After a cold shower, I came to a conclusion that Damien was just some deranged pervert that lured me into his home. The cocky look on his face as he fondled me kept popping up in my head. I can't say I hated it, in fact... I quite liked it. I wasn't going to tell him that, though. Maybe I was also a deranged pervert. I put on a bra this time, not wanting to repeat the same mistake. This couldn't happen again because if we crossed that line between caretaker and... whatever that was, there was no going back. The last thing I wanted were for things to be awkward between us. It was too late though. The tension between us was palpable. He was passed out by the time I came out of the bathroom, but the following days were filled mostly with silence and uncomfortable pauses. I avoided any conversation with him that wasn't directly connected to his recovery or chores. He was back to his old self, typing away on his laptop, and occasionally sneaking glances in my direction. He tried to be su
Rustling of magazine pages and light taps were the only sounds filling the small waiting area at Dr. Helder's office. She was the best physical therapist in the city, and Damien made sure of it. He always dove headfirst into researching any topic that was of importance to him, and being able to walk again was extremely important. He wasn't the only one that knew Dr. Helder's qualifications, a fact which was amplified by the amount of people crammed into the small waiting area. "Uggghhh," Damien groaned loudly, alerting the attention of everyone in the room. "What's wrong with you?" I asked, a little agitated by his verbal outburst. "How much longer? What's the point of an appointment if I still have to wait?" He complained. "I'm hungry!" I rolled my eyes, and took out a granola bar from the backpack I had placed on Damien's wheelchair. "Eat this and shut up, please," I pleaded with a harsh whisper. He took a bite and gave me a tight lipped smile, a huge chunk of granola bar fill
Tension hung in the air around us in that small elevator. The silence was deafening as we waited for our rescue. I kept glancing over at Shawn expecting him to say something rude. He always looked like he had something to say but not anything I wanted to hear. He had refrained from opening his mouth so far, so that was all that mattered.Seeing him under that bright elevator light, I realized why Darcey was infatuated with him. Objectively he was fairly handsome with a strong, slim build towering to an imposing 6'2". His dirty blonde hair was styled to look messy with probably a hundred different hair products. He had piercing blue eyes that some may find attractive, but to me, they were soulless.I was sitting on the ground near the elevator buttons with my legs crossed in front of me. I tried to distract myself with my phone, but it proved pointless against the flurry of thoughts going through my head. Damien had been typing furiously on his phone. He had the same expression on his
"You've got some nerve coming back here," Darcey stated angrily.She had a point. I really wasn't trying to see her ever again, but circumstances made it hard not to come back. She turned her focus on Damien, her features softening a little at his presence."Oh, and who might you be?" She asked flirtatiously, her finger twirling a strand of her hair. I could tell when Darcey was flirting immediately. She was not subtle."Hi. I'm Damien. Nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand out. Darcey shook his hand but lingered for a moment."Can we come in?" I asked, trying to distract her from Damien. She gestured us in then pulled me aside immediately after closing the door."Who is that hottie with you? What happened to him?" She asked in a harsh whisper.I sighed and rolled my eyes. I definitely saw this coming a mile away. Darcey always wanted to be involved in my business, even more so if an attractive man was involved. She had a tendency to want everything I had, which was usually v
I bit my bottom lip and traced the little red marks on my back with my fingers. Damien had apparently been holding back during the weeks I spent with him. It had become obvious that he wanted me once I saw the way he had narrowed his eyes, the hypnotic swirls of green and gold igniting at my touch. It felt good to be wanted even after I had shown him some of the worse sides of my personality. I was awkward, quiet, and insecure. But no matter how much I showed that side to him, he remained unfazed, always greeting me with a smile.I sighed at the unknown of where we would go from here. After we had sex in my bed, Darcey promptly kicked us out for being too noisy in an apartment that I no longer lived in. She was not very happy seeing me in that tight little dress, not because that proved we were up to no good, but because she would've definitely taken it for herself if she had found it. In our rush, I only ended up leaving with one box containing two plants, a couple of skirts, a t-sh
Girlfriend? Did I hear that correctly? A wave of nausea crashed into me as I watched Gemma caressing Damien's face and speaking to him lovingly. Her words didn't register in my head. All I could hear was static as I tried to process what was happening.I had built Damien up to be this charming, caring guy, but in truth, I hardly knew him. Now I was facing the consequences of being delusional."Excuse me," I choked out before running out of the apartment. I heard Damien calling after me, but I didn't care. He had taken advantage of my timid nature, lulling me into a false sense of security. Everyone in my life had always disappointed me, and now he had added himself to that list.I sat down on a bench not too far from the building. I wasn't intending on leaving since I promised to take care of him to pay off a debt. We had crossed a line we shouldn't have, so the best option was to backtrack to a professional relationship.I placed my head in my hands, attempting to hold back tears. I
