CHANCES (Andrew Lincon Romance)

Chapter 6

Call me dumb. Call me a gluten for punishment. Call me what ever you want but I did want to meet him. I knew I shouldn't go. If I had an ounce of dignity I wouldn't even be talking to him. Yet here I was contemplating it.

"Just for a a quick coffee?" There was something about his voice. It sent shivers up and down my spine lulling my defences into retreat.

"I'm still mad at you. Coffee' or no coffee." I said

"I know I just want to talk things out."

As soon as I hung up I immediately regretted my decision. Over the corse of the past year I had shared so many of my private thoughts. Thoughts and feelings I had shared in part because I thought I would never see him. Things I had said when I thought he was Zac. Now everything had change that I knew he was Andrew. The man I had trusted so complicity in was no more. Replaced by a stranger I had seen on TV and movie screens. I should just go....I didn't belong..... I don't know what I was thinking. So I rejoined the crowed as they filed out.

"There you are. I almost didn't see you" a beefy security guards started walking towards me. After he introduced himself to me he lead me around to the side of the stage and a door that said restricted access and more security personal. He swiped his pass, punched in a bunch of numbers and the door buzzed open.

Behind the doors were dozens of people going in every direction imaginable. Some were racing about with clip boards and phones. Others yet were caring light standards and props. The security guard took me across the room to where a tall older looking man in a Walking Dead Hoodie stood. As we approached he gave me a reassuring smile. "You must be Amanda?"

With that he turned to the door directly behind him. Swiping his card he moved so the camera could see his face. A few seconds later after the quick flash of a picture the door buzzed open. It lead to a hallway running in both directions with several rooms leading off of it. This area was a flurry of mainly actors, show personnel and people with press badges. The older gentleman pointed at the end of the hallway where there was two elegantly designed glass doors.

Andrew was standing with his back pressed to the wall looking towards the ground. He was wearing a black t shirt that clung in all the right places to his body showing off his muscles. His blue jeans just snug enough to accent his assets if you know what I mean. Gorgeous locks of curly hair just long enough to be unruly fell across his forehead. His beard was thick but trimmed down. Standing there he looked like he should be modelling in some fashion shoot.

When he turned his head and looked at me I nearly tripped over my own two feet, literally. I had always thought his eyes were incredible in pictures or shows I had seen but in person.....wow! The intense blue of them was nothing short of mesmerizing.

A smile curved across his sensual lips that begged to be kissed. Just watching the man walk towards me I felt like I was going to pass out. I was more than out of my league I was standing on a cliff about to fall off.

"So there you are. I was beginning to wonder if you had changed your mind." His accent in person was enough to make a girl drool all over herself. No man should sound that dreamy.

Like an idiot I couldn't even form an answer. The only thing I could think was he smelled so good that I wanted to jump into his arms. I had no idea the name of the cologne he was wearing but it made me crave more than I had a right to.

"Would you like a coffee....something to eat...bottle water?" He looked at me questioningly.

Answer him...answer him the voice in my head screamed. "A coffee would be nice." I finally muttered

He motioned towards the glass doors and I fallowed like a lost puppy. As we walked through Andrew placed his hand on the small of my back to direct me towards the coffee bar. The instant he touch me my skin under my shirt sizzled. My heart raced and my breath caught in my throat. It was so overwhelming that out of reflex I stepped to the side just out of his reach.

Andrew obviously noticed me pull away as he gave me an awkward smile, looking away as he apologized "sorry."

I watched him as he paid for our coffees. The girl behind the counter seemed to be as effected by Andrew as I was judging from the flush on her checks now as bright as a tomatoe. I was in so far over my head that it wasn't even funny. There was no way I could be friends with a man whose near presence made me feel like a puddle of melted ice cream. The worst part was he didn't even seem to notice the effect he had on the opposite sex.

"Do you want to sit over there? Little less crowded so we could talk." Still apparently stuck on idiot mode I just nodded as he handed me my cup.

Sitting across from me he rubbed his hands across his beard. "Ok cards on the tabel. I know I have made it hard for you to believe anything I say. I would be pissed too if I were in your boots. Asking for you to give me another chance is asking a lot. It's just...... I can't walk away the last year."

He gave me a shy smile that only succeeded in cranking up the heat I was feeling. No man should have the right to be this good looking and charming with what appeared to be no effort. How was any woman suppose to keep a level head or their hands to themselves around him.

"You might have called me by a different name but every conversation we had, that was me talking. Everything I ever said I meant. It was always me behind the words." His eyes were searching my face trying to judge my reaction.

Looking down at my coffee and then back to him I repeated like a trained seal "Everything?"

Instantly he looked away and then right back in my eyes. As he cleared his throat I noticed there was a slight flush moving across his tanned skin.

"Ya everything." It was more than I could take as I watched him slowly run his tongue across his bottom lip. Seriously did everything the man did have to scream sex. Andrew defiantly had this way of making you feel like you were the only person in the world. In that moment he made everything else fade away.

He was just about to say something when out of nowhere Norman plopped down at the table, "Holly shit talk about crazy. It's beyond insane out there."

Andrew leaned back in his chair and cleared his throat. Looking down at his hands and then back at me he looked taken off guard by Norman's sudden appearance.

As if oblivious Norman turned to me "Hey you must be Amanda. Fly boy here told me you two were finally going to hook up. You should have seen him he was..."

"Did you get the updated itinerary for tomorrow ?" Andrew cut him off mid sentence.

Looking slightly confused but only for a minute Norman said "ya I got the email about an hour ago."

It was about then a tall leggy blond showed up with Normans lunch which he instantly dove into. As Norman ate he told me all sorts of hilarious stories about the pranks he and Andrew would play on each other on and off set. Clearly the two of them were close friends and the stories were good for a laugh. After about an hour or so a lady came over wearing a head set. She mentioned it was about another twenty minutes and they both had interviews starting followed by a photo shoot.

Standing Andrew came around the table "Here I'll walk you out."

With a smile I shook Normans hand and said goodbye. Together we walked to the doors in which the security guards had previously took me through. When we reached the last door I fully thought he would just say good bye and walk away. Instead he leaned against the wall in between myself and the door.

For a few seconds he just watched the people moving about us before he spoke up. "I'm not ready to say good bye yet. Say you will stay and have supper with me. We have reservations with Norman and his girlfriend at State and Main for seven thirty already. Say you will stay, even if it's a lie. Just don't say good bye, not yet."

How could I say no. He was so smooth that charm dripped from every pour.  A person wanted to do anything just to be near him. "Ok I won't say good bye" I whispered

With a smile that stopped my heart he whispered back "thank you" as he stepped in closer. "Now tell me that wasn't a lie."

He was standing so close I felt drunk. That if he came any closer I would quite breathing all together. On the verge of falling apart I whispered "I'll stay for supper."