“I’m just messing with you. I’m surprised to see you here actually.”
“Likewise.”
“Are you having any regrets, Cha-Cha?”
“Cha-Cha?”
“That’s what I’ve been calling you, in my mind.”
Amanda wouldn’t have been surprised if her body picked that exact moment to start ovulating. She swallowed, then schooled her features though and focused on the easy task of petting two dogs at once. “You’ve been thinking about me, have you?”
“I have.”
Amanda froze as Sam tipped up the brim of his hat, then leaned over. His breath lightly brushed the shell of her ear as he spoke. “But next time we’re together, I’d like to call you by your real name. Amanda, is it?”
Right at that moment, Amanda knew she should have ended this conversation before it began. Politely excused herself from Sam and his adorable dogs and walked the grounds or hidden under her bed back in the lodge until it was time for dinner. Anything to avoid him because even though everything out of his mouth was corny and over the top, it worked for her. Every second she spent at Big Rock Ranch, she knew she was in big trouble.
Chapter 6
To buy some time, Amanda deliberately turned to watch Helene as she made her way down the aisle on her father’s arm. She was wearing a light cardigan over the flowing cream maxi dress she’d changed into. She wanted to make sure she chose her words carefully, and she wasn’t sure she could do that if she was looking into those brown eyes shaded by the brim of that white hat.
“First of all, young man. Have you ever considered I wanted that one-time thing to be just a one-time thing.”
“I was hoping you wouldn’t say that.”
“Well, lucky for you it’s not true.” Amanda refused to look at him, but she didn’t miss the quiet chuckle he let out. “But there are a few things you need to know about me.”
“Fill me in, girl.”
“For one. I am a very private person and while no one is paying attention to us now, maybe don’t broadcast what might be happening over here by practically licking my neck while you’re talking to me.”
“Excuse me.” Sam groaned as he sat up a bit and moved so there was now an empty seat between them. Euca and Clementine shimmied by and wasted no time filling the space. Amanda still refused to look at Sam’s face, but she didn’t miss the way his strong, but manicured fingers slid over Clementine’s fur. She hadn’t forgotten the way they felt on her skin, how they felt between her legs. “Please. Go on.”
“There’s one night, but if we’re moving to the massive commitment of a two-night stand, I feel like you should get to know me just a little bit.”
“Okay, so let me get to know you then. What you do? Where you from? What your mom and dem like?”
Amanda smiled despite herself. “I’m from Rhode Island. My mom is a nurse at the health center at the U Providence campus. I’m an only child.”
“And what do you do?”
“Um—I’m a writer.” Which she was, when she had the time. Which she hadn’t lately. And maybe she didn’t get paid for it either. But she did write, and if she was honest with herself, she was pretty damn good at it.
“Oh. Alright. What are you working on now?”
“I have a few top-secret things in development.”
“I understand, no need to give me details. Give me a hint though. Sci-fi? Horror? Comedy? A sweeping romantic saga? Please tell me you’re bringing back full-length feature porno.”
“I don’t know where you’ve been. The full-length feature porno is alive and well. Um, it’s a cross betweenLost in SpaceandPirates of the Caribbeanwith four hundred percent more Black people and a love story that isn’t cursed. But there is magic.” That was the elevator pitch for the script she’d been sitting on. A script that would never get made.
“Damn, that sounds amazing. Little sci-fi, fantasy action. I like it.”
Amanda suddenly didn’t feel comfortable talking about herself anymore. “How long have you known Helene? Did you two meet at Juilliard?”
“Actually, I didn’t go to acting school. I didn’t go to college.”
“Really? Not that you needed to go to college. I just—”