Chapter 22 - His Heart Was Beating Fast

Another morning not long after the breakfast scene, I woke up and couldn’t find both of them in the house. I heard their voices from the driveway, so I placed Leah in the pen, prepared her food and water, put them in the pen for her, and went out to see them.

The sight I saw froze me.

Yes, I know I kept freezing at the sight of them together; that just showed how beautiful they were together. While looking at them together in their formal attire was a sight of perfection, this sight was another form of perfection.

They were washing one of Damian’s cars and were naked from their waists up. I took my time looking at their beautiful bodies. Both of them had muscles, but since Rai was leaner, he couldn’t compare to Damian.

This was my first time looking at Damian without his shirt on. I noticed his naked body while he was sleeping, but I didn’t really look at it, so this was my first time. He was really muscular but not bulky. Just enough muscles for his beautiful body. Broad shoulders, toned abs, narrow waist, even his Adonis belt was very well-defined. It made me wonder how it would feel to touch it, trace it, and going downward.. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. But gosh, he looked so sexy, even sexier than Rai.

I had never thought that Damian was sexier than Rai, but at that moment, I could see how sexy he was. He was smiling boyishly, and I could imagine how it would be a deadly combination if he were smiling seductively. No woman would be able to resist him; I was sure of it. Damian was dangerously sexy by his presence alone; Rai really could not compete.

I saw them washing the car, all their muscles flexing and I began to feel hot. Damian said something to Rai, and Rai threw his sponge at Damian. Then Damian went to Rai to headlock him. Both of them were laughing freely, boyishly. They were boys being boys. What a beautiful bromance, I thought. Looking at them being this carefree brought a smile to my face and cool down the burning feeling in my body.

“Morning, boys. Can I join in on the fun?” I asked them both as I made my way toward them.

I went to Rai for my kiss, and without thinking, I went to Damian for my kiss too. Being touched by Damian all these times made my body move automatically to him. It was so automatic that I didn’t even realize it. After Damian kissed my forehead, I went back to Rai.

“Where is Leah?” Damian asked me.

“She’s in the pen,” I told him, smiling.

“Don’t you have someone who can wash your cars for you? Or maybe even go to the car wash?” I asked no one in particular.

“Your prince charming here doesn’t like to look at a dirty car at all.” Damian laughed, teasing Rai.

“Well, it’s been so long since I’ve washed a car with Damian, and I kind of miss it,” Rai said, grinning.

“Hmm..” I smiled at both of them. I circled the car and saw that it wasn’t too dirty. And when I saw a water sprayer, I thought of a playful plan. I picked it up, dragging it with me. When I was standing near Damian, I sprayed him. He was stunned.

“For the flour when you guys were making breakfast.” I laughed at him.

Damian took the water sprayer from me and readied himself to spray me. I acted quickly, running toward Rai and hiding behind him that Damian sprayed Rai instead. I laughed and hugged Rai quickly, apologizing to him.

I peeked at Damian from behind Rai and poked my tongue out at him. Damian took a step toward me, and I ran away from him to the other side of the car. We ran around the car laughing, with Damian trying to catch me.

“Damian, you couldn’t even catch her? She’s so small. You should be able to catch her in two strides. You are losing your touch, my friend.” Rai said to Damian, laughing.

“You want me to catch your princess, Rai?” Damian smiled dangerously.

The next thing I knew, I was already in Damian’s arm, with my back against him, just like when they were making breakfast. Instead of shrieking, I squealed.

“Damian!” I laughed, still trying to break free. Of course, it was impossible.

“Hey, Rai! Try to catch your princess this time.” Damian challenged Rai, grinning.

“You think you can get away, Damian?” Rai asked back, all the while grinning at us, taking a step toward us.

“Rai, help me!” I laughed as I extended my arms to Rai.

Rai started to chase us around, but he couldn’t keep up with Damian. He was out of breath before Damian even broke into a sweat. Rai sat down on the porch to catch his breath, his face facing downward while Damian slid me off his body.

I turned around to punch him playfully on his chest when I noticed a scar on his left chest. I reached out my hand to touch it, not laughing anymore. I traced the scar with my finger and saw two more similar scars — small, circular marks.

Cigarette burns? Did someone abuse him? I was horrified by the thought. Suddenly Damian grabbed my hand, preventing me from touching the other two marks.

I looked up and saw him shaking his head, his expression bitter and hurt. Without thinking, I caressed his cheek. He closed his eyes and leaned his head onto my hand.

The next thing I knew, I was on my tiptoe, circling my hands at the back of his neck, pulling him to me. I closed my eyes and kissed him softly on the lips, just so his pain would go away. I didn’t want to see that kind of expression on his face.

“Kat.” I could hear him groaning. My eyes flew open at the sound of his voice. It brought me back to reality.

“Oh my God. I.. Damian. I.. I’m so sorry,” I said, releasing my hands from the back of his neck and taking a step back.

I quickly turned around to look at Rai. I saw that he was already walking into the house. I started to run after him, but Damian suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me against him. He brought my hand to his left chest, and I could feel his heartbeat. His heart was beating fast. I looked at him, and his golden orbs swirled with a sense of yearning.

I pulled my hand back as fast as I could and ran after Rai again, leaving Damian behind, scared that Rai saw what had just happened.

“Rai,” I said as I reached his side.

“Hey, Princess. Sorry that I left you with Damian. I have to take a shower. I saw you were still having fun, so I decided to leave you guys. Had enough fun, princess?” Rai asked, smiling.

So, he didn’t see what I did? A sigh of relief escaped me. But I felt so guilty. Should I ask him? I thought. I was too scared, so I decided not to.

That night I couldn’t sleep. I kept turning on the bed. I felt uneasy. What did I do? Why did I kiss Damian? Did Rai really not see what happened? What about Damian? Would he think I was a loose girl? I was his best friend’s girlfriend, yet I kissed him. And what was with Damian pulling me to him to feel his heartbeat? What about the look he gave me? Oh my God.

Those thoughts were on my mind; I felt guilty for both of them. I decided to at least talk to Damian about it, if not Rai. I went to his room, but no one answered. Was he already asleep? I tried the living room, and he was there.

I stood not too far away from him, facing him. “Damian, I.. I don’t know why I did what I did. I’m so sorry. Please don’t think badly of me. I love Rai. I really don’t know what came over me.” I didn’t dare look at him, afraid of seeing his face. What if it was full of disgust? Oh my God, I wouldn’t want to see it on him.

“Kat, come here.” He extended his hand to me, and my body automatically settled beside him.

He circled his arm on my shoulder and said, “Kat, I would never think badly of you."

"Hey, look at me, Kat.” He touched my chin and tilted my head when he saw that I was still looking downward.

“We don’t have to talk about what happened. But remember, I would never ever think that you are a loose woman, okay?” He assured me, his gaze tender.

“Thank you, Damian.” I sighed a sigh of relief.

He suddenly took my hand and placed it on his chest again. His heart was beating fast, just like before. But this time, his expression was different. I could see something in his eyes. Tenderness and.. love?

“This is what you always do to me, Kat,” he said softly.

My eyes widened with shock. Did he mean to tell me that he was in love with me? But it couldn't be, could it? I was his best friend's girlfriend.

“Damian, I.. I’m in love with Rai,” I told him, but I couldn’t look at him. I was scared of what would happen if I looked into his swirling golden orbs.

“I know, Kat. I’m sorry.” He pulled me closer.

My mind circled around his words as I let him hold me while we watched the tv. Damian must mean that he was as comfortable around me as I was. Yes, that must be it. I fell asleep in his warm hold and woke up just to know that Rai had carried me to bed with him.