Faking it with Damian Black by Louise Jane

Faking it with Damian Black by Louise Jane Chapter 26

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Chapter 26

-MILLIE-

Damian tookto a small Italian restaurant in the city. It was a hidden gem

with an intimate atmosphere. The server guided us to a corner booth with a

single rose on top of the table. We slid into our seats opposite one another, and

the server waited for us to order drinks,

1 settled for Aperol, and Damian ordered a bottle of Corona. Once the server

left, Damian started to spill the reason he cto Manhattan unannounced.

To my dismay, he didn’t chere just because he missed me. I cannot blame

him. I practically rejected him when he toldhe wanted more. This

displeasure nagging the inside of my ch*st was like an itch I can’t reach to

scratch.

“What are we gonna do?” I asked, toying with the white straw on my glass of

Aperol.

Nancy had already set a date for our engagement party, a surprise freaking

party, two weeks from now. Knowing how Damian hated surprise parties, Luke

kindly gave him a heads-up. I wonder if Candice already knows about this.

“First, we need to buy you a ring.” he murmured, reading over the menu.

My stomach was so tight that the thought of eating, no matter how I craved

Italian food, madequeasy. I kept it together, though, fiaunting a calm facade

as I scanned my menu when inside, I was a raving wreck of nerves. Knowing

Nancy, she probably already booked a church for our wedding.

Damian and I getting married? Oh, my God. Shivers prickled my spine.

“You mean the two-karat diamond ring?” I snorted, scamming the menu,

unseeing.

Damian leaned back in his woven chair; the lights attached to the restaurant’s

brick wall cast a pale, warm glow on his features. He was dressed casually in

faded jeans and a vintage white tee. Whatever this guy wore, he made it look

like a steal from GQ magazine. He lowered his menu on the table, swiped a

thumb under his stubbled chin as he pinnedwith a thoughtful gaze. “Yep. I’d

been buying stwith that ring and proposal, actually.”

“What do you mean?” I blinked up at him, lowering my menu as well.

“Nancy kept askingwhen I’ll properly propose to you.” His tone was relaxed.

“I think that’s why she kept this engagement party a secret.”

“Should we discuss that too?…” I trailed off, stationing my elbows on the table,

leaning forward. “The proposal.”

The image of Damian bending on one knee, popping the question, “Will you

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

marry me?’ crossed my mind a han times. And my teenage self had dreamt

about that, making different scenarios in various romantic places all over

Damian chuckled.

1. “Nah, leave that to me. This might be the only tI’ll ever propose, so I want

to make it count

1 giggled, and the server returned to take our orders: Fritto misto, fennel and

orange, beef short rib for Damian, and ribeye steak forwith panna cotta for

dessert.

A comfortable silence hovered on our table as the server left. I ran the pad of

my thumb on the stem of my glass Damian sipped his beer silently

s while

“You haven’t talked tosince Seattle.” He reached over the linen for my hand,

circling his thumb over my knuckles.

1 chewed

my l*p.

», debating whether to make a petty lie or tell him the truth. I sighed and

answered him with a bit of both. “Work keptbusy, and I don’t know where

we left things off. I kinda assumed you were mad ator something”

“I’d never be mad at you for keeping to our deal, Millicent,” he said pointedly, as

though my answer offended him.

“You never called.” I tossed back his accusation.

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09:25 Sat, Feb 10 M

Chapter 26

“I crossed a lot of lines that night,” he explained. “I was giving you tto

process everything. Then space turned to distance.”

27%.

Now that he put it out there, I felt even more confiicted about what this was

between us. We were planning on how to make this fake engagement believable,

but this conversation we’re having now is for a couple in an actual relationship.

“And I’ve been dealing with Nancy’s nagging over the past weeks” He released

my hand and drew a long pull of his beer. “I might have told her you’re moving

in withsoon.”

“You what?!” I blurt out, eyes bulging out from my skull. My outburst amassed a

few curious gazes in our direction. “That’s not part of our deal.

