Page 47 of Damien
“They also said she needs to keep her hand elevated to keep the swelling down,” Vince reminds Julia, who nods her understanding reluctantly.
“Do you think cinnamon rolls will make you feel better, Jules?” Sydney asks.
Julia’s hazel eyes, the same shade as her mother’s, widen to saucers. “Uh-huh.” Julia leans in to hug her.
“Okay, let’s get out of here,” Vince announces as we exit the waiting room.
As Vince, Sydney, and Julia walk out ahead of us, I quietly ask Vanessa, “Do you wanna ride with them? I can make arrangements to drop your car off.”
Vanessa shakes her head. “That’s not necessary. Vince already suggested I ride with you to pick up my car.” She worries her hands together as she asks, “You don’t mind… do you?”
“Not at all.” Time with her is always a blessing.
I watch as Vanessa gets Julia settled into Vince’s Jeep. Then we wave as they pull out of the lot. The moment they’re out of sight, Vanessa turns to me. “Thank you.”
“For?” I haven’t done anything. Why is she thanking me?
She places her palm on my chest. “For staying. For helping me keep my cool. And most importantly—for just being you.”
She reaches up on her tiptoes as she places her palm on my cheek to pull me closer to her. The scent of her perfume is a mixture of calm and excitement for me. This woman can turn me on from zero to sixty in a nanosecond. She’s like a siren, and I’m drawn to her in ways I could never imagine.
When our lips meet, I feel her body melt into mine. The tension she’s been holding evaporates, and I loop an arm around her waist to not only bring her closer but to give support if necessary. I can’t imagine what it would be like to go through the events of the last few hours and not be exhausted.
When her tongue sweeps along the seam of my lips, they part, and I’m lost in all that is Vanessa. I run my fingers up her spine to the base of her neck and bury them into her soft hair.
Her soft moan makes me growl in appreciation.
When a car door shuts nearby, I’m reminded that we aren’t alone. I slow the pace of our kiss and end it much sooner than I want. Pulling apart, I’m breathless as I suggest, “Should we get to my place so you can get home to Julia?”
She’s absolutely adorable as she sighs heavily and mutters, “I suppose.”
Vanessa’s unusually quiet on the ride to my place. When I pull into the driveway, I can’t stand it any longer. “Vanessa, is everything okay?”
“What?” she asks with a shocked expression as she focuses her attention on me. “Sorry. Just lost in thought.”
I can’t help the smile in my response. “I figured as much. Wanna tell me what’s got your mind spinning? When we talk on the phone, you never hold back—so why stop now?”
“Now that you’ve met my family… would it be weird if I asked you over to dinner tomorrow night?”
For her or me?
“Why would it be weird?” I finally ask when I can’t be certain.
Vanessa takes in a long breath, squares her shoulders, and finally looks me in the eye. “Okay… so I’m totally being selfish. But now that Julia and Vince both know we’re dating, I’d like to spend more time with you.” She shrugs at the end as if it’s the worst thing imaginable.
Could she be any cuter?
“Uh… I don’t think it’s selfish at all. I’d love to get to know your family more.”
She pulls on her lower lip with her teeth. “You sure?”
“No… I just totally lied to you.” I roll my eyes at her audacity. Why the hell wouldn’t I want to spend time with her? I barely get to see her as it is.
“I’ll cook dinner,” she offers. “That way you can have a home-cooked meal and not have to eat out again.”
“I can pick up dinner, too,” I offer, knowing her busy schedule each day.
“How about this—I’ll cook. You bring dessert. Jules and I will love anything that involves chocolate!”
