EMMA DAMIAN 9

- - E M M A - -

That smile bothered me. It was detestable. I knew what Damian meant when he flashed that grin, that pearly-white sliver of teeth, one corner of his mouth slightly higher than the other, his dimples deep-set.

It meant he was fully aware of my thoughts.

He'd given it to me on the way to the airport when he inquired about the lights and such in my apartment. I'd put on a show, but he was correct – that was exactly what I'd been thinking about. When he asked me what was going on between us, it was the same story. I'd been erecting a wall of cold professionalism in the hopes of convincing him otherwise. It was usually successful. When I put up that front, most guys who wanted more from me than I was willing to give them seemed to back off. Something about a self-assured woman who knew exactly what she wanted and didn't take no nonsense made the type of man I didn't want to be around leave me alone.

Damian, on the other hand, was unique. He was well aware of what I was doing and that I was erecting a large barrier to prevent him from bringing up the subject of our past. He rushed through it, only pausing when I told him there was nothing to talk about. Of course, that was another lie. And I was certain he'd figured out that one as well. But he hadn't gone any further, stopping just before the line.

We conversed instead. Damian was mostly interested in learning about my life since high school and the company I'd founded, so we talked about nothing important.

"So you got into the party-planning business," he said, topping off both of our glasses. That comes as a bit of a shock to me."

“Why?

" I inquired, a challenge smile on my face. "You think it's ridiculous?" ”

"Not at all," says the speaker. More than that...with a mind like yours, you could have accomplished anything. I'd believe you if you told me you were working for NASA, developing the next generation of space rockets. So I was intrigued when I learned that you run a party planning company."

He was such a smooth operator. He'd managed to compliment both my intelligence and my job with just a few words. It was easy to see why, back in high school, he had no trouble getting any girl he wanted, including me. The man had an uncanny ability to make you feel like you were the only girl in the room.

"To tell you the truth, it surprised me as well. I started working part-time for this party-planning company in Manila after I graduated from CAVSU. However, the more I did it, the more I realized how much I enjoyed it. It's demanding, and there are no dull moments. There's nothing like being in the middle of a planned event and seeing it all come together perfectly."

"Not to mention the fact that you get to meet a lot of interesting people, including yourself."

I laughed like I always did when he told a joke that was too good for his own good. "Yeah, I get to live a nice, simple life until men from my past show up, ask me to participate in a phony auction to exact revenge on their ex-wives, and convince me to join them in Boracay."

The question arose as the silence fell. What had gone wrong between him and Marian? What happened to the kid? Words tumbled out of my mouth in response to the question in my head.

"How does it feel to be a father?"

”

I asked the question because I suspected there was more to the story than him having a child with Marian and raising it with her. After all, as far as I knew, he hadn't said anything about it to me or anyone else.

“What?

”

"Your kid. Marian was pregnant with your baby when you went off with her. I'm not fixated on it or anything, but I'm curious about how becoming a father has affected you."

He didn't say anything, but his face darkened like a thunderstorm about to erupt in lightning. He yanked his eyes away from mine, his jaw clenched. I hadn't phrased the question as elegantly as I could have, but his response surprised me.

"There isn't a child."

I watched his fist clench and unclench, as if the subject had put a lot of tension in his body that he needed to work through. It was completely bizarre. Damian was always calm and collected, never allowing anything to bother him. However, discussing his child was clearly off-limits.

The obvious-as-hell response slammed into me like a ton of bricks – a miscarriage. He must have run away with Marian to marry her, only for her to miscarry. What other explanation could there be for his infertility and the breakdown of his marriage to Marian?

"I was just curious, so I asked." We don't have to discuss it."

He nodded and averted his gaze, as if he realized the intensity of his reaction. Damian swallowed his saliva. "This is nice," he said quickly, as if he wanted to shift the conversation's focus as soon as possible. He waved his finger in the air between us, saying, "Believe it or not, I don't have anything like this."

