“Yes. It’s just…you’re making me upset.”
“Here.”
Christopher put his arms around Amanda. He led her back to the sofa, where they sat down. He touched Amanda’s uninjured cheek. Then he kissed it. Amanda flinched.
“I like you so much. Can you give me a chance?”
“Only if I wasn’t with Nathan,” said Amanda. “I like you too, but there’s too much that you can’t ignore. There’s not just Nathan, there’s Judith.”
“But I want you.”
“No.”
Christopher touched Amanda’s chin, pushing so that she looked at him.
“You’re the cutest, prettiest girl I ever met.”
Amanda, sleepily, glanced at Christopher. He was looking at her much like Kayla still looked at Nathan. She didn’t mind. It wasn’t easy to forget your first love.
“We can’t be together.”
Christopher sighed, disappointed.
“Okay. Then, can you be my girlfriend, just for one day? I promise I’ll leave you alone after that.”
Amanda laughed hysterically.
“You just want to get in my panties, mister.”
Christopher chuckled, shaking his head.
“I just want you. The whole you.”
Amanda bit her lip.
“Even if I were willing to take you up on that, it wouldn’t be today. I promised Nathan we’ll spend the entire day together.”
“You’re not willing to, anyway, right?”
“No.”
“What can I do to convince you?”
“Nothing,” Amanda said, her eyelids drooping.
“Then I’ll just steal another kiss.”
Christopher took Amanda’s lips again. The sensation woke her up a little. She didn’t feel strong enough to fight him this time. Amanda let Christopher kiss her, taste her lips, feel her body with his hands. They moved from her waist, going upward.
“Give yourself in,” Christopher whispered. He saw that Amanda was falling asleep again. He moved her so that she was lying on her back on the sofa. Then his hands fondled up and down her body. Christopher took off her sweater and blouse, looking in awe at her bare skin.
“Damn. She’s even hotter than I thought.”
Amanda was half-asleep, not much aware of what was going on. Christopher planted a kiss on her abs, and then on her chest. She didn’t respond.
I wish I didn’t have to put her to sleep. I don’t fancy kissing a woman who can’t feel what I’m doing.
Christopher softly caressed Amanda’s shoulder, enjoying the way her skin felt. He was going for another kiss on her lips, but there was a knock on the door.
“Amanda! Are you ready?”
Christopher sat up with a jolt. He hastily dressed Amanda, choosing to leave her sweater draped on the top of the sofa. Then he adjusted her hair to make it look less messy. Now, Amanda looked like she’d crashed right after coming back from school.
After making sure everything was neat, Christopher took the glasses to the kichen. There, he washed them. Christopher then went to open the door. Kellan was standing outside.
“I’m sorry. Amanda fell asleep, and I took the liberty to use the bathroom.”
Kellan’s eyebrows furrowed. He then walked forward, Christopher stepping aside to let him in.
“Did she fall asleep right after you two came back?”
“She looked sleepy the whole time.”
Kellan walked toward Amanda. He moved a lock of hair from her face.
“It’s better to just let her rest. Let’s go.”
Christopher nodded. He followed Kellan out of the apartment, smiling to himself. Christopher was never going to forget what Amanda felt like, or tasted like. At the same time, he felt guilt. He decided to just bottle it. Amanda wouldn’t remember anything after waking up.
Shortly before eight, Nathan arrived at the popular American bistro restaurant in Rochester. He’d almost chosen one in Manhattan, but he and Amanda already had a limited time that day. It took significantly longer to get all the way there.
Nathan told a waiter his name. He followed him to one of the tables near the center of the room.
“Would you like any appetizers, or a drink, sir?”
“No, thanks. When my girlfriend, Amanda Tilley, gets here, show her to my table.”
“I will, sir.”
The waiter left. Nathan looked around the restaurant. The interior was a blend of luxurious and homey, which he thought was perfect. Random pieces of framed art adorned the brick walls. The dark wood chairs were padded, making them comfy. Nathan had done his research carefully. He’d wanted to choose the perfect place to ask Amanda to marry him.
