Page 33 of Damien
“Of course. I should be home most of the day, so just let me know when you’ll be free. I’d love to show you my place. I’d offer to cook, but my kitchen isn’t an option.”
“I’m sure we can figure something out,” she says on a yawn.
“What time do you have to be up tomorrow?”
“My alarm goes off at four forty-five.” Her voice is gruff and filling with sleep.
Glancing at my clock, my eyes nearly bug out. “Uh… I’d better let you go. You have a long day tomorrow, and it’s nearly eleven.”
“Is it really?” she asks in awe. “I could’ve sworn it was earlier than that.”
“Get some sleep, Wonder Woman. I’ll see you at the diner in the morning.”
“Okay,” she says on another yawn. “I’d better go before I fall asleep on you.”
She’s freaking adorable.
“Night, sleepyhead.”
“I’m not that tired,” she protests, but her voice is far more gravelly than usual. She’s exhausted, and I’ve just kept her up late. I’ll have to remember that in the future. But I swear we said hello—and the next thing I know, it was hours later.
“Sure you’re not,” I tease. “Well, I’d better getmybeauty sleep if I don’t want to look like a zombie in the morning.”
This earns me a beautiful laugh. “Night, Damien. See you in the morning.”
“Looking forward to it.” I chuckle in response.
When I hear the line click off, I end the call from my end.
Smiling, I stand and gather my trash from dinner, then get ready for bed.
As I crawl between my cool sheets, my mind drifts to Vanessa.
One thing is certain, the clock flies when I’m with Vanessa, but the minutes drag when I’m waiting to see her again. I never thought I’d be dying for my alarm to come the next morning.
12
Damien
SeeingVanessa each morning never gets old. I pop into the diner a little earlier than normal each morning she’s worked this week to spend as much time with her as I can. Even though she’s busy with school and Julia, we manage to talk each evening as well. It’s been hard as hell not to kiss the ever-loving shit out of her the moment she’s in my sight, but we’ve managed to keep things fairly casual while she’s at work. I don’t think anyone she works with would notice her subtle wink, or the way her hand lingers long enough for me to brush mine with hers for the briefest of seconds.
It’s hard being on my best behavior and not flirt or talk in depth like we do on the phone each evening, but we manage. The more I get to know Vanessa, the more I’m intrigued by her. I can’t wait to spend more time with her.
Of course, our flirting doesn’t go unnoticed by Jack’s eagle eyes. When Vanessa drops off my coffee this morning, my hand brushes hers as she hands me the mug. When our eyes lock, we stare wordlessly until we’re brought out of our revelry by Jack’s grumbles.
“I don’t reckon I could get that kinda reaction from her when shefinallygets around to serving me a cup. Lord knows, it’ll be cold by the time she gets to me, if the two of you keep making googly eyes at each other.”
Vanessa drops her hand like I’m a hot potato and stares at Jack as my eyes whip to his.
Shaking his head, he grumbles at me, “Oh, don’t get your boxers in a bunch. I’d just like to get my coffee while it’s hot. The way you two were starin’ at one another, the world could disappear, and you’d be none the wiser. Don’t get me wrong. I remember those days. I was just the same way when I met my Mary. She was somethin’ of a looker, and God only knows how she ended up with her sights on me. But when your lingering looks come between a man and his daily dose of caffeine… a man’s gotta do… what a man’s gotta do.”
“Well, we certainly wouldn’t want the beast you become without coffee to appear. I heard that’s a sight no one wants to live through. Let’s get your daily fix to you right away,” Vanessa says without missing a beat. “I’d hate to ruin this perfect perception I have of you, Jack.”
“Oh, honey.” Jack chuckles. “I’m far from perfect. I’m just givin’ the two of you a hard time. Someone’s gotta do it, and it may as well be me. It’s not my fault you’re easy targets. But you give an old man like me hope. So keep flirting the way you are… and remember—if anything happens—invite me to the weddin’.”
Seriously? Did he just say wedding?
Vanessa’s not fazed by it at all, in fact, she pushes back at him, giving as good as she gets. “Okay, Jack. But if you hit it off with Martha and wedding bells start ringing, I’d better be invited. I was here when you met, so I call dibs.”
