by Gina Sevani
"Well I can always kick them out and take your virtue." He shrugged innocently, and I rolled my eyes. "I can't wait until I can fully satisfy you, Ariel. Once you say yes and fully understand what you're agreeing to, I promise that you won't ever be left hanging again, baby."
"What if I tell you I'm ready?" I stared into his eyes as he walked backward to the door.
Tenderness softened his eyes. "You're not, and that's okay, but you are ready to get your fine ass on that stage."
"You think?" I smiled.
"I know, now come on before I'm not in control of myself, and decide to just take you against the wall or the nasty ass floor."
"You might want to wipe that lipstick off your face," I teased him.
"Nice try, Ariel, but you don't wear lipstick babe, you prefer gloss."
"It's sad that you know the difference."
"I've kissed a lot"
"Finish that statement, and I will kick your ass, Damon."
"I was just going to say before I was rudely interrupted that I've kissed a lot of women so I know the difference AND no one has ever tasted as good as you." He smirked.
Smooth talker.
"Lies!"
"Truth and I can't wait to taste more." His eyes held a promise as they wandered all over my body.
"Damon!"
"Yep, it'll go something like that. A little louder, I hope." His lips curved into a sexy smile, and my knees actually went weak.
"I don't even know how to respond to that."
"You thinking about it is enough for me."
I walked toward the door he was patiently holding for me. Before I crossed over the threshold, Damon took hold of my wrist. His warm eyes searched mine. Was he even aware of the power he held over me? "Time is all I ask for, Ariel. One day at a time I will break every single wall you have around yourself. I know it's for protection, I'm not stupid, but you don't need protection — not from me. It's my job to protect you."
I squeezed his hand and even though I knew he meant exactly what he said, I couldn't help but doubt everything. Every time I was with him, I felt myself slipping. I felt the walls as they started to crumble, and every time I left him, I tried to piece back together the damage he had done.
EVERYTHING WENT PERFECT. A small part of me would like to say it was crazy and wild, but it wasn't. It went smoothly. We didn't have any technical problems. Although we had a crowd, it wasn't packed. I was thankful for that. I was in love with Damon's guitar and I wanted to steal it very badly for my own personal pleasure. He introduced me to the crowd, and they welcomed me with lots of love. My eyes automatically found Grams. She sat next to Big Joe like he was her personal body guard. She looked so tiny and fragile there, but the smile on her face; well there were no words for that. I was so glad she had come. I wasn't sure if she was going to show up.
To say that I had fun was an understatement. I had a blast with these guys, and a day that started rocky turned out pretty great.
"SHOTS," Sean screamed and jumped from behind the drums. He was pouring sweat and with no shame and wasting no time, ripped his shirt from his body. He grabbed a clean shirt from his bag and pulled it over his head.
"Should I be worried?" Damon asked while I was staring at Sean.
"Huh? No, I just never knew he did that."
"He changes shirts after every set."
"Guess I was always too busy watching you." I was getting more confident, braver in my ability to flirt with him.
"Careful, Ariel," Damon warned. He took the guitar from my hands. I didn't want to give it up.
"Do you have to?" I begged.
"Yes… babe, yes I do. Besides, she misses me." He smiled.
I watched his eyes as they wandered over the guitar. He was checking it over right in front of me.
"Should I be worried?" I teased him.
"Yeah, probably."
"Jackass." I shook my head at him. "Look, I think I'm going to head home, I'm exhausted and ready for bed, plus I need to make sure Grams gets settled."
"Want some company?"
"Maybe."
The cheesiest smile covered his face.
"Kidding." His smile was gone faster than I could snap my fingers.
"MINX. Can I meet your Grandmother?"
Crap… one thing I hadn't been expecting.
"If it's too much, I understand. Maybe some other time." Damon sounded a little saddened, and I wanted to take that away. Especially after I had met his sister and niece. I kind of felt like a hypocrite.
"It's fine, come on."
He stepped in front of me to block my path.
"Ariel, look at me, are you sure you don't mind?"
