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Hey, lovely person! Isn't wonderful how often I update this story? Lol. Please show me you like this story by voting, fanning, and commenting! Melinda and Mr. D'Amato really appreciate it! Haha. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy it!
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We were parked in Lori’s driveway but the rain hadn’t subsided yet. In fact, it had barely softened since it began but there had been a slight decrease of rainfall and thunder didn’t rumble every five seconds.
I sat in the car waiting for it to be my turn. I had come up with a little solution so that we’d all get inside the house as dry as we possibly could. It was simple. Mr. D’Amato would take each child separately and once they were safe from the rain it would be my turn.
I hadn’t expected D’Amato to carry each child with one arm and the umbrella in the other as he took the steps of the porch. Taking one kid by the hand was what I had in mind but Mr. D’Amato hadn’t done what I’d expected and that completely sucked.
Why? Because it impressed me to see him carry the kids as if they weighed two pounds. It was extremely sexy to see they way his muscles flexed as he effortlessly took the children like a small sack of potatoes. I wanted to slap myself at the inappropriate thoughts I was having over my teacher.
When he came back for me I hadn’t expected him to carry me back and when he let me stand out onto the pavement I was utterly relieved. Who the hell would’ve known what I would have done if he’d carried me? Yet there was a part of me that wanted to see how his arms would feel around me.
I almost gagged at the disgustingly romantic thought.
He closed the door behind me and I stood under the black umbrella, not getting soaked but slightly hit by the rain that was being blown into my right side. I could have avoided a lot more of the rain’s impact but I chose not to press my body against his to shield my body form the drops.
Mr. D’Amato must have noticed because he draped his arm over my shoulder and pulled me into the side of his hard muscled body. Just the action alone made my heart start to beat frantically, my stomach go crazy, and any common sense leave my head. The warmth of his body was radiating onto my cold and moist skin, the pressure of his arm sinking my shoulders. His touch was so comfortable it frightened me.
Once we made it to the sanctuary of the porch, he lifted his arm and closed the umbrella. I watched every move of his body until some sense came into me and I knocked on the door.
The four of us stood there waiting for Lori to open the door and while we waited, there was an inevitable eye contact between my teacher and I. His gaze was so meaningful that I didn’t want to look away but so strong that I was forced to.
Nothing but relief flooded me when Lori opened the door. She had a confused look on her face but she let us in anyway.
We were all in her house now with the door closed behind us but in the entrance only stood Lori, Mr. D’Amato and myself since the two children had run off into the depths of the house.
It was an awkward triangle that formed with my teacher just a few feet away and Lori looking at the two of us. Her expression and meaningful eyes held a hint of surprise with two more things that made me want to slap her. Suspicion and suggestion.
I decided I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction of seeing either D’Amato or myself squirm so I started to speak.
“My car wasn’t starting so I decided to walk to Landon’s school to pick him up but the rain caught up to me before I could. Your cousin saw me walking in the rain so he picked me up and it was luck that we headed to the same place. Since I was coming to your house and so was your cousin, he drove us here.” I crossed my arms over my chest as a sign that I wasn’t going to be affected by her stares and looked at Lori as if I hadn’t caught the suspicion in her eyes.
Lori was smirking at the two of us then she directed the smirk at me.
“You’re so stupid!” She laughed.
“Shut up.” I demanded and smiled. Yes, it was a stupid move on my part. I heard Mr. D’Amato laughing quietly at the two of us and soon enough we were all laughing together.
“Hmm. Is that your jacket on Melinda, Fabian?” Lori asked her cousin. Her voice sounded almost innocent but her mischievous eyes gave her away quickly.
“Yeah.” I didn’t know whether I had heard a smile in his voice or not.
“Oh, how thoughtful of you, Fabian! She must have been dying from the cold.” Lori complimented. I looked at Mr. D’Amato who ran his fingers through his hair, squirming under the interrogation his cousin gave him. He had nothing to hide therefore I found no reason for him to squirm.
“Yeah, I was cold. I had been shivering in the car, officer.” I say the last word sarcastically, letting her know that I was aware of what she was trying to do.
“Alright. Let’s get you dry. Go to my room and pick something out that fits you.” Lori says. Without hesitation, I nearly ran up the stairs at the thought of dry clothes, hearing chuckles fade behind me.
Once I was in her room, I used the bathroom it held and gave myself a hot and quick shower. With a towel wrapped around my body, I went to her dresser to get some clothes from it. I chose some light-wash denim jeans and a plane blue V-Neck that was little too short. All of her shirts would be just the same since her chest wasn’t as big as mine but her pants fit me almost perfectly. The shirt left a little over an inch of skin bare. Feeling exposed, I took a white cable knit sweater and put it on in the hopes of a little more modesty. What could I do? I had none of my clothes here!
