“Do you mind waiting while I let him outside?” Dante asked, walking around her. “It’s way past time for him to be let out.”
“No, go ahead. I’ll just look around for a few minutes,” she said, looking at Dante.
“Make yourself at home and I’ll be right back.” Touching her on the arm, Dante winked at her then walked away going in the same direction as Bear had just disappeared.
After taking one last look at his retreating figure, Amara strolled around the room noticing how the earth tone design of Dante’s house gave it a rustic structure making it so inviting and comfortable. Shuttered windows provided privacy despite the fact living so far up he really didn’t need it. Even the heavy furnishings and distressed wood invited her to relax a little more while welcoming her to explore further.
From the corner of her eye, Amara noticed two framed drawings. Her curiosity drew her across the room to get a better look. Upon a longer inspection, she recognized they weren’t regular drawings, but tattoo sketches instead. She wasn’t into tattoos, but she had to admit the dragon designs were beautifully done.
“Those were the first two tattoos I did when I opened Inked.”
Glancing over her shoulder, she found Dante standing a few inches behind her. He smelled like fresh air and man... two scents that were very tempting to her senses.
“I didn’t know you even did tattoos. I thought you only owned a bar,” she replied. “When did you get involved with a tattoo shop?”
Moving closer to her, Dante drew her more into his personal space as his eyes never left her. “I’m part owner in a tattoo shop called Inked. I used to be the sole owner until I decided to divide up the responsibilities and took on two partners about five years ago to open Dante’s Way.”
“Do you have any tattoos?” Amara asked, curious. She always thought it was so amazing people could proudly put ink on their bodies as artwork.
“No, I don’t have any, sweetheart. I loved doing them, but I never had the urge to get any,” he answered.
Grinning at her, Dante wrapped his hand around her arm easing her back against his chest. “Are you thinking about getting one in the future?” he inquired brushing his thumb over her skin.
She tried to concentrate on the words coming out of his mouth, but he was making it hard with his heated looks and touches. He was driving her to think things she shouldn’t.
“No, I’m not tough enough to sit still for that long not to mention that I’m not into a lot of pain.”
“Too bad, I would have loved to put one of my designs on this beautiful skin of yours.” He ran his thumb over her arm one last time before stepping away.
Amara instantly missed his caressing touch. She liked having him close to her; his presence relaxed her. She couldn’t understand it, but that was just the way it was.
“How about we head to the kitchen?” Dante suggested. “I need to put the finishing touches on our dinner.”
Thank God he suggested they do something else to get her mind off the kiss she was craving so badly from him again. What happened to the woman who was so scared of him? She just seemed to have disappeared once he started pouring on the charm to match those good looks of his.
“Can I help you do something?” she asked, hoping to get their conversation on neutral ground.
“All I want you to do is enjoy yourself tonight. Do you think you can do that for me? Forget about everything else going on and let loose for a few hours?”
Amara tried to recall the last time she’d felt safe enough to let all of her worries disappear and just have some innocent fun. No matter how long she thought about it nothing came to mind. She had been living in harsh conditions way too long to ever think about the word fun anymore.
“I haven’t let loose in a while but I’ll try my best to find my carefree side again.”
Stepping back into her personal space, Dante’s eyes slowly moved up and down the length of her body setting her senses on fire. “How about we start off slow and you find a way to let me in a little more. You’re different from any other woman I’ve met in a very long time. I like peeling back the layers and finding out more about who you are.”
“I bet I am,” Amara laughed, harshly. “I’m probably the only one who knows the best time to dig out of the trashcan behind Ryan’s grocery store.”
“Enough of looking back,” he scolded. “You aren’t on the streets anymore. You’re changing your life. Why don’t you take the credit for the baby steps you’ve already made?”
Amara mentally kicked herself again for being the one who brought their conversation back to her past. Why am I still harping on the negative? If she didn’t stop, Dante might lose his patience and decide not to bother with her anymore. She hated to even think about him not being in her life anymore.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything about it,” she apologized. “I guess joking about it makes it seem a little less real now.”
Dante brushed his mouth against hers catching her completely off guard and setting her body on fire. “No more apologizes. How about we just have a great time tonight?” he suggested against her tingling lips.
Blinking, Amara looked up into his gorgeous eyes and nodded. “You’re right. Let’s have some fun.”
“Now, that’s what I wanted to hear.”
Stepping back, he held out his hand and she didn’t waste a second in taking it. The slight callous of his fingertips brushed against her skin making her wonder how good they would feel touching other more sensitive parts of her body. Only time would tell if things would get that far between her and Dante, but she wasn’t going to do anything not to make it transpire.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Standing at the other side of the room, Dante listened as Amara sang along with the radio completely letting her guard down and relaxing around him. When they first met each other, he never thought this was where he would be with her.
Unlike what Hayward might believe, he hadn’t pursued Amara because of his desire to save her. He fought to make her see that he wasn’t going to hurt her as some other people might have done in her past. When he committed to something, he struck to it without allowing anyone or anything to change his mind and the idea of losing Amara didn’t sit well with him.
