Dream Date (29 page)

Bingo. Now I can go see her.

Nathan waited for a little while until he was no longer winded. He walked up to Amanda’s door and rang the bell. Then he turned his back on the door. Nathan heard a voice from inside.

“It’s okay, Kellan. I’ll answer the door.”

Nathan thought that was great. He wasn’t keen on having her bodyguard answer the door. There was the sound of the door opening, and then a gasp. Nathan turned around and faced Amanda.

“Hi.”

Amanda blinked, speechless.

“How…how did you get here? How did you know where I live?”

“I just saw you at school and wanted to talk to you, so I followed you here.”

Amanda pursed her lips. Nathan didn’t know whether she was pleased that he was here or not.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“Us.”

Amanda closed her eyes, and then she sighed.

“I told you, Nathan. We can’t be more than friends.”

“First, are you going to let me in, or do we have to have this conversation in the hallway?”

Amanda stared at him for a few seconds, and then she stood aside. Nathan walked into her apartment, and she closed the door. He looked around. The interior was spacious and expensive-looking. This apartment looked even more upscale than Cayuga Place.

“We can only be friends, Nathan,” Amanda said.

“Says who?”

“You have a girlfriend.”

Nathan turned his back on Amanda, walking to the window. He looked out to the grass and trees below.

“I have something to tell you.”

Nathan looked back at Amanda, who now stood next to her coffee table. He walked up to her. Her expression was unreadable.

“Amanda, I’m in love with you.”

Amanda’s eyes widened. Nathan’s eyebrows furrowed when he noticed that she looked more afraid instead of surprised.

What is she afraid of?

“I’ve loved you from the first day I saw you.”

“No, you don’t, Nathan. You just want me because you think that I’m more beautiful than your girlfriend.”

“What? That’s ludicrous, Amanda.”

“Admit it! Every guy who’s interested in me wants me just because I’m extremely beautiful.”

Nathan shook his head.

“I’m not like most guys. True, I thought you were the loveliest woman in the world when I met you. I didn’t get a chance to say anything in high school, because you were dating another guy, and then I graduated. I got to know you a little back then, at least.

“I thought I wouldn’t see you again. Since then, I’ve dated a few other women. None of them came close to making me feel what
you
make me feel…except Kayla. Only, I reevaluated my feelings recently. And…I found that I’m not in love with Kayla. I’m in love with you.”

“Why?”

Nathan got closer to Amanda, taking his time. He looked down at her lips. She went red, her mouth opening just a fraction.

“Sometimes, when you meet a person, you just know that they were meant to be with you. It’s inexplicable. I…I love you because I think you’re the most beautiful woman in the world, but also because I’ve gotten to know you over the time we’ve had so far. I’ve realized that I can’t live without you.”

“You fell in love with me at first sight?”

“Yes. As I told you, we couldn’t be together the first time. Then you come into my life again, and I find that there was no way I could ever love anyone the way that I love you. You are sweet, caring, motivated, and strong. No matter how hard I looked, I was never able to find a woman that could replace you. You’re the one and only love of my life, the woman I couldn’t live without.”

By the end of Nathan’s speech, Amanda was looking at Nathan with her mouth open. Her expression had changed to one of awe. She looked like she was about to cry. Nathan was glad his words had touched her.

“No one has ever said such beautiful words to me,” Amanda said, blinking. A tear escaped her eye. Nathan raised his hand and wiped her cheek with his finger. Then he cupped her face in his hands.

“I love you like no other woman. And, I don’t know what you’re so afraid of, but I need to tell you that I won’t let that stand in my way. I’ve waited almost four years to be with you. I’m not going to waste this second chance.”

Before Amanda could say anything, Nathan leaned down and kissed her lips. There was no going back.

God,
Nathan thought.
I never imagined she’d feel this heavenly. So, so good.

Nathan took it slowly at first, just letting their lips brush against each other. Then he played with her bottom lip, lightly squeezing it with both of his own. Amanda let out a soft breath, losing herself. Nathan placed his right hand on the back of her neck, pulling her closer to him.

Amanda seemed to lose herself as well. Her arms went around Nathan. He placed his hands on her waist.

Amanda opened her eyes.

This is so wrong.

Hands pushed on Nathan’s chest, and the kiss broke. He looked at Amanda, his eyebrows furrowed.

“What?”

“We can’t do this,” she said, panting.

“Wait, wait, wait. You can’t deny that you like me, too. You kissed me back. You want me.”