Before leaving the room, I took the wet bills from the back pocket of my pants, tossed all my wet clothes into the laundry basket, and put on some flip flops.
I walked down the stairs and back to the entrance of the house. I started to walk around in hopes of seeing Landon but found Lori instead. She was putting some fresh flowers into a vase while holding a little boy’s hand.
“Have you seen my brother, Lori?” I ask. She looks my way at the sound of my voice then opens her eyes a little.
“Yeah. Your shirts kind of come up a little short on me.” I grin sheepishly and she chuckles.
“He’s with Emily and my cousin.” She answers and goes back to the flowers.
“Thanks.” I say. As I start to move away from her I could’ve sworn I hear her mumble something.
“Poor Fabian.” And a sigh followed. I dismissed the thought.
I start to walk towards Emily’s preferred doll house in hopes that the trio would be there. Oh god, Mr. D’Amato would be there... And look at me with this skanky shirt! Ah, Fluck.
My hopes were fulfilled when I saw Emily playing with her dolls, Landon cruising some dolls in a small red car, and D’Amato playing with them. I chuckled out loud at the enlightening sound.
All three of them look up at me from the floor. Landon and Emily resume playing but Mr. D’Amato’s look lingered longer than theirs and our eyes met.
“Hi.” He says then looks at the children with his lips tucked into his mouth.
“Um, hi.” I say. Mr. D’Amato looks at me again.
“Warm already?” He smiles and asks.
“Yeah. Showered too.” I chuckle and sit with the three people on the ground.
“Hey, Emily!” I greet the little girl all while being too aware of the big man’s presence. She looks at me and smiles.
“Hi!” I was extremely happy that she wasn’t going to block me away.
“What are you guys doing?” My obvious question was directed at both children.
“I’m driving barbies in my car!” Landon smiles brightly and I do too.
“That’s so cool, buddy!” I compliment.
“I’m dressing barbies up in different clothes.” Emily smiled.
“Wow. That’s great! Can I help?” I ask.
“Yeah!” I took a barbie doll at her approval and mistakingly meet D’Amato’s gaze. I managed to get my lips curved into a small and the sight of his teeth flashing bright when he did too made my heart flip.
I looked back at Emily for my sake and saw her putting a shirt over a doll’s head. I did nothing but watch her little fingers adjust the clothing on the doll. She possessed that type of flawless and innocent beauty that only a child could.
“What?” She giggled when she caught me looking at her.
“Nothing.” I smiled.
“Are you going to take me to get some Kens?” Emily asked with a a bright smile and hopeful eyes. Damn, I forgot I had to take her to the toy shop! There was no way I could take her now that my car was screwed up.
“I’m sorry, Em but I can’t take you today. My car’s been acting kind of silly lately and I can’t go anywhere.” I explained and my heart fell as her expression dropped.
“I can drive you if you’d like.” I looked at Mr. D’Amato with that same instinctive knowledge that told me it was him and no one else.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“Yeah. It’s downtown right?” He smiles.
“Yeah. Galt Toys in the Magnificent Mile.” I told him exactly where we’d go and he surprised me by laughing. He looked so attractive in the slight trembles of laughter.
“It’s the second time I’ve been there in two weeks with Mindy.” I laughed too at the thought of his niece constantly begging him to take her to the toy store.
“I guess this will be your third then.” I smiled at him and he returned it.
“I guess so.”
“Alright. I’ll go tell Lori then.” I was about to stand up when Landon and Emily started to cheer besides us. The sneaky little midgets were listening in! D’Amato and I laughed then I stood from the floor and looked at window. I smiled at the drizzles of barely-there rain.
As I searched, I heard her voice reciting the sentences of Little Red Riding Hood and followed it to the living room where children were around her in a circle, listening contently to the tale.
I hadn’t wanted to cut in but I had to if I wanted to get anywhere.
“Sorry, guys but I have to talk to Lori really quick.” I apologized.
“I’ll be right back.” She assured the whining children and came over to me.
“What do you want, you annoying little bug?” She smiled and I chuckled.
“Well, I want to take Emily and Landon to the toy store.” I said while asking permission as well.
“Fabian’s taking you.” She stated and smiled as she looked me in the eyes.
“Uh, yeah?” I wanted to know why she was so pleased at the thought.
“Alright. Just call me for anything and don’t let the children out of your sight. Where are you going?”
“Downtown to Galt Toys.” She winced but shook her head at herself.
“Okay. I repeat: Don’t. Let. The. Children. Out. Of. Your. Sight.”
“Ah, Damn! I was going to let them run around loose all over Chicago!” I said in sarcastic disappointment. She rolled her eyes while softly slapping my shoulder.
“Don’t be annoying, Mel.”
“I’ll try.” And I walk back to the front of the house where I saw Mr. D’Amato waiting by the door as he talked to the two children. It amazes me how he’s so good with kids.
