Page 48 of Chasing Amanda

He jogged to the corner and looked down Weybosset in both directions.

There.

She was moving fast, but he was faster.

He hopped off the sidewalk and bolted down the street, ignoring the cars whizzing by and the glares of drivers. When he got close, he slowed to catch his breath, then came up behind her.

“Amanda?”

She spun, startled, eyes wide. Tears dripped down her cheeks and off her chin. Tears he’d put there.

Emotions bubbled up inside him and stole his words. He took her hands and tugged her out of the way of passersby into the entrance of a shop—the bakery, he realized, where he’d watched her with the kids the other day.

Where he’d first started falling for her.

He wrapped his arms around her, trying to think of what to say, how to tell her what he felt. But there were no words.

Her eyes were wide and filled not with fear or anger but hope and the tender love.

He couldn’t help himself. He dipped his head and wrapped her up and kissed her. And everything he wanted to say—everything he wanted in life—he poured into that kiss.

When her arms snaked around his neck, when her back arched and she rose on her tiptoes to meet him, he dove in.

Afraid he’d lost her. Then afraid he’d lose her. Afraid he’d mess it up or make her angry or make her hate him or mostly afraid that someday, he’d hate her. And he didn’t know what to do with any of those fears. He only knew he loved her. He wanted her and only her.

The truth of it calmed him, and he rested in what he knew to be true. He didn’t have the answers, and he didn’t need to.

He slowed down. There was no rush. This didn’t need to be a kiss that lasted forever but a forever kind of kiss.

Yes, he let it languish, laughing at himself. He’d never put so much thought into a single kiss.

Or into a single woman.

He had a feeling he’d be putting a lot more thought into this one.

Maybe he owed her a few words, though. He forced himself to stop but didn’t let her go. He held her close, feeling her quick breath against his neck.

The world went on around them. People chatted. Cars drove by. Music and the smell of baked goods carried outside through the bakery door whenever it opened.

Mostly, Mark picked up the scent of Amanda’s hair and felt her warmth in his arms. “I fell in love with you right here.”

She laughed and backed away to look at him. Though there were still tears, they were happy tears now. “When I accused you of stalking me?”

“A few minutes before that. When I was watching you teach the kids.”

“So you were stalking me?”

“Not stalking. Observing. Big difference.”

She grinned, but it didn’t last. “Are you going to change your mind again?”

“No. I’m not. I promise. But it’s going to be hard on both of us, me being there, you being here.”

“I know.”

“I don’t think you do.”

She took her time before she spoke again. “Okay. I have no idea how it’s going to feel, but I’ll figure it out. We’ll figure it out. And I’ll be waiting when you get home.”