it was time to take a stand. To fight for what she wanted. And what she wanted was Nathan.
When the fireworks started, Nathan settled down beside her and Amanda leaned her head back against his broad chest. They stared up at the sky, which was exploding with sound and color. He wrapped one arm around her and held her close and, despite the fact that they were surrounded by people, Amanda felt as if they were the only two people in the world.
The next morning, Amanda woke up to Nathan’s kiss at the back of her neck. She smiled lazily, remembering the long night before. After the fireworks, they’d come back to her apartment over the diner and created a few fireworks of their own.
“Good morning.”
“Mmm,” he murmured, dragging one hand down her side, following the dip of her waist and the curve of her hip. “It’s looking pretty good right now.”
She smiled, then sighed as his hand moved to slide across her behind. Somehow, they’d crossed a bridge yesterday. Maybe it was the hours spent with his family. Maybe it was just that enough time had passed for them both to realize that they wanted to be together. Whatever the reason, Nathan had stayed here with her last night, not caring that the town gossips would surely notice his car parked in front of her place all night.
When he shifted his hand to cup her breast, Amanda hissed in a breath and rolled onto her back so she could look up at him. She didn’t think she’d ever tire of that. His dark eyes could flash with temper, shine with kindness or, like right now, glitter with desire. She lifted one hand to his cheek and scrubbed at his whiskers with her thumb.
Smiling, she whispered, “I’m glad you stayed last night.”
“Me, too,” he told her and gave her a long, slow, deep kiss that quickened the still-burning embers inside her. “And I’d really like to stay now, but I’ve gotta get to work.”
She glanced at the window, where the soft, early-morning light was sifting through the curtains. “Me, too.”
He kissed her again and tenderness welled up between them, stinging Amanda’s eyes and tearing at her heart. This is what she wanted. Nathan, all of Nathan. Not just the fire that quickened her blood and made her heart race—but the warmth that touched her soul and made her yearn.
When he lifted his head and looked down into her eyes, he whispered, “Maybe I don’t have to leave right this minute.”
She nodded and cupped his face in her hands. “I think I could spare some time, too.”
And this time when he kissed her, she forgot about everything else and let herself slide into a sensual haze that only he could create.
“Did you hear that?” Pam stopped in front of JT and automatically refilled his coffee cup.
“Hear what?”
“Hannah Poole was telling Bebe Stryker about Nathan’s car being out front of the diner all night.”
JT sighed, shook his head and took a sip of coffee. “What do you care about that?”
She looked at him as if he’d just grown another head. “The whole town’s talking about Nathan and Amanda. If it gets bad enough, he’ll leave again.”
“Not a chance,” JT muttered but Pam hardly heard him.
“I can’t believe Amanda’s starting up with him again.” Huffing out a breath, she added, “I can’t believe Nathan would want her again. After what she did …”
JT’s eyes narrowed. “Thought you didn’t like gossip.”
She flushed. “I don’t.”
“Then maybe you should give your sister the benefit of the doubt on all that old stuff.” Frowning, he added, “I never believed it for a second.”
“You, too?” she demanded in a harsh whisper. “You’re going to be on Amanda’s side?”
“Not taking sides,” he said, pausing for a sip of coffee. “I’m just saying, you’re her sister. You should know her better than anyone else and I’m thinking you didn’t believe any of that nonsense people were talking about years ago, either.”
She flushed again and wasn’t happy about JT making her feel guilty. “It’s always Amanda,” she said bitterly. “Nathan’s never looked at me the way he looks at her. How can anyone be so blind?”
“Was wondering the same thing myself,” JT answered and stood up. He dropped money on the counter and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow, Pam.”
She watched him go and felt a twinge of regret for fighting with her best friend, but honestly. Since he was her best friend, shouldn’t he understand how she felt about all of this? Shouldn’t he be on her side?
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, and watching Hannah Poole scurry to yet another table to spread the word about Nathan and Amanda was all the impetus she needed to go and face down her sister.
“What is wrong with you?”
Amanda’s sister stormed into the office at the back of the diner a couple of hours later. Morning sunshine streamed through the window and the scent of coffee and fresh cinnamon rolls flavored the air-conditioned air. Amanda sighed and dropped her pen to the desk as the last, lingering effects of early-morning lovemaking disappeared with one look at the woman facing her. Pam’s eyes were narrowed, a flush stained her cheeks and her mouth was set in a tight, grim line.
Amanda set aside the paperwork she was laboring over and thought she’d even take a fight with Pam over filling out the supply list for the coming week. She hated paperwork and Pam knew it. So, naturally, her sister had completely abdicated that task the minute Amanda came back to town.
She had really hoped that Pam calling and asking for her help meant that her older sister was going to welcome her home. But, if anything, Pam’s antagonism seemed fiercer than ever.
Her conversation with Piper ran through Amanda’s mind as she looked at Pam, quietly fuming. Jealousy? Was it possible? If so, Amanda didn’t know how she would fix what was wrong between her and her sister. Because she wasn’t about to give up Nathan to make Pam feel better.
“What’re you talking about?”
Pam stepped into the office and closed the door quietly behind her with a soft click. Then she leaned against that door, hands behind her back. “You know exactly what I mean, Amanda. The whole town is talking about you. And Nathan.”
Her stomach jittered a little, but she’d known going in that she was going to be the hot topic of conversation in Royal. Ever since their dinner out at the TCC, people had been whispering. And Nathan leaving his car parked outside her place all night had pretty much put the capper on the whole situation.
“I know,” she said with a helpless shrug, “but there’s nothing I can do about it.”
“Well, you could stop chasing after him, that might be a start,” Pam snapped, pushing away from the door to stalk to the window overlooking the parking lot behind the diner.
Okay, she was willing to talk. To try to smooth things