A fury of long fingernails attempted to scratch at my face as I held a couch cushion against my body. Gemma had started running with enough distance between us for me to grab the cushion to protect myself before being tackled to the ground. It was like a reflex, but I was grateful for it after seeing the wild look in Gemma's eyes. She was strong, but my instinct to survive was stronger. I pushed up, keeping Gemma's claws as far as possible while wondering what the hell I did to provoke this woman.Suddenly the weight on top of me lightened, and I saw Matthew holding Gemma in the air like a child throwing a tantrum. I scooted away in an attempt to create some distance between us."Gemma, you've got to calm down. Why are you trying to hurt this woman?" Matthew asked calmly, his voice unwavering to the pressure of the situation."This bitch stole him away from me! And just when I found out he was rich," Gemma growled, her face glowed a beet red while she struggled against Matthew's tight
The following week flew by in a snap. Damien's work started taking up nearly all of his free time as he was often on the phone or on his laptop trying to appease clients or get new ones. I came to realize he was a complete workaholic, and even though we were only a couple of steps above roommates, I found myself craving his attention. Occasionally he would playfully pinch my butt as I stood up to leave his bedside or fiddle with a strand of my hair while we spoke. And I would savor every moment of it.When I left home at 18, I made a promise to myself to never rely on anyone. I was determined to become independent regardless of the sacrifices made along the way and the relationships I had to cut. But here I was, having some man supporting me when I should be supporting him and becoming hopelessly needy instead. What would he think if he knew how pathetic I really was? Would he kick me to the curb for being too emotionally involved? He did say he wasn't the commitment type.I sighed an
Six Months Later: "Come on, we're going to be late." I ushered Damien out against his protests and shut the door behind me. "I think I forgot something inside." He turned to open the door. I swatted his hand away and narrowed my eyes. "Stop stalling. He's waiting for us," I scolded Damien. I pulled on his hand and he followed along, grumbling the entire time. Once we arrived at the apartment parking garage, his whole demeanor changed. "Hi Betsy. How are we this fine evening?" Damien asked, his eyes sparkling. I stared at the motorcycle in front of me that was repaired long ago, just waiting for Damien's leg to heal. Sometimes I felt like he loved 'Betsy' more than me, but I'm not sure I want to find out. I'm still deathly afraid of driving, so I avoid it as much as I can. Sometimes I drive for longer trips, but nowadays, we take his motorcycle out everywhere. I don't fully agree with him riding it because I think it's dangerous, but me being behind the wheel might be more dangero
Damien led me through a path, our palms separating from the sweat pooling between them. The sun shone brightly and a thick humidity hugged us as we walked. The lake loomed over the distance, ripples sparkling from the sunlight like diamonds hitting the water. An occasional breeze cascaded from the water to us, sending a warm, floral scent in our direction. Most would consider this a perfect Summer day, but all I could worry about was ruining my new dress with sweat.Before we left the hotel room, Damien had pulled out a pink, floral sundress with the shortest skirt I had ever seen, off-shoulder ruffled sleeves, and laces at the front. It was a lot more feminine than what I usually wore, but I loved it nonetheless. He beamed as he explained how Ron helped him pick it out for me, and he insisted that I wear it before 'the thing' he has planned. I still hadn't met this Ron, but at least he had good taste. I eyed him suspiciously at first, unaware of his intentions, but put it on after so
Damien's in time out for the embarrassment I had to face in front of his online friends. There's not much I can do to really punish him, but I have continued sleeping on the pull-out couch against his protests and resisted every move he made on me. Every time I saw his muscular frame and attractive, heart stopping smile, I wanted to rip his clothes off. After awhile, I didn't know what I was even punishing him for, as my resilience began to falter.Part of me was relieved they were random strangers on the internet, and I would never have to face them in person. But I started suspecting that wasn't fully the case after a few awkward interactions with Matthew. I constantly ran into him even though our last meeting seemed like a forever farewell, but we were neighbors. It was simply unavoidable. Every time I greeted him with a friendly wave, he would look down, trying his best to avoid eye contact. The uneasy aura lingering in the elevator ride up with him was the last straw."Matthew, w
