Training Amber by Desiree Holt Page A

Tomorrow night?”
    Damn! She’d forgotten all about that.
    “No problem. I’ll just take myself off to the movies. Or something.” The very last thing she needed was a bunch of people staring at her with curiosity and asking questions she didn’t want to answer.
    “Up to you,” Molly said, “but I’ll stick my two cents in here. It might do you some good to mingle with people who don’t know your history. People you can just be yourself with. You can’t hide from the world forever.”
    “I know, I know.” Amber sighed. She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes behind the big sunglasses. “I just don’t think I’m ready to face anyone yet. You can’t imagine what it was like in the city, running into people who knew the story. Or worse, those who didn’t know and asked rude questions.”
    “Oh,” Molly scoffed, “I do know. Believe me.” Then her voice turned sly. “But you know, Amber, I forced myself to go to a Fourth of July picnic when I didn’t even want to leave the house. If I hadn’t I would never have met Nick.”
    Amber shook her head. “I’m not interested and not looking. Can we just leave it at that?”
    “Sure, sweetie.” Then she chuckled. “For now, anyway.”
    Before long they exited the Interstate Highway and rode in comfortable silence along the two-lane country road. They passed through the tiny commercial section of Limerock, an exclusive Hill Country community, then they were navigating the long driveway that led to the Trajans’ magnificent glass and limestone house.
    “Wow!” Amber stared, drinking in the gorgeous structure before Molly hit a button and they pulled into the wide garage.
    “Exactly the way I felt the first time I saw it.” She laughed softly. “But here’s the best part of it.” She pointed through the windshield.
    Standing in an open doorway that led to the house was a man Amber could only call sex on a stick. Nick Trajan was well over six feet, lean and dark with thick, wavy black hair. His soft linen shirt and jeans outlined a graceful, athletic body. He opened Amber’s door, helped her out of the car and greeted her with a warm smile.
    “Welcome to Casa Trajan,” he said, giving her a light kiss on the cheek.
    Amber couldn’t help but smile back at him. “Thank you. And thanks for letting me intrude on you this way.”
    “Not a problem. I’m happy to have one of Molly’s friends here for a visit. She’s been really looking forward to this.”
    “Well, I appreciate it. I just want you to know.”
    Molly had exited the car and come to stand next to her husband. “Only the guest gets a kiss?” she teased.
    Nick’s voice deepened. “You know better than that.”
    He pulled his wife close to him. Watching the kiss he gave her made heat surge through Amber’s body. An unfamiliar pulse throbbed deep in her cunt and her nipples tingled. Holy cow! And she wasn’t even the one being kissed!
    Nick laughed softly when he finally broke the kiss. “You’ll have to forgive us, Amber. I have a feeling when I’m ninety my wife will still have this incendiary effect on me.”
    A sharp bolt of jealousy speared through Amber, one she immediately tried to suppress. She was happy for her friend, delighted that her life was so on track. But somehow it only underscored the disaster that was her own life at the moment.
    She turned away and went to retrieve her suitcase, but Nick was there before she could press the trunk release.
    “I’ll get that. You go on inside with Molly. I’ll bet you could use a nice chilled glass of wine about now.”
    Amber forced a polite smile. “That sounds nice.”
    “Come on.” Molly linked her arm through Amber’s. “It’s a good thing I have my husband to remind me of my manners. Let me show you to your room. You can take a quick shower while I get the wine and some cheese and crackers. Don’t worry. All is good.”
    * * * * *
     
    How the hell did I let myself get talked into this?
    Amber