waving her hands about.
“Why are you smiling? This is serious. That fool is trying to run my life.”
He put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from pacing. “Calm down, he’s gone now and you don’t have to worry. Your protector is here to look after you.” Jake flexed his left bicep.
“You bully.” Amanda pushed his shoulder playfully. “Thank God you were here. I wouldn’t have been able to turn him away. He doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“I noticed you were a little afraid of him.”
“He just surprised me, that’s all.”
His smile grew. “I also noticed that you like to kiss unsuspecting men.”
“He’s intimidating.” Amanda stepped away, ignoring Jake’s last comment, and rubbed her fingers on her forehead.
“You kissed me.” He followed her and took her hand.
She attempted to pull away, but he held it firm.
“You liked it.”
She avoided his gaze. “That was just a tactic . . . to get rid of Dominic.”
“I think it was more than a tactic. Either that or a tactic to drive me crazy.”
Amanda managed to free her hand and walked toward the counter at the side of the room. “Jake, the kiss was nothing.”
He squinted in frustration.
Amanda dug in her purse. “Honestly, I owe you one. Not just for getting Dominic to leave, but for coming here today and taking care of my business situation. The fashion team will be pleased.”
“Well, I know the perfect way you can pay me back.”
“Oh, really?” She dropped her purse on the counter. “And what might that be?”
“Come with me to my company Christmas party on Saturday. I need a date.”
“Come on, Jake, I’m sure you can find a suitable lady to be your escort.”
He walked up to the counter where Amanda stood and lifted her chin. “I probably could get another date, but I want you.”
His heart skipped a beat at his own sagacity. He wasn’t planning on being so forward, but what the heck.
Her eyes softened. For an instant, Jake wondered what it would be like if Amanda was his date.
His stomach plummeted, and he brought down his hand from her face. When she didn’t respond, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down to his toes. “Of course, if you don’t want to –”
“Sure. I can do you that favor. I don’t have any plans that evening anyway.”
“Then it’s settled. It’s a formal event. I’ll call you with the details.” He looked at his watch. “And Mandy...”
“Yes?” Amanda raised her head to look at him.
He put his hand around her waist, pulled her close and kissed her -- a soft gentle exploration of her lips. Her muscles tensed, but eased as his tongue glided her lips open. A small quiver escaped from her mouth and she moaned.
Before he couldn’t hold himself back, he let go and winked. “Thank you for helping me.”
Chapter Six
THE NIGHT OF JAKE’S Christmas party arrived. It took her longer than usual to get ready, wanting to be perfect as Jake’s date. After their intense kiss a few days before, she couldn’t stop thinking about him, and she knew he always had what appeared to be flawless dates on his arm.
He was right when he said something happened between them. The minute they saw each other again, a zing lit up her life. She should just be satisfied with her promotion, her busy day job, and her friends. But when Jake was around, she wanted more, and it scared her. He wanted to step it up and see where it would lead.
Yet, she didn’t want to ruin their friendship. But if she was honest with herself, their friendship was different now anyway. Who went around kissing their friends until their knees gave out?
Once Jake phoned her to tell her he waited outside, Amanda calmly went down and strode out of her apartment building.
Jake leaned on a dark, sleek car and she stopped in her steps to take in the view. Handsome as ever. If she could only think about what hid behind those black pants, the feel of his chest, and
“Why are you smiling? This is serious. That fool is trying to run my life.”
He put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from pacing. “Calm down, he’s gone now and you don’t have to worry. Your protector is here to look after you.” Jake flexed his left bicep.
“You bully.” Amanda pushed his shoulder playfully. “Thank God you were here. I wouldn’t have been able to turn him away. He doesn’t take no for an answer.”
“I noticed you were a little afraid of him.”
“He just surprised me, that’s all.”
His smile grew. “I also noticed that you like to kiss unsuspecting men.”
“He’s intimidating.” Amanda stepped away, ignoring Jake’s last comment, and rubbed her fingers on her forehead.
“You kissed me.” He followed her and took her hand.
She attempted to pull away, but he held it firm.
“You liked it.”
She avoided his gaze. “That was just a tactic . . . to get rid of Dominic.”
“I think it was more than a tactic. Either that or a tactic to drive me crazy.”
Amanda managed to free her hand and walked toward the counter at the side of the room. “Jake, the kiss was nothing.”
He squinted in frustration.
Amanda dug in her purse. “Honestly, I owe you one. Not just for getting Dominic to leave, but for coming here today and taking care of my business situation. The fashion team will be pleased.”
“Well, I know the perfect way you can pay me back.”
“Oh, really?” She dropped her purse on the counter. “And what might that be?”
“Come with me to my company Christmas party on Saturday. I need a date.”
“Come on, Jake, I’m sure you can find a suitable lady to be your escort.”
He walked up to the counter where Amanda stood and lifted her chin. “I probably could get another date, but I want you.”
His heart skipped a beat at his own sagacity. He wasn’t planning on being so forward, but what the heck.
Her eyes softened. For an instant, Jake wondered what it would be like if Amanda was his date.
His stomach plummeted, and he brought down his hand from her face. When she didn’t respond, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and looked down to his toes. “Of course, if you don’t want to –”
“Sure. I can do you that favor. I don’t have any plans that evening anyway.”
“Then it’s settled. It’s a formal event. I’ll call you with the details.” He looked at his watch. “And Mandy...”
“Yes?” Amanda raised her head to look at him.
He put his hand around her waist, pulled her close and kissed her -- a soft gentle exploration of her lips. Her muscles tensed, but eased as his tongue glided her lips open. A small quiver escaped from her mouth and she moaned.
Before he couldn’t hold himself back, he let go and winked. “Thank you for helping me.”
Chapter Six
THE NIGHT OF JAKE’S Christmas party arrived. It took her longer than usual to get ready, wanting to be perfect as Jake’s date. After their intense kiss a few days before, she couldn’t stop thinking about him, and she knew he always had what appeared to be flawless dates on his arm.
He was right when he said something happened between them. The minute they saw each other again, a zing lit up her life. She should just be satisfied with her promotion, her busy day job, and her friends. But when Jake was around, she wanted more, and it scared her. He wanted to step it up and see where it would lead.
Yet, she didn’t want to ruin their friendship. But if she was honest with herself, their friendship was different now anyway. Who went around kissing their friends until their knees gave out?
Once Jake phoned her to tell her he waited outside, Amanda calmly went down and strode out of her apartment building.
Jake leaned on a dark, sleek car and she stopped in her steps to take in the view. Handsome as ever. If she could only think about what hid behind those black pants, the feel of his chest, and
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