Should Have Not Asked - New Adult Romance (Wattys 2014)

Chapter 23 - Grey and Dull

Chapter 23 – Grey and Dull

Damien leans over, eases himself up into a sitting position, and gawks at my ashen white face. He studies me like how a newborn watches his mother with total curiosity and wonder.

There's no use of hiding, I am already exposed — my bare face entirely blazing with trails of fire everywhere.

Oh, God, what did I just do?

His arm lands across my waist to support me in case I fall back into the couch. Not a very good idea since it renders me helpless.

I hear my heart hammer against my chest, screaming for a way out, exhausted for always being the victim of denial. I lost the strength, the energy, and even the confidence to stay away from him. Not after what I did a while ago, and with him this close to me again. The only logical way to react to this is to climb off the couch and pretend that I was dreaming when I did it.

But before my brain cells can begin to look for an escape, Damien has already trapped me with his lips crashing into mine. The unexpected connection emits electrifying current from where his mouth is to my limbs and deep down into my stomach that I can no longer distinguish if it's air in there or just simply the growling of a hungry stomach. He isn't kissing me like a wild beast would. Damien is as gentle as I was when I kissed him like a graceful ballerina carefully tiptoeing at the beat of the music. And it's the gentleness that compels me to not stop him from doing what he's doing.

I know I shouldn't have lost myself there.

I know I should have fought the temptation to feel those lips on mine. I know what I did was wrong.

But it feels so wonderful, I can't blame myself for enjoying it and at the same time want more of it.

As the kiss breaks, I find myself shyly and gauchely gasping for air. I feel like I'm at the edge of the cliff about to fall, but with Damien behind me ready anytime to hoist me up.

Our noses brush each other briefly, our foreheads touch, and with one quick look, his mouth curves with contentment.

"That wasn't hard, was it, Angel?" he asks, still holding my face with his hand.

My throat dries as I feel him kiss me on the forehead. It's only Dad who does this to me, and now him.

"My Angel," he whispers, smiling, with both his hands cupping my face and his fingers caressing my cheeks, assuring me that I am already his.

Our travel back to the city seemed to be dreadfully long. Neither one of us was speaking. The sound of horns and screeching tires became my companion for an hour. The traffic jam near downtown area made it worse. I didn't even dare move to my left as I was afraid Damien would start a conversation. There's nothing much different between riding the car this morning and tonight. An awkward silence fills us, and endless sighing indicates that both of us are expecting something nicer to happen before the night ends. I have no idea if Damien likes this gap between us, but he isn't doing anything to alleviate the situation.

Honestly, I am a little disappointed. Where is the loud and playful Damien Etheridge when highly needed? I want him to appear and just knock this deafening silence away. This is the best time to annoy me with his mischievous remarks.

When we finally reach home, his car pulls up right in front of our gate. I quickly loosen my seatbelt and open the door before Damien could walk out of the driver seat and open the door for me. Yes, I'm a little flushed and dazed after what happened in his library, but I am not completely incapacitated.

"Thank you for the ride home," I utter in one quick sentence without even meeting his eyes.

"Angel?" His voice has this power to seize attention. He goes on, "We can't always be like this. I understand you, believe me, I do. And I won't force you to accept changes right away, but always remember that nothing in this world can make me stay away from you. And I hope you do the same for me."