"Like what, exactly?" "A sense of relief washed over me. When he smiled, I knew the subject of his baby with Marian was officially off the table.

"You know – a female friendship." I haven't had a female friend since high school – since you."

The mention of our history made my heart race.

"More importantly, I don't deserve one."

At this small display, I couldn't help but smirk and roll my eyes. I said, "Come on." "Melodrama is unnecessary."

He grinned, indicating that he was putting on a show. "But seriously, that's one of the things about you and me that hurts the most. We weren't just friends; we were a couple."

His remark was a little too close to the subject of our history for me to feel entirely at ease.

"Well," I responded. "There's a very simple solution to that problem if you're that upset about how it all turned out between us."

"And what is it?"

”

I drew in closer. "Don't sleep with them."

For several moments, our gazes were locked on each other. I hadn't intended it, but leaning in brought me dangerously close to him, close enough for me to smell his rich musk and see the flecks of gold in his electric blue eyes.

He laughed, which relieved the tension. "Come on, that hasn't been an issue in quite some time."

"I'm sure it is. I'm sure a wealthy, attractive doctor has a hard time attracting women."

He simply shrugged. "I mean, I could date if I wanted to." But the thing is, I'm not interested."

"Then make friends with these women whose friendships you clearly crave, but don't sleep with them."

He tried to speak, but nothing came out of his mouth. Whatever was on his mind, he seemed to change his mind. Was that also just a show? With Damian, it was difficult to tell.

I sipped my wine, and the plane lurched gently as I swallowed it.

"Oh, we're descending, now," Damian remarked. "Hold on tight. We should be on the ground in about twenty minutes."

I took advantage of the circumstance by drinking my wine unobtrusively. As the plane sank lower and lower, I realized that I’d gotten as well comfortable – I was a small sloshed.

I’d need to make beyond any doubt I kept myself on protect amid the trip. The final thing I needed to do was get squandered and do something I shouldn't have been doing. Damian as it were included to the trouble by being amazingly hot. The whirr of the motor blurred as the plane drew to a halt as we landed.

"We should have a car waiting for us," I said as I unbuckled myself and stood up.

Damian replied, "We did." "But I took care of that as well."

“Why?

”

He smiled. "I called the weekend rental place they'd reserved. They had a car reserved for us, but I decided to upgrade."

“Upgraded? To what? ”

"You'll see," he said as he approached the door, which opened as he approached.

"You know," I said as we took the first step down the stairwell to the tarmac. "The whole point of a weekend package like this is that you don't have to deal with any of that."

I came to a halt on the stairwell, taking in the oven-warm air and the clear, blue sky. We'd only been in the plane for a few minutes, but we'd arrived in a completely different environment.

"I understand, but if you're going to spend a weekend in Boracay, you might as well spend a weekend there." That's the whole point of visiting the city: to experience opulence."

I had to admit that the man made a compelling case.

"Let me ask you this," he said as he pulled our luggage from the plane's storage compartment. "When was the last time you truly treated yourself, completely let go?" ”

I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off before I could finish.

"And I don't mean staying in with wine and old horror flicks on a Saturday night."

The dude had figured me out. One of the disadvantages of spending time with someone you knew well was that they could always detect your attempts at nonsense.

"What's the deal with Dracula and wine?" I asked. "That's entertaining."

He replied, "Sure. However, it is not what I am referring to."

He stuffed the bags into the back of the waiting automobile.

"Total luxury," she says.

We hopped into the back of the car and were driven across the runways by the driver. The airport was modest and private, which I already liked to the madness of a typical airport.

Damian carried on our discussion. "A day at the spa, a day off to go for a trek outside of town, things like that."

The question made me want to chuckle. When would I possibly have time for something like that? With the wind in my hair, I responded, "Um, never."

"To tell you the truth, I've never known what it's like to unwind." Apart from wine and horror films,

With a grin, he continued, "Then I've got a goal for this weekend." "I'll make sure you're more relaxed than you've been in years when we're done."

