Time Changes Everything by Melinda Dozier Page A

on purpose.”
    “I don’t believe you, just like I did not believe you when you said we were finished this summer.  Ma Chérie , I’ve been waiting long enough for you to get over this hissy fit of yours.” He reached out and grabbed Amanda’s arms.
    Jake wrapped one arm around Amanda’s waist. “Whoa, there, Mr. Paris, Amanda said it was over. Now take your hands off her.”
    Dominic took a deep breath and removed his hands.
    Jake gently rubbed Amanda’s hip with his hand. “She’s with me now.”
    Amanda still didn’t move. She looked back and forth, her cheeks red with rage. Why was she frozen like one of the columns in the corner of the room?
    “I don’t think so.” Dominic’s nostrils flared.  He stared at Jake’s hand on Amanda’s side. “She is for me.”
    “Believe it.” Finally, Amanda spoke, reaching for Jake’s face with both hands. She gave him a challenging look and lowered his head to hers.
    It began with small, gentle caresses, Amanda’s lips teasing Jake’s. His shoulders stiffened and in the next instant relaxed. To hell with this. If she wanted to kiss him, even if it was a ploy to make Dominic jealous, he’d take it.
    He wrapped his arms around her and put his hands in her hair, pulling her head closer. He couldn’t get close enough.  She gasped and placed her hands behind his neck. The kiss turned into a hunger – faster and faster their tongues searched each other. All those years of pent up feelings released in one second.
    He delved deeply , groaning at the taste of her and his heart missed a beat with her answering moan.  Jake placed his hand on the small of her back and pulled her body even closer to his, causing her to wiggle a leg around his calf. Every cell of his body buzzed as Amanda squealed under his lips.
    She opened her mouth and Jake inserted his tongue deeper as she pressed every ounce of her body into his, and he moved his hands under her shirt to touch her soft flesh. So damn soft that he wanted to feel more, so he let his hand slip further.
    Amanda quivered and pressed harder against his body.
    The feel of her breasts brushing his chest had them both sucking in a breath.  God, how many times had he already dreamed about feeling every inch of her? Now, being this close, it had him too eager and almost out of control.
    He pulled her head closer with one hand and moved his mouth to her neck and then to her ear. “God, Mandy.”
    She moaned softly, pushed her head back, and allowed more room for him to kiss her neck. Oh, yeah. His tongue slid down to the pulse that beat quickly at the base.
    “Jake,” a whisper purred from her lips and he slid a hand down to cup her ass. 
    “ Merde !” shouted Dominic.  “This is not over, Ma Chérie . You will come to your senses.” He stomped out and slammed the door behind him.
    Jake had forgotten about the shit-for-brains ex-boyfriend. Damn.
    Forced to come up for air, they stared at each other.  Not breathing very steadily, he smiled when he looked at Amanda’s disheveled hair.
    Pointing, he said, “Uh, your hair’s sticking up right there.”
    “Huh? Oh.” Her hand smoothed her hair down. She bit her lip. “Your tie is crooked.”
    Without taking his eyes off her, he reached up and pulled at his tie. “Mandy?”
    She turned her head, refusing to look at him. Her fingers touched her lips, and she cursed under her breath.
    Jake stood frozen, unsure of his next move. His lips stung with her touch and his chest moved up and down with his rapid, uneven breath.  Amanda wasn’t playing a game – she couldn’t with that kind of kiss.
    “I can’t believe he had the nerve to show up like that. What kind of man would do that?” Amanda paced the floor. “He laughed at me when I told him we were over, and then he shows up here like he owns me.”
    After checking the front door to make sure that Dominic had indeed left, Jake walked to the back of the room, where she paced. Once he was next to her, she stopped