Afterwards, she loved on Damian with her hands and her mouth, and then they lay together in the dark, him spooning her from behind.
“Stay with me tonight,” he whispered.
Kelly glanced at his bedside clock, and she was shocked to see that it was after midnight. She had to work the next day, but right then, it didn’t matter. Nothing else mattered but being with Damian. “Ok,” she agreed, “but I have to set an alarm for work tomorrow.”
“It’s already set for six o’clock.”
She flipped around to face him. “Are you crazy? Why do you need to get up that early?”
“Because I want to go into the shop for a while before our date tomorrow night.”
What with all the sex, Kelly had almost forgotten that they were double dating with Emma and Zack. “I don’t think I like this early rising habit of yours.”
“Well, we can’t just stay in bed all day. We wouldn’t get anything done.”
Kelly wiggled closer to him. “I’d say there’s plenty we could get done.”
And they went at it again until they were so exhausted that they finally agreed to sleep. Neither one bothered with clothes. They simply cocooned themselves under the covers and drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
Kelly barely registered the alarm ringing at six o’clock, nor the kiss that Damian placed on her forehead before he left for work. When the alarm woke her at eight, she realized that Damian must have reset it for her, and she smiled. She stretched her arms above her head and luxuriated in the cloud-like mattress for a little while longer, delaying the inevitable. When she finally made her way into the bathroom, she smiled again at the note that he had left her.
Breakfast on the table. Walk, don’t run.
Kelly practically skipped into the kitchen, crossing her fingers in hopes of what might be there. “YES!” she yelled when she saw the bag from the Clarkston bakery and another note.
Coffee in the microwave. You’re welcome!
After Kelly had warmed up the coffee and bit into the Bavarian custard donut, she sighed with contentment. She thought back to their conversation just yesterday and recalled Damian accusing her of wanting grand gestures. She would have to reassure him later that the simple things were what mattered to her. The night they had just spent together, the way that he had opened up to her—that was what was important. The sharing, the listening, the laughter, the need to satisfy each other, and his promise to “do whatever it takes” to make their relationship work. The donuts and coffee didn’t hurt either! Those were the romantic gestures that she needed, and if she wasn’t in love with him before, well, then she certainly was now.
Luckily, the walk of shame across the parking lot in the clothes that she had worn yesterday was short, and no one was outside anyway. Kelly found herself humming as she took a shower, dressed, and then hopped in her car. She connected her phone to Bluetooth and called Damian as she drove to work.
“You woke up,” Damian teased.
“It must have been the smell of donuts wafting down the hallway. Thank you, by the way. Nothing like sugar and caffeine to get the body moving.”
“You’re welcome.”
“So, do you have a lot to do today?”
“Yeah. Jim will be here soon, and then we’re going to meet with some suppliers this afternoon. But I’ll be home in time for our date tonight.”
Kelly was still floating from the night before, and the words “our date” sounded particularly promising. She didn’t want to get ahead of herself though, so she simply replied, “Sounds good. I’ll see you later.”
She was about to hang up when Damian said, “Hey, Kell?”
“Yeah?”
“Wear that black one-piece thingy under your clothes tonight. You know the one.”
Kelly squirmed with anticipation, and it was only ten o’clock in the morning! How am I going to make it through the entire day?
“Kell? You still there?”
“Yes, I’m here, and yes, I’ll wear it.” Kelly wondered if the air waves between their cell phones were crackling the way her entire body was.
“Can’t wait,” Damian said, his voice husky.
“Me neither,” Kelly said and then squeaked out a quick goodbye.
Somehow, Kelly made it through the day without bursting into a ball of flames. In between waiting on customers and her other bookstore duties, she thought about Damian. Images from the night before flashed through her mind, along with the sweet words that he had spoken. Even though Kelly felt positive about the future of their relationship, she recalled him warning her that he still had “issues.” She was fairly certain that he was referring to his broken engagement, but she wondered if there was more to it than that. She felt too buoyant to dwell on it, although she made a mental note to dig a little deeper.
