damien the irresistible

03 - DAMIEN THE IRRESISTIBLE

don't... don't drag me for my absence.

03 - DAMIEN THE IRRESISTIBLE

For the first time in forever, I rose in time with the sun. It was one of those rare welcoming wakings where the urge to fall back asleep wasn't present; energy buzzing beneath the surface despite the fair amount used up before. The light peaked through the guest bedroom's window, and lured me up rather than forced.

A lucky thing, too, considering my appearance: specifically, the remnants of last night's affair. Per that possessive bastard, there was a palette of hickies on my skin. Red splotches with undertones of purple scattered across my décolletage and neck, mainly on my pulse. The marks wouldn't disappear for days, and there was no wearing a turtleneck in the heat.

With Danielle's tendency to burst into my room, I had dodged a bullet by getting up early enough to hide it. The last thing I needed was her asking questions, especially since it was an one time thing. No matter how good it felt, much needed it was, that thing between her brother and me was over. While I couldn't bring myself to regret the initial action, I was intent on not repeating it.

When we were in high school, I had justified it. The root reason why Dani forbade romance between her friends and her brother was because of instances where girls befriended her in order to get next to him. Because she and I became best friends in spite of my hatred for him, I thought it was fine—especially since it was just sex.

The problem now was the whole reason for spending the summer here was to rekindle our friendship. Although it was my only true concern, it still seemed wrong to be with him like that. Not to mention, if she found out, she'd automatically think that he was the reason why I wanted to strengthen our bond. It wouldn't matter about years of tightness, only that I betrayed her which was absolutely fair.

Therefore I refused to jeopardize our relationship for sex with an asshole who left me.

I didn't even glance at his door when I crept out of my room, phone in hand. With every step of the stairs, I listed every pet peeve of mine he got under—a long list, I assure you. The beach house was still, brother and sister both sound asleep. Based on that, I assumed I was the only one up until I entered the kitchen.

My eyebrows pulled. "Camille?" I recognized the woman perched on the kitchen counter, gaze shifting from her phone to me, blinking surprisedly.

Her back rested against a cabinet, thumb paused in its scrolling. Her thick, kinky curls were tamed by two messily done cornrows; her face was bare, nonetheless flawless and smooth. Instead of the bikini she wore yesterday, she was clad in a pajama set I realized belonged to Dani.

"Hey," she spoke in that honeyed voice, cool as a cucumber, a jut of her chin in acknowledgment. "So, you're the earlier riser, huh?"

My face screwed up in disgust. "God, no. This is an anomaly. I usually sleep until 12PM," I clarified and went for the fridge. "Dani, she's the early bird."

At the mention, her lips tilted up. "Yeah. She told me to spend the night, didn't want me to leave while under the influence so I thought I'd bake her brownies as a thanks," she answered my unasked question, a prideful twist to her words.

I laughed before quickly covering my mouth; an action she raised a thick, arched brow at. I sighed, wistful, shaking my head. "Straight girls," I said, pointing a finger at her, "will break your heart."

Her head cocked, a flash of frown before impassiveness took over. "And I think Damien will break yours."

For a moment, I was stunned. Once I recovered, all goodwill and humor vanished. I shut the fridge door without looking, my eyes narrowing in on her. "I think you don't know what the fuck you're talking about."