Just being around Amara even for this short period of time relieved a lot of the demands he usually carried around on his shoulders. For so long, he’d kept most of his problems to himself even hiding them away from Caleb and Griffin. They had lives of their own to live, but without a doubt both of them would put everything on hold to help him.
Getting more comfortable, Dante rested his back against the kitchen counter as he continued watching Amara lost in her singing. He doubted she even knew he was there anymore.
Certain qualities about Amara reminded him of so much of Keira. He liked how she possessed an inner strength about her when he least expected it. She never allowed him to back her into a corner no matter how much he might push her.
He would never admit to anyone else, hell, he hated even admitting it to himself, but there was brief moment when Keira had broken up with Jim that he had secretly thought of pursuing something with her.
However, Keira was still so in love with Jim that she never saw his hidden feelings for her. The second he realized there could never be anything more between them than friendship he buried those emotions and threw away the key forever. He wasn’t about to ruin his friendship with Jim over a woman who only saw him as her good friend.
“Do you want to tell me what has you so deep in thought?”
Glancing to his left, Dante found Amara standing there within touching distance of him and the sight of her brought an unconscious smile to his face. “Oh, it was nothing for you to worry about,” he answered.
“Well, you better stop thinking so hard before you get gray hairs,” she teased.
“Do you think I won’t be attractive with a few gray hairs?”
Tilting her head to the side, Amara sta
red at him then she came right up to him and took his face in her hands. She moved it to the left and then to the right before stepping back.
“No, I think they would only add to how handsome you already are,” Amara flirted back. “Now, enough with the compliments, when do I get a chance to see this beautiful patio? I’ve been peeking at it since I got here. The view looks amazing so I think you should show it off.”
“Sweetheart, I would be more than happy to show you the view. Being outside on my deck is my favorite place to relax after a hard day at the bar; it can really make you forget about everything going on around you.”
“Well, are you going to give me a chance to find out for myself?” Amara asked.
“Right this way,” Dante said.
****
Placing his hand in the small of Amara’s back, Dante escorted her onto the stunningly built deck while she tried to block out how good his touch felt. . From the corner of her eye, she noticed Bear at the far corner watching her but he didn’t make a move to come any closer to them.
Stepping away from Dante, she walked over to the railing and looked out at the captivating scenery wondering how he ever got anything done besides sitting out here all night just getting lost in the beauty of everything.
She felt him come up behind her, but she didn’t turn around to look at him. “This is so breathtaking. I wouldn’t ever be able to leave it if I lived here.”
“Yes, it is very beautiful,” Dante answered.
Turning her head, Amara found his eyes on her and not the bright lights of the city shining in the distance. The heat in his eyes captivated her. She had never had a man look at her like that before; it was exhilarating and a little intimidating all at the same time.
“I was talking about the view,” she said, then licked her suddenly dry lips trying to stay cool and collected which was extremely hard to do with Dante’s eyes searching hers.
“I know, but I wasn’t,” he admitted.
Placing his hand on her waist he moved her body so she was completely facing him. “Amara, I’m not caring about any view out there, not when you look so stunning in the moonlight.” The sound of his voice lured her into taking a step closer.
“Thank you,” she whispered, softly.
He slid his hand behind her head and slowly brushed his thumb along her jaw line. “Did I tell you how pleased I was you decided to get on my motorcycle earlier. I like it when a woman can stand up to a direct challenge from me.”
“How could I back down?” she asked. “I mean, getting on that bike was the only way I could go on our date and I wasn’t about to miss it.”
“God, you know how to stroke a man’s ego. I’m just not sure if it’s a good thing, but I’ll worry about that later,” he teased.
The closeness of their bodies was like a drug, lulling her to euphoria. She couldn’t suppress the shudder that passed through her. Amara felt like she was speeding down a winding road without any brakes to stop her from going over the edge and she loved it!
“Are you cold?” Dante asked pressing her back against the railing as his hard chest brushed over her swollen nipples.
“No, I’m not cold,” she whispered. Far from it.
“That’s good because I’m not ready to go in yet.” Lowering his head, Dante’s lips brushed over hers as he spoke. “I really love how you taste. It’s like nothing I’ve ever had the pleasure of sampling before.”
The tip of his tongue flickered along the corner of her mouth slowly shattering the calm she was trying so hard to keep intact. She couldn’t let him lure her further into his web of desire.
“Amara, let go. Block out everything but the touch of my mouth against yours. I’m not going to hurt you. I promise, baby.”
Raising his mouth from hers, he gazed into her eyes patiently waiting for her response. She knew if she told Dante no that he wouldn’t force the issue, but she wanted him to kiss her fully, completely until she couldn’t think about anything else but him.
Standing on tiptoe, she touched her lips to his giving Dante her answer. Taking over the kiss, he crushed her to his warm, hard body. Slipping his tongue between her lips, he explored the recesses of her mouth with the tip. The touch of his tongue against hers sent a shock wave throughout her entire body making her crave more than a few hot kisses.
