𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇 𝐌𝐄

𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞

damian

four months later

My legs ached as I took another step, nearing my apartment. The semester hasn't even started yet but Coach already had our team training hardcore. And since it was my last year of college, I had to make it count. It was a bit fucking hard when the weather was a thousand degrees hot, though.

I almost dropped the gym bag on my sore feet trying to get my keycard out to open the front door. Nerves raced through my body as the bouquet of flowers and a velvet red jewelry box shook in my hands, the gifts threatening to fall. It's officially been a year since I've met Carmen. Most people celebrate their anniversary from when the relationship started, but this was special enough for me.

July 29th. The day I met Carmen. My mama's death date. My birthday.

Fucking hell that was a lot to take in all at once.

Scanning the keycard against the metal, my door unlocked with a click and automatically opened, my eyebrows raising immediately. A pair of shoes I'm too familiar with caught my gaze as I shut the door with my back, dropping the bags. Hustling came from the kitchen with the mix of pots and pans clashing with each other and there was only one guess as to who that could be.

I had given the spare keycard to Carmen a month back, so when she came early in the morning-which is what she loved to do most times, instead of me having to force myself to wake up, Carmen could climb back into bed with me.

A smirk settled onto my face as I leaned on a wooden beam, watching my angel as she worked. Dressed in only my T-shirt that reached her mid thighs, Carmen was running around the kitchen trying to balance all the food she was cooking at once. Bruiser was perched on the floor beside her, a bored expression in his eyes except for when she occasionally dipped down to feed him.

"Although this is unexpected, I can't say that I'm complaining about this view in front of me." I could feel my hard on growing already, fucks sake.

Carmen jumped round with wide eyes, releasing a heavy breath when she saw me. "Damian. You scared me, I thought it was someone else."

"Please, don't stop on my account." I raised my hands in the air and walked over to Carmen, dropping the gifts on the island counter as I wrapped my arms around her waist and lifted her body up. She straddled her legs and I set her down on the island, opening the lid of a pan. "What are you making?"

She bit on her lip and looked disappointed. "I was trying to recreate your mama's falafel recipe but it went a bit wrong. Again." SInce I had dug out my mom's recipe book, we had tried countless times to attempt a dish but it always failed, due to neither of us knowing how to cook.

I kissed Carmen's lips while a small laugh escaped me, and a foul smell that was from the food reached my nose. "I'll still eat the food, since you made it." Even if I had to force the burnt meal down, I would finish every crumb on the plate.

"It's fine." She refused, turning the stove off.

"At least we still have the cake?" I offered.

Her shoulders sunk in defeat even more as she looked around nervously, smacking her lips. "So about that...I may have burnt the cake. But, I had a feeling that would happen so I brought a backup from the bakery. That may have to be our dinner for tonight, sorry."

"It's fine, baby. I'm just happy you're here with me." Normally, I would get pissed if anyone tried celebrating my birthday with me, even Maikel knew not to go there. There were always bad memories associated with it. But now, I could already feel my day going better just by spending five minutes with my girlfriend. Maybe I could celebrate my birthday again.

"Happy birthday, baby!" Carmen exclaimed, wrapping her arms around my neck excitedly. I whispered a quick thank you in her ears, genuinely meaning it.

"Baby?" I shot her a look.

"I'm trying it out." She shrugged and I suddenly knew I was keeping this girl forever.

I reached over and grabbed the gifts, placing them in her hand. "Happy one year."

"It's not my birthday."

"My birthday is your birthday." That sentence made no sense and she knew it, but the anticipation was killing me. I hoped she liked it, but judging by the Tiffany necklace Carmen wore everyday, I had a feeling she would.

Slowly, she unwrapped the paper and untied the bow, mouth agape when she read the writing. "I hate you." She breathed out and I grinned. "I can't believe this, what the heck?"

Gold engravings of Cartier shone in the light and she ran a finger across the writing, shaking her head. "You're keeping it so you better like it. Open it so I know for sure."

With trembling hands, Carmen lifted open the velvet box and I swear I saw her eyes almost pop out of their sockets. A gold bracelet in typical Cartier style laid there, waiting to be worn. I took it out of the case and lifted her hand, sliding it onto her wrist with ease. "It looks beautiful."

"Because it's on you." I corrected her.

"I love it. And I love you." She pulled me in for a long kiss. "Wait! I almost forgot your birthday present. Lift up my shirt."

I slowly lifted up the white T-shirt, trying my best to ignore the lacy thong that looked like nothing Carmen would buy. It was baby pink and concealed barely anything. Fuck me.

Balancing the shirt on her matching bra, I stared down at just under her tit for a solid two minutes. "No fucking way." I darted out a finger to stroke the clingfilm but she stopped me, swatting my hand away.

"You can't touch it. It's still sore."

"You're shitting me, right?" I asked, still in disbelief. My heart was racing now, in a good way, and all negative thoughts about my birthday were pushed out of the window.

"Happy birthday. Do you like it?" Carmen spoke.

"I fucking love it. What the fuck?"

"I thought if you could get one, why shouldn't I? Now we match." Carmen smiled, looking down at the ink. Damian was tattooed in cursive just under the curve of her skin, the writing feeling like fucking gold to me.

I stepped back to get a better look, smiling loads when the reality settled in. She was really mine. All mine. "I love it so fucking much, angel, thank you." My eyes weren't leaving the tattoo except when I noticed the pink bra again. "You're wearing lingerie?"

"Maybe." She muttered and I could tell she was nervous.

"Since when?"

"Nila brought it for me for my birthday." I nodded, making sure to remember to thank her best friend later on. I looked back and forth between the fridge and my beautiful girlfriend, weighing up the decisions.

"Fuck it." I groaned, picking Carmen up and throwing her over my shoulders so her ass was right next to my face,

She squealed, hitting my back. "Damian! What are you doing?"

"Going to get a better look of the lingerie you're wearing, of course." I hinted and it didn't take long for her to realize what I meant. She giggled, the sound bringing joy to my body as I carried her to my bedroom.

"Best fucking birthday ever." I declared.

THE ACTUAL END.

a/n

go check out my author's note on the next chapter!

love you all❤️

rae