Searching For Her Prince (8 page)

Amira held up her hand to stop him. “She’d never intentionally make me feel guilty. This isn’t about what I should or shouldn’t do according to anyone else’s standards. It’s about me and you and what I want for my life. When I was talking to my mother, I realized I always imagined my first time with a man would be with my fiancé or my husband.”

“I can’t offer you more than this week,” Brent said honestly.

“I know that. That’s why I’m going upstairs and getting dressed.”

Then she crossed to the stairway with as much dignity as she could muster and let the afghan trail behind her like a train. She could feel Brent’s gaze on her as she ascended the steps, and she just hoped she could make it to her room before she started crying.

She wanted more than a week with Brent, but that’s all he could give.

At the top of the stairs she paused and glanced over her shoulder. He’d turned away and was staring into the fire. What did he think about her now?

A
fter Marcus made sandwiches and opened deli containers from the general store, he went to Amira’s room and knocked. She came to the door without her usual smile, then she rushed in. “I’m sorry, Brent. About what happened earlier. I shouldn’t have been so forward. I…”

She was altogether flustered. He could tell she’d showered and dried her hair because it was fluffy and soft around her face. The raspberry-colored sweat suit complemented her creamy complexion.

Unfulfilled desire rushed through him again and he got a grip on it. “I expected your suitcase to be packed.”

“It should be,” she murmured.

Even though he’d expected it, the thought of her leaving was disagreeable. Frustrated, trying to understand her, he asked shortly, “Can’t you put aside what you
should
do for once in your life?”

Her violet eyes were very wide, but she squared
her shoulders. “I have to be true to who I am and what I believe. You said you wouldn’t push.”

So he had, but he hadn’t realized how being close to her, talking with her, staying under the same roof with her would affect him. He felt peaceful one minute and turned inside out the next.

“I made lunch,” he said gruffly. “Are you staying for it?”

He saw her lip quiver, and he wished he didn’t feel so deeply about everything concerning her. Softening his tone, he added, “The rain stopped. I thought we could take Cocoa to Reunion House after lunch.”

“You still want me to go with you?” she asked, as if she expected him to throw her out.

“Of course I want you to go with me. I think you’ll enjoy the kids.”

She worried her lower lip for a moment. “I’ll change and be right down.”

“You don’t have to change. You look fine the way you are. These are children. They don’t care what you’re wearing.”

Her gaze passed over him as if assessing what he’d said. He was wearing jeans and a black polo shirt. He found that having her look at him with those sparks in her eyes was damn arousing. “Change if you want…or don’t. Come down when you’re ready.” Before she stirred up his insides anymore, he went downstairs.

To Amira the tension between her and Brent as they ate lunch was palpable. He was treating her like a polite stranger, and Amira wished there was something she could do about that. But as she’d told him, she couldn’t go against everything she’d been taught
or put her dreams aside. She wanted to be more than an object of desire.

When they drove to Reunion House, Cocoa sat on Amira’s lap. “I’m going to miss her,” Amira said.

“So am I. But the kids will keep her better occupied than we can, and she’ll have a backyard where she can run and play. Marilyn loves animals as much as she likes kids. She’s always said she wished Reunion House had a mascot. I still wonder about Cocoa’s owner, though. Flora’s supposed to let me know if anyone calls.”

When Brent had spoken of Marilyn, the housemother at Reunion House, Amira hadn’t known what to expect. But she instantly liked the lady who came out to meet them on the porch. She was in her forties with short black hair and sparkling hazel eyes.

She gave Brent a hug. “It’s been a while.” After he agreed that it had been, she leaned back and studied him. “How are you feeling?”

“Almost back to normal,” he assured her. “Now I want you to meet somebody. Lady Amira Sierra Corbin, this is Marilyn Johnson, chief mom and bottle washer of Reunion House.”

Marilyn gave Amira a comprehensive look that sized her up as she smiled and extended her hand. “It’s good to meet you, Lady Amira. Brent told me he’d be bringing you along to show you around.”

“Please call me Amira.”

Marilyn nodded. “And I’m Marilyn.” To Brent, she said, “We have seven children here right now. They’ll all love Cocoa.” She grinned at the dog that Brent held in his arms and scratched the animal under the chin. “We’re so glad to have you here.”

Cocoa barked as if she understood exactly what Marilyn had said.

They were all laughing when a pretty young redhead came to the door. “Marilyn, excuse me. I’m sorry to interrupt, but I wanted to know if you want me to put the baked potatoes in the oven for supper tonight.”

