Faking it with Damian Black by Louise Jane

Uncrossing his arms, Damian smirked, relishing my surprise.

My heart thumped erratically when he cwalking in my direction. He was

dressed for the summer- a gray tee, khaki shorts, and sneakers. The tips of his

gray curls sticking out from his backward baseball cap, aviator sunglasses on,

concealing his eyes

Frozen on my spot, uncertainty settled in my belly, my insides twisting into

knots. Our conversation on Wednesday night fiooded my head. Over the last two

days, we exchanged messages regarding the clauses of our deal and how we’ll

play this relationship in front of our families.

Things were much easier said over a message than in person.

The sight of him unnervedin ways I couldn’t comprehend.

“Millicent.” He halted a foot away from me, playing with the keys in his hands.

I clutched my phone, biting my l*p as I scanned the crowd, unsering. “What are

you doing here?”

His brows shoot up. I hate that I can’t see his eyes. “Picking up my girlfriend.”

“Damian…”I started, breath hitching when his hand shot up. Through my

sleeveless tank top, his rough finge exposed skin of my shoulder when he

grabbed my backpack. His touch roused goosefiesh to blanket my skin

“Let’s go. He didn’t givetto protest and removed the distance between

us. He threw an arm over my sho certain my heart would burst out of my ch*st

when he did. I swallowed the lump in my throat, walking with him airport to his

truck. I was moving on autopilot, his closeness short-circuiting my brain.

I waited until we were both seated inside the car.

“Is everyone already in the mansion?” I couldn’t hide the tension in my voice.

My nerves were knotted so tightly that I feared they would snap. And we don’t

have an audience yet. How am I going to g through this afternoon with our

families?

Damian hummed a yes, sounding calm and collected “Dad even came. Can you

believe it?” he chuckled, shoulder checking and backing out of the parking lot.

“He cut short his business trip in London just to have a barbecue in his

backyard.”

Damian entered the freeway. I blew a breath and brushed the mischievous

strands of my hair out of my face. He left the

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09.20

Sat, Feb TO

Chapter 15

windows open, allowing the familiar Roslin City air to fill the inside of his truck.

“I think I’m going to mess this up.” I voiced the muddled thoughts cluttering my

head in the last twenty-four hours.

He threw a mild glance at me. “It’s just our families, Millicent. Relax.”

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“That’s exactly why I’m going to mess this up. They knowtoo well.” I’ve been

rehearsing how I’ll act around Mom and explain to her how I ended up with

Damian just twenty-four hours after my engagement with Hunter ended. She

would squeezefor details, that is for sure. One look and she’d know

something was bothering me. Panic started to swell in my throat with each mile

we covered.

“Just don’t fight me, and we’ll be fine.”

We pulled in front of the mansion.

“What does that mean?” I slide out of the truck.

Damian swung my backpack over his shoulder, rounded the car, and cto my

side.

“Why would I fight you?”

He didn’t answer, and once again threw his arms over my shoulder. The warmth

of his b*dy, his fresh waterfall, and rain scent embracingweren’t helping my

situation.

Web

We agreed with PDA, but Damian getting touchy withignited havoc in my

system. We haven’t been together for more than an hour, and I’m already a mess

of knotted nerves.

In my sneakers, I barely reached his shoulder as he tuckedto his side. We

walked up the stairs leading to the threshold. The double doors were open,

Strawberry Fields Forever by the Beatles crooned from the speakers, a tell that

Dad was already here

He loved the Beatles, and I grew up dancing to their songs.

As we walked through the door, Damian put a big hand on the small of my back,

causing a different kind of panic to spark inside me. As we crossed their massive

living room to the kitchen, the aroma of grilling meat wafted in the air. Waves of

laughter and voices drift along with the music.

Mom was the first to see us. Delight crossed her face, a broad smile tugging her

l*ps.

Everyone was gathered under the pergola on the other side of the pool. Thin

white sheets meticulously slithered poles and beams sway with the soft

summer air.

Mom and Nancy were setting the plates on the long outdoor table. The same

table accommodated our Sunday lun dinner in this mansion until high school

graduation. Nancy followed Mom’s line of sight; pure glee sparkled in her taking

in Damian and me.

Dad and Erik, Damian’s dad, were busy with the grill, Aaron helping them.

Candice was sipping a mimosa on one of t Rattan couches, watchinglose my

sh it. I narrowed my eyes on her.

“You’ll pay for this later, I thought. Her brows shot up, smirking as though she

could hear my thoughts.

Ugh! I hate her sometimes.

My steps faltered, but Damian put his arms around my shoulder, tuckingto

his side. I was stiff as a board as we continued trailing on the side of the pool.

He leaned down, his hot breath blew against my ear. “Don’t fight me. Try to

relax.

My hands were cold as ice. “I’m nervous,” I whispered, plastering the most

beautiful smile I could put on.

“I’ll take care of everything.” Daman whispered against my hair.

“Okay,” I squeaked, tripping on my fool.

III

09:20 Sat, Feb 10

Chapter 15

Damian caughtby the waist, steadying me, and guidedforward. “If you

seem nervous, they’ll notice it. Try not to pull away. Just go with it.” His l*ps

caressed my forehead.

“Go with it.” I parroted.

“Yep.” He squeezed my waist. I gasped. An electric shock lit up under my skin

where he touched me. “Just go with it, baby,”

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