From the stage Nate finally noticed the other woman with Amelia. She rose from her seat and leaned across the banister. “Her name is Amelia Marlow.”
“Amelia?” the emcee repeated. “Oh, snap, one of Southwood High’s own?”
Amelia lifted her arm in the air without smiling. Nate’s brow rose to meet her...glare? An icy chill crept down his spine. On many given occasions, Nate had pissed a woman off and had resorted to feigning cluelessness. He recognized the look she gave him—he recognized it well—but this time, he didn’t deserve it. She left him at the hotel with no notification that she wanted to see him again.
“Well, ladies and gentlemen,” the emcee announced, “this concludes our evening for real this time. We’d like to thank you once again for your generous donations this evening from all our ladies, as well as our participating bachelors. Feel free to stay around and enjoy some drinks and we hope to see you next week.”
Nate turned to exit the stage with his mind still wondering what bothered Amelia. A round of applau
se greeted Nate backstage in the dressing room area. He made his way against the men who’d already changed out of their outfits and were about to meet their parties. All he wanted to do was get into something more comfortable and meet Amelia outside, preferably in his car on the way to her place. The sooner they started this weeklong venture, the better. Where did she live? One of the Four Points? Forty hours was not going to be enough time.
To no surprise, the ringleader started off the slow clap. Due to present company, Nate refrained from flipping his brother the middle finger. “Stephen, what are you doing back here?”
“I came to congratulate you, little brother.” Stephen clapped his hand on Nate’s back. “I knew those green eyes of yours would bring in top dollar.”
“You’re my pimp now?”
“Hey.” Stephen shrugged and laughed. “You’re the one out there with the ladies about to fight.”
“Only one winner tonight, though,” teased the fireman who’d gone first.
Nate threw his black jacket down on the bench by the locker containing his favorite jeans and T-shirt. He considered tossing his overnight bag into the back of his SUV and leave wearing his slacks and shirt.
“She may have won tonight.” A female’s voice penetrated the room.
The men still dressing in the backstage area covered their modesty as Brittany waltzed through the room, her eyes boring holes in Nate’s. Shirt on but unbuttoned, he still felt naked. Nate shrugged his shoulders, trying to indicate his indifference, but she kept coming toward him.
“And this is my cue to leave.” Stephen bailed on his brother. “Miss Brittany, I trust Philly and I will see you on open house night at the school?”
“Perhaps.” Brittany gave Stephen a sweet smile, warranting a whistle from a few of the guys. Nate shot a glare around the room, not as protection but to dissuade any encouragement. Brittany did not need to leave here thinking there was hope for them. She just needed to leave—period.
One by one the men began to leave, allowing them privacy. Nate had no desire to deal with Brittany tonight. His pulse raced with the idea of being with Amelia. Still, she stalked closer, one black-heeled foot in front of the other in a straight line, licking her mauve-tinted lips.
“The forty hours you have to put in doesn’t mean in a row,” she purred, stopping her pointed heels in front of his shoes. “You can work ten straight hours each day and then in four days I can have you all to myself.”
“But judging from the busy workload you presented at Philly’s orientation, I am sure you’ll be too tired.” Nate ducked his head to the side before she attempted to kiss him. The only lips he wanted were Amelia’s. “We can catch up next week at the school.”
“There’s always the Keaton wedding.”
Hell no, he thought.
“I’m not sure I can wait that long, papi.”
Nate tried not to cringe at her fetish nickname for him. He certainly wasn’t her daddy. “I need to get going.”
“Oh, yes.” The corners of Brittany’s mouth turned upside down. “To meet Amelia Marlow. How did the two of you even meet? You know we went to school together. I thought she’d never have the nerve to step foot in Southwood ever again.”
He couldn’t miss the disdain in her voice but he tucked it away to question Amelia over dinner one night this week.
“Tell her, Nate,” said a voice from the back door.
Brittany spun around and stiffened against Nate’s body. The wisps of her hair against his face made him want to sneeze. Amelia Marlow leaned against the door with a slight grin and a raised brow. Her long, slender arms folded across her chest, just under the swell of her breast. Nate’s mouth went dry, while the rest of his body went into full-blown adolescent desire.
“This isn’t what it looks like,” Nate blurted out, gently pushing Brittany’s shoulders off him to step out from behind her. In four long strides, he crossed the room to embrace Amelia, but her scowl stopped him from proceeding.
“You don’t have to explain a damn thing to her,” Brittany growled.
Nate ignored the schoolteacher and embraced Amelia, well aware of the stiffness of her body. “Darling, I cannot express to you how glad I am to see you again.”