Unlikely To Fall In Love

by Esmeralda, Debie

  ~***~

  “Wake up sleepy head.” Damon said as he kissed the top of my head.

  I reluctantly opened my eyes and saw Damon looking down at me, bare-chested, oh my, what a nice view upon waking up. I reached up and brushed my hands on the sides of his face and lips.

  He playfully bit my finger then held them in his hand, kissing one fingers at a time, then leaned for a kiss on my lips.

  “Good morning.” I smiled against his lips.

  “Come, I have prepared us a breakfast.” Damon stood up from the bed and tugged my hand. We stayed in Damon’s penthouse, but no, we didn’t have sex this time. We just talked for a while and sleep.

  I stood up lazily and let him dragged me towards the kitchen where Mrs. Miller was washing the utensils Damon used, the younger blonde was also with her in the kitchen.

  I felt a bit conscious with my lack of clothing, because I was just wearing panties and camisole. I tugged my camisole hoping that it would increase in length. Both the blonde-haired women turned around at the same time and gave me a smile, they seemed to be unaffected by my clothing because they were probably used to it.

  I returned their smiles, but when they returned to their task at hand, I couldn’t help but frown. Did Damon used to bring other woman here besides from me, and did they used to wear like what I was wearing right now in the morning or something lesser?

  Damon leaned and kissed the frown on my forehead. “Would you tell me what’s in that pretty brain of yours?”

  I looked at him. “Huh?”

  “Your wheels are turning. I know when you are sulking. What are you thinking?” He kissed my cheek this time.

  “I’m starving.” I murmured trying to divert the questioning and he chuckled.

  “Yeah right.” He mocked.

  He sauntered towards the other side of the counter and arranged our breakfast himself. He insisted on doing it personally, dodging Mrs. Miller’s attempts to help, and I waited. He prepared pancakes with maple syrup and strawberries cut in half at the top for me. He also made freshly brewed coffee. After making the breakfast, he slipped on the stool next to me and we started eating.

  “What are you doing tonight?” He asked.

  “Nothing. I’ll swing by at the bakery and the diner to give my resignation letter, because I’ll be starting with Sylvia Daly’s restaurant next week. Why?” I cocked my head to the side and looked at him.

  “Can I take you out to dinner?” He asked. His eyes were wide and blue, and he looked too cute to reject.

  “Sure.” I smiled at him.

  He leaned in for a kiss and I returned it. I could taste the strawberries on his lips.

  We resumed eating breakfast and a little after about thirty minutes he stood, placed his plate in the dishwasher and sauntered to me. He planted a kiss on my forehead and stared into my eyes.

  “I’ll go take a shower. Your clothes were in the spare room. Mrs. Miller will bring you there.” He told me.

  I gave him my most seductive smile. “Don’t you want me to go to the shower with you?”

  “No matter how much tempting that is, I really need to shower and change. I am going to be late if I let you take a shower with me.” He swept another kiss, this time on my lips. “Maybe tonight.” He murmured.

  My blood sang to that promise. Oh, I couldn’t wait for tonight, how I wished it was already night time. He gave me that seductive smirk that made me want to jump into him right at the kitchen. I didn’t care if Mrs. Miller and younger blonde were here. I wanted Damon.

  He must have noticed or read what was on my mind because he chuckled as brushed one last kiss on my lips. “Tonight.” He murmured.

  “Okay.” I said in a dreamy voice.

  After breakfast, Mrs. Miller led me towards the room on the second floor of the penthouse. We were walking in complete silence until we reached the room. She opened the door for me and let me stepped inside first.

  I stopped the moment I took the first step, my jaw dropped and I blinked several times as I took in the room. I remembered this very same room as sterile and white in every corner as if to indicate that this was a guest room. Now, this was no guest room.

  “Mr. Rhodes specifically told us to convert this to be your room, Ms. Sparks. He said that you love blue that was why we told the interior designer to incorporate blue in here.” Mrs. Miller said proudly.

  “Oh my God.” That was the only word I was able to form.