“It’s all right, Joanie. There’s somebody here I want you to meet. Our benefactor, Mr….” She stopped. “Brent Carpenter. He’s the one who makes Reunion House possible.”

Joanie seemed to hesitate only a second before she came outside and stood close to Brent. “How do you do? It’s so good to meet you. I just started working here two weeks ago. I know I’m going to love it.”

Marilyn explained to Brent, “Joanie has a degree in elementary education, but hasn’t been able to find a teaching position yet. She thought Reunion House would be a nice substitute.”

Brent put Cocoa down on the porch and shook the young woman’s hand. “It’s good to have you with us.” Then he introduced Amira.

When Joanie took a closer step to Brent, Amira thought it was a proprietary step. She might not be experienced in the ways of men, but she knew the ways of women from growing up with three princesses. Joanie already had a look in her eye that said she was going to get to know Brent better if she had anything to say about it. Amira found herself not liking that idea at all.

Cocoa looked up at Joanie beseechingly as if she wanted the young woman’s attention. Joanie scratched the dog’s head. “Come on inside.” Her smile was mainly for Brent. “I’ll introduce you to the
kids. There’s a great batch of them here right now, except for one little boy who’s kind of belligerent.”

“I think we should let Mr. Carpenter make up his own mind about the children,” Marilyn said wisely.

Joanie blushed. “Well, sure. They’re all in the kitchen having a snack. It’s a good time to meet them.”

The rambling old house was spacious and welcoming, and Amira thought anyone could feel at home here. As they crossed the living room, they heard laughter and guffaws coming from the kitchen. There was a shout and what sounded like a dish falling to the floor.

“It sounds like more is going on than snack time,” Marilyn said with a frown.

They all hurried to the kitchen, Cocoa trailing behind.

Amira knew she shouldn’t, but she smiled at the sight of the three girls and four boys participating in a food fight. One of the youngsters dressed in a red oversize T-shirt and baggy jeans—a baseball cap turned backward on his head—stood on one of the chairs, breaking pieces off a cookie. He’d flung a tidbit at one of the girls who squealed and retaliated by tossing a raisin at him. It was the kind of scene Amira would never find in the palace. These kids had energy to burn, and they were doing that instead of repressing it.

Of course the chaos couldn’t be allowed to continue.

Marilyn stepped right into it, giving them all a silent reproving look. Shrieks of laughter and food tossing stopped immediately.

Brent nudged Amira’s arm and whispered, “Wish I knew how she did that.”

Amira could see the amusement dancing in his eyes and she saw the little boy he must have once been before all the changes in his life.

Apparently thinking she should do something with her new position as assistant, Joanie looked up at the boy and said, “Jared, get down from that chair now.”

He gave the redhead a defiant look. “We was just having a little fun.”

Marilyn shook her head. “What you were doing was making a mess.”

He didn’t move from the chair, but cast a glance at Brent and then Amira.

Marilyn went over to him. “Jared, if you’d like to get down from there, I’ll introduce you to our guests…before all of you clean up the kitchen.”

There were groans and grumbles. Jared just gave Marilyn a sheepish look and hopped down to the floor. Then he looked up at her. “Do we really have to clean the kitchen?”

There were crumbs and raisins and bits of cookies from one end to the other. Cocoa was happily licking at them. Unable to see the dog from where he’d been perched, Jared now spotted Cocoa.

Without waiting to hear if he’d have to do unexpected chores or not, he ran over to the dog but didn’t get too close. Looking up, he asked Brent, “Is she yours?”

“Not exactly. My friend and I,” he nodded to Amira, “found her. Her owner still might claim her. In the meantime I thought she could make some friends here. Would all of you like to take care of her?”

There was a variety of agreeable confirmation that they would.

Picking up Cocoa, Brent directed, “Why don’t each of you tell her your name.”

Amira decided Brent had chosen a clever way to meet the children, and she listened carefully, too, as Paul, Shara, Jimmy, Glenda, Amy, Mark, and Jared told Cocoa who they were. Brent let each of them pet the dog, and they all did so freely except for Jared. When it was his turn, he hesitated.

Amira stepped closer to the young boy. “She’s quite gentle. She won’t hurt you if you’re nice to her.”

Jared’s big brown eyes were wary, and he studied Amira for a long time to see if she was telling the truth.

“You saw the others pet her,” she reminded him.

“They’re them. I’m me. Maybe she won’t like my smell.”

“There’s only one way to find out,” Brent said casually.