"And what type of relaxing were you thinking of?" " I recognized what kind of connotation I'd made by emphasizing what I had the instant I stated the words.

My cheeks were flushed with heat.

"When you're embarrassed, you're always so damn cute."

I remarked, as the car reached the airport, "I'm not embarrassed." "The sun is shining." It's quite bright. And I'm fair-skinned, so..." I trailed off after clearing my mouth.

He told it all with his grin. That smug grin.

We arrived at the airport, thankfully, before the conversation could continue. Damian rushed out and grabbed the luggage from the rear of the car before I could even put a foot on the ground.

"Are you really real?" I inquired, hands on hips.

He smiled. "I don't get many opportunities to be a gentleman - so give me this one, pretty please," he said with an exaggerated pout at which I couldn't help but giggle.

I said, "Fine, fine.” Okay, he is still a gentleman, I guess it never changed.

"Are you okay over there?"

" he inquired as we entered the airport.

"Yes," I said, taking control of my thoughts and concentrating on the present. "I was only distracted for a moment."

We entered the terminal. "That's why we're in the city." We'll have problems fitting everything in one evening because there's so much to see and do here."

“You’re starting to sound like an expert on this place.”

"I'm not an expert, but I've been here several times." It's going to be fantastic. The lights, the frenzy, the buzz in the air It's like no other area on the planet."

"There," he said, pointing to a man in a dark suit holding an Aquino sign.

"Wow," I exclaimed as we approached the driver. I had to admit that his joy was catching up with me. "This is the first time I've been picked up by a guy holding a sign."

When we approached him, Damian confirmed our identities, and the man promptly snatched our belongings.

Damian grinned and continued, "You have to let him do it. It's his responsibility."

"I'm not an expert, but I've been here several times." It's going to be fantastic. The lights, the frenzy, the buzz in the air It's like no other area on the planet."

"There," he said, pointing to a man in a dark suit holding an Aquino sign.

"Wow," I exclaimed as we approached the driver. I had to admit that his joy was catching up with me. "This is the first time I've been picked up by a guy holding a sign."

When we approached him, Damian confirmed our identities, and the man promptly snatched our belongings.

Damian grinned and continued, "You have to let him do it." "It's his responsibility."

He said, "You're going to enjoy Caesar's Palace. And don't be concerned –"

I said, "Let me guess. You gave the place a little facelift."

He smiled. "Sure did. The room they chose for us is excellent, but the penthouse suites are incredible – some of the most incredible hotel accommodations I've ever seen."

And how many beds will there be in this suite? I was perplexed.

"We have the show tonight, but the rest of the day is ours." We can grab a bite to eat, take in the sights, and try our luck at gambling."

As he spoke, I looked out the window. Boracay loomed larger in the distance, creating a breathtaking image. I swear I'm not a Boracay kind of girl. The lights, the commotion, the...everything had always seemed a little out of place to me. But as we got closer, the anticipation grew. Maybe it was the way Damian built it up, or the two glasses of wine warming my gut, but I was getting a bit giddy.

Then it was on to the Strip. Even in the strong sunlight, the famed Boulevard looked breathtaking. As we drove through the casinos, I kept my face pressed against the glass. The Astoria Current Hotel was opulent, and the Island was spectacular. I wanted to see every hotel and gaped as we drove past the Beach.

Caesar's Palace, on the other hand, was all white, with magnificent marble statues of horses with their legs lifted in the air positioned around a magnificent fountain. The splendor of the water jets shooting high into the blue sky above mesmerized me. The front façade was bordered with intricately trimmed vegetation. I was completely engulfed in the opulence at the time, as if I'd been transported back in time.

As soon as we arrived, employees raced to the car. Damian took a step forward and introduced himself. They took our belongings and walked into the hotel.

"Are you prepared for this?" he inquired, a smirk on his face indicating that he knew exactly what we were about to go through.

"About as ready as I'm going to be," he said, taking my hand in his, and I didn't even bother to release go.