Nathan reached into the pocket of his blazer jacket. Inside was a small box. Nathan smiled to himself, thinking about how happy Amanda would be that night.
A minute after, a waiter walked toward Nathan’s table. He was bringing a bottle of champagne.
“I didn’t order anything.”
“Excuse me, sir. This is a gift.”
Nathan looked confused.
“Who paid for this?”
“It was anonymous.”
Nathan pursed his lips. He lifted the bottle. It read “Perrier Jouet Belle Epoque.” Maybe Amanda had wanted to send a little gift as a signal that she was almost there.
“Okay. Thanks.”
“The miss says that she wants you to enjoy this while she gets here.”
“So it was a woman,” Nathan said, his guess confirmed. “All right. Thank you.”
The waiter bowed, and then left. Nathan proceeded to serve himself a glass of champagne. He tasted it. Nathan wasn’t into alcohol, but this one was good. He drank half a glass of it.
Nathan had everything planned. After dinner and the proposal, he would take Amanda someplace else. There, she’d see the other surprise, the song.
A short while later, Nathan saw his waiter walking back to his table. None other than Erika followed the waiter. Nathan blinked to make sure he wasn’t dreaming. It didn’t help that his vision was a little blurry. She looked attractive in her dark red blouse, black knee-length skirt, and expensive high-heels. Erika’s hair was also glossy, and she’d curled it.
“Erika?” Nathan asked, standing up. “What are you doing here?”
The waiter looked dumbfounded.
“Sir, you requested to have Amanda Tilley brought to your table when she arrived.”
“Erika’s my middle name,” she said. “Thanks.”
Erika dismissed the waiter. He looked toward Nathan, who ignored him. Frowning, the waiter walked away. Erika sat down opposite Nathan.
“How did you know where to find me?”
“All’s fair in love and war, sweetheart. I heard you telling Ashton you would be here today.”
Nathan didn’t look happy.
“You need to leave before Amanda shows up.”
“I don’t think so. Nathan, I want you and I’m willing to fight for you. Even if I have to spoil your date.”
Nathan walked toward Erika. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet.
“Please leave. You can’t be here.”
“Thanks for meeting me here, baby. This restaurant is perfect.”
“What?”
Erika smiled. In the next second, she kissed Nathan. He leaned back, taken by surprise.
“Wow, Erika, stop. I—”
“Shhh. I want this to be our night.”
Nathan pushed Erika off of him politely. He looked around. Luckily, no one was watching him, but the damage was done. Nathan wouldn’t be proposing to Amanda in that restaurant anymore. It would have to be elsewhere.
At least I’ll be more original, Nathan thought. Most guys propose at fine restaurants. I’ll come up with a more creative place.
“You must leave, Erika. I don’t want you. I’m in love with Amanda.”
Erika frowned, looking almost angry.
“But you kissed me! And not just now. You also kiss
ed me when—”
“I don’t care when I may or may not have kissed you. There’s no us. Get that in your head.”
Erika looked as if he’d slapped her.
“Now, please go. If my girlfriend shows up, I swear I’ll call security on you.”
Not pleased, Erika stood up.
“Fine. Have a good night, sweetheart.”
Nathan sighed. He watched Erika walk toward the restrooms. Hopefully, she’d leave after that. Nathan pulled out his smartphone and checked the time. It was a few minutes after eight.
Shaking his head, Nathan fought off his drowsiness. He didn’t know what had brought that on. But nothing would stop him from proposing to Amanda tonight. He’d spent a great deal of time planning for it.
A couple of minutes after Erika took off, Amanda finally showed up. She walked toward Nathan’s table. He stood up and embraced her when she reached him.
“Happy Valentine’s Day, my love.”
“Happy Valentine’s to you too,” Amanda replied. She then felt Nathan’s lips on hers. They shared a short kiss, and then he pulled a chair for Amanda.
