11. Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Esmerelda
“I want four chapters completed by the next class, there will be a test on it,” Professor Art shouts as everyone clears up their belongings.
No one moans, knowing he’ll add more chapters, which he has done before plenty of times, which only ticks everyone else off in class, though I can see several trying to hide their disdain. I smirk, descend the stairs, ignore everyone around me, and leave the classroom.
Professor Art is the strictest teacher on campus and doesn’t take crap from anyone. He called me out three times during class for being in my own world today and he even locked two students out before they were thirty seconds late.
Trying to concentrate today was not easy, not after the crap Trina caused yesterday and Professor Art noticed. Something no student wants because now I’m on his radar for the wrong reason.
Damn, Trina!
For the first time in my life, I could have hit someone, and I was close, though unfortunately for Trina, I wasn’t her main problem. I swear I have never seen a pregnant woman so mad. Her husband barely said two words to my employee while his wife ordered, didn’t even look her way, and yet she hit on him all because he was wearing a suit and his wife had a rock on her finger.
Trina wants to be kept and doesn’t give a crap if the man she snaps up with is married or has a baby on the way, but the fact she actually went to attack the pregnant woman causing the man to stand in between them, was shocking and of course, Trina doesn’t like to be told no so the man protecting his wife only pissed her off more. She threw, actually threw, plates before grabbing the tray I brought through full of baked goods and smashed it down on my mother’s counter, breaking the glass before attempting to leap at the pregnant woman.
Mom loved that counter, and I cherished it.
Over the years, parts of the bakery have evolved, but that counter was hers, and Trina smashed it all because a married man didn’t pay any attention to her proving to everyone that she is indeed crazy.
My eyes tear and I put my head down as I walk to the exit, happy dad persuaded me to keep the bakery closed today with how shot my nerves are.
While eating last night, Damian took my phone and called my dad, explaining everything he had walked in on. Dad demanded the bakery stay closed, so I did something I thought I’d never do and I handed Damian the keys so his friend could fix the glass on the counter.
Knowing I won’t be going into the bakery today, my nerves are shot, I itch to be in the kitchen, to keep business alive and considering Dad rang this morning and said he was taking the day off work to spend it with Aiden, I’m lost on what to do.
I’m caught up on all my schoolwork, heck I don’t even need to read the four chapters on finances because I’ve already read them.
What on earth am I going to do?
“Hey,” a voice says from my right as I reach the door. I look up and lock eyes with Cody, and I smile.
“Hey, friend,” I whisper, and his eyes soften as he wraps his arm over my shoulders, and I lean into him.
“How are you doing?” he asks, and I shrug and admit, “I’m not sure. I feel a little lost.”
“Do you want me to cancel on Haley?” he asks and can’t help but smile a little as I shake my head.
“No,” I say sternly, “she already hates that we’re friends, and I get it, I do, but I don’t want her to think something is going on when there isn’t.”
Cody sighs as he opens the door and guides me out of it, not removing his arm. Students pass us, and some look our way, but I don’t pay attention, my mind is too frazzled.
I don’t know what it feels like to have free time. Normally if I’m not at school or the bakery I have Aiden and I won’t allow Cody to cancel on Haley, I’m not that type of girl. He may be my best friend, but he’s her boyfriend and technically my ex so she has to come first not me.
“Well, I’m definitely never going to have another chance,” Cody jokes out of the blue.
I furrow my brows and look up at him. He smiles softly before tilting his head towards the parking lot. I look and pause mid-step on the stairs as my heart clenches. Leaning against his matte black Harley, his shades on his face, Damian’s sole focus is on me.
“How did he know I was here?” I whisper in awe, and Cody snorts before admitting, “I told him when I called him knowing not working today will be hard on you,” I look at Cody in shock, and he shrugs, “I knew you wouldn’t want me to cancel on Haley and he gave me his number when he came to speak to your dad three days ago in case there was a problem, and well, I believe this is a problem he can fix.” Cody kisses my head and mumbles, “Go be happy Ess…”
I nod and squeeze his waist with gratitude before I walk away without saying a word, focusing solely on the man waiting for me, who makes my heart race.
