Page 7 of His Impossible Heir

Amanda laughed as the limousine pulled up outside of the hotel where the event was to take place. “Is this it?” Amanda asked, peering out the window.

Rayed sighed as he peered out as well, obviously not looking forward to tonight’s event. “Welcome to our world.”

The bodyguards opened the door and Rayed stepped out first. He extended his hand for Emma, and helped her out. Amanda wasn’t used to men helping her out of vehicles, so she wasn’t exactly sure what to do when Rayed extended his hand to her. She put her fingers in his awkwardly, and stepped out carefully, relieved when she was able to straighten again and was grateful that the trench coat was still covering her ample bosom. She wiggled slightly, pulling the dress up a touch higher.

“Stop it. You look great!” Emma whispered in Amanda’s ear.

Amanda grumbled and looked around. “Why are we at the back entryway?” she asked, unfamiliar with royal protocols.

“Because it’s safer to go through the back than the front,” Rayed explained. “We avoid publicity whenever…” he paused, his eyes narrowing, when another limousine rounded the corner.

Before he and Emma could rush inside to safety, another limousine came to a halt and…!

Amanda’s breath caught in her throat as she watched a tall, muscular man step out of the limousine. For a brief moment, Amanda wondered if the tall stranger was a member of the security team. But no, he pulled his tuxedo closed ala James Bond, buttoning up the tailored suit and looking better than chocolate! He was…devastatingly handsome! As his lithe form straightened, his dark hair shimmering in the overhead security lights.

The back alley of the hotel was one of the least romantic places Amanda could think of. But she couldn’t pull her gaze from the man. Her heart began to pound as shivers of awareness flowed over her.

For a long moment, she stood there, staring, one hand clutching her ugly trench coat as the man stepped forward. He murmured something to his companion, but Amanda couldn’t look away from the man long enough to see who he was speaking with.

Then their eyes met and she couldn’t breathe. The dark, compelling stranger kept coming closer and closer. She felt tingles wash down her arms and her head began to spin, sizzling in a way that was completely foreign to her. Part of her screamed to run away, to hide. And yet, another part was compelled to run towards him, to touch him, just to see if the man was real!

Vaguely, she heard Rayed greet the other man enthusiastically. They did that half-hug thing that so many men had perfected, then slapped each other resoundingly on the back. Next, Rayed introduced Emma to the stranger, Emma’s hand extended and…for some bizarre reason that Amanda couldn’t quite explain, even to herself, she wanted to rip her friend’s hand out of the stranger’s grip. She wanted to scratch Emma’s eyes out, push her away, whatever it took to get her best friend away from the tall, overwhelmingly handsome man.

The moment was too unexpected and overwhelming for her to understand, unfortunately Amanda didn’t have time to come to terms with the wash of foreign emotions. Because now Rayed was introducing her! The stranger, the man with the dark, penetrating eyes and the sharp nose, the hard jawline and the shoulders that seemed impossibly wide…he was smiling at her. Those eyes felt like laser beams and she felt like her internal organs were beginning to boil.

“Ms. Thomas,” the stranger greeted her, his voice deeper and sexier than even that Barry White guy. His voice felt like warm chocolate, smoothing over her skin and she wanted to curl up against him and…!

Curl up against him? A stranger? Amanda blinked, mentally shaking her head as she tried to make sense of her turmoil.

What in the world was she thinking? Shewasn’tthinking! She was…reacting! And reacting in a completely inappropriate manner! This was a complete stranger!

“It’s an honor to meet you,” the handsome stranger continued.

“Yes,” she whispered, her mouth feeling numb. “Thank you. It’s a pleasure to meet you as well.”

His hand was hot! Her fingers disappeared into his grip and she felt a jolt of something powerful, staggering, and incredibly overwhelming! For a long moment, he didn’t release her hand and she stared up into the depths of his dark eyes. Something flashed, something intense and unfamiliar, in those dark eyes and she felt another jolt. When she tried to pull her hand away, he tightened his fingers briefly, then he released her hand with a suddenness that almost startled her.

She stepped back, feeling chilled now that the intense heat from his touch was gone. She took a lungful of the cool, night air, hoping to calm herself.

“Shall we head inside?” Rayed suggested.

Emma touched her arm and Amanda felt like she was suddenly yanked back to the present. She looked around, stunned to realize that they were still standing in the back alley. The overhead security lights were bright, almost invasive.

Amanda bowed her head slightly, not sure how to react. Emma gave her a smile that held tinges of knowing triumph, but Amanda didn’t understand. Her thoughts were racing, trying to make sense of the past several minutes. Rayed wrapped his arm around his wife’s waist and led her inside.

“After you, Ms. Thomas,” the stranger offered, gesturing politely towards the open door.

Amanda didn’t know his name! She remembered Rayed introducing them, but she’d been too busy having a panic attack to hear his name.

Good grief, this was embarrassing! What was his name? Fabulous! This was going to be painfully awkward.

“Thank you,” she replied, delicately lifting the hem of her green gown as she stepped into the shockingly bright interior of the building. Blinking to help her eyes adjust to the brightness that lit up the busy kitchen. She stumbled slightly and felt a strong hand reach out to steady her. Glancing up, she trembled at how close the man was. She couldn’t seem to get herself to stop shaking in reaction. He was… amazingly powerful. And attractive in that raw, rugged sort of way. He was a leaner version of the Marlboro man, but without the lung cancer issues.

And his touch, as light as it was, still singed her skin even through the layers of her coat and dress.

“I’ve got you,” the stranger murmured, dangerously close to her ear.

Amanda looked up and froze for a moment, too stunned to move. But a pot clanging somewhere close by startled her, and she started moving forward, trying not to trip again. She couldn’t handle the man’s touch one more time. Nope, that was dangerous!

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