all.
Holding my head up high, I walked into the dining room and set the two sodas on the table. We laughed, ate, and play ed Rook until the sun went down; Dad and Damian on a team and me and my mother on the other. Not surprisingly, Mom and I kicked their butts!
Afterward, we all gathered in the den to watch a movie. Mom and Dad sat on the sofa, and Damian and I cuddled on pillows and blankets on the floor.
“Since Kate and I won, you guys pick the movie.”
Damian shot my dad a glance. “Bond? James Bond?”
“Old or new?”
“New. Shaken or stirred?”
“Do I look like I give a damn?” Dad said in his perfect James Bond impression.
They both laughed. I just enjoyed being close to Damian and feeling like being part of a normal family.
~* ~
I stayed in bed until noon on Sunday while my parents were at church. My head hurt and the room spun like one of those carnival rides where you stick to the side and the floor drops out. I refused breakfast but accepted Mom’s offer of Ibuprofen.
When I awoke, Damian had his head resting on my stomach. He was scribbling something in a notebook. I smiled and ran my fingers through his hair, which contained less gel than it used to. He moaned softly and turned his head to look at me. His smile was breathtaking, showing off both dimples.
“Hey, beautiful.” His voice stirred the butterflies in my stomach. “How are you feeling?”
It took me a second to answer. From the moment I opened my eyes, the only thing on my mind had been how his hand curled over mine. “A little woozy.”
Damian frowned. “I kept you up too late last night.”
I shook my head. “No. I wouldn’t trade yesterday for anything. What are you writing?”
His smile returned. “Lyrics for a song I’m working on.”
“Hmm,” I hummed. “Can I hear it?”
“Someday. When it’s finished.”
I puffed out my lower lip. “No sneak peak?”
“Maybe later.”
He tossed the notebook on the floor and moved his head to my pillow, pulling me into him. I rested on his shoulder and nestled my face into his chest, breathing him in. The scent of his deodorant filled my nostrils.
And that was it. Just deodorant.
I inhaled him again, then lifted my eyes up at him, confused.
He grinned down on me guessing my thoughts. “I quit. It made you sick.”
In response, I touched his cheek and drew him to my lips. He tasted so good. I didn’t want to stop, but my body had other thoughts. I closed my eyes and lay back down on his chest, drifting back off to sleep.
My mom brought us dinner in bed. I still wasn’t hungry, but I ate a few bites of homemade honey bread and some spoonfuls of soup. After a movie in Damian’s arms, he went home, and I dozed off.
In the morning, my headache had vanished. Suddenly, I felt like I could take on the world! Since Damian worked at the hospital all day, I texted him as often as he’d answer. Missing his gorgeous face, I went to the hospital early and sat in the Commons to wait for him.
I threw my arms around his neck as soon as he walked in. We were alone in the room, so he challenged me to a game of Mario Kart . Not surprisingly, he beat me with ease.
“Okay, how about a wager this time?” He lifted his eyebrows.
“No! There’s no contest!”
“If you lose, I get to treat you to a Christmas dinner this weekend. And if I win, you…I dunno…have to kiss me?”
I slugged him playfully and accepted his terms. After I lost, I kissed him eagerly.
“Wait! I don’t think that bet was fair,” I exclaimed, finally realizing what he’d said.
Damian flashed a mischievous grin. “You accepted.”
Dr. Lowell knocked on the open door. “Kate?”
Both of us turned.
“I don’t want you hanging out here except for treatments, okay? This place is full of germs.”
I stole a glance at Damian, then back at his father. “Okay.”
Damian grunted and flopped back against the sofa.
I lifted his arm and curled up against him. “How are things between you
Holding my head up high, I walked into the dining room and set the two sodas on the table. We laughed, ate, and play ed Rook until the sun went down; Dad and Damian on a team and me and my mother on the other. Not surprisingly, Mom and I kicked their butts!
Afterward, we all gathered in the den to watch a movie. Mom and Dad sat on the sofa, and Damian and I cuddled on pillows and blankets on the floor.
“Since Kate and I won, you guys pick the movie.”
Damian shot my dad a glance. “Bond? James Bond?”
“Old or new?”
“New. Shaken or stirred?”
“Do I look like I give a damn?” Dad said in his perfect James Bond impression.
They both laughed. I just enjoyed being close to Damian and feeling like being part of a normal family.
~* ~
I stayed in bed until noon on Sunday while my parents were at church. My head hurt and the room spun like one of those carnival rides where you stick to the side and the floor drops out. I refused breakfast but accepted Mom’s offer of Ibuprofen.
When I awoke, Damian had his head resting on my stomach. He was scribbling something in a notebook. I smiled and ran my fingers through his hair, which contained less gel than it used to. He moaned softly and turned his head to look at me. His smile was breathtaking, showing off both dimples.
“Hey, beautiful.” His voice stirred the butterflies in my stomach. “How are you feeling?”
It took me a second to answer. From the moment I opened my eyes, the only thing on my mind had been how his hand curled over mine. “A little woozy.”
Damian frowned. “I kept you up too late last night.”
I shook my head. “No. I wouldn’t trade yesterday for anything. What are you writing?”
His smile returned. “Lyrics for a song I’m working on.”
“Hmm,” I hummed. “Can I hear it?”
“Someday. When it’s finished.”
I puffed out my lower lip. “No sneak peak?”
“Maybe later.”
He tossed the notebook on the floor and moved his head to my pillow, pulling me into him. I rested on his shoulder and nestled my face into his chest, breathing him in. The scent of his deodorant filled my nostrils.
And that was it. Just deodorant.
I inhaled him again, then lifted my eyes up at him, confused.
He grinned down on me guessing my thoughts. “I quit. It made you sick.”
In response, I touched his cheek and drew him to my lips. He tasted so good. I didn’t want to stop, but my body had other thoughts. I closed my eyes and lay back down on his chest, drifting back off to sleep.
My mom brought us dinner in bed. I still wasn’t hungry, but I ate a few bites of homemade honey bread and some spoonfuls of soup. After a movie in Damian’s arms, he went home, and I dozed off.
In the morning, my headache had vanished. Suddenly, I felt like I could take on the world! Since Damian worked at the hospital all day, I texted him as often as he’d answer. Missing his gorgeous face, I went to the hospital early and sat in the Commons to wait for him.
I threw my arms around his neck as soon as he walked in. We were alone in the room, so he challenged me to a game of Mario Kart . Not surprisingly, he beat me with ease.
“Okay, how about a wager this time?” He lifted his eyebrows.
“No! There’s no contest!”
“If you lose, I get to treat you to a Christmas dinner this weekend. And if I win, you…I dunno…have to kiss me?”
I slugged him playfully and accepted his terms. After I lost, I kissed him eagerly.
“Wait! I don’t think that bet was fair,” I exclaimed, finally realizing what he’d said.
Damian flashed a mischievous grin. “You accepted.”
Dr. Lowell knocked on the open door. “Kate?”
Both of us turned.
“I don’t want you hanging out here except for treatments, okay? This place is full of germs.”
I stole a glance at Damian, then back at his father. “Okay.”
Damian grunted and flopped back against the sofa.
I lifted his arm and curled up against him. “How are things between you
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