could get a soda at any corner quick stop.”
“Yeah, but the service isn’t near as pretty. Hank’s missing two teeth, and his overalls don’t fit nearly as well as your outfit. I’m a bit prejudiced toward short…skintight…black net…shiny red…”
Amelia made a beeline for the bar.
Listening to him flirt was getting to be a bit painful. His voice pulled at secret places inside her belly. His eyes taunted her body to react in the most embarrassing of manners. He was wearing her down and they both knew it.
She slammed her tray onto the bar and almost shouted out her orders. The bartender actually forgot to make a wisecrack as he hurried to complete her requests. Amelia leaned her forehead onto the palm of her hand and closed her eyes with regret.
“Sorry,” she said, as he set the drinks onto her tray. “It’s been a long week.”
He nodded and smiled.
Amelia lifted her tray and then turned, staring through the dimly lit room to the table in the back. “That does it! He’s driving me crazy. I can’t take it anymore. I’m going to put a stop to this…. Now!”
She sailed across the floor, tray held high, dodging hands and sharp remarks as she quickly served the tables their drinks, saving Tyler’s order for last.
“Here’s your cola,” she said shortly. “And you win!”
He nearly forgot to breathe.
“I win?”
Amelia glared. “You know what I mean! Don’t play coy with me at this late date, mister.” She leaned forward to make her point.
He shoved his drink aside and stood up. Their faces were mere inches apart, their breaths caressing each other’s cheeks.
“When?”
She rolled her eyes and slammed her tray against her breasts, unconsciously using it as a shield between them.
“The sooner the better. Then maybe you’ll get this out of your system and I can get back to work.” But how I’ll get you out of my system later is my problem, she thought.
“How about tomorrow night?”
Amelia thought for a moment and then nodded. She started to walk away when his voice stopped her cold.
“Amber?”
She turned.
“I have a small problem.”
She waited for him to continue.
“I don’t know your last name…or where you live.”
Oh God! “Umm…it’s Champion. And don’t bother picking me up. Just meet me here around nine.”
“So late?” Tyler was hoping for more.
“It’s that or nothing. I have two jobs. It’s impossible to come earlier.”
“I’ll take it,” he said softly. And I’ll take you. Anywhere…on any terms.
“Fine then,” Amelia muttered. “I have to get back to work now.”
His hands cupped her shoulders, lingering on the bare curves before running lightly down to the bend of her elbows. He grasped her gently and shook her to get her attention.
“You won’t be sorry, Amber.”
I already am, she thought. And then she smiled. She’d been sorry half her lifetime. What was the matter with her? She’d wanted a change in her life. Dating Tyler Savage was a fine place to start. She comforted herself by thinking if he hadn’t recognized her by now, he wasn’t going to.
Tyler wondered about the odd little smile that flitted seductively around her lips before disappearing into those wide blue-green eyes. His pulse accelerated as he watched her walk away, lost in the bustle bouncing in rhythm to her long-legged stride. He had a feeling that tomorrow was going to be the best night of his life. If everything went the way he hoped, it might also be the beginning of the rest of it, too.
“Ahmeelya!”
Amelia flew down the front stairs, gasping as she dashed into the dining room. “Yes, Aunt Witty?”
“Don’t run. Don’t shout. Breakfast is ready. And you’re already late.”
Wilhemina shoved a warm plate in front of her niece and frowned, running a practiced eye over Amelia’s pale pink shirtwaist, frowning even more as she noticed that it picked up too much color from her cheeks. A woman couldn’t be flashy. It wasn’t ladylike to call attention to one’s self.
Rosemary poured herself another cup of coffee and slipped into the chair beside her niece. “My, but you’re looking pretty this morning, dear. You remind me of myself when I was a girl. I had more beaus than you could shake a stick at. Why, I remember the time…”
“Hush, Rosemary,” Wilhemina said sharply. “You’ll give the girl ideas.”
Amelia hid a smile. She was twenty-nine years old, not nine. And as for ideas, Tyler Savage had already put more into her head than she could cope with.
“I’ll bet you both had your share,” Amelia said diplomatically.
Her Aunt Witty’s blush came as a big surprise. Almost as much as the fact that she actually smiled.
Rosemary giggled. “Oh, Willy, do you remember Homer Ledbetter? He had the biggest crush on you when you were…”
The smile on Wilhemina’s face suddenly pursed. “Oh yes! I remember Homer well. He took Sissy Manion to the school picnic instead of me. I never did forgive him. After all, he’d promised.” Her mouth pursed unforgivingly. “Let that be a lesson to you, Amelia. You can’t trust men.”
Rosemary wasn’t to be deterred. “Pooh! Homer Ledbetter wasn’t even close to being a man. If I remember correctly, he hadn’t been out of knickers more than three or four years. Besides…everyone knew why he took Sissy. She used to let the boys…”
“Rosemary!”
Amelia grinned as she swallowed her last bite of scrambled egg, washing it down with a gulp of juice.
“I’ve got to go,” she said. “Have a nice day, okay? I’ll see you both this evening.”
“Anyway,” Rosemary continued as if there’d never been a breach in the conversation. “If you hadn’t been such a persimmon about things, he’d have asked you out again.”
“Well, maybe I didn’t want him to,” Wilhemina argued.
It was the last thing Amelia heard as she made a dash for the car. The ancient Chrysler coughed twice before the motor turned. With an aging wheeze, it came to life as she put it in reverse and backed from the driveway. She could hardly wait for the day when she climbed into a car that belonged to her. One that started with the turn of a key,