“Thank you.”
Nathan sat down on his chair. Amanda set her purse on an unused chair.
“Thanks for the champagne, by the way.”
Amanda’s eyebrow curled. She picked the bottle up.
“This one? It’s expensive.”
Nathan frowned.
“You didn’t send it?”
“Nathan, I’m nineteen!”
“Hmm. Then it must have been a bonus on the house. I’ll save it for later.”
The same waiter from earlier walked up to their table.
“Are you ready to order your main course, sir?”
“Yes. Please give my girlfriend a menu.”
The waiter handed Amanda one of the menus that he was carrying. She read it.
“I want the handcrafted pappardelle pasta,” Amanda said. She gave the menu back to the waiter.
“Coming up. And you, sir?”
“Bring me the roast rack of spring lab.”
“Right away.”
The waiter left. Nathan and Amanda looked at each other. He reached his hand across the table to touch hers.
“You’re magnificent tonight, sweetheart.”
On top, Amanda was wearing a cream-colored blouse that showed a good amount of cleavage. She paired it with a reddish purple winter coat and black skin-tight pants. Amanda’s hair was also combed differently than usual. Large, elegant curls now framed her angelic face. She was breathtaking.
Amanda looked around the restaurant. She thought it was perfect. Nathan had made a great choice.
“How was your trip?” he asked.
“It was okay. You made a good call having our date here rather than in New York.”
“I’d considered it, but decided that it would take a longer time to get there. I didn’t want to tire you.”
“That’s considerate. Thank you.”
Nathan nodded once. Amanda stood up.
“I’m going to the restroom.”
“Okay.”
Amanda looked around, stopping when she noticed the signs indicating where the restrooms were. She started walking in that direction. Just as she was passing an empty table, she felt a hand grabbing her arm.
“Nathan, what—?”
Before Amanda knew what was happening, a pair of lips met hers. She immediately knew it wasn’t Nathan. Amanda instinctively brought a knee to the guy’s groin.
“Aargh!”
The guy doubled over, taking a few steps back. Amanda looked at him with fury.
“Get away from me, you jerk.”
Nathan materialized beside Amanda. He grabbed the guy by the collar.
“Touch my girlfriend again and I’m going to rearrange those straight teeth of yours.”
Amanda noticed everyone had turned to look at them. The guy who’d kissed Amanda cowered back at Nathan’s baleful glare. He walked away. Nathan turned to Amanda, cupping her face in his hands.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes. I don’t know…what just happened? This dude came out of nowhere.”
“Forget about him now. He won’t bother you again.”
Amanda nodded, sighing.
“You handled him perfectly, by the way.”
“Served him well.”
Nathan smiled at Amanda. She then walked to the restrooms. Nathan returned to their table.
When Amanda came back, the waiter had already served the food. Nathan opened her chair again.
“Thanks.”
They ate in silence, although Nathan was admiring Amanda. She couldn’t help but feel flattered. She liked Nathan to ogle her. Nathan, though, was thinking about the incident. It was getting to him. Amanda was gorgeous, but did she have to get hit on everywhere she went?
When they finished, the waiter returned to take their empty dishes. Nathan requested him to bring dessert next. Amanda licked her lips.
“I’m getting a little full, but there’s always space for something sweet.”
“You’ll like what I ordered.”
The dessert arrived in a few minutes. The waiter set two plates on the table in front of Amanda and Nathan. They both contained flourless chocolate oblivion and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
“What do you think, love?”
“Just perfect.”
Amanda took a bite from the chocolate. It was absolutely delicious. She savored the bite, closing her eyes. The chocolate tasted decadent in Amanda’s mouth. She followed with a bite of ice cream.
When Amanda opened her eyes, she noticed Nathan looking at her. She blushed, which was a feat given that the inside of her mouth was now cold.
“Delicious, huh?”
“Yes.”
Nathan and Amanda continued eating. She took her time enjoying her slice of cake. Nathan smiled.
