Damian

by Jessica Wood

  “But it’s after midnight, so it’s technically the next day after our date.” I knew how convoluted my suggestion was. “Besides, we had our sushi thing several weeks ago. That was kind of a date, wasn’t it?” I asked hopefully.

  She laughed. “Nice try.”

  Ouch. This has never happened before.

  Then, to my surprise, Alexis broke out into a fit of giggles.

  “What?”

  “I think we should get cleaned up. You have clay all over your face and hair and it’s starting to dry up.”

  “Are you going to help clean me off?” I gave her a seductive smile, hoping to put thing back on track.

  “Yes, I’ll help. But don’t get any funny idea.”

  “So a shower together to help each other clean the clay off is out of the question?” I asked innocently.

  She rolled her eyes. “Come on, there’s a sink in the next room.” She got up, ignoring my question. Resigned to the fact that a wet clay party was probably out of the cards for us tonight, I got up and followed her to the sink.

  Fifteen minutes later, we had gotten most of the clay off of us.

  “Okay, so I have to admit something,” I began.

  She looked at me with a raised eyebrow. “What is it?”

  “I was never a master at Play-Doh.” I kept a straight face as I watched her react out of the corner of my eye.

  Then we both burst into laughter, and I realized how much I enjoyed making her laugh.

  For the next half an hour, I helped her clean up our workstations while she told me about the class that she taught on Saturdays.

  “So should we take off?” I asked when we had put everything away.

  She yawned and nodded in agreement. I pulled her into my arms and kissed her gently on the forehead.

  “I had a really fun night, Alexis.”

  “Me too,” she said softly.

  “You know, you have no idea how amazing you are, do you?”

  Our eyes met as she beamed. “You’re right. I have no idea. So you should keep telling me that so I’ll remember.”

  I laughed, and this time, I rolled my eyes.

  ***

  “I’ve never been on a date this long” she said as she yawned again when we walked through the front lobby door of our building.

  “Same here,” I admitted. She didn’t have to know that I can’t remember ever going on a date in my adult life.

  “I had a great time. Swan’s Oyster Depot was fun and different. I never thought I’d enjoy raw oysters before tonight.” She smiled up at me, and the warmth of her smile emanated through me.

  “I never thought I could have so much fun with someone,” …when sex wasn’t involved, I finished in my head.

  We walked up the stairs in silence, and the memory of our first encounter on these stairs flashed through my mind. I smiled to myself at how much I was drawn to her even then.

  When we got to her front door, she leaned up against me and kissed me on the cheek. “Good night,” she whispered to me. The smile that spread across her face seemed to cause a physical reaction I was not used to, and it had nothing to do with what was in my pants. My breath quickened and my heart drummed violently against my chest. I knew then that I didn’t want to leave her, that I didn’t want the night to end like this.

  “I’d like to stay over tonight,” I said softly.

  She looked at me and thought about it for a second. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Like I said, I don’t sleep with a guy on the first date.”

  “So we won’t have sex tonight,” I heard myself blurt out. I just wanted to spend more time with her, and at this point, I was willing to take whatever she was willing to give me.

  “Okay, so you just want to sleep on my bed?” She looked at me doubtfully.

  I laughed. “Well, I’d like much more than that, but I’ll settle for some sleep.” I never thought I was one of those guys that would agree to stay over at a girl’s place when sex was not on the table. But here I was, doing just that. I sensed the warning bells go off inside me, telling me to leave before it was too late.

  But I ignored them. Because the second she looked into my eyes, she pulled me in and I knew I wanted more from her.

  As I followed her inside her apartment, a waft of her sweet, inviting scent hit me and I smiled that her entire apartment smelled just like her.

  “Are you sure you’re okay with just sleeping?” she asked. I could sense the doubt in her voice.

  I pulled her toward me and wrapped my arms around her. She looked up at me, her hazel eyes were gentle and warm. “I’m going to try,” I whispered.

  She leaned up to kiss me gently on the lips. “Okay, I’m going to get cleaned up for bed. Is there anything you need?”

