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CHAPTERONE
Amara
“Do you have any idea how difficult it is to be in the same room ashimand not react?” Grabbing my shot I lift it to my lips, not waiting for Claire to add her own two cents. I take a deep breath, and calm my breathing so I’m not panting, slowing my racing heart so I don’t start sweating. “It’s like a full-time job. If I do look at him, I immediately envision myself running my fingers through his hair and tugging on the ends. I picture myself pinned to the nearest wall and my body goes into overdrive. Certain places tingle, and others ignite with an uncontrollable need. It’s so wrong, but feelssoright, it’s insane and incredibly intriguing. Damn it, I feel like a ping pong ball during the longest rally. I am a mess!”
I lift another shot and down it quickly, the burn not even phasing me.
“Hey, that was my shot.” Claire laughs and I hang my head in shame. Now I’ve resorted to being a drunken mess of pent-up frustration which is never a good plan. “But you can have it,” she adds with another laugh, shaking her head at me knowingly. “You need it way more than I do.”
Ignoring her comment I continue to ramble on in my drunken panic.
“How am I supposed to keep my head together when I’m going to be at a resort, with drinks flowing, and being less than five feet away from him? There will be an overload of romance, becausehello, it is a wedding, and there I’ll be fantasizing once again about Ty. Picturing him in his hot firefighter gear, coat open, chest showing, that sinful look in his eyes. I’ve had that dream, so many times, being taken by him every way imaginable... it’s driving me mad, I tell you, mad!”
Claire tries not to laugh at me, but I know she wants to. “Have you ever told him how you feel?”
“Tell Tyler Collins that annoying little Amara has had a crush on him since she figured out what those feelings actually meant. Yeah, no!” I shake my head, already seeing the scenario playing out in my head and hating the outcome.
“And you being a blubbering idiot whenever you are in the same room as him is a much better plan?”
I glare at Claire, and she smiles with a little shrug. “Have I told you lately how annoying you are?”
Claire and I have been best friends since grade school and all through high school. Her father was transferred to the Dallas area during our Junior year. It broke my heart when they left, but we’ve stayed in touch. I hate that I only get to see her a few times a year. She has always been the one person to never sugarcoat anything. She has no problem telling me all the things I don’t want to hear. In a strange way Claire makes me feel braver. She pushes me beyond my limits, and when she is around I tend to climb out of the shell I live in on most days.
She stares at me; I stare at her, until I realize she has no intention of easing my thoughts. So instead I raise my hand and motion for the bartender to get us another round.
“You do get that you are no longer the nerdy little twelve-year-old girl following around your cousins?”
And here we go.
“You are a swan Amara, a beautiful woman with a successful salon, and so much to offer any man. If Ty doesn’t see you for the gem you are then that’s his problem, not yours. I can guarantee you that there are at least five men in this bar alone that would die for a night with you.”
“Now you’re being ridiculous.”
“Are you placing your bets?” Claire challenges me, with an eyebrow cocked.
“If you even think about trying to pimp me out I will send you back to Dallas with a shaved head.” Ignoring my words she starts to look around the bar. “Claire, I am not joking.”
The bartender places four more shots on our table and I am quick to grab one and flip it back.
What on earth made me think it was a good idea to go out with her? She is engaged and happy, so she has no intentions of finding a man for herself. Nope, instead she’s decided I’m the perfect project. Let’s get Amara laid before going back home. Like it’s a business trip she’s taking, and I am the job.
“He’s not bad,” she points toward a guy standing near the pool tables holding a cue stick in hand.
“He tight rolls his pants,” I wrinkle my nose and watch as her gaze wanders downward. Hers too wrinkles and she quickly looks away.
“Him?” Claire nods in the direction of a tall man with blond hair right before an angelic woman steps up and he wraps his arms around her lovingly. “Never mind.”
I roll my eyes and grab for another shot. Regretting I agreed to meet her at the bar, and wishing I was home in my pajamas instead, with a warm cozy blanket and a glass of wine.
Moving too fast in the chair I grip the table's edge and instantly start counting the number of tequila shots I’ve had in a short time frame.
“If this isn’t a sign from God then I don’t know what is.”Claire states interrupting my thoughts.
Refocusing on Claire and seeing she is looking across the bar, I try to follow where her attention is focused. The floating feeling, like my body is swaying from side to side, is making it difficult to focus.
“Now’s your chance to rub up on him like a kitten.”
I’m about to laugh at her when I seewhoshe is referring to, and my stomach does a nervous flip.
