God! He had to get out of here before he got caught up in his fantasy even more than he already was. Amara had no clue how he had to fight his overwhelming need to pull her closer to him.
The warmth of her soft skin was intoxicating; it was going to be hard on his part to push down the natural desire that spiraled between them. For a little while longer, he would do his best to stay focused but he couldn’t make any promises.
Glancing at the clock on his dashboard, Dante cursed underneath his breath. He only had about twenty minutes to get to his meeting with Hayward or he was going to be late and he hated anytime anyone was late, especially him, so he started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
“Sorry, I’m late,” Dante apologized the second Hayward opened his door to the rental house. “I got caught up with something.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Hayward said, waving him inside. “I just sent Kevin and Evan off with the sitter to the park for a few hours and the babies are upstairs asleep. I swear they sleep more at this age than my other boys did.” Closing the door, Hayward followed him into the living room. “Have a seat. I have something I want to discuss with you.”
Taking a seat in a chair, Dante waited while Hayward sat across from him on the couch. “What’s going on? The message you left on my cell phone sounded really important.”
“I’m not going to be able to have my anniversary celebration at the club like I had planned. My father wants to do something with just all of the family this year. I think he’s missing his grandsons too.”
Crossing his knee, Dante leaned back. “I told you it wouldn’t happen. I like the idea of the family get together. When are you leaving?”
“True and I are going to head back to Montana tomorrow afternoon and will spend a couple of days there before we leave to see my father. We want to be back at home in time to get the boys registered for school. Of course, they aren’t ready to go back yet, but we’re counting the days until they’re there.”
“I saw True earlier; she was out having breakfast with Keira,” Dante said.
Chuckling, Hayward shook his head. “My wife is a wonderful mother, but she’s a horrible liar. I know she was out searching for my anniversary gift, but I wasn’t about to ruin her surprise by telling her I knew what was going on.”
He admired how Hayward was willing to play along for True’s sake; it showed how much he loved his wife. “What did you get for her?”
“I hired True’s favorite HGTV designer to redo our entire bedroom from this photograph she had been staring at for months. It’s a little too feminine for my taste, but as long as she’s sleeping beside me every night I don’t care about the wall color or how many pillows are on our bed.”
Sitting there listening to Hayward talk about his family, Dante realized he was missing out on so much in his life. Could he find all of those things with Amara?
“How did you know True was the one for you?” he asked, curious.
“Honestly, at first I thought she was going to be like my wife who passed away and the other countless women I dated before her. The ones who were only interested in crawling into my bed for a while and then demand I buy them everything she wanted. I learned rather quickly my stunning wife was as unusual as her beautiful name.
“True never wanted anything from me but my love and I came so close to losing her along with Kevan and Evan because of my numerous lies. I truly got blessed; she came back to me and found it in her heart to forgive me for being such a liar.
“Why are you asking me all of these questions?” Leaning forward in his seat, Hayward eyed him. “Are you dating someone none of us knows about?”
He wasn’t exactly ‘dating’ Amara, but he wasn’t opposed to the idea of them continuing where they had stopped off earlier either. She intrigued him in ways a female hadn’t in a very long time and he wanted to see where things could go between them.
“I’m not really dating her,” Dante answered. “We’re more in the getting to know you stage with each other.”
A knowing smile spread across Hayward’s face. “Oh, I remember that stage with True and it was the part I loved the most. I found out so much about her during those first few months in Montana.”
Dante doubted anything his buddy went through with his wife was anywhere near the uphill battle he experienced with Amara. She might look sweet and innocent, but he had been shown her stronger side as well and he liked that part of her.
“Amara is the polar opposite of True and a lot younger than me. She’s already been through so much and I’m not quite sure she really trusts me. I know she’s attracted to me, but I need more than hot chemistry especially at my age.”
“Why don’t you tell me why Amara doesn’t trust you,” Hayward said. “Maybe I can give you some advice to change her perception of you, and don’t worry about the age difference. I was older than True too but I didn’t let that stop me from going after her.”
For a split second, Dante thought about not telling him about Amara’s past because he didn’t want him judging her before getting to know her. However, Hayward never came across as judgmental and furthermore he couldn’t think of a better person to get some unbiased advice from.
“Well, I do have something to tell you about her.” Dante got comfortable in the chair and, he replayed his short yet eventful history with Amara.
Shaking his head, Hayward ran his fingers through his hair. “Damn, I can’t believe she‘s been through so much. I can see why you’re having such a difficult time figuring out what to do, but I do have a question for you.”
“What is it?” Dante asked, wondering what Hayward had running through his mind.
“Are you attracted to Amara because you think she’s helpless? Or does she turn you on the way an attractive woman is supposed to do. Can you even tell the difference?”
The question was an honest one. He couldn’t fault his friend at all for asking it, but he didn’t even have to spend any time thinking about it.