Just before the end of the day, Kelly received an email from a college friend of her and Emma’s inviting them and their significant others to a Halloween party in a few weeks’ time. Beth Thompson had lived in the dorm room across the hall from Kelly and Emma at Michigan State, and she had made it a point to have a college friends get-together at least once a year. Kelly read the email twice, noting that costumes were “optional” and that the party would be taking place at Beth’s house in Rochester.
“Hmm. I wonder if Damian would go with me?” Kelly mused aloud. And then she began to visualize Damian dressed up in various costumes. It would have to be something masculine and strong, just like him. Batman, perhaps? A pirate, a police officer, a fireman…a Greek warrior? Kelly was still daydreaming when Emma called.
“Hi, Em,” Kelly answered cheerfully.
“Hi. Just calling to remind you about tonight. The tuxedo fitting is at five-thirty, followed by dinner at the Woodshop.”
“I remember. Hey, did you see the email from Beth Thompson?”
“No. I’m a new mom, remember? I barely have time to take a shower, let alone read my emails.”
“Well, we’re invited to a Halloween party at Beth’s house three weeks from now, and boyfriends and husbands-to-be are invited too.”
“Interesting. Maybe Zack could go as Superman.”
Kelly giggled, since she was in on Emma’s fascination with the superhero and Zack’s collection of Superman underwear. Zack had no idea that Kelly knew, as she was sworn to secrecy. “That’s funny, because I was thinking that Damian would make a good Batman.”
“You could be Catwoman, and I could be Wonder Woman! It’s perfect!”
If Damian liked her in black lingerie, wait until he got a load of her in a Catwoman suit! “Let’s ask the guys at dinner tonight,” Kelly said, and she went back to her daydreaming as soon as she hung up the phone.
Chapter 22
“No way!” Damian said a couple of hours later, once they were seated at the Woodshop restaurant in downtown Clarkston.
“Why not?” Kelly implored.
“Because I’m not the kind of guy who wears tights,” he said emphatically. “Back me up on this, Zack.”
Zack arched his eyebrows at his surly brother. “No can do, bro. I think it sounds like fun to dress up as superheroes.”
“You would,” Damian replied.
Kelly decided to try another tactic. She placed her hand on Damian’s arm and rubbed it gently back and forth. “Wouldn’t you like to see me dressed up as Catwoman?” she purred, leaning into him.
He relaxed his shoulders some, but he still didn’t look convinced. “Not if it means that I have to wear tights,” he said.
Zack interjected. “Your friend said that costumes were optional, right? Well, then the three of us could dress up, and numnuts could just come as himself.”
Damian flipped his brother off, but Kelly grabbed his hand and entwined her fingers with his. “Please, Damian. If you do this for me, I’ll owe you a favor. A big one!”
That seemed to get his attention. “A favor, huh? Anything I want?”
Uh-oh, this had the potential to backfire on her. “Yes. Within
reason,” she added.
The sly smile that spread across Damian’s face reminded her of the Grinch who stole Christmas! “Ok,” he said. “But you guys are my witnesses.” He pointed at Emma and Zack, who were giving each other a high five.
“Yay! This will be so much fun!” Emma enthused.
“Let’s go costume shopping next weekend,” Kelly suggested.
“We’ll ask your parents to babysit,” Emma said to Zack.
Damian glared at his brother. “This is your fault, you know. You were supposed to back me up, but now we’re both going to have to wear tights.”
“Hey, I’m not ashamed to show off my package. If you are, that’s your own problem,” Zack said.
“Damian has a fine package,” Kelly said in his defense, and he just shook his head as Zack and Emma erupted with laughter.
Their orders arrived shortly after that, and they all tucked in with gusto. Kelly and Damian split a rack of barbecued spareribs and mashed potatoes, while Emma and Zack split a steak dinner. Kelly had just speared a hefty chunk of meat with her fork when a shadow came over their table. She glanced up, and there stood Ken looking down on her and her forkful of meat. She quickly set down her fork, and said, “Ken. Hi. Where did you come from?”
