Faking it with Damian Black by Louise Jane

Chapter 13

-MILLIE-

After that scorching k*ss in front of my apartment, a constant buzz has been

wheezing in my head. This felt like an out of my b*dy experience, an astral

projection, and I had no idea how to navigate this reality or to return to my

b*dy.

I couldn’t help looking at Damian’s elegant long fingers clutching his burger; my

eyes were glued to his mouth with each. bite, practically salivating as he licked

off the tiny smear of cheese from his l*ps. I remember how that mouth tasted,

how those l*ps felt, and how those fingers grabbedas if he owned me, how

he ‘marked his territory.

Damian broughtto a popular rooftop bar in the city. We were treated as VIPs

as soon as we entered the premises. 1 learned later that Damian and his team

designed the renovation of the establishment, and he personally knew the

owner.

Star-like lights hung above us, dangling with each whisper of the wind. Lanterns

littered the fioor, creating the illusion of an enchanted walk path. Tiny candle-

shaped LED lights were atop the tables, matching the glowing lamps sc attered

around us. Soft jazz music crooned from the speaker. The summer night

temperature pleasantly caresses my hair.

We each finished a burger. A glass of beer, a medium basket of fries, and a plate

of greens remained on our table.

“This place is cozy,” I commented, looking anywhere but at the man across from

me. I’d avoided eye contact with Damian, only looking at him when he spoke.

The butterfiies in my belly were relentless, zapping my insides with their tiny

wings cach twe locked gaze. It’s throwingoff my equilibrium.

It doesn’t help that Damian looked devilishly handsin faded jeans and an

ocean-hued button-down shirt, the first three buttons were undone, the sleeves

rolled up his forearms, and the fabric stretched to accommodate his toned

muscles. His hair was a crown of a beautiful mess, framing his stubble-covered

jaws.

If we were in a different scenario, tonight would’ve made my top five romantic

dates.

“It’s a good place for business talks, Damian replied, remindingthat this

wasn’t a date.

Unlike me, he’d been watchingall night. If his eyes could shoot fire, I swear I

would suffer from third-degree burns by now, I don’t know what his gwas,

but I already said yes to his deal. The more tI spend alone with him, the

stronger this urge to rise and leave and hide in my apartment gets.

He doesn’t makefeel uncomfortable. Damian was the perfect gentleman all

night. It’s my heart I couldn’t control. It’s been drumming wildly. If my date

would investigate, he’d see the pulse on my n*eck drumming

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“Cool,” I said, reaching for my untouched beer, finally taking a few sips. I

promised never to get drunk, so I am careful with my alcohol intake. “Then let’s

talk business.”

The quicker we finished this meeting, the sooner I’d be able to breathe. No

matter how many deep breaths I pull in and puff out, there’s a tension in my

b*dy that won’t go away.

“I wouldn’t have brought you here if I knew you’d say yes,” he stated as a matter

of fact.

My gaze darted to him from the perspiration on my glass.

He thought I’d decline? At least he wasn’t as self-assured as he appeared.

He sinirked. “I thought this was a business meeting.”

“Isn’t it?” My brows curled, throat going parched under his intense stare. What is

it with him tonight? He’s been extra intense. I don’t remember him being like

this back in high school. But I do remember this sheat from him on

Saturday night.

“You said yes.” He leaned back on the leather seat, his powerful thighs spread

wide under the frosted glass table. “So this is a date.

I choked on the brew I was sipping, hands darting to pluck a napkin from its

wooden holder.

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Chapter 13

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His point made sense. Technically, we’re together now. I wondered where he

took his dates. The question, fueled by my

was o curiosity, on the tip of my tongue, but I bit it back. Diving into those

romantic details will dono good.

Business. This is a business meeting. I had to remind myself of that.

In the public’s eyes, yes,” I reiterated, gathering myself together “How do you

propose we do this?”

Throwing questions was the safest route for me. I didn’t want to seem too eager.

He leaned forward, parking his corded forearms on the table. The tables were

far enough so we could discuss the clauses of our deal, but Damian still spoke

in a low voice. “You’d be my girl for a year.” Emerald gaze held mine captive.

My breath hitched, I’d be his girl..

“I know you loved working, so you’ll continue working here in Manhattan. I’ll

cvisit you twice a month and take you out on dates. More if my schedule

permits, out-of-town if our schedule allows. Are you cool with that?”