Damian tilts his head as I approach him, but I don’t know what he’s thinking, especially since his eyes are covered by those shades. It makes me feel a little uneasy. I know seeing Cody with his arm over my shoulder probably pissed him off, and I don’t know how to feel about that, knowing I may have hurt his feelings even though we’ve only had one date.
Clearing my throat, I squash the weird feelings running through me and stop before him.
I raise my brow, and he smirks as he says, “I thought we could go for a ride.”
I smile back and retort, “I thought men usually waited a week before contacting a girl again after a date.”
He grins and replies, “Only idiots,” and I laugh before I eye the bike.
I’ve never been on one before, and honestly, as fun as they seem, I kind of value my life…
I bite my bottom lip and look around, feeling eyes on me. I clear my throat, seeing several girls openly staring at Damian and looking at me up and down, which makes me uneasy.
“Come for a ride with me, Essy,” Damian says again, and I look at him with my heart in my throat.
This man is not playing around, he’s proved that by showing up here.
“I’ve never been on a bike before,” I admit, then look down at my outfit, wondering if it’s appropriate.
Sneakers, jeans, and a strappy flowy top.
Hmmm, won’t I be too cold?
“You are perfect, now, come climb on,” he says and I look at him again and watch as he removes his leather jacket and holds it out for me.
Oh wow.
He smirks and raises a brow, and I swallow hard as I step forward and turn, dropping my bag to the floor before allowing him to help me put his jacket on.
I shrug it on my shoulders and tilt my head down a little. I inhale, and a sense of home fills me, making me ease a little.
“Come on, angel,” he says, and I blink before bending down and picking my bag up, putting the strap back on my shoulder, and turning towards Damian. He holds his hand out to me, and I take a deep breath and slowly take hold of his large palm. His warmth instantly soothes me before he pulls me into him, making me gasp as the upper half of my body falls against his.
Without missing a beat, Damian leans down and gently caresses my lips and like last night, after he dropped me off at the bakery where my car was, I feel contentment again.
He was such a gentleman. He walked me to my car, kissed me goodnight, then waited until I drove off to leave. We spent the evening talking and laughing over spaghetti and meatballs.
It was perfect, and I didn’t want it to end, something I’d never felt before.
“Hey,” he mumbles, and I smile against his lips and reply, “Hey,” making him smirk as he pulls back.
Smiling, I look around him and at his bike, and my smile slowly fades before I bite my bottom lip, fear seeping in.
“You’ve got this, angel,” he says, and I look at him, “I’ll help you on, and once I’m on, hold me around my waist, keep your feet on the pegs, and don’t touch the pipes.”
Fear hits me, but I nod, allowing him to guide me closer to his bike and suddenly I can feel my body begin to tremble. He squeezes my hand tighter and helps me on, I take a deep breath as I look over the machine I’m straddling.
It’s intimidating, that is for sure.
“Pass me your bag,” Damian says. I allow him to take it from my shoulder and watch as he puts it in his side saddle before he climbs on the bike in front of me. I gasp as the bike wobbles a little, then quickly scoot forward and grip his hips, making him chuckle.
He wraps my hands around his waist, and I gasp, “I don’t have a helmet!”
“You don’t need one. I promise you’ll be safe,” he replies and starts his bike. The vibrations shoot through my body, shocking me.
I hear a chuckle and I look to my right, and make eye contact with Cody.
His girlfriend stands beside him, jumping on the balls of her feet, while Cody gives me an encouraging smile. I take a deep breath, put my head on Damian's back, and close my eyes.
I know a lot of people are watching, but I ignore them as Damian revs his bike and pulls away from the curb, making me gasp and grip him tighter, trying my hardest not to cause an accident.