Wrapping her arms around Dante’s wide shoulders, she pulled him to her body even more as he continued to take control of her mouth with a smoldering intensity. She didn’t want to slow down anytime soon. Keeping up with his kiss was a test as well as a challenge and Amara was thrilled to be the winner of the prize.
Slowly, Dante eased his mouth away from her and nibbled his way down her jaw line; then her earlobe until he planted a tantalizing kiss in the hollow of her neck. He was working his magic on her like he was a magician with several more tricks up his sleeve.
She breathed lightly between her lips as she tried getting her whirling emotions back together. The feel of his thick erection against her stomach made Amara realize they had to put on the brakes before things got entirely out of hand.
“Hmmm... we need to stop.” Placing her hands on his wide, perfect chest; she eased him away from her traitorous body. “I can’t think straight when you’re that close to me. My mind gets all...”
Dante stared at her with his desire-filled eyes. “Is that such a bad thing that I have your mind out of sorts?” he questioned, softly.
“No, I like how you take me to another place,” Amara admitted, honestly.
“Darling, I like it too. But I agree I didn’t bring you here tonight to make love. I promised you an amazing dinner and I always keep my word especially when it comes to a beautiful woman.”
Giving her another quick kiss, Dante stepped away from her breaking the mood. Instantly, Amara wished that she had kept her mouth shut. She liked the way her body felt safe and protected when she was in his arms.
“Come on. Let’s go inside, so I can feed you. I don’t want you to think that I’m a bad host.” Grabbing her by the hand, Dante escorted her back through the sliding doors.
Chapter Thirty
In his kitchen, Dante gathered all of the ingredients together for his famous jambalaya that he only fixed on special occasions, and tonight was definitely one of them. He actually finally had Amara inside of his house after weeks of wondering how it would feel and the reality of her was so much better than any of his dreams.
“Can I offer you something else to drink?” he asked, looking at the barely touched glass of wine he’d given to Amara.
“No, this is fine,” she answered, touching the wine glass then looking at him. “You have an amazing kitchen. My entire apartment could have fit inside of here.”
He laid the knife down on the cutting board then looked around the space trying to see it through Amara’s eyes. The hanging pot storage above the range helped him with extra counter space giving him the ability to cook without any obstructions in his way.
With the sink and range located within easy reach of each other, it enhanced the countertop area for food preparation. Everything around the space was designed by the contractor to fit him in every way. He honestly could see himself living here with his future wife and kids for a very long time.
Could Amara be the woman who finally made him get down on bended knee? He guessed only time would tell.
“Thank you. I love it myself,” he said, cutting up the rest of the smoked sausage adding it to the skillet with the onions and peppers.
Reaching to the side, he picked up the can of the tomatoes and added them. Stirring everything together, Dante tasted it before adding some Creole seasoning along with the rice he had already placed at the side.
Walking away from the food on the stove, he walked over to the refrigerator and grabbed the shrimp he had cleaned earlier for the meal tonight while the rice had been cooking. Going back over to the stove, Dante worked on getting his meal together for the next few minutes while Amara sat on the bar stool watch
ing him with her beautiful bedroom eyes.
He wasn’t used to a woman being around him this long without hogging the conversation with endless chatter. Honestly, he found it rather peaceful and soothing all at the same time.
Taking the shrimp out of the bowl, Dante added it to the skillet with the other food knowing it wouldn’t take that long to cook. He wanted it to be done perfectly. One thing he hated was overcooked shrimp.
“Do you always wear your hair pulled back?” Amara asked him out of the blue.
“No, I don’t. Why do you asked?” He was pleased Amara was interested enough in him to ask more personal questions.
She shrugged her shoulders. “It just seems like in all of the times we have been around each other it’s always been pulled back in the same hairstyle, so I was just wondering. Is there anything I can do to help you with the meal?”
Dante could barely keep the smile off his face. He loved she wanted to be closer to him without saying the words. Now, the next step in his plans of winning Amara over, was to get her to see anytime they were within touching distance things always got increasingly better between them.
“Yes, I would love some help. Why don’t you come over here and help me with the rest of this?” he suggested, wanting to have Amara inside of his personal space.
Amara took a sip of her wine and then placed the glass back down before getting up from the stool. “What do you need me to do for you?” she asked, standing next to him.
Oh, he wanted her to do more than help him cook, but that would come later. He needed to stay focused on the here and now.
“I want you to continue to stir in the shrimp until it’s done. It only has a few more minutes and then we can eat.”
Taking a step back, he gave Amara’s soft, curvy body enough room to stand in front of his. Standing behind her, he watched her for a few seconds liking how good it felt to have her here with him before stepping back behind her.
Placing his hands on her hips, he put his mouth by her ear. “Don’t move,” he whispered. “Keep stirring. Everything is almost done.” He laid his hand on hers and finished helping her get their meal together.
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