“Trevor’s gig?” she followed up with a chuckle. “Best pickup spot for the rich and famous.”
Her comment made me laugh and I nearly snorted out my drink. That made her laugh too and for the first time in a long time, I got to spend a moment with a hot chick without taking our clothes off. It was honestly a little refreshing.
“Yeah, I spend way too much time there lately,” I admitted. “There are so many girls throwing themselves at me now.”
Emilia looked at me as she sipped her drink then said, “You know, you’re a little different.”
“What? How so?”
“You seem a little more… I don’t know, mature?” she stumbled with the words and I giggled at how cute she was. “Back then you couldn’t last five minutes talking to a girl before slipping her out of her panties. We’ve been talking like this for days now and you’re surprisingly behaving yourself.”
I didn’t know if I was supposed to be insulted by that or honored. She just called me an uncontrollable playboy. Sure, it was true but did she really have to say it?
“I just wanted to spend some time with you,” I told her, hoping I’d wrestle my way properly through this conversation. “Last time we were together you told me you had this big crush on me. I just wanted to get to see why. I want to know you – genuinely know you, not just what’s underneath the cute dress.”
Emilia blushed and I had to bite down on my own lip to hide my excitement and glee. She was just so damn adorable. I then reached forward and grabbed her hand. As soon as my fingertips touched her skin I felt this odd spark surge through my body and I just glanced at her with this uneasy – but warm – sensation swelling in me.
4
Emilia
“Huh?” I mumbled out when he held my hand. It was shocking but at the same time, I felt giddy inside. It was like being back in college and how I’d jump a little bit with joy inside every time he would look my way.
“You are single, right?” he asked, just to clarify.
I nodded frantically and pondered about sliding my hand out from his. I just couldn’t do it though and instead flipped it around so I could squeeze his. “Why is that relevant all of a sudden?”
“Let’s pick things up where we left them,” he told me.
I scoffed and this time I did pull my hand out, “Where we left off? You fucked me and then drove me home. I texted you all week but you never cared to reply even once. I called you to let you know I was leaving the country and you didn’t even pick up the phone.”
Damon looked at me with hurt eyes and I could have sworn there was a tear swelling. He brushed it off quickly and then told me, “I know that. That’s why I’m trying to fix things by being the better man this time.”
Being the better man? Maybe he was indeed being a bit more mature. How could I really know though? I wasn’t going to just blurt out the truth about him and Jeremy unless I saw he was man enough to take hold of that responsibility.
“How do you plan on fixing things?” I asked him. I finished my milkshake and leaned back on my seat to get a better study of his face.
Damon did not disappoint. “I want to know you – genuinely, know you – and your kid too. No sex unless you’re the one who starts it. I promise you that.”
I bit down on my lip and nodded, “That sounds nice. Okay, then.”
“We’re officially dating?” he was like a kid who got to see the grand finale of fireworks on the Fourth of July.
“Yeah,” I answered. “Don’t expect me to tell you I love you or anything, that’s fucking ridiculous… but we are going out. You can have that much.”
Damon nodded and got up from his seat. He moved around the table and scooted me over so he could then sit by my side. As soon as he did I nearly drooled at how damn good he smelled. I was so tempted to bury my face in his chest and let him squeeze me in with a good hug.
“There is one other important rule: don’t you dare fucking date, flirt or fuck with some other chick while we’re together,” I reminded him. “Those playboy antics – throw ‘em out the window.”
He laughed and wrapped an arm around me, “I promise you I won’t cheat or even look at another woman.”
I nestled into his embrace and just soaked in the moment. He was being so sweet it was hard not to just let it happen. I then asked, “What do you want to know first – other than details about Jeremy.”
“What are your hobbies?” he asked me. “I mean, I don’t know what you’re really into. When we were in college you buried your face in books like a nerd. That’s why I barely ever noticed you – you were a damn fly on the wall.”
That caught me a little off-guard. Maybe I was a little too shy back in college. I just focused on studying so I could get the heck out of school and move on with life.
“You really want to know?” I answered with a grin. “I love going outdoors. Hiking, mountain climbing, rapid-water rafting and camping out in the woods are the kind of activities for me.”