Dante's Way

by Marie Rochelle

  However, nothing was going her way since most of the jobs she had looked at needed a college degree and she was still several credits short of getting hers. Besides, what was she supposed to put down as her work experience for the past eighteen months? She was pretty sure none of the employers cared if she could make a nice living space out of used boxes and trash bags.

  She had been given this chance to get herself off of the streets and she was blowing it big time. What in the hell was wrong with her? She seemed to get so far only to get knocked back down again. She never considered herself a quitter, but all of these problems coming up were beginning to wear on her nerves.

  Continuously taking handouts wasn’t who she was and never would be. She was more than thankful for the roof over her head that Pastor Allen was giving to her, but she wanted a key to her own place that never would happen unless she landed a steady job.

  Amara continued to scroll down the various job listings hoping at least a couple of posts would magically appear that fit her very limited qualifications at the moment, but nothing was catching her attention.

  “God, I really do hate you,” she hissed at the computer flinging her pen down next to the white pad at her side. She had hoped this day would be a good one for her, but it was turning into an endless battle.

  Why couldn’t she just get a sign of some kind of good luck coming her way?

  “I think you might have better luck if you tried talking to him in a nicer tone,” a male voice teased next to her.

  Jumping in her seat, Amara’s gaze swung to her left and her mouth dropped open as she stared at Dante standing there next to her wearing a pair of dark sunglasses and looking super hot in a green t-shirt, tan shorts, and sandals, with his long, black hair pulled back from his handsome face into a ponytail.

  “What are you doing here?” she gasped, trying to stay calm as he sat down in the empty chair next to her. “How did you even know where I was this morning?”

  Dante pushed his sunglasses on the top of his head and she tried not to get lost in his eyes. It wasn’t fair for one man to be so... perfect.

  “I went by the shelter to see how you were doing and Pastor Allen told me you had come here to work on your resume, but from the way you were yelling at the poor computer I guess it isn’t going too well for you,” he said, leaning closer to her.

  Amara was entranced by the firm set of his jaw, his intense eyes and just the way he drew her in anytime they were within touching distance of each other. When it came to close quarters and the two of them it wasn’t good because less than pure thoughts entered her head. She kept wondering how it would feel if Dante kissed her, but it would probably happen only in her dreams.

  “I honestly don’t think I hurt its feelings,” Amara said, pointing towards the screen. “I’m pretty sure it’s not the first time this thing has gotten yelled at by someone. Why are you here?” she asked, again.

  “Are you saying that you aren’t pleased to see me?” he questioned, touching her on the knee. “I thought friends checked in on each other.” The comment was tossed out there and he was waiting for her to respond, but what was she supposed to tell him.

  Her eyes shot down to Dante’s finger noticing how long it was. Her mind couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like touching other parts of her body not covered by clothing.

  Girl...calm down, she scolded herself. Don’t lose your mind because of an attractive face and a pair of killer eyes.

  I need a job...not a lover!

  “I’m happy to see you,” Amara answered, raising her eyes to look at Dante. “It was just that you would be busy with the bar. Pastor Allen had mention the other day how demanding it was on you.”

  Dante removed his finger and she instantly wished it was still there touching her. She couldn’t deny she liked how her body felt when she was around him. He made her want to do things that she had never done before.

  “It’s Thursday and I close the bar to take care of the up-keep of the place and it gives my employees a day off during the week so they will be refreshed for the weekend.”

  “I bet they really appreciate you doing that for them. I know I would. Sometimes working five days straight can take a toll on a person. Not that I have any recent experience since I’ve been more concerned about staying clean and finding food to eat.”

  An uncomfortable silence came between Amara and Dante as they both thought back to their first encounter with each other. It was something neither one of them would forget, but it was also what made them be in the here and now.

  “Enough thinking about the past,” Dante said, tapping her knee again with his finger. “Are you about finished here?”

  “Why?” Amara asked as she shook off the bad memory.

  “I want to treat you to breakfast since I haven’t eaten this morning. I hate eating alone,” he told her.

  Turning around away from Dante, Amara picked up her items and slid them back into the folder she had brought with her. She had already spent enough time at the library and it was time to head back to the shelter because someone might need her help there.

  “Aren’t you going to give me an answer?” Dante touched her arm making her face him again.

  She knew what he was trying to do and taking his pity wasn’t something she was going accept. She already had one Mr. Lee in her life and she didn’t need another man always trying to buy her a meal.

  “No, I think I’ll just go back to the shelter. Besides, I know what you’re trying to do and I don’t need it. I wish you would just be honest with me.”

  Moving closer, Dante placed one hand on the desk and the other one on the back of her chair blocking her in with his larger body. “Amara, what do you think I’m trying to do?” The low tone of his voice sent a heat through her body settling in her pussy.

  Amara squirmed in her seat as she tried to keep her thoughts from wandering to places that it shouldn’t, but it was hard to do with Dante being so near her personal space. Usually, she fought to keep men from being within touching distance of her body, but she like--no, loved--how it felt to have Dante’s body warmth almost brushing against her breasts.