Beside the plate of cookies on the table was a dish of cheese cubes. Amira picked one up and broke off small pieces. She said to Jared, “Open up your hand.”

When he did, she laid the cheese in it. “Just hold it out to her and let her lick it off. She likes table food, but you can’t give her too much of it because it might make her sick.”

“Dogs get sick?”

“Yes, they do.”

Instantly Jared held his hand out to the dog. Cocoa gladly licked up the cheese scraps and Jared’s hand, too.

The boy broke into a wide smile. “She likes me.”

Paul shrugged. “She likes the cheese.”

Everybody laughed, but Jared was petting Cocoa by then, and she was obviously enjoying it.

Joanie went to the closet and took out a broom, dustpan and brush. She handed them to Paul, Glenda and Jimmy. To Jared she said, “You can wet paper towels and wipe off the table. Mark and Shara, you can wash up the dishes.”

“Real sport,” Jared mumbled under his breath. Amira realized he’d taken a dislike to the younger counselor.

As soon as Joanie had dispensed the chores, she came to stand by Brent’s side again. “We’ll make sure Cocoa’s well taken care of. Would you like to see the bedrooms Marilyn and I wallpapered? We think they’re quite an improvement.”

“I’d like to give Amira a tour and then I want her to look at the yard outside. She’s earning her degree in landscape design and I thought she could give us a few pointers.”

“That’s an excellent idea,” Marilyn agreed. “We could use some color out there and decide where to put a birdbath.”

“I ordered a jungle gym. It should be arriving in the next day or so. We’ll have to decide the best place for that, too.”

“Will it have monkey bars?” Jared asked as he swiped across the tabletop with a paper towel.

“It will have monkey bars and ladders and a rope to climb, too.”

As Joanie took Brent and Amira on a tour of Reunion House, she stayed very close to Brent. Amira began to get annoyed. Brent listened to the cute red-
head as she explained how she and Marilyn had chosen the wallpaper. She told him they were going to paint the beds and bookshelves, too, in bright colors. But Brent was less interested in the furniture and more interested in the kids.

“I understand Paul and Shara are brother and sister, Glenda and Amy are sisters, Jimmy and Mark are brothers. Who’s Jared meeting here?”

“His sister is supposed to arrive tonight.” Joanie shook her head. “It’ll be a good thing, too. He’s a troublemaker.”

“Exactly what has he done?” Brent asked.

“He just stirs up the other kids. You saw what he was doing when we went into the kitchen.”

“They were all participating in that,” Amira interjected.

Joanie gave her a sharp look. “You can bet Jared started it.”

“He’s probably excited about seeing his sister and has a lot of extra energy,” Amira said helpfully, thinking a positive attitude toward Jared would be better than Joanie’s negative one.

“Are you around kids much?” Joanie asked.

Amira had to admit she wasn’t. “No.”

“I have been—between observation field trips and student teaching. Jared’s the type of boy who enjoys making trouble.”

Thoroughly annoyed with Joanie now, Amira took a deep breath. “Maybe so. But I’d imagine each child has to be treated as an individual. If Jared is acting up, there’s probably a reason.”

“Well he’s not telling any of us what it is. He’s quite sullen at times.”

The boy hadn’t seemed at all sullen to Amira, and she wondered if he was just that way with Joanie.

Joanie placed her hand on Brent’s arm. “Let me show you the play stations I’ve set up. I think you’ll approve.” Her brown eyes flashed the message that she was quite impressed with him.

Brent looked down at Joanie with a smile. “I’m sure I will.”

Amira couldn’t tell if he was just being polite or if he was attracted to the teacher. Then she thought about what had happened on the sofa this morning and Brent’s needs as a man. With an attractive, willing woman not very far away, how long could he resist?

Amira hated the thought of it, hated the thought of him making love to anyone but her. She realized she was capable of deep, deep jealousy for one very complicated reason. She was in love with Brent Carpenter. She wanted to make love with him more than she’d ever wanted anything, but knowing he didn’t want a serious relationship, knowing he didn’t want responsibility for anyone other than himself, she knew she’d have to keep her feelings to herself.

During the rest of the tour, Joanie talked animatedly to Brent. Even though he cast Amira a glance every once in a while, she definitely felt like the third wheel.

When they returned downstairs, Joanie took Brent into the living room where there were games and books and CDs. She was showing him the most recent when Amira wandered into the kitchen. The children had finished cleaning up and were outside with Marilyn…except for Jared.

He was standing at the door looking out at all of
them. Not knowing what else to say, she said something obvious. “I’m glad the sun came out again.”