“I want Amara. I don’t want to save her or be her hero, but my fascination with her just happened so fast. I don’t want to think I’m on the rebound from dating Bambi. I mean she isn’t my type, but for some reason that turns me on even more.”
“Let me toss something at you,” Hayward said. “Have you thought you dated all those other women, so you could be ready for when the right one finally came along?”
A tumble of confused thoughts and feelings assailed him. Dante took a deep breath and tried to relax. “I think I’m jumping ahead too soon, but there is just something about her personality that draws me. However, I honestly don’t think she’s dreaming about our future together yet.”
“Have you—” Hayward started to ask him something, but his cell phone ringing cut him off.
“Hello,” he said. “What! Is he okay? Okay, I’ll be right there. Try to keep him calm and tell him that Daddy is on his way.” Hayward ended the call tossing the phone back down on the couch next to him. “Damn it,” he cursed, jumping up from his seat. “I need to get to him. I have to make sure everything is all right with Evan.”
“What happened?” Dante asked, worried by the anxious look on Hayward’s face.
“He fell off the slide at the park and hurt his arm, but he won’t let Candace touch him. He only wants his daddy, but I have to wake up the babies and carry them with me.”
“No, you don’t. I can stay here with them,” Dante volunteered, ready to pitch in any way that he could.
Hayward eyed him for a few minutes like he couldn’t believe he said he would stay here. “Are you sure you’ll be able to handle it? I mean it might be a while if I have to take Evan to the hospital. I know True won’t let me go alone.”
He remembered all of the times he had taken care of his younger brothers and Dante knew he wouldn’t have a problem. The time alone would give him another chance to think about his situation with Amara.
“Go ahead, I got this,�
� he assured Hayward.
“Okay, Kyle is in the crib with the green blanket and My’kael is the one with the blue blanket. Both of their bottles are made and ready inside of the refrigerator, but they should sleep for a while. Thanks so much for doing this for me.” Hayward snatched his cell phone off the couch, grabbed his car keys off the table then rushed out of the front door.
Dante prayed Evan would be okay. He didn’t want anything to be wrong with his favorite little sidekick. However, both of True and Hayward’s oldest boys were pretty tough, so it must be something painful for the babysitter to call Hayward for help.
For a split second, he thought about Amara and canceling their date tonight, but he instantly changed his mind. Hayward might not be gone as long as either one of them thought. He still wanted to see her tonight even if it later than usual.
The first thing he was going to do was check on Kyle and My’kael to make sure everything was all right with them. After that was taken care of, he could plan what to do on his second date with her.
He would make sure Amara didn’t put up any more roadblocks between them. If he was man enough to admit the spark between them was turning into a simmering flame waiting to be stroked, Amara should be woman enough to own up to it too.
****
Later on that afternoon, Amara flipped through the magazine while waiting for her number to be called. She wasn’t used to coming to the health department by herself for her check-ups. Usually Theresa or Liam came with her, but neither one of them had been around lately. If she hadn’t glanced at the calendar in her bedroom after Dante dropped her off, she would have forgotten all about her appointment today.
Somehow, Mr. Lee had gotten her signed up for a program that she was able to get a free dental and physical examination twice a year. She secretly wondered if the program got paid for out of his pocket. She never saw any other homeless people here getting any kind of health assistance but her.
If he was paying for her care then he would get every cent of his money back once she landed a good paying job. However, Amara was glad she had some place to go to make sure everything was okay with her.
Looking up from the magazine in her hands, she glanced around the crowded waiting room but her mind wasn’t on the other people sitting around her. She couldn’t stop thinking about the kiss that almost occurred between her and Dante.
Nothing in her life had prepared her for the feel of his hard, firm mouth brushing against her skin. Everything about him was so masculine and it was extremely hard for her not to fall for his charm.
However, she was smart enough to realize a successful man like him wasn’t interested in a college dropout like her. She knew he was only trying to right his wrong, but she had forgiven him about their first encounter and moved on.
He didn’t have to be worried about his rudeness towards her anymore. She wasn’t scared of him anymore and she had to let him know this. In fact, Dante had made her even more determined to finish up her last credits at college and start looking for a job.
How could she not be inspired by all of the wonderful blessings coming her way? The days of her wondering when help was going to come were now over; she had to get her shit together and help herself.
“Number twenty-four, please come to the front desk,” a voice called out over the intercom system above her head.
Tossing the magazine down on the chair next to her, Amara got up and headed for the receptionist with plans for her future running through her head. The more she thought about it the better it got.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Hours later, Amara stood frozen outside on the sidewalk staring in disbelief at the huge black and silver motorcycle Dante thought she was going to get on with him. She might have agreed to a second date, but it never involved getting on this death trap. He had to be living on another planet if he believed any part of her body was touching that beast.
Was he out of his mind or something?