"I just — what am I supposed to introduce you as? I don't even know what… this—" I pointed back and forth between us. "—is."
"Call it whatever you want. We don't need a label." A foolish grin spread across his face. "Why the hell are you smiling like that?"
"No reason." The grin widened.
"Out with it. I don't have all night," I shouted over the crowd.
"If you're worried about what to call us then I'm definitely not still in the friend zone. Otherwise, you would've just introduced me as a friend. It wouldn't have been a big deal," he said, sending me a wink.
I cleared my throat as I looked up at him. "It's not a big deal."
"It kinda is." He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. "Lead the way, Juliet."
Damn him.
Grams smiled as we approached. She was sipping on something. I wasn't sure what that something was.
"Grams, you know you get frisky when you drink."
"Yeah it's getting a little hot in here." She started to pull off her cardigan.
"Grams you better stop. You see all these young men? Big Joe will have to call the fire department to hose them down."
"Stop it… you crazy girl." Grams threw her head back in laughter. She pulled me in a bear hug.
"You look beautiful, and you played beautifully too," she whispered.
"Thank you so much, Grams, but it's late. You should be home."
"I didn't want to miss tonight. We never know what tomorrow may bring." She patted my cheek.
Damon was chilling closely behind me, and I could tell he was watching us. "Grams, meet my friend Damon, Damon the one and only Grams."
He squeezed my hand a little too tightly for my liking. I guess he didn't like the word I chose. I bit my lip to keep from laughing.
"Nice to meet you, ma'am."
"Do you have three baby mommas, son?"
Ah hell. "GRAMS… geez I was kidding."
Damon coughed in his fist and tried to clear his throat before he spoke all while glaring at me.
I shrugged, innocently.
"No ma'am, I do not."
"Oh, wow." I grabbed my forehead. "Sometimes you make no sense." "She has a wicked sense of humor," I told Damon.
He smiled at Grams. "I think you're amazing."
"Ahh, I see. Very good looking and charming. It was very nice to meet you Mr. Damon," Grams said. "Joseph, are you ready to give me a ride home?"
"Yes ma'am, whenever you're ready."
Wait. What? "Grams, I can take you."
"No dear. Stay for a little longer."
I hugged and kissed her one more time before she headed out the back with Big Joe.
"She's hilarious," Damon said.
"Yeah, she has no filter whatsoever." I headed toward the bar so I could get something to drink. Sean and Travis were expressing their disagreement on me leaving so soon after the set.
"Come on, you can't hang with the big boys?" Sean yelled.
"Where are there big boys?"
Sean winked. "I could show you."
"And you could die." Damon narrowed his eyes on Sean, but I could see the ghost of a smile that played on his lips.
Trish pulled me into a hug across the bar which left my backside up in the air. "Girl if I batted for the other team you would be mine. It was nice seeing a wo
man with these losers, you look HAWT." She laughed.
"Ha ha you're pretty hawt yourself," I said.
"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Sean yelled from a few bar stools down while beating his fist on the bar "Hold on wait a second, let me get a closer look."
Sean walked toward the seat beside Damon. "MOVE, now… Please," he hollered at some poor guy.
"Idiot," Trish whispered loudly.
"Can't blame a man for trying."
Xavier kept staring at us and Damon glared his way. "You know I kind of like him but one of these days, very, very soon I will beat his ass."
I knew who he was referring to. Damon didn't bother whispering. People close by heard him, and so did Xavier.
I thought I would try for a diversion. "I'm out Trish, can you hand me water please."
"I got it," Xavier said loudly.
He slid the water to me and then rested his arms on the bar.
"Can I talk to you for a minute… alone?"
Shit. Damon was going to be pissed, but Xavier had always been a good friend. Damon's grip tightened and I swore I heard a low growl. Yes, definitely a growl…
"Yeah, sure."
I turned my body and risked a glance at Damon. I tried to reassure him with just my eyes that everything was fine, but he questioned me with his own.
"I'll be back, okay?"