“You can always order some more.”
Amanda shook her head.
“I don’t think I can eat anything more. I’m tempted, though, this is so good.”
As soon as they finished their food, Nathan asked the waiter for the tab.
“We’ll be going elsewhere,” Nathan said to Amanda. “For your other surprise.”
Nathan paid off the tab, giving a generous tip as well.
“I’ll take a quick trip to the restroom. To rinse out my mouth, you know,” Amanda said.
“Okay. I’ll wait for you at the car.”
Nathan walked outside. He saw Caldwell waiting next to Kellan’s car.
A few feet from his car, Nathan clicked a button to unlock it. Just before he opened the door, Erika appeared next to him.
“You’re still here?” he asked. “I thought you had left!”
Erika smiled, placing her arms around Nathan. He scanned the area nervously. Amanda wouldn’t be long.
“Did you honestly think I would give up so easy? No. I’m serious about you.”
“Erika, we don’t know each other much,” Nathan said. He grabbed Erika’s shoulders to try to push her away.
“That didn’t seem to stop you from kissing me. Don’t deny it. You like me.”
“I admit you’re beautiful, but that doesn’t mean that I love you.”
“Little by little. I have lots of patience.”
You’re making me lose mine, thought Nathan. Erika was only a few inches away from him. He could smell her perfume. Erika looked down at his lips.
“For you,” she said. Nathan suddenly felt her push on the back of his head. His lips touched hers. Erika took further advantage and moved his hands to her buttocks.
What the—?
“You brought her along?”
Nathan froze. He raised his head slowly. Standing a few feet away was Amanda. She was looking at him with an expression of rage and hurt.
“Love, this isn’t what you think it—”
“For God’s sake, Nathan, you dated a darned writer! Can’t you be more original?”
“I didn’t bring her!”
“Come on, admit it,” said Erika. “Your little surprise for tonight was to tell Amanda that you wanted me. I just thought it was cruel to make her wait so long.”
“What?” Nathan asked. He looked at Amanda. She was crying.
“How could you do this to me?”
“Baby, she’s lying.”
“Don’t you get near me!” Amanda warned. Nathan stopped in his tracks. “I thought you were different. But you’re just like every other guy. You only wanted me because of my beauty.”
“That’s not true! You know that.”
“You’re in love with my beauty, not with me. But I can see it in your eyes. You’re tired about guys making a pass at me all the time. I knew it would be too much for you sooner or later.”
Nathan tried to think of what to say. Amanda took his silence as confirmation.
“I’m correct, right? You had no idea what you signed up for when I became your girlfriend. This relationship was never going to be normal.”
“Amanda, you’re seeing things the wrong way!”
“Your lover is right here! You were kissing her. Why did you set up all this show just to tell me you’re leaving me? It was completely unnecessary.”
“Nathan, just tell her. We’ve been…acquainted with each other for months. Just a few weeks ago, he kissed me. Well, we made out.”
Nathan shot Erika an angry glare. Amanda didn’t see it. She shook her head.
“Have a happy life with your new girlfriend.”
Amanda turned around and started walking away. Nathan walked after her.
“Amanda, wait! I love you.”
Nathan grabbed Amanda’s arm. She looked at him, still crying.
“Let me go! I swear I’ll turn my guards against you.”
“You love me.”
Amanda laughed.
“Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough.” Amanda sobbed. “I would have rather seen you back with Kayla. But you chose this puffed-up woman. I hope you don’t regret it.”
“Baby, w—”
Amanda slapped Nathan. He released her arm.
“Don’t call me pet names. You and I are over.”
With that, Amanda turned, hightailing to Kellan’s car. He was looking at Nathan with a disappointed expression.
Erika walked up behind Nathan. She put her arms around him.
“Trust me, sweetheart. I just spared you from a lot of pain in the future. You and Amanda were never going to last. She’s too much pressure for a guy like you.”
Devoted to Her (Dream Date Book 2) Page 17