As we get halfway down the road, I feel Damian gently rub my hands and I swallow hard before slowly opening my eyes but not loosening my grip. Shops and people are a blur, and the wind whips around me. Suddenly, peace washes over me. There are no worries, pain, or stress, only peace as the storefronts blur into trees, and I understand the need to ride.
Damian rides for about half an hour before turning down a dirt path and shouts, “Hold on tighter!”
I listen as we hit the first bump and gasp, praying I don’t fall off.
Okay, so I did loosen a little during the ride, forgetting the no helmet thing, but now, I think my whole body has locked up again…
After losing Mom, I learned life is precious and riding without a helmet on the road like this is stupid. Meaning I’m silly because I went all googly eyes on this fine specimen of a man – stupid hormones.
For nearly five minutes, I stay gripping Damian like a damn koala bear with my forehead against his back before he finally pulls over. I still don’t move, keeping my grip on him, and he chuckles, “You can open your eyes now, angel,” as he gently rubs my clasped hands over his waist.
I take deep breaths, trying to calm my shaking, before I slowly lift my head and look to my right. My eyes widen at the vision before me, the lake shining in the sun and trees surrounding it, and I loosen my grip on Damian.
“Oh wow,” I whisper, sitting up straight before Damian climbs off his bike. I don’t move, though, even as it wobbles a little, too mesmerized, and I ask, “Where are we?”
I never knew something like this existed in Hopeton.
“We’re about fifteen miles outside of town, and this is my thinking place,” he replies. I look at him and find his sole focus on me instead of the scenery. He smiles, “I wanted to bring you somewhere that means something to me.”
Damian looks at me like I’m his whole world and would disappear if he ever looked away, which is just… Wow. We’ve only had one date, we’ve only known each other for a week, and yet he’s looking at me that way, bringing me to his special place.
The man is guaranteeing that he embeds himself in my heart, and honestly, it’s working, which is scary as hell.
Smiling bashfully, I look back at the lake away from his intense gaze as my stomach tightens.
If I thought riding was peaceful, this place is amazing.
“Want to go for a walk with me, angel?” Damian asks and I look at him again and smile slightly.
“Why do you keep calling me that?” I question him instead of answering him, and he smirks.
He replies, “Because that is what you are, an angel.” I tilt my head, and he smiles, “You lost the most important person to you, and instead of falling apart, you stood by your father and helped him raise your brother while running your mother's bakery and staying afloat. Instead of holding a grudge against your ex-boyfriend, you became his friend. You, Essy, are an angel.”
My eyes tear, his words so goddamn sweet.
I sniffle and rasp, “You’ll make me cry.”
He smiles softly and murmurs, “Well, we can’t have that, can we?” before walking over to me.
Gently, he takes my leg and brings it around while holding my hips so that I don’t fall, making me gasp in shock before he stands between my legs and cups my cheek. My hands automatically grip his sides as his thumb softly moves side to side on my cheek and our eyes lock.
Sparks fly between us and even if I wanted to look away, I wouldn’t be able to as I stay locked in his intense gaze, my heart pounding, my stomach fluttering.
“In the past week I’ve known you, Essy, I’ve found you to be the sweetest girl I’ve ever met, and I don’t plan on letting you go,” he admits before pressing his lips against mine. I melt instantly, opening my mouth for his tongue before he tangles it with my own as my grip on his shirt tightens.
We kiss gently and softly before he mutters, “Fuck, where have you been all my life,” against my lips, then kisses me again harder and I wrap my arms around his neck and mumble back, “I’ve been right here waiting for you,” and I kiss him again, my tongue tangling with his and my whole body lights up as his grip on my cheek tightens and he wraps an arm around my waist, underneath his jacket, to hold me to him.
He says he’ll never be able to let me go after a week of knowing me, but what he needs to understand is that I’ll never let him let me go.
He’s mine.