  The room was really me, as if this was my room, and that it belonged to me. The walls were teal in color. The canopy bed was white with silk curtains draped around it. The carpet was aquamarine, the silky curtains by the window as well. He has over done splurging on me again, but I love it. He was so thoughtful to do this for me.

  “Your closet was fully stocked too. He insisted to buy everything you needed, from gowns down to stockings.” She ushered me towards a closed door and opened it for me.

  My jaw dropped even lower and this time my eyes bulged out of my sockets. I was greeted by a mini version of Nordstrom here. The clothes he moved from my apartment were here and were doubled. The shoes were arranged in shelves, all styles and colors. There was also a makeup station that was stocked with unopened cosmetics arranged according to their kinds and colors. This was the very fantasy of every girl on the planet.

  “He was really exaggerating everything, wasn’t he?” I breathe out.

  “He was only doing this because you were so dear to him. I have never seen Mr. Rhodes this happy about a woman before.” Mrs. Miller said and I turned around to face her.

  “Did he used to bring woman here a lot?” There. The question was finally out.

  She nodded. “Of course, he was a single man and it was not hard for him because he was a really great catch.” Then she gave me a genuine smile. “But he’s never been like this with any girl, except with you.”

  I couldn’t help but feel happy about that. I was glad I was different from the rest of them.

  I smiled at the woman and said, “Me too. I have never been like this before with any guy I am with.”

  “He is a great person Ms. Sparks.” She told me and I nodded. Happy that Damon was mine.

  “I know he is.” Then I remembered, wondering all these days who was the other blonde in the kitchen. “Who is the younger blonde?” I asked.

  Her eyes widened and then she smiled again. “Oh, that’s my sixteen year old daughter Madison. Damon sends her to school. He treated her like his little sister since he is an only child. That is why Damon is so dear to me.”

  Then suddenly the man poked his handsome face around the door. He was fresh from the shower and he was wearing crisp neatly pressed charcoal gray suit and tie, and he has shaved. He looked delectable.

  “Hey baby.” Damon smiled at me. His smile was quite the smile he gave me whenever he was nervous. “What do you think? Is it too much?” He asked. His eyes were wide and clear blue.

  I ran into his arms and crashed myself in his chest. “I love it. Thank you.” I murmured against his suit.

  I felt him planting a kiss on the top of my head. “I’m glad you like it.”

  I looked up and kissed him on the lips. He tasted of toothpaste and Damon. I wanted to devour his taste even more, that I tried accelerating the kiss into more than a chaste closed mouth one but he pulled away much to my disappointment. I pouted and he chuckled at my expression.

  He kissed my pout one last time. “I have to leave. I’ll pick you up at six, okay?”

  I nodded. “Okay.”

  “I’ll miss you.” He said softly that it moved my heart to the danger zone.

  But I couldn’t help to smile. “Me too. Have a nice day at work.”

  He leaned down for one last chaste kiss and left.

  I just overstepped the line between safe and dangerous, now I was in the borderline. One more move and I would be in danger of loving Damon Rhodes.

  ~***~

  I swept on one last touch for my look, the red lipst
ick. I chose to wear a vintage rose-colored strapless dress for tonight. The upper part was wrap with sequins and other accents that accentuated a visual imagery of lines. Curves of sequins bordered the lower bodice in a tulip edge and the contrasting skirt swirled with rich, figure hugging ruching that tapered to the narrow hemline. It was a good thing that I could maintain a figure that could give this dress justice. Then I let my hair fall down my back naturally, straight and golden blonde.

  I stepped outside the bedroom and walked into the great room where Damon was sitting in the plush couch with his back towards me. A glass of red wine cradled in his hand. He tipped his head and took a sip of the rich dark red liquor, and I drank in the sight of him. He was elegant, handsome and perfect.

  The complete opposite of me.

  But despite that, he still love me.

  He might have noticed my presence because he turned his head slightly and smiled, giving me that slow pleased smile that he owned that brightened up his face. I have never seen anyone make a smile alone his best asset, well, everything about Damon was an asset.