“You’ve got a girlfriend.”

Nathan put his hands on his head, exasperated.

“For God’s sake, haven’t I just told you that I’m not in love with her? I’m in love with you!”

“But Kayla’s a perfectly beautiful girl.
And
she loves you back. What more could you want?”

For the first time, fear crossed Nathan’s face. Then it dissipated.

“You don’t love me?”

Amanda said nothing, avoiding Nathan’s gaze. He smirked.

“Admit it. You do feel something for me.”

“I’m dangerous, Nathan. And unreachable.”

“I’m not afraid of a little challenge. You’re worth crossing long, hot deserts and battling dragons for.”

Amanda’s eyes glinted again. She seemed flattered.

“Will you say yes?”

Amanda shook her head, resuming her defiant stance again.

“Try harder and forget me, please. Kayla is lovely, you know. Any guy would be lucky to have her.”

Nathan narrowed his eyes.

“What is it that you’re so afraid of?”

Amanda didn’t reply, turning her back on Nathan.

“We just can’t be together, Nathan. Don’t make me do this.”

Nathan sighed. He then walked around and faced Amanda. She looked at him with steely resolve.

“I won’t give up on you, ever,” Nathan said, starting to walk away. “No matter what you throw at me, I’ll always come back. You’re the girl of my life and I’ll fight anything and anyone to be with you.”

Amanda closed her eyes, hoping that doing so would lessen the impact Nathan’s words had on her. She stood like that for a few minutes. There was the sound of steps, and then of a door opening and closing. Amanda looked towards the entrance to her dorm. Nathan had left.

Kellan walked in from his room. Amanda looked at him, and then she sat in her sofa.

“I don’t understand,” Kellan said, scratching his head. “I saw how you responded to that kiss, Amanda. You feel something for that guy. Why do you keep rejecting him?”

“You know why. It’s still too soon. Liam’s death wasn’t that long ago. I practically just got back from my trip overseas…to heal.”

“Your reasons are noble. But you don’t have to let that damn you to a life without happiness.”

“I’m happy,” Amanda said, trying to sound convincing.

“Not without Nathan in your life, not anymore. You’re just pretending to be happy.”

“Just let me make my own decisions, okay? I don’t want to be the reason he breaks up with Kayla. Besides, I’m not sure what Hilbert might do. He doesn’t seem like a man to be trifled with.”

“You have to be faithful. You two could confront anything together, only if you were willing to try.”

It hurts a little to say this to Amanda, but I don’t want her to give up her happiness. Even if I’m not the guy for her, she has to be happy.

Amanda looked at Kellan, arching an eyebrow.

“Have you ever been in love?”

“No,” Kellan lied. “Well, I’ve loved a couple of women before, but I haven’t found true love yet.”

Amanda thought about it. A look of pity crossed her face.

“I overwork you, don’t I, Kellan? Maybe if I let you have more free time, you could be out more often. Who knows, you could meet someone.”

“I take my duty seriously. Besides, in my line of work, it’s best not to get into tight relationships. It’s for my own protection, and for hers.”

“Honestly, listen to me. You worry so much about my happiness, right? Well, I also worry about yours. You’re twenty-five, the odd man out.”

Kellan laughed.

“Funny for you to say that.”

“Why?” Amanda asked.

“The odd man out. Really, Amanda, don’t make me feel old. I’m not Grayson, all right?”

“Okay,” she replied with a laugh.

“Just don’t tell him I said that.”

When Nathan returned to the dorm, he was surprised to once again run into an irate Ashton.

“Bro, what’s been going on? You’ve been all grumpy these past few days.”

Ashton frowned.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. It’s just…Grecia.”

Just what I thought.

“I thought she surprised you last week.”

Ashton’s eyebrows furrowed.

“Surprise? What are you talking about?”

“You didn’t know?” Nathan asked. Ashton didn’t say anything.

“Then what did Grecia do today?”

“You won’t believe it, man. I haven’t seen her for days. Today, I happened to run into her in the hallway. As soon as Grecia saw me, she froze and then did a one-eighty. She disappeared into another hallway. I followed her outside. I took a shortcut to intercept Grecia.”

“What happened then?”

“She slapped me.”

“What?”

“I know! I have no freakin’ clue what I did to Grecia to deserve such hostility.”

“Are you sure you didn’t do anything to her?”

Ashton thought for a few seconds.

“No. She must have PMS or something.”