He nodded and slowly released his arm from around me. Damon sent a pure, hateful glare toward Xavier. If that wasn't a warning, hell, I didn't know what was.
"Make it fast," he threatened Xavier.
Xavier's mouth turned up into a half smile. At that exact moment I wasn't sure I wanted to hear what he had to say. I was pretty certain I knew what he wanted. We entered the break room and Xavier thankfully left the door open. I sat down on the bench and waited. I watched him pace back and forth a few short strides until he crossed his arms and leaned up against the closest wall. Trying to be patient was hard when I knew that every minute that passed by was only stressing Damon.
"I've been wanting to talk to you for a while, I just never could think of the right thing to say without making you mad."
"It's always easier to just say it — not over think it, right?" I smiled and tried to ease some of his discomfort.
"Yeah, well, there is no nice way to say it. I care for you, Ariel, and I don't want to see you get played. We all know what type of guy Damon is."
Yup… there it is. I knew it.
"Say something."
"You might not like it."
"Why him?" he asked.
In other words why didn't I fall for Xavier? I could think of plenty bullshit explanations, but I wanted to be honest with Xavier, he was one of the few friends I had.
"I wish I could explain to you in a few short sweet words but I can't. He makes me feel things, want things I've never have before. Things I don't deserve, Xavier."
"You deserve everything," he said.
"You don't know just how wrong you are." I stared at the floor. "I don't know how he does it, but being with him kind of chases all the bad things away."
Xavier shook his head. "I want you to be happy, I do but I think you might have given your heart to the wrong man, Ariel. "He will hurt you; it's not a matter of if, but when."
"Sometimes the risk is worth the pain."
"Ariel, don't be stupid. You know about that Monica chick. I'm sure there are plenty more."
Suddenly a little defeated, I released a long sigh. I hoped he wasn't right. "Now you're just pissing me off," Damon said.
I gasped and look toward the door. I didn't know how long he'd been listening in. His calm, cool demeanor was a force to be reckoned with. Damon might have looked calm, but I knew he wasn't.
"Since you're being so in touch with your feelings Xavier, do tell, is it her heart you want?"
Xavier took a step away from the wall and his posture completely transformed.
"We were having a private conversation."
Damon shrugged. "Whatever, dude, just be a man."
Xavier was beyond aggravated at that point and he was letting his emotions get the best of him. And Damon, well, Damon looked like he could care less about their heated exchange. Although in a second, at any given moment, he would be ready to pounce. Damon played a game, and Xavier was falling into place, right where Damon wanted him.
"You want her, and it's not her heart you're after."
"It's not like that," Xavier yelled.
"Isn't it, I've been watching you watch her for months."
"I care about her."
"You care about getting in her pants."
I gasped. "Just let it go."
"No… no, Ariel, he wants me to be a man and speak up, so fine I'm speaking the hell up."
Damon's left hand was already fisted, but nothing showed on his face. Absolutely nothing.
"We're waiting," he said impatiently.
"You know what? It's not a secret. You're right, I do want Ariel. I've always liked her."
"Finally, now were getting somewhere."
"What's your problem exactly, Damon?"
"Well, it's not the fact that you want her, she's beautiful in every way, so I can't blame a man for that. "However, when you decide to try and take something from me, well, that's when you might want to seriously rethink your angle."
Xavier laughed, actually laughed.
"Shouldn't bother you so much if you're certain she's yours!"
Damon's eyes cast my way and a smile took over his face, we'd been through this, and he knew he had no competition when it came to me.
"She is mine… I don't have competition."
"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you," Xavier said.
What is up with him?
Damon's eyes turned cold. He pushed off the door frame and stalked toward Xavier. Before I could blink my eyes he was in Xavier's face.
"For Ariel's sake, I was trying to keep this as peaceful as possible, you little shit, but this is your last warning. I don't take threats lightly and not only would you mess with me but you would willingly hurt Ariel in the process." Damon took a step back and reached for my hand. "You know I thought it was you who tried to start some shit about that Facebook post. I strongly suggest staying out of our business. Ariel, let's go baby."