  “Nope, I think I’ll be fine.”

  I watched her grab some clothes from her dresser before walking into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes, she came back out with her makeup removed and a gray t-shirt and pink jersey shorts on.

  Damn, she’s stunning.

  My eyes ravaged her as she walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my chest. “Ready for bed?” she asked as she stifled a yawn.

  “I’ve been ready,” I whispered and kissed her gently on the nose. I felt an odd innocent excitement run through me as we walked toward her bed. Is this how virgins felt right before they gave it up?

  “What are you doing?” she asked as she eyed me taking off my shirt. I saw her inhale sharply as her eyes lingered on my bare-naked chest. I smirked at the effect I had on her.

  “What do you mean?” I asked innocently.

  “I thought you’re okay with us not having sex tonight and just sleeping.”

  “I am, and I’m getting ready for bed.”

  She looked at me, and I saw the understanding flash in her eyes.

  “Oh,” she paused for a second, “What do you wear to bed?”

  “Well, I was about to show you,” I smirked as my hands went for the front button on my jeans.

  “Wait!” she yelled as she raised her hands up, signaling for me to stop.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Do you really sleep in the nude?”

  I looked at her and gave her a does-that-really-surprise-you look. “I hate being constricted in clothes when I’m sleeping.”

  “Do you mind leaving at least your boxers on or something?”

  I smiled at the fact that she wasn’t going to insist that I put my shirt back on. She likes what she sees, I thought to myself proudly. “What? You don’t want to see it? That would be a first.”

  She snorted. “I’ll bet. And no, that’s not it.”

  Score! So she does want to see it.

  “Then what?” I asked.

  “It’s our first date, and I’ve told you that I’m just not that kind of girl to sleep with a guy on a first date.”

  “But we not going to have sex, we’re just going to sleep.”

  She shot me a doubtful look. “Right. Well, I’d like to sleep without the fear of a guy’s penis making an appearance. Would that be okay?”

  “Ouch.” Damn, this girl is feisty. “Okay, fine. I’ll leave on my briefs if you insist. You’re the boss.” I winked at her.

  As we sunk into bed together, I pulled her closer toward me as she faced me. She wrapped her arm around my naked chest, and I felt her soft fingers move up and down my back, causing waves of pleasure to ripple down toward my growing erection. I pulled her in for a kiss and she eagerly took my tongue into her mouth as she kissed me back. As our kiss deepened, I felt my pelvis involuntarily thrust toward her. I moved my hand under her t-shirt and felt her hot skin under my palm. She’s not wearing a bra, I realized as my hand moved up her soft back. I moved my hand toward her breast, wanting to feel them in my hand. But without warning, she slowed down and pulled out of our kiss. Her hand moved up to stop my hand that was inches away from her breast.

  She looked at me and I saw a need in her eyes. She wants to fuck as much as I do.
<
br />   But instead of guiding me toward her breast, she moved my hand out of her t-shirt. “I want to, but I don’t think we should,” she whispered. She then kissed my lips one last time before pulling away.

  At that moment, I was thankful that the darkness had masked the shock and disappointment that must have shown on my face.

  “Thank you for making tonight so much fun,” she whispered.

  “It was fun, wasn’t it?” I surprised myself by how much I had enjoyed my night with this girl.

  “Good night, Damian.” She then turn around to her side with her back toward me. Instinctively, I moved my body up against the contours of her backside. As I wrapped my arm around her, I realized that I’ve never done this before with any other girl.

  I couldn’t explain it, but the feeling of her in my arms felt perfect, and that feeling scared me more than anything else.

  Is this what intimacy felt like?

  I immediately pushed that thought from my mind.

  No, you’re just horny and she’s a challenge. A worthy conquest. She’s making you wait, and it’s the anticipation that you’re feeling.

  As I molded myself around her curves and drifted off to sleep, I wasn’t sure I was convinced by my own logic. I didn’t know what it was, but something felt different here.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Alexis

  THE DISTANCE SOUND OF MY FRONT door closing woke me up. My eyes fluttered opened and the events of the previously night crept into my consciousness. I closed my eyes and smiled at the memories of his lips on mine.

