She nodded. “Well, whatever you’re doing, it works. They like and respect you and respond to you, which I completely get.”
“You do?” Unable to help himself, Dante stepped closer.
Amanda inhaled and nodded but didn’t complain about her lack of personal space or push him out of the way. In fact, she shifted closer.
“Yes,” she said. “Because I do too.”
His heart rocked that time, and as he stared into her warm gaze, he found heat and a sense of peace. He lifted a hand to cup her face and lightly brush his thumb across her soft cheek. The contrast between his dark skin and her fair skin increased his desire to touch more of her.
“Amanda,” he whispered, while staring into her wide, stunned gaze. “Is it okay if I kiss you?”
Her sharp inhale echoed between them. “Yes.” She set a hand on his chest and cupped his jaw with her other. “I’d like that.” Her voice was breathless, and it upped the heat rushing through him.
Needing no other encouragement, Dante slowly lowered his mouth to hers and was unprepared for the charge of sensations that ricocheted through his body.
A soft noise sounded in Amanda’s throat, and he decided it meant she had felt it too…and liked it. And he also liked how she opened her mouth for him and how her body melted against his in a most unexpected and amazing way.
Dante had only intended to kiss her softly, to test their connection, but need was ruling his actions and he kissed her long and thorough, loving how her tongue brushed against his as if she couldn’t get enough either. She tasted like strawberries and sunshine, and he couldn’t get enough.
If it weren’t for the need for oxygen, he would’ve kissed the sweet woman until Holden brought his cows home. But all too soon, he was forced to break the kiss.
As they both sucked in much-needed air, she clutched his shoulders and set her forehead to his chin.
“You…Mr. Williams…are magic,” she said between breaths. “You not only…stole my breath, you also stole…the strength from my legs. I hope you’re happy.”
He chuckled. “I am. Very happy.”
She drew back and smiled at him. “Me, too. I—”
“Daddy! Miss Amanda! Are you in here?” Noah’s voice echoed through the building.
He swallowed a groan. He loved the little dude, but he was proving to have the worst timing.
“Yeah, back here!” he replied.
Amanda snickered and pointed between them. “You and I will revisit this later.” Smiling, she stepped in front of the sink and turned on the faucet. “We’re washing up!” she called out, then doused her face with water. “It got hot in here,” she mumbled, grinning at him as she wiped her face with a paper towel.
Oh, they were going to revisitthislater.
Chapter Six
Thursday afternoon, Amanda sat at her kitchen table, relieved to have the phone screening out of the way, but worried about it at the same time.
Had she spoken too much? Too little? Precisely and succinctly?
What if she came across too prissy? Or dumb?
No. She shook her head and began to pace. She didn’t think she could be prissy if she tried. Hopefully, her true self came through—the teacher who wanted to spark a love of learning in her students, whether through exploring, reading, or listening.
Oh, God. Maybe she was boring.
She blew out a breath and stared at the floor. It was out of her hands now. She’d answered every question, asked a few of her own, dotted all the “Is” and crossed the “Ts”.
No sense in stressing over it.
Too bad she was stressing over it.
Too bad she’d taken the afternoon off instead of just an hour or two. Keeping busy might’ve taken her mind off things.
