Time Changes Everything (7 page)

She was still the same beautiful woman, inside and out.

Ryan strode to Jake’s desk and sat in the chair across from him. “If you weren’t interested, I’d be.”

“The thing is, I don’t want to ruin our friendship.” He ran his hand across his chin. “Stop rolling your eyes, man. I’m serious.”

Ryan leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “So, tell me the good stuff. Was she great in bed?”

“Go to hell, Ryan.” He wished he hadn’t said anything.

“Whoa, man. What’s bothering you?”

Jake thought for a moment. “I can’t stop thinking about her.”

Ryan whistled. “She’s a knockout.”

“She’s gorgeous, and to think I’ve known her my whole life.”

“Let me get this straight. You can’t stop thinking about her, right?”

Jake rubbed his hands down his face. “Right.”

“She’s different than all the women you’ve dated.”

“She doesn’t want to date. Insists she doesn’t want a man in her life right now. And she’s not willing to take a risk on me.” Jake stood up and faced the window again.  “I don’t blame her.” He ran his hand through his hair. “What am I thinking?”

“You’re going down.” Ryan stood and snickered.

Jake turned around and remembered his thoughts as he left her apartment a couple of days ago. “No, I’m not.” He grabbed his pen and pointed at Ryan. “I just have to convince her to take a chance.”

“Already crashed and burned.” Ryan left Jake’s office.

What would it be like to take her out on a date? He was attracted to her, and she didn’t budge when he kissed her last week. There was a sparkle of desire in her eyes – or was he only wishing it was there? Going on a date would certainly prove her wrong about men. He’d show her that moving forward could include a man. If they happened to work out, then hell might have frozen over. If it wasn’t him, he at least owed her that much after running off on her seven years ago.

After he made the decision to call her, Jake’s mind stopped wandering and he focused on the contract in front of him.

When he finished making changes to the Seavers contract, his secretary buzzed the intercom, “Mr. Edwards, you have a call from an Amanda Larson. She says it’s important.”

“Put it through.” He heard a click on the line. “Hello, Mandy. I was about to call you.”

“Hi, Jake. Hope you aren’t too busy.”

“No, what happened?”

“I need to ask you a huge favor. Normally I wouldn’t ask, but I’m at a loss. I wanted to do all this on my own, but there are some matters I don’t know how to handle. I called another lawyer, but he wasn’t in and –”

“Amanda, slow down. I’ll help if I can.”

“Thanks.” She took a deep breath. “I found the perfect site for the fashion show. The proprietor is here with the contract, but I don’t understand some of the terms. He doesn’t even speak much English and I need someone to decipher some of the conditions. He says he has someone else interested for the same night and if I don’t sign now, I’ll lose it.”

“Give me the address. I’ll be right there.”

“You don’t have to do this. I know you’re busy.”

“It’s my pleasure. I deal with contracts on a daily basis.”

Amanda gave him the address while Jake closed his folder, and grabbed his cell phone.

Ryan stood outside his door. “Where you off to in such a hurry?”

“I have an important meeting. Be back in a few.”

****

Jake walked in the door and barely had time to catch his breath before Amanda met him. Her high heels clicked loudly on the hardwood floor. “I’m sorry to pull you away from your work.”

“It’s no problem.” Jake rubbed her shoulder.

Amanda smiled. “The property owner is in the back. Come this way.” She led him through the building.

The hall was elegant, with high ceilings and columns standing erect in the four corners of the room. She pointed in all directions, explaining how she would drape the ceilings with fabric that would fall to the ground, the runway would edge out in one direction and the audience and buyers would sit around it. The dressing rooms were located behind the stage and the back drapes would display Denalo in bold letters.

She was electric, and he loved the twinkle in her eyes.  He wanted to pick her up, swing her around and shout to the world, “This is my Mandy! She sets her mind on something and she doesn’t hold back!” But he stopped himself as they approached the property-owner in question. She wasn’t his Mandy... yet.

When he finished the business with the owner, Amanda happily signed the agreement. She then moved around the store and made sketches of the layout in her notebook, planning her future right in front of him.

His cell phone rang and he moved to the side of the room to talk. “Jake Edwards.”

From the corner of his eye, a tall man slithered like a panther toward Amanda. His longer brown hair hung to his neck and he wore a pink shirt and a tie. Jake didn’t like the looks of him.

Jake shook his head remembering his assistant waited in silence on the opposite end of his call. She had asked a question and he didn’t catch it. “I’ll get back to you, Annette.” Jake said and hung up.

Something wasn’t right.

Putting his phone into the breast pocket of his jacket, he turned toward Amanda and the pink-shirt guy, ready to pounce.

"Dominic? What are you doing here?” Amanda asked.

So this was the guy she dated. He stepped forward and then stopped. She had made it clear she wanted to manage things herself. He’d let her take care of this schmuck, but he’d be ready if she needed him.

“Is that any way to say hello? Come now. Give me your kiss.” Dominic bent to kiss her and Amanda moved her head.

Dominic jerked his head up. “What is this?”

Jake smirked at Amanda’s reaction. Way to go, baby! Not bearing to watch this interaction from far away any longer, he walked over to her.

Amanda pushed Dominic away. “How did you find me?”

Dominic sighed and shook his head. “Your store assistant told me you were here. I came from Paris to see you.”

“Well, you aren’t welcome.” She turned to look at Jake as he stood next to her.

“That is very rude,
Ma Chérie
.” Dominic followed Amanda’s gaze and looked at Jake. “And who is this?”  He placed his hands on his hips. “You already have a new lover?”

“Maybe he is my new lover. It’s none of your business.” Amanda’s face reddened and her hands balled into fists. “You and I are finished. It’s been months now. I haven’t returned your calls 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 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...”