Chapter 264: Morning after I
Vivienne woke slowly.
For a few seconds, she remained perfectly still, enjoying the warmth around her before her mind was fully awake.
Something was wrapped securely around her waist.
An arm.
A familiar warmth pressed against her back, and she could hear the slow, steady rhythm of someone’s breathing close behind her.
She frowned sleepily.
Then she remembered where she was.
East Junction.
The hotel suite.
Last night.
Her eyes opened.
Vivienne stared at the unfamiliar ceiling for a moment.
Then the memories came back.
The storm.
The sofa.
Damian.
The kisses.
Everything that had happened after.
Her cheeks warmed.
Oh.
She closed her eyes again.
That had happened.
For a moment, she simply lay there, letting herself remember.
She wasn’t embarrassed.
And she certainly didn’t regret it.
If anything, the memory made her feel strangely pleased.
Damian had wanted her.
Really wanted her.
There had been something almost intoxicating about the way he’d looked at her, as though he still couldn’t quite believe she was actually there with him.
And she had wanted him too.
That was the part she couldn’t deny.
She liked Damian.
She liked his earnestness.
She liked how attentive he was.
She liked how he seemed to care about her.
And, perhaps most dangerously, she liked being wanted by him.
Very much.
Vivienne smiled faintly into the pillow.
Then, as if her mind had suddenly remembered an appointment, another thought appeared.
What should I text Christopher this morning?
It was such an automatic thought that she almost reached for her phone.
She had gotten into the habit of messaging him every morning.
She just liked the thought that he would see her message first thing in the morning, inevitably think of her, and then perhaps smile.
Vivienne’s hand shifted beneath the blanket.
Then she froze.
Oh.
Right.
She wasn’t alone.
And she wasn’t exactly in a position to send Christopher her usual cheerful morning message.
The memory of last night returned again.
Vivienne bit back a smile.
She really was greedy.
Because she liked Christopher.
She still did.
Nothing about last night had changed that.
And yet she liked Damian too.
She liked the way he made her feel.
She liked having him beside her.
She liked the attention.
She liked how completely he’d focused on her.
Her smile faded slightly.
What did he think this meant?
That was the question she had been avoiding.
Damian had never actually told her what he felt.
He had never confessed anything.
He had never asked her to be with him.
Everything between them had always been based on little things—the way he looked at her, the way he treated her, the way he seemed to be far more attentive when it came to her than he was with anyone else.
Vivienne had always assumed he liked her.
She just didn’t know how much.
And after last night...
Would he think they were together now?
Would he expect something more from her?
Vivienne sighed quietly.
She wasn’t ready for that.
Not because she didn’t want Damian.
She did.
That was precisely why it was so complicated.
She just didn’t know what she wanted to do about Christopher.
She wasn’t ready to give that up either.
Perhaps she could simply... wait.
There was no need to decide everything this morning.
For now, she could just enjoy what had happened.
She shifted slightly.
The arm around her waist tightened.
Vivienne glanced back.
Damian appeared to be asleep.
His eyes were closed, his breathing steady.
She studied him for a moment.
He was more handsome than usual, if that was even possible.
Apparently, it was.
His hair was slightly disheveled, and there was something peaceful about his expression that made her smile.
Vivienne turned back around.
She was about to close her eyes again when she noticed something.
His breathing had changed.
Just slightly.
She narrowed her eyes.
Was he...
She shifted again.
The arm around her waist immediately tightened.
Vivienne almost laughed.
He was awake.
She turned her head.
Damian’s eyes remained firmly closed.
"Damian."
Nothing.
She waited.
"You’re awake."
Silence.
His expression remained perfectly innocent.
Vivienne stared at him.
Then she noticed the faintest twitch at the corner of his mouth.
"You are terrible at pretending."
His eyes opened.
"I was sleeping."
"No, you weren’t."
"I was."
"You smiled."
"I don’t smile when I’m asleep."
"You just did."
Damian gave up.
"Fine."
Vivienne laughed softly.
"How long have you been awake?"
He hesitated.
"A while."
"How long is a while?"
He looked embarrassed.
"Long enough."
"Long enough to do what?"
His gaze settled on her.
"Look at you."
Vivienne blinked.
He seemed almost shy about admitting it.
"Why?"
"Because I wanted to."
She smiled.
"You’re very strange."
"Probably."
Neither of them moved for a moment.
The quiet morning seemed to settle around them.
Then Damian asked softly,
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yes."
"Are you comfortable?"
Vivienne nodded.
"Very."
His expression relaxed.
"Good."
There was another pause.
Then Damian’s gaze became slightly more concerned.
"Are you sore?"
Vivienne looked at him.
There it was.
He was fussing over her.
"A little."
His brow furrowed.
"How much?"
Vivienne considered him.
Then, because she couldn’t resist teasing him, she gave a small sigh.
"I don’t think I can walk."
Damian’s eyes widened.
"Really?"
Vivienne nodded solemnly.
"You were rather rough."
He immediately looked guilty.
"I’m sorry."
She almost laughed.
He looked so genuinely concerned that she felt a tiny stab of affection.
"Damian."
"I’m serious."
"I know."
"Does it hurt badly?"
"No."
He studied her face.
"You’re sure?"
"Yes."
Vivienne smiled.
"I’m just sore."
Damian exhaled.
Some of the tension left his shoulders.
Then Vivienne added casually,
"And you’re very big."
He froze.
For a second, his ears turned pink.
Vivienne had to bite the inside of her cheek to stop herself from laughing.
She hadn’t expected that to affect him so much.
Damian cleared his throat.
"I..."
He seemed to have temporarily forgotten what he had intended to say.
Vivienne smiled innocently.
"What?"
"Nothing."
She laughed.
Now he was definitely embarrassed.
But there was something else in his expression too.
Pride.
A tiny, unmistakable boost to his male ego.
Vivienne found it adorable.
"I’m hungry," she announced.
Damian immediately became attentive again.
"What do you want?"
"Something sweet."
"All right."
"Maybe a chocolate croissant."
"I’ll get one."
"And an éclair."
"Of course."
Vivienne smiled.
"You’ll let me eat those?"
"Yes."
He paused.
"But promise me you’ll eat something proper too."
She made a small face.
"Do I have to?"
"Just a little."
His voice was so gentle that she couldn’t bring herself to argue.
"Fine."
His face brightened.
"I’ll order whatever you want."
Vivienne smiled.
"You’re very easy."
"I don’t mind."
He carefully got out of bed.
Then he looked back at her.
"Stay here."
"I wasn’t planning on going anywhere."
That earned a quiet laugh from him.
Damian pulled on his clothes before walking toward the sitting room.
Vivienne watched him disappear through the bedroom doorway.
She smiled to herself.
She really did like him.
The problem was that she liked someone else too.
And, somehow, that didn’t stop her from enjoying the fact that Damian was currently doing exactly what she wanted.
--
Tbc