He dragged me through the doors, saying, "Let's do this." And what I saw on the other side was unlike anything else I'd ever seen.

Circles. That was the first thing I noticed. The halls were enormous and circular, with beautiful Romanesque frescoes on the ceiling and complex tapestries beneath our feet. Straight ahead were rows and rows of gaming machines, with chimes and colorful lights echoing throughout the space.

Hundreds of people were playing cards, flinging coins into slots, drinking, and having the fun of their lives in the hotel. Pretty waitresses whizzed around, placing free drinks in the hands of customers with a wink and a grin, all in the hopes of luring tourists to throw their money into the machines and onto the tables.

"It's a little different, huh?"

" Damian inquired. "Come on, the Penthouse is waiting for you."

"The what?”

He didn't respond. He instead took me to the front desk and checked me in. I didn't mind Damian taking over because I was so overwhelmed.

A smiley clerk handed him a keycard, and two men in smart suits appeared to accompany us up the stairs. We rode the elevator up, which had beautiful mirrored gold walls. The doors were open again before I knew it, and the room sprawled out before us.

It was a massive apartment with two levels and a large living area with glass walls that provided an amazing view of the city. The place became even more surreal as light poured into it.

All I could do was sit on the large, half-circle couch and stare in awe. I noticed Damian hand a hundred dollars to each of the men before they walked back into the elevator out of the corner of my eye.

"Does this have the same layout as Carlos' room?" He mentioned that they made sure to secure a multi-bedroom suite so that neither of the persons going felt obligated to do anything."

He cocked his head. "Are you thinking about anything in particular?" ”

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Don't act stupid."

Damian picked up the bags from the floor and carried them over to the large, circular glass dining table near the window. He unzipped one and took a few items of clothing from it.

"You're just breaking your chops." Yes, I specifically requested a suite with multiple bedrooms."

“Multiple? ”

"In total, there are three. But it wouldn't bother me if we just used one of them."

For a brief period, I was speechless, astonished by his audacity. "Please don't tell me you just said that." Please confirm that you're joking."

He gave a wink. "I'm completely joking. Not a shred of seriousness here," he said, looking over his shoulder at me as he rummaged through his suitcase.

I stood up straight. "Damian, you can't be serious when you say we should hook up again."

Damian shrugged nonchalantly, like if I'd turned down a lunch invitation. "Why not? Are you still living in the past, for example? ”

The goodwill he'd managed to generate over the previous few hours with his typical charm and warmth evaporated in an instant. It reminded me of the kind of man he was: a self-centered jerk who only cared about himself.

"Prick," I growled as I stormed over to him, snatching my bags off the table and marching up the stairs.

“What? Something I said?" he called out after me.

I walked into the closest bedroom, slammed the door behind me, and didn't even take a moment to appreciate the luxury before plopping into the king-sized bed and grunting into the pillow.

Prick. Total jerk. For the next day and a half, I was stuck with the guy. The worst part, though? My mind was my worst adversary. I built up an image of what it would be like if I accepted Damian's offer the instant I closed my eyes.

I imagined him storming into the room, unconcerned about what I said or did. He'd stand over the bed, a cocky-as-eff grin on his face, taking in the sight of my body in front of him. Then he'd take off his shirt and toss it into the corner, exposing his muscular torso.

"What are you doing here?"

" I'd ask, attempting to ignore the fact that my underwear was becoming increasingly saturated by the second.

He'd step to the side of the bed and remark, "Giving you precisely what you want."

"What I want is for you to get the fuck out of here," I'd say, rubbing my thighs together to distract myself from the rising excitement in me.

But he paid no attention to my words. Instead, he'd leap onto the bed, one hand on the small of my back, the other on my breast, with astonishing dexterity. He'd say, "Tell me what you want again."

"I want...I want...you," he'd say, his lips pressing against mine.

I grunted into the pillow again, annoyed with myself.

What a complete disaster. And I was in the midst of it all.