He raised his hands, throwing a white fiag. “She showed up at my place and

fired up questions about why I haven’t been taking good care of you. She asked

murmured. sticking his lower l*p out in a manner that made him look so much

younger than his age.

I bit my lower l*p.

He’s so adorable sometimes.

“So I told her we’re still figuring out our living situation, but after you and

Pigtails are still in the process of moving your business to Roslin City.”

Candice wasn’t kidding when she said that Nancy’s attention would be focused

on Damian and me.

“This is the first tI had a girlfriend, a fiancee, so she’s keen on sealing this

marriage as soon as she can.”

At the beginning of this agreement, I thought our biggest problem would be

Natalie, Hunter, and Sonja. Turns out, it was Nancy. She did this sthing to

Candice growing up. She ensured her daughter had a well-laid map of her future

and that she stuck to it, only veering on a different timeline or destination if it

was better than her original path

“Candice is over the moon celebrating her freedom right now, huh?” I nudged

Damian’s foot with mine.

He chuckled, shaking his head. “Pigtails owe us big tfor this one.”

Over dinner, we made plans for our living arrangements after the engagement.

Candice had already found an office space for Effortless Events in Roslin City.

Tomorrow, I will be packing my things and the movers will be here in two days.

Then Damian had already bought the Sten mansion, and it’s still under

renovation.

“That will buy us more time.” He said as he walkedto my door.

Despite the dilemmas we’re facing in our fake engagement, I enjoyed my time

with Damian. Denying that he’s been the source of my comfort since we started

fake dating would be foolish.

I faced Damian; the golden light in the hallway radiated soft shadows over his

features. “Thank you for dinner. I had fun tonight

*Planning a future with you was fun,” he jabbed back, shoving his hands in his

jeans pocket.

1 giggled, tucking my hair behind my ears. My cheeks sustained a permanent

blush since the k*ss on the street. “Are you still staying at your assistant’s

condo?”

“Yeali

“Okay.” I chewed my l*p, perusing my mind for more questions to ask him I

didn’t want this night to end yet – but cout empty-handed.

I could invite hing for a drink, but then he’d be driving. His limit was one beer,

which he already had in the restaurant. Coffee maybe?

Oh dammit!

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09:29 Sat, Feb

Chapter 26

“Well, drive safely “I played with my apartment keys.

My stomach dropped when he said nothing; he just kept staring at me.

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“Good night,” I said and turned, slotting the key into my door.

“Millicent”

I spun and faced him. “Yeah?”

27%2

He stepped forward, grabbed my waist, and lowered his l*ps to mine. His k*ss

was gentle, as though he was savoring the taste of my l*ps. 1 looped my arms

around his n*eck, doing the same. Before things heated up, Damian pulled away,

raked a hand through his hair, and stared atwith those sintent

emeralds.

“Good night.” He walked towards the elevator, and I went inside my place,

pressing my back on the door, cursing myself for not taking the initiative. He

was clearly handing over the reins to me. Why can’t I take a step forward and

take what I want?

I dropped my bag and keys on the fioor, opened the door to chase after him,

freezing when Damian stood there, knuckles ready to knock at my door.

“Did you forget something?” I asked stupidly.

“…” he searched for words, spearing his fingers through his hair, frustration

evident on his face. He pinched his eyes shut, pinningwith a dangerous

stare when he finally glanced at me. “Were you going somewhere?”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat, making up my mind. “I was gonna chase

after you and ask if you’d like to stay i for coffee.”

Real smooth, Millicent.

Damian’s rough voice confirmed his desire. “I’d say yes, but I won’t stay for

coffee.” My entire b*dy trembled when he stepped forward, invading my

personal space. “If I walk through this door, we’re breaching our agreement.

Everything will change. Is that something you want?”

I made up my mind, so I stepped aside, opened the door wider, and invited him

in.

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Faking it with Damian Black by Louise Jane

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