I placed my hand in his and sent a WTF look toward Xavier. In return Xavier reached for me but quickly dropped his hand. "I'm sorry Ariel, I didn't mean for it to go down like this," he said.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
AS SOON AS THE BREAKROOM DOOR slammed shut the crash of a locker being kicked filtered through. I cared for Xavier as a friend, and I didn't like to see him hurting, but trying to piss Damon off like that was messed up. That just wasn't the Xavier I knew. Maybe talking to him when Damon wasn't around would give me a better perspective. I glanced up, startled to realize Damon wasn't walking me toward the exit. He was leading me to the dance floor.
"Damon, I…"
"Right now Ariel… I need something to get my mind off beating the shit out of your friend, and the only thing that's going to keep that from happening is to have your body against mine."
Well how can a girl argue with that? I smiled and squeezed his hand.
He released my hand, grabbed my arms gently and caressed slowly all the way down from my shoulders until he reached my fingertips. As he pulled me in close he guided my arms around his neck. His hands slowly worked their way down my bare back, massaging in little swirls that sent chills over my entire body. Our bodies were aligned just the way I liked them. The entire time he never broke eye contact with me. We stood completely still. I didn't bother to take time to notice if anyone else was on the dance floor. Something told me Damon wouldn't really care.
Rihanna's "Stay" started to play over the speakers at the perfect volume. Not too loud, not too quiet. I sang because it just felt right. I wasn't shy or embarrassed, at least not in front of him anymore. He smiled. Damon laid his forehead on mine, and oh so slowly moved his hips. Mine followed his rhyt
hm. I knew at that particular moment I was in the right place at the right time, with the right person. I loved him. I had tried not to; I'd tried so damn hard.
A single tear slid down my face at the exact time the male singer came into the song. Ironic. We sang the rest of the song softly together hardly moving our bodies, only swaying our hips slightly. I closed my eyes and listened to his voice begging me to stay. Before the song was finished Damon whispered for me to open my eyes.
I obeyed, opened my eyes and felt another single tear fall.
"Ariel, I lo—"
I quickly laid my finger over his lips. "Shhh, please Damon."
He closed his eyes tight, let out a deep breath and then kissed the tip of my finger.
"Can we do something this weekend? I need to talk to you."
"Yeah, definitely," he said.
I needed to change the subject fast so I moved my hands to the front of his chest. "So did you really want to hold me or just stake your claim?"
"Honestly… both."
I held on to him a little longer and treasured the time just in case. I inhaled just to take in his scent. Damon smelled heavenly.
"Are you sniffing me, babe?"
"Yeah, do you have a problem with that?"
"Nope, sniff away as long as I can do this."
Damon squeezed me around the waist, picked me up to where his nose was level with the bottom of my neck, and lightly rubbed his nose all over my neck toward my ear then down again. His stubble scraped my bare skin gently, and his breath caressed me as he inhaled deeply and blew slowly out.
Who the hell knew that could be so erotic?
"Put me down, people are watching." I giggled.
"Good, I'm marking my territory."
"Caveman. Walk me to my car."
Damon threw me over his shoulder instead.
I slapped his backside. "Me… Want… Down… Now."
He oh so freaking slowly allowed me to glide down the front of his body, where every single muscle and bulge rubbed against me. I let out a low moan that was out of my control.
"Every damn time," he whispered.
"What?"
"You moan, every time I do that." Damon licked his lips and playfully smirked in my direction.
Damon knew exactly what he was doing, and one of us would eventually lose our control and snap. I was afraid it would be me. Driving home I thought about what Xavier said. I knew there was a small chance he was right, but whatever happened I would never regret falling for Damon, even if it took an eternity for me to get over him. My walls were solid… My heart clearly told me that he was the man for me because the barrier I had over my heart fought with me on a daily basis to let him in. Everything happened for a reason. I didn't meet him by mistake. Even if it was completely chaotic, the heart wants what it wants, and there isn't a single thing a person could do about it.