  “You’re trying to erase your past mistake about me, but you don’t have to do it. I’m—”

  “Darling, I asked you out to breakfast for a reason and it isn’t the one you are trying to believe, but if you aren’t interested I’m not going to force you into spending the morning with me.” Sliding back, he gave her one final look before getting up and walking away leaving her alone.

  Have I lost my mind?

  The thought raced through Amara’s head as she watched Dante’s tight ass saunter away from her out the front door of the library. She had wanted him to show her some attention and the second he did, like a fool, she tossed it back into his face like she didn’t want to be around him.

  Could she be any more stupid?

  Amara quickly gathered the last of her belongings, got up from her seat and rushed after Dante hoping she would catch him before he drove off. She hurried out the door and stopped in her tracks. She couldn’t believe it! Dante was leaning against the passenger side of his truck with the door open actually waiting for her.

  “You didn’t leave,” she said, shocked yet pleased.

  “I thought you might change your mind,” he said with a slight grin.

  “What if I hadn’t come out here looking for you?” Amara asked, walking towards the vehicle.

  “I don’t believe in thinking about what ifs. I was positive you would show up and you did,” he told her as he helped her inside the truck and closed the door behind her.

  She fought the urge to pinch herself while Dante walked around the front of his vehicle. She couldn’t believe she was about to have breakfast with him. She honestly wasn’t expecting him to keep his word about checking in on her, but she was thrilled that he surprised her and came looking for her.

  Maybe she wasn’t the only one feeling this invisible link in the air that seemed to be
pulling them together like magnets. Amara turned her head watching how the muscles moved in Dante’s arm as he got inside with her. His body was a work of art; she couldn’t find one single flaw in it.

  “Care to tell me what has captivated your attention?” Dante asked as he started the truck and it instantly roared to life.

  “Nothing,” she quickly answered, glancing away to look out of the windshield.

  “I’ve been called a lot of things in my forty-three years, but nothing is a first for me,” he admitted.

  Slowly, Amara turned her head back around and gave Dante another once over. She thought he was older than her, but she never guessed there was that much age difference between them. She didn’t know what Dante had been doing to make himself look so damn good, but he should keep it up because it was hard for her to keep her eyes off of him.

  “I wouldn’t have guessed you were that old.”

  “Do you have a problem with me being so much older than you?” he asked, looking at her.

  His eyes bored into her never leaving her face for an instant. She blinked, feeling lightheaded as the air felt like it grew heavier around them in the close quarters of the truck.

  “No, I don’t have a problem with your age at all. I’m friends with Mr. Lee and he’s older than both of us.”

  “Who is Mr. Lee?” Dante asked with a slight frown to his face. “Is there a reason you’re friends with a man older than me?”

  Amara wondered why he would even care about Mr. Lee. He acted like something was off about their friendship, but it wasn’t. If anything he had constantly come off like a father figure to her and nothing else.

  “He helped me out a lot while I was living on the streets. His kindness and generosity was a life saver for me more times than I could count,” she answered. “If he ever needed my help, I would be there for him in a hot second.”

  “You think a lot of him,” Dante said, still watching her closely for some reason.

  “Yes, I think he’s a wonderful person and even better friend.”

  Dante visually relaxed in front of her as he spun away from her and pulled away from the curb. For the next few minutes, they drove in silence with Amara taking a peek at Dante from the corner of her eye every once in a while. She tried to keep her excitement of being with him like this down, but it was hard to do.

  Every time his gaze met hers, her heart flip-flopped in her chest. It was almost shameful on her part how attracted her body was towards him. He was so disturbing in every way a man was supposed to be to a woman, but it didn’t scare her.

  In fact, it made her want to push to see how far things could go between then. On more than one night she had dreamed of being crushed within his embrace. Glancing out of the window, Amara noticed that he was driving further away from the part of town she was familiar with into an area only people with huge bank accounts could afford to eat.

  Where was he taking her for breakfast? There was no way she was dressed for any of these places.

  “Dante, I can’t go into any of these restaurants. Look at how I’m dressed,” Amara complained, looking down at her jeans and almost new tennis shoes. They were a pair Pastor Allen had found in a clothing donation bin and given to her.

  Dante stopped at a red light at the corner. For a moment, he studied her intently and she was enthralled by the smoldering look she saw before he quickly gave her a once over. “I think you look perfect and once we walk into the restaurant no one in there is going to be interested in your clothing once they get a glance at your beautiful face. Besides, I’m not dressed up either and no one is going to care about it.”

  Before she could answer him, Dante spun back around and drove off the second the light turned green. Leaning back against the seat, Amara couldn’t keep the smile off her face after hearing Dante’s compliment.

