is exactly where you want to be.”
She shivered and turned to look up at him from inside her apartment. “In that case, thank you for a lovely evening Alex. I’ll see you again, very soon.” With those words she placed her hands on his shoulder, leaning in and catching a whiff of his masculine scent, and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“You can count on that, Amanda.” He flashed her smile that could only be described as ‘panty dropping’ and then whistled his way down the walk and back to his car.
Yep, he was going to be trouble.
~
Two weeks after his first date with Amanda, Alex felt lighter than he ever had. She was such a breath of fresh air, as cliché as it was, with her love of education, her energy and her kindness to every person she encountered. On top of all that she really wanted to get to know Alex, the equestrian instructor not the prince. The man.
Though Alex normally considered himself cynical when it came to women, Amanda blew all of his preconceived notions to dust. She didn’t cling but she gave him enough attention to know she was interested in him as a man but not so much he had to worry about ulterior motives. Last week she’d brought him a batch of sea salt and caramel cookies, which he devoured happily in his office. She was generous almost to a fault, happy to share her newest recipes or the latest bestseller with him.
But as generous as she was, Amanda was even more breathtaking when she was the recipient of a gift. Large or small, her face lit up into the most amazing smile that made those chocolate brown eyes glitter like gems when he presented her with a bouquet of pink and purple roses, and again when he’d brought her a giant pastrami deli sandwich. Giving her, hell anything felt better than giving ever had. Leaning back in the lopsided desk chair in his office with a smile, Alex thought that asking for a year of absolute freedom had been the best gift he’d ever received. Even better than the silver Bentley his brother Stefan bought him for his eighteenth birthday.
“What’s that smile about?” Austin leaned in the doorway, dusty cowboy boots crossed at the ankles.
“What smile?”
Austin laughed. “The one that says you’re thinking about the pretty lit teacher.”
“It’s that obvious, huh?” He hadn’t tried to hide his affection for Amanda, but they didn’t work on the same part of campus so he hadn’t thought about it.
“To me,” he shrugged, “but I see you two more than most. I will tell you though, Missy Stevens isn’t happy about it. At all.”
Alex frowned. “Who the hell is Missy Stevens?”
“Really stacked school shrink? Thinks she’s god’s gift to man?”
He shook his head. “Don’t know her.” And he didn’t care to judging by Austin’s description of the woman.
“I’m just letting you know, Boss. Enjoy your lesson.”
Austin left and Alex went to get the horses ready for their ride. He cherished the time he got to spend with her because it was a neutral way for them to get to know each other, and slowly her walls had begun to fall. She was starting to trust him, which made him happy. And incredibly sad. He hated lying to her but he liked that she liked him for him. Truthfully he thought she would still like him as a man even if she knew the truth. But he wasn’t prepared to risk it.
Leading Cinnamon and Dancer out into the early afternoon sun, Alex prepared them for the ride ahead, finishing up as Amanda made her way to where he stood, looking casually gorgeous in jeans, a long sleeve tee with
an open flannel over it. “Howdy cowgirl,” he said, putting on his best cowboy accent.
Her sweet laugh rang out in the chilly air, drawing stares even from the horses. “Howdy yourself, cowboy. How’s your day?”
He smiled, loving the way she always asked about him when they saw each other. “Better now that you’re here. You?”
She gifted him that lovely special smile that was just for him. “Not bad, but like you said, better now.”
“What’s wrong?”
She shrugged. “Nothing, really. I met an admirer of yours. Ms. Stevens.”
Alex groaned. “You’re the second person who’s mentioned her today and I’ve no idea who she is.” They mounted their horses and took off at a light canter. “She didn’t give you any trouble, did she?”
Amanda thought about it for a moment and shrugged. “Not really. She just wanted me to know that she was interested and that you were out of my league.”
He snorted. “She obviously is an idiot.” Amanda smiled sadly but she didn’t agree and she spent most of the ride in silence, studying the scenery a little too closely. “I know what will make you feel better,” he smiled and hooked around the back pasture so they could get to their special spot.
They came to a stop at the lake and a real smile spread across her face. “You’re right. You do know what will make me feel better.” Dismounting her horse with ease, Amanda smiled as the wind picked up her hair and sent it flying in all directions. His heart fluttered at her smile and he wrapped an arm around her.
Together they looked out at the choppy waters of the lake in silence and Alex needed to touch her. Wrapping an arm around her, he pulled her into his side and felt a rush of pleasure when Amanda didn’t pull away. Instead she leaned her head on his shoulder, and sighed.
“This is nice,” she sighed wistfully, applying slight pressure to his arm.
“It is, isn’t it?” The moment was so peaceful and so loaded with something he couldn’t quite name but he knew it was all about the petite woman at his side. “This is good, right?”
Amanda’s smile beamed bright up at him, her golden brown cheek pressed against his bicep. “It’s pretty darn great Alex. Thank you.”
Melted chocolate eyes looked up at him like he’d made this beautiful scenery just for her. And he wished he had, because that smile had the power to start wars. To bring down kings and villages. Alex had waited long enough. He needed to taste her. His mouth landed on hers with a fierce hunger that propelled him forward, cupping her face and angling her for a deeper connection. Tongues slid against one another, over one another until they were consumed with tasting each other. Exploring and seizing the perfect moment for their first real kiss. Alex swallowed her moan and pulled back, gasping for breath.
“Wow.”
Oh yeah. “You’re telling me.” Pouty pink lips, swollen from his kisses, smiled. Trembling fingers touched her mouth and then her tongue slicked across her lips as though she was dying for another taste of him. “This is something, isn’t it?”
Her smile brightened. “I think it is, Alex. How do you feel about that?”