“We’re set. Let’s go!” I announce excitedly and all of their heads turn to me. Emily bounced in excitement and Landon smiled. Mr. D’Amato looked at me with his hands in his pocket, and a cute little smile on his lips.
***
The rain had completely stopped as we pulled into a parking space in the Magnificent Mile. The street was long and filled with hundreds of stores, big and small. Even in the day time of a week day there were lots of people touring the sights or shopping in the stores. It was a beautiful place to be in and it looked even better during the night time. This was the well known shopping life of Chicago, Illinois.
I got out of the car with the half soaked money I took from my pants and helped Landon out of his seat. When I put him on the ground I quickly circled my hand tightly around his. Nothing is going to happen. This will be a wonderful little outing and Landon will behave.
“Landon? Behave.” I couldn’t help the menacing authority and threatening tone of my voice. I was worried he’d do something stupid in the pretty light so of the city.
I heard Mr. D’Amato’s husky laughter fill the air and looked up to see him inn front of us with Emily’s hand tightly wrapped in his.
“What’s so funny?” I ask even though I knew why he was laughing.
“You.” He answered simply. I roll my eyes in amusement.
“Let’s just get going.” I say. He smiles widely and we begin to walk in the direction of the store.
Wow. It never ceases to amaze me how wonderful Chicago is! It’s just perfect too. It has the life and vigor of the city but you can actually live here and not have a headache half of the day. There isn’t constant honking of horns, over-population, and uncleanliness like there is in some other major cities of the U.S. I loved living here.
I looked around me with the constant distraction of new things but there had been something that caught my eyes longer than anything else. A billboard. The billboard that showed a glossy black pair of Dr. Dre headphones. If only I had one of those babies! I’d be jamming to that thing all day! I remember that time I went to Best Buy and tried them out. It was like a freaking VIP concert in my ears. The quality of the-
“Damn!” I mutter when I crash into something solid and warm. I almost fell off balance when Mr. D’Amato caught me in his free arm. I had crashed into him with such impulse that I almost fell from the impact of his tall and muscled torso. I’d be on top of Landon if he hand’t caught me so quickly.
I was in shock at how good it felt to be so close to him. Goddammit, his eyes were so brown. His lips were so full and still. I wanted to feel them close over mine so badly at the moment. His deep gaze penetrating into mine completely knocking away the reasoning in my mind. I wanted nothing more than to stay there and look in that pool of melted chocolate.
“Um. I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.” I mumble. He blinks twice before hesitantly letting me go then a small smile appeared on his lips.
“It alright. What were you paying attention to?” He asked amused. I regained myself as I thought of what to say. I had completely forgotten that the two of us had been holding a child’s hand.
I pointed to the billboard and he looked back at it.
“Dr. Dre?” He asked with a risen eye brow. Well, that’s new...
“Yeah. I’ll get some one day. Hopefully.” I trailed off at the last word as my own thoughts flooded. I will get them soon, I just don’t know how yet.
Mr. D’Amato’s chuckle snapped me away from my train of thought.
“Thinking of how to get them?” His voice humorous as he guessed.
“Maybe.” I smile.
“Let’s go already!” Emily’s little voice whine and we laughed at her impatience.
“Alright, alright. Let’s go.” I giggled and we started to walk.
I looked to my left where Mr. D’Amato gazed forward. Mr. D’Amato... The name reminded just who I was with. I was walking along the streets of downtown Chicago with my trigonometry teacher.
***
“I’m paying for it!” I tell my teacher.
“No way, Melinda. I’m paying for the toys. It’s no big deal.” He said. It was a big deal. There was no way I’d let him pay for everything. I had twenty perfectly good dollars to pay the toys with. I’d feel useless and guilty if I didn’t contribute.
“How about this? Since you’re so hell bent on paying and completely stubborn, I’ll pay Emily’s things and you pay Landon’s?” That seemed reasonable.
“Alright. That’s better, Mr. D’Amato.” I saw him flinch ever so slightly but waved it off.
After we had paid the toys and left the shop, we started our walk back to the car.
“Were are we going?” Landon asks.
“Yeah. Where are we going?” Emily echoes.
“Lori’s house, guys.” Mr. D’Amato answers them but just there I froze completely. Oh hell to the no!
“No way we’re leaving down town with out some Deep Dish Pizza! I refuse.” My fat ass exclaims and my teacher looks at me with a bright smile.
“You hungry?” He asks sarcastically.
“Hecks yeah! Even if I wasn’t there’s no way I’m not eating pizza. You’re taking us to Gino’s.” I smile at him then jump in excitement, making Landon jump beside me.
“Gino’s it is!” He smiles and the two of us laugh as we stare into the other’s hungry eyes.
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Thanks for reading! :D
*Pic is of Emily. She's adorable!