“Right over there,” he said, pointing to the table across the aisle, where two other men were seated.
Damian, Zack, and Emma had all stopped eating to watch the transaction unfold.
“I’ve been sitting there the whole time, but you obviously didn’t see me.”
Damian narrowed his eyes at the man, but he kept quiet.
“Um, Ken, this is my…”
“Boyfriend,” Damian finished, standing to his full height. “Damian Kostas.” He stuck out his hand, which Ken reluctantly shook.
“Oh. I see. Well, sorry to bother you, Kelly. I just wanted to come over and say hello.”
“No problem,” Damian replied for her, and then Ken hastily retreated to his table.
“That was bordering on rude,” Kelly hissed at Damian once he sat back down.
“What are you talking about? I shook the guy’s hand.”
“Yeah, but you looked like you wanted to kill him.”
Emma’s eyes went wide, and Zack snickered behind his napkin.
“Well, that’s what Batman does. He eliminates his enemies,” Damian said drily, and then he picked up a sparerib with his bare hands, tore off a chunk with his teeth, and gnawed on it like a dog with a bone.
Kelly couldn’t help it. She busted out in hysterical laughter intermingled with snorting and coughing. Emma joined in, and before long, Damian and Zack were laughing too. They were causing quite a commotion, and the waitress hurried over under the guise of refilling their water glasses, though her true aim was to get them to pipe down.
“Can I get you anything else?” the waitress asked with cool politeness.
“No. Just have the valet pull my Batmobile around,” Damian replied, setting off another round of hysterics.
The waitress left, shaking her head, and Kelly ventured a glance at Ken’s table. He and his friends had stood up and were getting ready to leave. Ken gave Kelly a brief head nod and then walked away looking baffled.
“I feel kind of sorry for him,” Kelly said after they had calmed down. “He’s not a bad guy.”
“Yeah, but you’ve got Batman. Besides, it never would have worked,” Emma said, pointing to the demolished plate of spareribs.
Damian and Zack exchanged a look of confusion.
“Ken’s a vegetarian,” Emma explained.
“He’s not a vegetarian. He’s just into healthy eating,” Kelly said.
Damian smiled broadly and threw his arm around Kelly. “Emma’s right. That never would have worked!”
Later that night, Catwoman brought Batman to his knees when she stripped down to her lacy black teddy.
Damian had walked Kelly up to her apartment and didn’t want for an invitation to come in. He slammed the door behind him, hauled her into his arms, and carried her off to the bedroom. “I can’t wait to see what you’ve got on under there,” he growled before ordering her to strip.
Once their clothes were puddled on the floor, they attacked each other with the same vigor as they had their rib dinner, and afterward, they lay sweaty and breathless in each other’s arms.
“Do you have to work tomorrow?” Damian asked as he fiddled with a strand of her hair.
“No. Brett’s on the schedule. Why?”
“I thought we could spend the day together.”
Kelly turned on her side to face him. “What do you have in mind?”
“Well, how about going to the Henry Ford Museum?”
Kelly idly traced his lightning bolt tattoo. “Hmm. I haven’t been there since I was a kid. I think it was on a sixth-grade field trip.”
“We don’t have to go there. It was just an idea.”
“No. It’s a good idea, especially since you agreed to dress up as Batman for me.”
He gently tugged on the strand of hair he had been playing with. “Exactly. And then next weekend, you can choose what we do.”
Kelly warmed at the idea of her and Damian making plans together. The thought of there even being a “next weekend” with him was a welcome relief from eight months ago, when she had wondered if she would ever see him again. “I like that plan.”
“Good. Now how about this plan? I stay here tonight, and we make love until the wee hours of the morning.”
Kelly wiggled against him. “I like that plan too, as long as we can sleep in.”
“Um-hmm,” Damian mumbled, his head already buried in her neck.
“And you have to go out and buy donuts for us in the morning,” she added.
“Consider it done,” Damian said, dipping his head down to her breasts. He drew a nipple into his mouth and made a loud popping sound when he released it.