I can’t help but smile. He put so much thought into this deal. “Yes, I loved

working, but we’re moving Effortless Event’s main office to Roslin City

His eyebrows curled, so I explained. “Candice will be moving to Roslin City with

Aaron, and since Hunter and I were engaged, we decided it was best to move the

office to Roslin City”

“You were ready to settle down with that as shole,” he s

stated.

“I was,” I said, scowling. The pain of Hunter’s betrayal resurfaces. “He didn’t even

know that I was working on moving cities. for him. He thought I was too busy

with my work.”

Damian blew out a breath, leaning back on his chair. “He’s an idiot for letting

you go. He’s realizing that, trust me.

I smiled, grateful for his sympathy.

“I hope so. I want him to drool over me,” I was half kidding.

“We’ll make sure he does.” Damian chuckled. “I’m working on buying my own

place in Roslin as well.”

“Yeah?”

“I think you’ll like that one. Remember Maynard Sten?”

“The beach house?” he nodded. “Wow. That place is gorgeous, D”

“It is.” He toldhow he planned to renovate the place once the sale was done,

then he shifted to a more impor “How sure are you that you told Felicity we

were engaged?”

Distorted images and cl*ps of my conversation with Felicity in the ladies’ room

were my only basis. I might or mig have said it, but Damian already knew that.

“60 40,” I sighed. “I hate not remembering.”

Damian’s shoulder tensed for a beat as he lifted the glass to his l*ps. “About

that. I don’t want you drinking without m sounded genuinely concerned about

my welfare.

“I can do that, and I promise never to drink beyond my limits again, no matter

how pi ssed I am, anyway.”

“Good” his words were cut off by the simultaneous buzzing of our phones on

the table. We frowned at each other. Nancy face blanketed his screen device

while Mom was on my cell

Nancy was Candice’s mom.

“Hey, Nancy Damian surprisedby answering his call in front of me. Hunter

always took his calls privately, no matter who was calling him

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09:19 Sat, Feb 10

Chapter 13

I answered mine, too. “Hey, Mom.

“Hey, honey. Are you with Damian?” she asked in her familiar sweet voice. My

frown deepened, gaze locking with Damian, which tellsthat Nancy likely

asked him the squestion.

“She’s with me,” he answered.

“Yeah, I responded to Mom.

“So it’s true?” There’s a hitch in Mom’s voice that unsettles me

“What?”

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“You two are dating?” The accusation in her tone didn’t sit well with me. But

under all that was curiosity and a pinch of excitement missing in our last

conversation. The night she learned of Hunter and Natalie. “Since when?”

“It’s still pretty new, mom. I stood up and leaned on the railings, needing air in

my lungs. Nerves were wracking my insides. We haven’t even touched down

discussing how we’d play this in front of our families,

“Oh, that’s wonderful news,” I can hear Nancy’s hushed voice in the background.

1 felt a brewing schwas about to come, and it did. “Nancy and I will be in

Colorado for the weekend, she murmured. “Let’s have dinner and catch up.”

Catching up meant she’d interrogateabout Hunter and Damian.

“Will you be a doll and ask Damian to cwith you? I haven’t seen him in

forever.”

“Mom…” I groaned, picturing a dinner disaster with Damian andin the center

of the storm.

“Con, honey. It’s not like we haven’t done this before. But Nancy and I are

ecstatic to learn about this news” I thought she’d be crying over my failed

engagement with Hunter.

I threw a glance at Damian. He’s already finished talking to Nancy with a serious

look. He said yes, d amn it! He’s always been a s ucker for Nancy. Sometimes I

wonder if Damian was Nancy son’s in another lifetime, really.

“I’ll ask him, okay? But no promises.”

“Of course, honey, she breathed, conceding, but then she said. “See you this

weekend.”

“You said yes?” I asked Damian, my tone accusing as I plonked back in my seat.

“Have you met Nancy?” he grumbled, tossing his beer down his throat.

“We need to get our stories straight.”

Mom and Nancy’s tandem was a force to be reckoned with.

Damian pinched his eyes shut. “We do. But before we go on, I have to tell you

something… about Saturday night.” 1 straightened my spine, the tiny hairs on

my nape perched up. “You toldsvery personal stuff,” his contemplation

made my heart pound.

“What?” My voice was so small I didn’t think he heard me.

He leaned closer, eyes searching my face. “Things you’ve written in your

journal.”

It felt like he emptied a bucket of iced water over my head. I wanted the ground

to open up and swallowwhole.

“And vivid details about your intimate relationship with that creep.”

“Oh, my Go d.” I gasped, hands coming up to hide my face from him.

09:20 Sat, Feb