“I can’t get on that,” she said, pointing at the motorcycle then glaring at Dante who was sitting there comfortable as he pleased.
“Why not?” he asked, his expression curious.
“I don’t have a death wish in my future. We both know that I’m just now getting my life back on track. So, I’m not ready for it to end just yet. I still have a lot I want to get done.”
“You won’t get hurt. I’ve been riding way too long for anything to happen to either one of us. Believe me. I know how to handle this bike. Trust me, sweetheart.” Dante held out his hand and waited patiently for her to take it.
“Sorry, but I’ll have to pass on dinner tonight if it involves my cute butt on the back of that thing.” Spinning away, Amara headed back towards the building already thinking about other safer ways to spend her night instead of going on a date with the crazy man behind her.
“Amara, I can’t believe you’re walking away from a challenge. I never took you for a coward, but I guess I was wrong about you,” he shouted after her.
Stopping in her tracks, Amara slowly spun back around giving Dante a hard look. “I’m not scared of getting on your bike,” she tossed back.
“Prove it.” He grabbed a helmet and held it out for her to take.
His eyes glanced down at the helmet then back up looking directly in her eyes. “Unless you’re actually afraid of wrapping your arms around my waist and letting me take control.”
How dare he say that to her!
“Fine, I will.” Storming back to a smug Dante, she snatched the black helmet out of his outstretched hand. “Tell me what I have to do so I can wipe that stupid smirk off of your face.”
“Just put the helmet over that gorgeous head of yours, hop on and wrap your arms around my waist then hold on tight. I will take care of the rest beautiful.”
Lord, please don’t let me die, Amara prayed quickly before she put the helmet over her head and then climbed on the back of Dante’s bike wrapping her arms around his hard body. She knew it was now or never. She wished it was never if she had a choice.
Glancing over his shoulder, he looked at her. “Babe, you look really good back there. Remember, hold on tight and I swear this will be one ride you won’t forget.”
I bet I won’t, she thought as the motorcycle roared away from the curb.
She closed her eyes as the wind hit her body. It seemed like they had been riding for hours before the lure of the motorcycle between her legs began relaxing her. Slowly, she opened her eyes watching as the scenery zipped past them through the helmet as Dante took her from the inner part of the city into the outskirts of town.
Loosening her grip a little, Amara got more comfortable as her confidence in the handsome man in front of her grew stronger. He was proving how right he was about this ride. This would be something that she would remember for the rest of her life.
He knew how to control the powerful beast beneath their bodies. Nothing as exciting as this had ever happened in her life before and she loved it. Most of the time, she kept things pretty basic around her, because she couldn’t afford to draw any attention to herself. However, stepping out of her comfort zone tonight turned into a very good decision on her part.
Her curiosity grew when Dante slowed down the motorcycle and turned up a long driveway towards a house that looked like it could be showcased on any of the nightly entertainment shows she used to love watching on television in her tiny apartment when she first moved to Los Angeles.
Pulling up in the front of the jaw-dropping house, Dante turned off the motorcycle. “Here we are,” he said once the bike was turned off.
Amara took off her helmet and handed it back to Dante then took a moment to glance around. She was amazed at the serenity of his house. She never pictured him living somewhere away from the world like this. There was too much fire in Dante from him to live in such a remote place.
“What do you think?” Dante asked, getting off the bike and then grabbing her hand to help her off as well.
“Your home is tr
uly beautiful, but it’s so huge. I can’t believe you live here,” she answered, holding his hand as they walked to the front door. “It’s so out of the way. I thought you would live closer in town by your bar. I didn’t see you living like this at all.”
Turning his head, Dante glanced down at her with a slight grin on his face. “Thank you. I love it myself. It gives me the solitude I crave after a long hard day at work. I stay so busy sometimes that I can barely make it out the back door to come back here.”
Letting go of her hand, Dante unlocked the door and flicked on the lights before waving her inside; however, the sight of a huge Black Lab rushing towards her and Dante froze Amara in her tracks.
“I didn’t know you had a dog,” she whispered, taking a cautious step back bumping into Dante who was still right behind her.
“Bear, sit,” he commanded, placing his hand in the middle of her back.
The huge Lab instantly stopped and sat down watching her closely like he was ready to make a move on her at any second, if she even looked at him the wrong way. She wasn’t usually scared of dogs, but this one seemed very territorial, almost a little mean.
“Come on sweetheart. He isn’t going to hurt you. Bear always runs up to the front door to greet me when I get home. I’m sorry, I should have warned you, but I didn’t even think about it.”
Amara took a breath and tried to calm down. “It’s okay. He just took me by surprise,” she said, taking a small step further into the room allowing Dante to close the front door behind them.
She stood completely still as Bear got up and came towards them. She watched as Dante patted him on the head before the dog took off and ran into another room. She couldn’t lie and say she was going to miss him.
Dante's Way Page 15