"My debt is paid off? What do you mean? I still have 3 months left."Damien cleared his throat and took a deep breath like he was about to drop a bombshell."I got the hospital bill a few weeks ago. My insurance had it reduced severely and covered most of it. I only ended up paying about $600 out of pocket, and you essentially paid that off in your first month," he explained.I was stunned. Both from finding out Damien hid this from me and that an insurance company in America actually did what they were supposed to."Why didn't you tell me?" I asked gently. Surprisingly, I didn't feel upset or angry. I actually felt a little proud of myself. He obviously kept this from me for a reason, most likely selfish ones. But from his words, I gathered he wanted to keep me around as long as possible. I placed my finger up to my mouth to hide the smile forming on my lips. Damien rubbed the nape of his neck uncomfortably."I just... I didn't want you to leave," he mumbled."Why not?" I asked, inch
Sunlight streamed through the large panes of glass covering the outer wall of the apartment. My eyelids flickered open only to close again as a reaction to the bright beam shining directly upon us. I propped myself up on my elbows, squinting around the room to adjust to my surroundings.Damien lay next to me, one leg hanging off the bed and the other resting comfortably on a crumpled up bedsheet. His arm was tucked under his head and wisps of hair hung messily around his forehead. I turned to face him, immediately feeling pain shoot through my body. Damien looked so peaceful with his long eyelashes draped over his cheeks and his palm resting on his heart. No one would ever guess that this man was named Damien for a reason-- he was the true spawn of the devil.Four times. That's how many times we kept going. I thought my body was going to break. If I hadn't passed out after the fourth, it would have been five. I'm not sure how anyone could maintain that level of stamina, but I was exha
Plates, forks, napkins... cups? Do we have enough cups? I scurried from one cupboard to another searching frantically for cups. Damien seemed to only own 5 cups, but I guess I couldn't blame him since he was living alone for years.I looked around at the nearly full blown party that emerged within a few hours. Although Damien's studio was gigantic for the two of us, it hardly contained the 15+ people that were within its walls. Some people had moved to the balcony to get away from the tight group of people. The amount of people, not too large, was still enough to heighten my nerves."Are you okay? What are you searching for?" Matthew asked, leaning over the small island counter in the kitchen."Cups," I hissed, fanning myself with my hands.I didn't enjoy large groups of people, and I could tell by Damien's narrowed eyes that he didn't either. Then why is he hosting a party, you ask? He's not.Word got around the building fast that Damien got his cast off. Many people cheered him on w
Tension between us hung thick and tangible in the air surrounding us. Damien seemed uncomfortable around me, probably as a reaction to my outburst. It had been a few days, and we exchanged only polite small talk with each other from time to time.Damien had become more independent the longer we were uneasy with each other. It seemed like it was easier for him to suffer through tasks than face the awkward situation we were both in.Nervousness crept in my stomach when I looked at him. His next appointment with his doctor was a big one because he was getting his cast off. He won't have full mobility, of course. But the thought of him no longer needing me felt like a punch in the gut. I was hanging onto every moment of us together, and my worst fear of growing apart was coming true.Summer was in full swing with temperatures climbing everyday. Still, I spent my nights on the balcony, embracing the loneliness I felt. I stood against the railing of the balcony, feeling the cold metal again
"You're back," Damien said with a warm smile. He was sitting on the sofa with his injured leg resting on the coffee table. He had a controller in his hand and his headset on. This was the first time I caught him doing something besides work, and it was a surprisingly refreshing sight to behold.I put down my things, catching Damien staring from my peripheral. He was gaping at me, committing the way my new dress hugged me to memory."You look... different," he said softly. I couldn't help but notice his breath caught in his throat as he said those words. His gaze was burning me up.I felt a familiar guilt gnawing at me when I remembered what I did to get this dress. How can I possibly explain that I spent his money on such a frivolous purchase as if owing him thousands of dollars already wasn't enough? I walked over shyly, preparing myself to tell him the truth.An item on the coffee table distracted me from my mission. Next to Damien's leg was a small cactus about the size of my hand
It was hard to focus on chores when my head was entirely filled with Damien. The way he pressed his lips against mine so delicately, the soft way he sighed after, and the dreamy look in his eyes. When we finally pulled away from each other, he turned away quickly."I should get back to work," he said while clearing his throat. He shifted uncomfortably in his chair while avoiding eye contact with me and did so until I left the apartment.I bit my bottom lip and daydreamed about being in Damien's arms all day. I was so caught up in my own fantasies that I hadn't noticed I was hugging a carton of eggs like my life depended on it, cracking a few in the process. I gasped and looked down at the mess I made.Slimy egg whites ran down my t-shirt and shorts then onto the floor, just barely missing my shoes. I looked around frantically to make sure no one noticed, but a small family had been staring at me for some time. I groaned loudly, not caring if I attracted any more attention. I somehow a