Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Geraldine
I shuffled into the kitchen, my bare feet slapping the cool wood floor, and the smell of coffee and bacon hit me as I rubbed sleep from my eyes.
The morning sun streamed through the window and lit up the room, and Damian was already there and stood at the stove in jeans and a gray t-shirt, flipping strips in a skillet.
My legs still felt wobbly from what went down in the laundry room an hour ago, and my skin tingled where he’d touched me.
I shouldn’t be feeling this flutter in my chest or this heat creeping up my neck, but it was there and sneaked in like an uninvited guest. I grabbed a mug from the counter and poured some coffee, and slid into a chair at the table, le and tried to act normal.
“Morning again,” I said and took a sip, the bitter warmth waking me up. “Are you on breakfast duty solo today?”
“It looks like it,” he said and glanced over his shoulder, his voice steady but softer than usual. “Cosmo and Christian left me to fend for myself. Are you hungry?”
“I’m starving,” I said and leaned back, and stretched my arms over my head. “You’re spoiling me with bacon. Be careful because I might get used to this.”
“Don’t,” he said and turned back to the skillet, but I caught the corner of his mouth twitching and almost smiled. “It’s a one-time deal.”
“Sure it is,” I said and grinned and set my mug down. “You’re too good at this grumpy chef thing. I bet you secretly love it.”
He snorted and shook his head and piled bacon onto a plate with some scrambled eggs he’d already cooked. “You talk too much,” he said and slid the plate in front of me and grabbed one for himself, and sat across the table.
“Someone’s gotta fill the silence,” I said idly, and picked up a strip of bacon and crunched into it. “You’re not exactly Chatty Cathy without those two around.”
“Peace is nice,” he said and dug into his eggs, his fork scraping the plate. “You should try it sometime.”
“Nah,” I said and waved the bacon at him. “Quiet’s boring. Besides, I’ve got three days to bug you. I gotta make it count.”
He looked up, his dark eyes locked on mine, and there it was again, that flutter, sharp and quick, and made my heart thump faster than it should.
“Good luck with that,” he said, his voice low, and the way he held my gaze sent a jolt through me.
I swallowed hard and forced a laugh,,h and tried to shake it off.
“Watch me,” I said and leaned forward, and rested my chin on my hand. “I bet I can get a real laugh out of you before breakfast is over. You’re not as tough as you think.”
“I doubt it,” he said and took a bite and chewed slow, but his lips twitched again, and I saw my opening.
“Okay, tough guy,” I said and leaned closer, dropping my voice like I was telling a secret.
“Picture this: Cosmo tried to charm a cow into the truck yesterday. He’s out there and sweet-talked it like it’s a date, and the thing just stared at him and chewed grass.
Christian’s dying laughing, and Cosmo goes, ‘What? She’s into me! ”
Damian’s mouth quirked, and then it happened: a low, rough laugh broke out, short but real, and he shook his head. “Idiot,” he said, and still chuckled. “That sounds about right.”
“See?” I said and clapped my hands, and grinned widely. “I told you I’d get you. You’re not stone-cold after all.”
“Don’t get cocky,” he said, but he smiled now, small and crooked, and my heart did that stupid thump again and was loud in my ears.
His eyes crinkled at the corners, and the way he looked at me, warm and unguarded, made my stomach flip.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. I was just playing and messed with him like I did with Cosmo and Christian, but every little reaction from him hit different and tugged at something I didn’t want to name.
“Too late,” I said, and grabbed another piece of bacon and tried to keep it light. “I’m unstoppable now. Next, I’ll have you singing show tunes.”
“Hell no,” he said and laughed again, sharper this time, and leaned back in his chair. “You’re pushing it.”
“Maybe,” I said and smirked, but my chest tightened as he relaxed, his shoulders loosened, and his whole vibe softened.
Every sound he made and every shift in his face had my pulse racing, and I couldn’t shake it.
I popped the bacon in my mouth and chewed slowly, and watched him sip his coffee, his Adam’s apple moving as he swallowed.