  He stood up, lowered his glass on the table and walked towards me. He wrapped his arms around me and rested them right there on my upper back. I looked at him and smiled, then leaned for his kiss and I gladly returned it back.

  “You look perfect as always.” He murmured against my red lips.

  “You’re not bad yourself.” I said back.

  “Shall we?” He asked and held out his hand to me.

  I gladly placed mine with his and we walked out of his home, hands intertwined.

  Twenty

  “Dance with me?” Damon held out his hand in front of me just when a band of violin started playing.

  Damon brought me into a garden themed restaurant where they only accommodate guests by appointment solely, and I bet they cost more than what I could earn in a week.

  I accepted his hand and he led me towards the gazebo indicated for dancing. We faced each other, our eyes locked. Damon placed his hands on the curve of my waist and I weaved my fingers around his neck, then we started swaying our bodies through the strumming of the violins. The night started perfectly and I was hoping it would last perfectly as well. We fitted each other as we dance, as if we were created in the same clay by the same hands. How I hope we were really for each other. But I also could not help anticipating when this thing would end.

  Not every fairytale lasted forever.

  Yeah, I know there was this hint of the happily ever after part but…we were not sure what happened after the prince in the white steed saved the princess trapped in the ivory tower. I remembered Vivian from the movie Pretty Woman, with Edward pretending to be her prince. Edward was ready to give her the fairytale she wanted, but what happened after Vivian got her prince? The movie didn’t exactly say that they get married, have a family or go to retirement together. It was just one last kiss, profession of love, and that was it, nothing else.

  “Tell me what you’re thinking.” Damon interrupted my reverie.

  I looked at him and saw the concern etched in those beautiful eyes of his. Did I put that in those eyes that I love so much?

  I leaned my head in his chest and let him led the dance. “What do you mean?”

  “I know when the wheels in your brain were working over night.” Damon murmured softly. “Tell me what’s in that pretty brain of yours.” He pressed his cheek on the top of my head.

  “That the night is perfect.” I lied.

  I know that this fairytale I was in, wouldn’t last a lifetime. No matter how much I willed for the clock to stop ticking, for the magic spell to never wear off.

  “Liar.” He said. “I know that was not what was behind your mind.”

  “Thank you for everything.” I murmured.

  “I aim to please you, my love.” He planted a kiss on the top of my head. “I’ll do everything for you.”

  I love you Damon, so much, if you just only knew.

  ~***~

  “Another party?” I asked as I stared at Damon.

  We were sitting on the couch inside his entertainment room that looked like a miniature cinema while watching When In Rome starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel. No matter how handsome and hot my boyfriend was, I couldn’t stop drooling over one hot Josh Duhamel. Could you blame me?

  “Yup.” He leaned to kiss my lips chastely. “I need you there, please?” He knew how to butter me up.

  “Okay. I’ll be there since you asked so nicely.” I replied as he planted another gentle kiss on my lips. “You really know how to make me say yes, don’t you? You always get what you want. All the time.” I smirked at him, but he stared at me with sad blue eyes.

  “There is just one thing I am waiting for you to say.” He whispered. He pressed his forehead against mine and I could feel his breath touching my face.

  I love you Damon.

  “Look, she’s about to discover the fountain’s magic.” I tried changing the direction of the conversation.

  He moved back away from me and sat on the other side of the couch. He sighed and stared straight ahead at the TV. “I’ll be able to get those words from you one of these days.” He whispered out of earshot but I was still able to hear him.

  If only he knew that he already got the words from me, only I was not able to tell them to him directly.

  The movie’s credit rolled and we stood up from the couch. Damon took my hand and intertwined it with his. I was smiling from ear to ear as we walked towards the kitchen and Mrs. Miller smiled at us, as well as her daughter when we entered the room. She looked so happy that Damon and I were happy together. We ate spaghetti for dinner along with the wine Damon picked perfectly. Did billionaires have to know everything? Wine, gifts, jewelry, clothes―literally, they knew almost everything.