“Like I want to take you somewhere and kiss for a little bit longer.”
“Just a little bit?” Her teasing tone got rid of the lasting tension and she smiled. “Too bad,” she said and hopped back on Cinnamon. “I need to grade some papers before the day ends. See you later, Alex.”
“Tonight?” He sounded desperate but he was, desperate to spend more time with her.
Looking over her shoulder she smiled. “Sure. Dress casual. Be there at seven thirty.”
Hopping on his horse with a big satisfied grin, Alex turned to her. “Can’t wait.”
“Good because I’m planning this date. You only have to show up.”
Alex watched Amanda, so confident now on Cinnamon, grab the reigns and sent the horse into a respectable run. Her pixie cut had grown out a little and the force of the wind sent it flying like an onyx halo for his beautiful dark angel.
Chapter 5
I’m not ready. Amanda could think of nothing but those words as she got ready for yet another date with Alex. Earlier she’d been all flirty and sexy with him, taking control of tonight with the plans of moving their relationship to the next level. But even the thought of being naked in front of anyone, let alone a man as gorgeous and built as Alex, was enough to make her sick to her stomach. She wanted him, but she needed to be sure. They had only been hanging out for a month, that wasn’t enough time to be sure about anyone. Or anything.
Despite her reservations she slid into a red cocktail dress with a flirty skirt perfect for dancing and capped it off with her only really nice pair of nude heels. She felt pretty and sexy, and she was ready for a night of romance with Alex. Tonight her goal was to get to know more about the man who had captured her imagination. Her fantasies.
He was—so far—everything she thought she wanted in a man, but she didn’t know nearly enough to make an informed decision. “Tonight I will,” she promised as she finished her make up and went to check on dinner as slow strains of her favorite singer, Mariah Carey, played in the background. Everything looked beautiful—flowers set on the small round table, candles added romantic light to her tiny home and mood music—and now all she had to do was wait.
And wait.
By the time he showed up—ten minutes early—she was a nervous wreck, sucking down sparkling water to calm her mutinous stomach. “Alex, come in. You look nice.” Her gaze slid up and down his body, taking in his low riding jeans that hugged his muscled legs to perfection. His wine colored button up was the perfect backdrop for his movie star smile, floppy blonde hair and laughing blue eyes.
“And you Amanda, look like a vision. Red is definitely your color.”
She blushed and smiled, feminine pride swelling within her at the heated look he sent her way. Okay so the man was definitely affecting my ability to think straight. “Thanks, come on back. Dinner is just fifteen minutes away from being ready, do you want something to drink?”
“What have you got?”
“Beer and wine. And water.” Not much else would fit in her slender fridge, but this was a date after all.
“Wine is good.” He sent her another smile and she caught him checking out her legs when she turned back from the fridge.
“I have a nice, mostly cheap red wine. If you have champagne tastes I’d stick with the beer.”
He laughed and shook his head. “I’ll take the wine.”
They enjoyed almost two glasses before the food hit the table and Amanda felt herself relaxing, warming more to the idea of him. Of them. “So Alex, what made you decide to leave home and come to America?”
“I wanted to spend some time abroad, living and working away from the shadow of my older brother. He casts a big shadow.”
A look crossed his face, guilt she thought or maybe something else. It was gone as quickly as it appeared and she shook it off. “Your work is important too. You’re giving these kids a chance to achieve their goals, learn something new. A way to connect with nature. Don’t forget that.”
He smiled and placed his hand on top of hers. “Thank you Amanda. That means a lot, because I have to tell you it doesn’t always feel that way.”
“I guess it’s a good thing you have me here to remind you of the truth.” With a cheeky smile she held up her glass and touched it to his.
“I would say so.” He winked and smiled and Amanda felt it all the way down to her toes.
She smiled, heart racing, throughout dinner as they talked about anything and everything. She learned that he was the youngest of two boys born to somewhat wealthy parents and that he was a former soldier. “Do you miss the military?”
He shook his head. “Not as much as I thought during those last few months. The service and camaraderie was great, the accommodations not so much.”
He’d lived such a full and exciting life. She admired it, but she also wondered what he wanted with her. Amanda knew she wa
s pretty but plain, smart but not brilliant. Kind but not all that exciting. “Do you miss your family?”
“Of course, but I’m also enjoying this independence. And this job is exactly what I wanted.”
She saw that flash of something again and she relaxed, happy with her decision to take things slow with Alex.
~
When the following Friday rolled around, Alex felt a little extra oomph in his step. Things were going well with Amanda, he felt they grew closer every day and with every interaction. Dinner last week had been fantastic, even though he’d found it hard to talk about home and his family without telling the absolute truth. A few times he thought Amanda had caught on to him, but he’d dismissed it at the sight of her beautiful smile.
Tonight was the EA Homecoming Dance, which was why the whole school was leaving at lunchtime. And he was on the hunt for the dark haired pixie he’d spent all last night dreaming about. Amanda had become an obsession that he couldn’t seem to shake. Tonight he would hold her in his arms and dance to really bad teenage pop music.
If he could find her.
By the time two o’clock had rolled around he hadn’t been able to find her anywhere, so he’d gone home to get dressed, eager to see her again. He wished he’d made plans to pick her up, but Amanda had been pretty adamant that they keep their budding relationship a secret until they figured out what was happening between them. He’d agreed so he rushed back to the Elite Academy ballroom located near the outskirts of town.
The building was old and had the appearance of an old country church with faded stained glass and white clapboard siding. A matching announcements board stood off to one side, welcoming new faculty and students to new school year. He walked up the stairs and pulled open the door, where he was met with a barrage of balloons, streamers and notes.
