Page 137 of Taeja

Nothing else existed. Just him and her.

She wouldn’t have it any other way.

They stayed an extrahour in the helicopter before they traveled to a fancy restaurant.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” Damon asked, moving the glass of red to his lips.

Taeja energetically bobbed her head. “We should do it again!”

“Say the word whenever you’re ready.”

She grinned. “Thanks again.” She looked around the grand, candle-lit restaurant, savoring the soft melody of the piano playing through the speakers. “How did you pull this off?”

“Reserve the entire restaurant?” he asked, and she nodded. “My dad’s good friends with the owner.”

“Ah, I see…” Trailing off, she glanced at her phone that was on the table.

“That’s bad table manners, you know?”

She looked at him. “I know. Teddy forced me to take etiquette classes.”

“Then?”

“I’m waiting for a text.”

“From?”

Taeja could practically feel his jealousy mixed with curiosity. “Not a man, relax. It’s a text from Liyah. Her boyfriend is proposing to her today!”

A smile crawled on his face. “You sound excited for her.”

“I am! They would’ve been married already, but Liyah has a strict ten-year plan.”

“I love those,” Damon said. “Do you have one?”

Her shoulders slumped. “I… No,” she whispered. “You ever been so focused on one thing, it feels like the world’s passing you by?”

“When I’m at work.”

Taeja shook her head. “When you’re at work, you know you’ll stop, eventually. With me, it’s— I mean, itused tobe my family. I feel like I don’t have real interests because everything I know how to do is because Teddy or Jerry made me do it.” She sighed. “I’m sorry. I talk about them too much. I don’t want to ruin our date by bringing them up—”

“It’s fine,” Damon said. “I like it when you talk to me. You rarely do.”

Her brows furrowed. “I talk to you.”

“True, but not about them. You’d go to Zain about that.”

“It’s not because I don’t trust you. It’s different with him,” she said, then groaned. “I’m awful at this.”

“What?”

“Being with two men. I have different relationships with you guys and it shouldn’t be like that—”

Damon reached over and laid his hand on hers. “Baby, relax. My brother and I are different people. You’re going to have different relationships with us.”

Taeja sighed. “But that night we talked, you told me you guys broke up with a lot of girlfriends because they preferred one of you over the next.”

Damon chuckled and moved his hand. “That’s what’s bothering you?”

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