It was dumb, way too dumb, how much I liked looking at him right now.
“You’re staring,” he said,lhiq, set his mug down, and caught me off guard.
“I am not,” I said quickly, but heat crept up my face, and I grabbed my coffee to cover it. “I’m just making sure you don’t choke on that ego of yours.”
“Sure,” he said and smirked, and leaned forward a little. “Keep telling yourself that.”
“Jerk,” I said and kicked his shin under the table, light but enough to make him grunt.
He laughed again, and there it was, my heart slammed against my ribs like it was trying to break out.
I couldn’t stop it and couldn’t play it off.
This wasn’t just fun anymore. I finished my eggs quickly and needed to move, and stood up and grabbed my plate.
“Are you done already?” he asked and raising an eyebrow, and still ate.
“Yeah,” I said and rinsed my plate in the sink, and kept my back to him. “I’m gonna call Hazel. I need to catch up with her.”
“Alright,” he said and leaned back, his voice casual. “Tell her hi.”
“I will do,” I said and walked out, my bare feet quiet on the floor as I headed upstairs.
My room was cool and dim, and I shut the door and flopped onto the bed with my phone.
That breakfast left me rattled with his laugh and his smile and the way my stupid heart wouldn’t quit.
I dialed Hazel, and she picked up fast, her voice chipper.
“Geri! Finally,” she said, and I could hear her grin. “What’s up? Are you surviving the cowboy life?”
“Barely,” I said, and propped myself on an elbow and stared at the ceiling. “Cosmo and Christian are gone for three days on some work thing, so it’s just me and Damian now.”
“No way,” she said, and her voice perked up. “You alone with the broody one? Spill it.”
I laughed, but it came out shaky, and I rolled onto my side. “It’s been wild. I thought I was just playing, you know? Messing with them like usual. Cosmo’s a flirt, Christian’s chill, and Damian’s this grumpy wall I wanted to crack. But something’s off now.”
“How?” she asked, and I could picture her leaning in, all ears.
“With Damian,” I said, and picked at the quilt. “We, uh, hooked up this morning. In the laundry room. It was hot, like crazy hot, and I figured it’d just be fun, no big deal. But then at breakfast, he’s laughing, smiling, and I’m sitting there with my heart going nuts every time he looks at me.”
“Wait, hold up,” she said, and her voice jumped. “You banged the serious one? And now you’re catching feelings?”
“I don’t know,” I said and groaned and flopped onto my back again. “That’s the thing. I wasn’t supposed to. It was just a game, right? Push his buttons, get a rise out of him. But he laughed at this dumb story I told, and it’s like my chest exploded. Every time he smirks or talks, I’m a mess.”
“Oh my God, Geri,” she said and laughed, loud and bright. “You’re falling for him. This is gold.”
“I’m not falling,” I said quick and sat up. “I can’t be. I’m leaving soon, my car’s almost fixed. This is just me being stupid.”
“Sounds like falling to me,” she said, and I could hear her smirking. “You’ve got the hots bad if his laugh’s doing that to you.”
“Shut up,” I said, but I couldn’t help grinning. “It’s not like that. I just… I don’t know what’s happening. I’m not supposed to feel this way. It’s Damian, for God’s sake. He’s all gruff and bossy.”
“And hot,” she said. “You said it yourself. Maybe you’re into the whole strong, silent thing.”
“Maybe,” I said and sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “But it’s freaking me out. I was fine with Cosmo flirting and Christian being sweet. That was easy. This? It’s different.”
“Different’s good,” she said, and her tone softened. “You’re stuck there anyway. See where it goes. Three days is plenty of time.”
“Yeah,” I said and chewed my lip. “Guess I’ll figure it out. Just don’t tell anyone I’m freaking over this, okay?”
“My lips are sealed,” she said. “Call me tomorrow. I need more.”
“Fine,” I said and hung up, tossing the phone aside. I stared at the wall, my heart still thumping too fast. Hazel was right about one thing—it was different. And I had no clue what to do with it.