  We lay on the bed, Damon’s bed, facing each other. Damon reached out to me and took my hand in his, then brought it to his lips and kissed my palm. He closed his eyes as he did it. And I stared at him with my heart in my eyes, loving him more than I already did. Then we drifted off, together.

  The next day, I woke up due to the scent of flowers tickling my nose. I opened one eye, reached to the other side of the bed sleepily, and then immediately sat up when my hand touched cold empty sheets.

  Where was Damon?

  Normally, if he was not sleeping beside me, he was waking me up. But where was he?

  I scanned the room, every corner of it, and nope, not a single trace of Damon around. I listened if the shower was running, but it wasn’t.

  I noticed something on the nightstand and found a bouquet of fresh flowers at the top of it. Damon must have left this for me. I reached for it, inhaled its fragrance, closed my eyes, and let the floral notes tickle my senses. He knew how to spoil a girl.

  I walked outside of the room and into the kitchen with the bouquet cradled in my arms. Mrs. Miller and Madison were preparing breakfast and cleaning the kitchen.

  “Good morning Mrs. Miller, Madison.” I said as I sat on one of the bar stools. I placed the bouquet on the kitchen counter top as Mrs. Miller placed a plate of pancake and a glass of orange juice for me.

  “Where’s Damon?” I asked as I sliced the pancake with my fork.

  “He’s gone early to work today. He said he has a meeting and told me to tell you once you’ve woken up. So how’s your sleep?” Mrs. Miller wiped the countertop and nodded when her daughter whispered something to her, then Madison left us.

  “Good.” I placed the pancake in my mouth and chew. “How come he didn’t tell me about his meeting last night?”

  “He said he was just notified this morning, so he rushed to the office once he learned about it.” Mrs. Miller turned on the faucet with her back to me.

  I nodded. “I see.” He just learned about it this morning. What time? Why didn’t he even bother to tell this to me personally?

  I could not help but frown as I stared at my pancake, questions and doubts running through my mind. Suddenly, the food weighed heavy
in my stomach and I lost the appetite to eat all of a sudden. I didn’t know why.

  I pushed the plate away from me, drank the orange juice―Mrs. Miller’s back was still facing me―, turned my attention to the flowers. I remembered that Damon used to bring me flowers whenever he was asking for forgiveness or a chance at something, then, what were the bouquet for?

  ~***~

  I walked outside Damon’s building and hailed a cab, I was going home to the apartment because I missed my brother so much and I wondered if Trey called.

  “Amanda.” Suddenly someone was calling my name. I remembered that high-pitched voice so well that I could not be wrong whoever it was. I threw champagne all over her lovely dress for crying out loud.

  I turned around and saw a lovely blonde in white slacks and rose-colored button down shirt that made her skin blush. She was really effortlessly beautiful, I’d gave that to her.

  “Christine, what the hell are you doing here?” I barked at her. No matter how lovely she was, I hated what she did to me. We were not on good terms, so she did not deserve a well-mannered greeting from me.

  “I just wanted to apologize for my unpleasant behavior at the charity event. I know I have crossed the line with what I told you, and I am so ashamed of what I have done. I am really sorry.” She said. Her face was sincere and apologetic.

  Was she the same Christine that I know? Well, I was not the kind of person who held grudges against someone. And she apologized so nicely, what else could I do?

  I nodded. “Okay, you’re forgiven, just don’t do it again.”

  She smiled at me and it kind of surprised and crept out the hooker in me. Was she for real, or was this girl standing in front of me was her twin sister?

  “Can I invite you over for a coffee, perhaps?” She sounded hopeful and she didn’t seem like the old Christine who was always looking for a catfight, so I agreed to have coffee with her.

  We walked into a coffee shop in front of the building. It was not the one with the green logo. It was just a local coffee shop that could only be found in this exact address.

  Christine ordered cappuccino and I ordered latte. When our drinks came and the waitress left, she gave me another smile, a nervous smile actually. At least it was not a snicker or a smirk or else I would throw my latte at her pretty face.