  I stretched my arms under the sheets and yawned.

  I froze.

  My eyes bolted open as the dense fog that had clouded my half-awake mind evaporated when I realized that my hand didn’t bump into anything when I had stretched. I turned to look at the other side of my bed. It was empty.

  I looked around my studio. It was also empty.

  The memory of hearing my front door closing minutes ago came back to me like an echo.

  Did he really just leave without saying goodbye?

  A tide of disappointment cut through me as the gravity of what this must had meant hit me. He took me out last night because he wanted sex—and only sex. He wasn’t interested in anything else—he wasn’t interested in me. While I was glad that I didn’t give in to his advances, and against all odds, I had resisted my own desires to have sex with him, as I now sat alone in my bed, regret consumed me and the what-ifs started to swirling around in my head.

  When I feel asleep last night with his arms around me, I had felt safe and happy. I couldn’t remember the last time I had felt this way. In fact, I hadn’t even felt this way when I was with Chris, my ex-boyfriend of four years. And even from that first day when I met Damian on the stairwell, I had thought that there was something different about him that I gravitated towards, and despite all of the red flags that he was a playboy and all his over-the-top flirtatious comments, I had sensed that there was more to this man than the cocky persona he seemed to work so hard to portray. And then there was all that had happened last night—first, our moment outside of Swan’s Oyster Depot, then, our time at the pottery studio, and then, last night when he spooned me and held me while we slept—I had thought that I’d been right all along, because none of those moments made him seem like the same cocky playboy he seemed to want people to think he was. None of those moments made me think that he wanted only sex from me.

  “But I guess I was wrong about him,” I heard myself say out loud as I sat in my bed, feeling more alone than ever as I looked around at my empty studio.

  Just then, a noise made me look towards my front door.

  “Hey, you’re awake,” came Damian’s voice as he walked through the door.

  “Hi, you’re back,” I said in surprise.

  He chuckled. “Don’t worry, I didn’t go far.”

  I beamed at him as relief greeted me like an old friend. He didn’t leave!

  “So where did you go?” I asked as my eyes caught a glance of the paper bag and tray of two coffees in his hands.

  “Philz. Have you been there before?”

  “No, I haven’t. It’s a coffee shop?”

  “Damn, you have not lived until you’ve had Philz,” he exclaimed.

  “It’s that good?” I looked at him skeptically.

  “Yes, one of the best in San Francisco. I wasn’t sure what you would like, but they’re famous for their Mint Mojito Iced Coffee, so I got you one. Here.” He handed me a cup. “I also got a croissant, two mini cinnamon sugar donuts, and a breakfast burrito. I wasn’t sure what you’d like to eat in the morning.”

  “And here I thought you were preparing yourself to feed some sort of army,” I teased. I took a sip of the Mint Mojito Ice Coffee. “Wow, you’re right. This is really good!”

  “I just wanted to give you some options.” He handed me the brown paper bag.

  I dug out a small cinnamon sugar donut and took a bite out of it. “And this,” I said as I motioned at the donut between my fingers, “is why you’re nice.”

  “Don’t be fooled,” he laughed, “I’m just buttering you up.”

  I giggled. “And exactly what are you buttering me up for?”

  “That’s for me to know and you to,” he began and then paused for dramatic effect, “not know.”

  “Smart ass.” I made a face at him and laughed.

  “I learn from the best.”

  I shook my head and gigged. I couldn’t believe that he’d actually remembered what I had said to him the night we had sushi weeks ago.

  “Anyway, I need to get going,” he said as he got up and grabbed his coffee.

  “Oh?” I couldn’t hide the disappointment in my voice.

  “Yeah, I need to open the bar. When are you doing with your pottery class today?”

  “Around 5 p.m. Why?”

  “Do you have plans tonight?”

  “Why?” I asked.