  A warm feeling passed through her knowing he found her attractive. She couldn’t help but wonder what other surprises were in store for her if she allowed things to move forward between the two of them. Only time would tell about that, so instead of worrying about it she would just sit back and enjoy the ride for however long it might last. What did she have to lose?

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Staring at Amara sitting across from him at the table, Dante studied how she glanced at the menu in her hands with a perplexed look on her pretty face. The waitress had already taken their order and left less than five minutes ago. So, he could only guess what she was thinking about.

  “Would you care to tell me what you’re thinking about so intensely?” he asked.

  “Do you want an honest answer?” Amara asked.

  His eyes widened in surprise at her question. “Of course, why do you think I would want you to lie to me?”

  Amara shrugged. “Hey, you never know. Sometimes a person can’t handle the truth, but I’ll tell you what I was thinking. Why in the world would anyone in their right mind pay almost twenty-five dollars for pancakes, bacon and eggs? I could have cooked the same thing at your house for free.”

  Dante perked up at Amara’s suggestion. He leaned across the table a little more staring into her eyes. “I don’t mind spending a little extra on something I like especially when I get to be in the company of someone like you, but I will put your offer to cook breakfast for me in the back of my mind for another time,” he said, giving her a wink.

  Wide-eyed, Amara stared at him. “Uh...I wasn’t...I mean...”

  He couldn’t help grinning at the look on her face. Dante swore he could see her smooth brown skin grow a shade darker, something he found extremely cute and sexy. He liked the innocence of her reaction; it wasn’t something he was used to seeing. Most of the women he had gone out with in the past had left innocence behind a very long time ago.

  “I know what you mean, Amara,” he said, attempting to ease her discomfort.

  “Oh, okay,” she answered, giving him a tiny smile.

  Her slender hands unconsciously twisted together as she glanced around the restaurant away from him, and Dante took the opportunity to study her.

  He couldn’t help but wonder how she’d kept herself safe on the streets for so long. How many times did she sleep in the back of some alley while starving for something to eat? Did her family even know where she was? Did they even care a woman as pretty as Amara didn’t have a roof over her head? So many questions were running through his head and there was only one way he would get any answers to them.

  “Amara, will you tell me how you ended up living on the streets?”

  ****

  “It’s not what you think,” Amara answered, swinging her eyes back over to him. She knew it would happen sooner or later. The question she was trying to avoid answering might come up out of the blue.

  “I’m not thinking anything,” Dante denied, watching her closely.

  “Of course, you are. You’re thinking there was abuse at home, maybe my mother’s boyfriend might have pressed against me too many times, or my favorite, since I’m black, I must have had a drug problem and it caused me to end up sleeping behind a cleaners’ because of it. Truthfully, it wasn’t any of them.”

  She stopped talking and took a sip of her coffee, placed it back down on the table before continuing with her story. “I had a great family with two loving parents. I graduated high school with a 3.0 GPA. I never had any trials or tribulations growing up at all. I knew as soon as I got out of high school I wanted to move out here.”

  “Why?” Dante asked as the waitress walked up with their food.

  Amara waited while the waitress placed Dante’s bacon, scrambled eggs and hash browns in front of him. Next her plate of blueberry pancakes with crispy bacon, orange juice and a container of syrup were given to her before the waitress walked away. She poured some of the delicious smelling syrup over her pancakes, cut into their sinful fluffiness and took a bite while she mulled over Dante’s question.

  She noticed how he also dug into his food instead of continuing asking her more questions. They ate
in silence for a few more minutes before she took a sip of orange juice then wiped her mouth and continued the conversation where she had left off.

  “I think I wanted to move here because it was so different from my hometown, but my mother thought eighteen was way too young. So, instead, I went to college for two years at home and then transferred here for my last two. Everything was going better than I could have hoped for. I had a good apartment that was within walking distance of my job and I took the bus back and forth to college.”

  Blinking back tears as her mind burned with memories, Amara reached for her fork and started eating again hoping Dante took the hint and left it alone but her wish didn’t come true.

  “Amara, you have to talk about it or whatever it is will continue to haunt you. I should know,” he confessed.

  She placed her fork back down on her plate. With a long, exhausted sigh she looked at Dante noticing a faraway glimmer in his eyes. She began to wonder what he had in his past to put that hint of sadness there.

  “What happened to you?” Amara asked, hoping he would tell her something more about him.

  Dante suddenly blinked and instantly the look disappeared. “I’ll tell you at another time. I want you to finish telling me about yourself. You were opening up and I was getting to know more about you.”

  “Were you a therapist in another life or something?” she teased, trying to ease some of the tension talking about the last eighteen months of her life always seemed to bring up.

  “No, why?” he asked, reaching for his coffee.

  “I just usually don’t open up with people as fast as I have done with you today, but I feel like I can tell you everything.”

  How could she feel so comfortable with Dante this fast?

  Placing his cup back on the table, Dante drummed his fingers on the surface. “I’m glad you feel so comfortable with me. Does that mean you’ll finish telling me more about you?”