“Any other requests?”
“Do that to the other one,” she said and pointed to her other breast.
“Your wish is my command.”
And so it went… First, it was Kelly’s turn to make requests (or demands, depending on her tone of voice), and then it was Damian’s turn. They spent the next few hours rediscovering each other—exploring, playing, laughing, and loving, even if loving wasn’t what they were officially calling it yet. But to Kelly, that was exactly what it was, and when it was time to sleep, she snuggled up against him and drifted off, happy and content.
For the next few weeks, that feeling of contentment continued. Kelly and Damian spent every free moment together, and they had even begun to work together in preparation for Damian’s takeover of Jim’s Custom Cars.
Kelly preferred to come into his shop on the days that Lexie wasn’t working, but occasionally the women crossed paths, only to exchange cool greetings and relieved goodbyes. Damian had broken the news to Lexie that he wouldn’t be keeping her on after graduation, which Lexie quite obviously blamed on Kelly. Kelly had promised Damian to help find a replacement, and she had begun putting out ads for an experienced front-desk clerk. Damian also put Kelly in charge of the initial interview process so she only introduced him to candidates that she felt were qualified for the job. Therefore, all young, attractive women were out of the running from the minute they walked in the door! Kelly thought that she had been pulling the wool over his eyes until, one day, he walked in on her interviewing an attractive, long-legged brunette.
The brunette, who had been a very dull interviewee, perked up considerably when Damian came strutting into the front office.
“Are you here about the job?” Damian asked politely.
“I am,” the leggy brunette purred. “Would you be my boss?”
Kelly rolled her eyes, but Leggy didn’t notice. She was too busy perusing Damian from head to toe.
“If you were hired, then yes,” he replied, shooting Kelly an amused look.
“Well, after I’m done here, I’d be happy to sit down and discuss my crede
ntials with you,” Leggy said.
I just bet you would! Kelly thought. Too bad you’re not going to get that chance!
“I trust my assistant to do all the legwork for me,” Damian said drily. “But good luck.”
When he turned and sauntered away, Leggy stared right at his butt, and Kelly immediately terminated the interview.
A few minutes later, Kelly huffed into the shop, where Damian was polishing the chrome on a ’57 Chevy, and cleared her throat loudly to get his attention.
He shoved the rag into the back pocket of his ripped jeans and said, “Yes, princess?”
Damian had bestowed the nickname on her after he had been repeatedly asked to deliver her favorite breakfast in the mornings before he left for work. Most of the time, she didn’t mind the moniker, but at that moment, it irked her. “You flirted with that woman right in front of me,” she accused, hands on hips.
“I did not,” Damian replied, frowning.
“You did too! You purposely pointed out her legs. Don’t tell me that you didn’t notice them.”
Leggy had shown up for the interview in a short denim skirt, which had been the first strike against her. Everyone knows that’s not how you dress for an interview!
Damian took a few steps closer, but Kelly shot out a hand to warn him to keep his distance. “I noticed, but I just wanted to rile you up,” he said. “And look, it worked!”
Kelly sputtered, her ire rising even higher. “But why? Why would you want to do that?”
“Because you’re fun to tease,” he said and grabbed her by the wrist.
The next thing she knew, Kelly’s back was pressed against the side of the ’57 Chevy, and Damian’s mouth was on her. After a thorough kiss, he broke away and said, “You’re the only one I want, princess. Don’t forget it.”
Two weeks later, Kelly found the perfect replacement for Lexie. Brian Winters was a retired employee of General Motors who had decided that being retired wasn’t exactly what it was cracked up to be. He and his wife had been arguing a lot, and they had reached the conclusion that their relationship was better when he had been working. Kelly took an instant liking to the soft-spoken gray-haired man, and she wanted to hire him on the spot. After Damian met Brian, he agreed, and the man was hired. Since Brian had experience in the auto industry, he would not only man the front desk, but he would be able to help Damian in the shop as well. It was the perfect solution, and Kelly was especially relieved that the interview process was over.
Twice as Tempting Page 15