  “Well. I—” he paused, “—I had a lot of fun with you last night, Alexis.” I can hear the surprise in his voice and I studied his expression.

  “Me too.”

  “So if you’re free tonight, let’s hang out. I can stop by with some food.”

  A thrill of excitement shot through me. He was interested!

  “That would be fun. We can also go somewhere too. My treat,” I offered.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. Girls don’t pay when they’re with me.”

  I smiled at him. “See? Nice.” I loved a guy who was a gentleman.

  He laughed. “If you say so. Anyway, I usually work the night shift on Saturdays. I got someone to cover for me tonight, but I want to be around in case something comes up. It’s my bar, so I would feel better if I was in the area. So I prefer staying in tonight. So how about I just bring dinner here to your place and we can do something chill?”

  “Yeah sure. That sounds like fun.” A renewed rush of excitement filled me at the thought of hanging out with him again tonight. “Why did you take tonight off?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “I just felt like it,” he responded vaguely. Then he leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. “Have a great day with all that wet clay. See you tonight.”

  “Thanks. See you at 5 p.m.” I beamed at him.

  As I sipped my iced coffee and watched him walk out of my apartment, I finally allowed myself a small sliver of hope that maybe something really great could develop between us. Maybe something real.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Damian

  SKIPPING OUT ON THE BUSIEST NIGHT of the week at the bar—and the best night for tips—in order to spend more time with a girl was the last thing I’d ever expected that I’d do.

  And yet, there I was, on a Saturday night, standing in front of Alexis’s door with a bag of take-out sushi.

  “Hi!” The door opened and I smiled the minute I saw her. Even in her jeans and plain t-shirt—this time, with no stains or paint on it—she looked stunning. Her face seemed to glow as she beamed at
me.

  I held up the bag of sushi. “Since I had so much fun watching you eat your sushi last time, I thought we could have some sushi tonight. That way, I’m bringing the food, and you’re bringing the entertainment.” I laughed at my own joke as Alexis slapped me playfully across the chest.

  “Very funny.”

  I followed her to the kitchen as she brought down some plates from the cupboard.

  “Sorry to break it to you, but I’ve gotten quite good at using those chopsticks.”

  “Oh?” I made an exaggerated look of disappointment. “How did you manage that?”

  “Don’t be such an asshole, Damian.” I could tell from the tone of her voice that she wasn’t really upset. “I’ve been trying out a lot of Asian food around SF since I’ve moved here.”

  “Oh yeah? Look at you, Miss Adventurous.”

  She rolled her eyes and I laughed.

  “So what have you tried so far? I love Asian food!”

  “Well, I’ve had Chinese food before in Iowa, but recently I’ve tried some Chinese Dim Sum, which was amazing. I also tried some Thai food and Korean food recently. I can’t believe they’re all so different.”

  “Just like Ohio, Idaho, and Iowa are completely different states, these are completely different countries,” he teased.

  “Touché.”

  “Well, too bad we won’t be able to entertain ourselves by laughing at your chopstick-using abilities.” I feigned a downcast look as I pulled out the containers of sushi from the bag.

  “Yeah, too bad,” she repeated sarcastically.

  “I guess we’ll have to find something else to keep us entertained now.” I raised my eyebrows suggestively and grinned at her.

  She hit me again, and this time, against my shoulder. “Think again.”

  “What?” I looked innocently at her.

  She shoot me a knowing look.

  “Hey, get your mind out of the gutter!” I gave her a look a disgust. “I meant like finding a movie to watch or something!”

  “Uh huh.” She wasn’t buying my innocence act.

  I laughed. “Come on, let’s eat.”

  “Okay. I’m starving.”

  Two hours later, I found myself relaxing on Alexis’s couch with her in my arms as we watched the movie Julie & Julia. It was not the type of movie I’d ever thought I’d watch—it was a chick movie—but as we were flipping through the options on her Netflix, and she suggested the movie with hopeful eyes, I heard myself agreeing to watch it. And now, an hour or so into the movie, I was surprisingly enjoying it.