Page 14 of The Naughty List

“You just happened to pack the perfect black tie look for a holiday party?” I scoff. Like how does he seriously always look like he’s ready to be served on a silver platter?

“Of course. I’m a man of style, baby; I always come prepared.” He gives me a wink as he casually leans against the doorframe and adjusts one of his cuff links.

“Good thing I brought two dresses and one of them happens to be gold.” I step around Damon and into my walk-in closet, closing the door behind me. I pull out the floor-length gold sequin dress. The sweetheart neckline accentuates my cleavage and shoulders while the thigh-high slit shows off the perfect sliver of leg. I adjust the dress, pulling on a pair of matching strappy heels. I do a soft glam makeup look, a touch of a brown smoky eye and a nude lip while my hair is in soft waves and pinned back on one side. I open the closet door, stepping out to see Damon waiting on my bed.

“You ready to go make Chad jealous?” I joke as I walk over to him.

“Gladly,” he says as he stands up and circles around me. “I’ll do whatever you tell me in that dress. Chad will be crying in the corner by the time I’m done.”

“Easy, buddy; I was kidding,” I say as I press my palm against his chest and playfully push him away as I make my way to the door.

The party was in full swing. I say hello to the many friends of my parents I haven’t seen since last Christmas all while introducing Damon as my boyfriend.

“What is going on with you?” I whisper to Damon as his hands grip my waist.

“What? Nothing. We’re supposed to be in love, remember?” he whispers back as Chad and Tessa smile and wave at us. I plaster on my fakest smile and wave back.

“Eat shit,” I say through my smile at Chad even though I know he can’t hear me.

“You seem extra irritated, what happened?” I turn to face him. I can see the tension in his clenched jaw. “You were fine an hour ago.”

“Him,” he says, pointing toward Chad with his chin.

“What about him?” I ask, confused. Damon looks around before grabbing my hand and pulling me off to the side.

“Last night when I was talking to Oliver, he told me—” He rubs his eyebrows and I can tell he’s clearly pissed off.

“Told you what?” My heart is thudding in my chest.

“He told me that Chad has spun this huge sob story behind your back about how he thinks you cheated on him. He apparently still loves you and said Tess is just a rebound. I don’t know if he’s told everyone in the family, but that’s what he told Oliver, and I think your brother believes him.”

It sounds like water is rushing though my ears, then it turns to ringing. “He—no, what?” I’m so confused and angry. I ball my hands into fists as I replay what Damon just told me. I spin around and take a step toward where Chad is standing before Damon grabs me by my shoulders and spins me back around.

“No, don’t. I have a plan. You might not like it, but just trust me,” he says before walking away.

I stand there, inhaling and exhaling deep breaths. I can hear the band finishing up their song, and then I hear a familiar voice through the microphone.

“Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. I know you don’t know me. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting several of you, but for those I haven’t, I’m Damon Wells, Kate’s boyfriend. Kate? Can you come here, please?”

Confused, I walk into the great room where Damon is standing on the small stage. My legs are wobbly as I try to rationalize what the hell is going on and what Damon just told me about Chad. Everyone is staring at me and I try to muster a small smile.

“Baby, I feel like my life didn’t begin until I met you. You are a force to be reckoned with—fiery, determined, and so amazing. You are the inspiration behind everything that I do and I cannot imagine a life without you. Katherine Renee Flowers,” he says, stepping down and walking over to me. “Will you marry me?” He drops the microphone down to his side and tips my chin up toward his.

“Say yes,” he whispers and I don’t know what comes over me but I do.

“Yes,” I say and it feels like all the sound has been sucked out of the room. Then I hear chanting.

“Kiss her! Kiss her!” And before I know it our lips are touching; his hand is in my hair and my arms wrap around his neck and we’re kissing. It’s sensual and intimate at the same time. I don’t overthink it; instead, I just let myself fall. I feel his hand slide up the slit of my dress and grip my thigh as I moan into his mouth, and then I hear them chanting again, only this time it’s filled with cheers and laughter.

“Get a rooooom!” someone yells.

I pull back and look at him; he’s not smirking like I expected him to be. His eyes are hooded and lustful, hungry like he’s about to devour me. Within a few moments the band is playing again and everyone’s dancing. My family rushes over to congratulate us before my mom realizes that we need a moment to ourselves. I don’t even register what anyone is saying to me; I’m just nodding and pretending to smile.

“Would you excuse me,” I say just above a whisper before escaping to the hall. I take my shoes off and walk up the stairs to my bedroom, barely closing the door behind me when Damon walks in.

“Did I fuck up again?” he asks and I just bury my hands in my face and start to cry. He pulls me to him, wrapping his arms around me as I cry. We stay like that for several minutes before I sit on my bed.

“No, this whole thing is just fucked up.”

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