Chapter 6

ANNA

We drive off. Luckily the radio is on and it breaks the silence.

I look out the window and see how the buildings fly by. I don’t know if I want to ask him why he didn’t call. I don’t know how I will start a conversation with him.

Ray is just sitting in front with her hands folded over her chest and her cheeks all puffed up.

~Poor Jordan. It’s not his fault.~

I can see he doesn’t know what to say to her.

Damitry is on his phone, busily tapping like a madman. He looks very busy.

~Maybe work? Or a girlfriend.~

I think he feels me staring; he looks up and smiles at me, not saying a word.

~That’s it! This must stop now.~

I clear my throat. Ray checks me in the mirror and frowns at me.

“So, how have you been?” I ask, smiling at him. I thought to start light with a simple question. He looks up from his phone, flashes me a smirk, and turns his attention back to his phone.

“I’m good, Annabeth,” he answers.

~“Good?” I’m trying to make conversation here and “good” is all I get?~

~Asshole.~

I sigh, turn my attention back to the buildings flying by and say, “Well, I’m just ~great~, thanks for asking.” In my head, I’m sticking my tongue out at him.

Ray starts to giggle to herself. I think she heard the sarcasm in my voice.

Jordan scratches his head and clears his throat.

~Ah, this is going to be good.~

I know Ray and she doesn’t just give in.

“Baby, I’m sorry I didn’t call you last night when Damitry asked me if he can tag along, but in my defense, it was very late and I know you like your sleep and when I left last night you looked very tired.

“So I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to wake you.” He sounds very sincere. He flashes Ray a sweet smile and waits for her to say something.

~Wow, he’s good.~

Ray turns in her seat and looks at him. She wants to smile, I can see that, but she keeps it together. She lets the apology hang out for a few minutes and just looks at him.

She’s sweating him, the poor guy. I can see how nervous he is, and now she is punishing him.

Finally, she smiles at him, a big, bright smile.

“I forgive you, baby.” And she plants a soft kiss on his cheek.

He gives her a big smile, takes his one arm, and pulls her into his chest. She giggles as she lays her head down against him.

~Glad to see them happy again.~

Damitry is still busy on his phone when we pull up to a gas station. Everyone gets out except him. Ray jumps out and leaps into Jordan’s arms, wraps her arms around his neck, and kisses him.

“Sorry, my sweetheart,” he says and kisses her on the forehead as he places her on her feet again.

I smile at them as I start to walk to the shop.

“I’m getting us some food and drinks,” I yell at Ray over my shoulder, shaking my head at the two lovebirds.

I’m starving. It’s just past two, and I hadn’t eaten any breakfast.

When I get back, I see everyone is standing outside waiting for me.

Damitry and Jordan are talking about something serious. Ray is sitting on the car’s hood. She slides off when she sees me and helps me with the drinks and food.

“What’s that all about?” I ask Ray as I point with my eyes toward the boys. She pulls up her shoulders and smiles at me.

“Hey, guys, the food is getting cold and we should get going,” I yell at them.

Both men nod and start to walk back to the car. When we are done, we get back in and start to drive. It is still two more hours to my parents’ house.

I look at Damitry, who is talking to someone on the phone.

~I wonder what he does for a living.~

He hangs up and gets busy tapping again.

~I can’t stand this silence anymore. What is he typing? I mean, dude, you can’t take that long to send a message.~

I try to see what he is doing.

~Shit. I can’t see a thing.~

Now I’m getting very curious. I lean in closer.

He looks at me from under his brows.

“Can I help you?” he asks, smirking.

“Nope.” I move away from him and stare out the window again.

~The hell with this. Talk to him.~

“Damitry, what are you doing on your phone this whole time?” I turn and face him.

He smiles, looking up at last.

“I’m working. I have a few emails that I need to answer before I can enjoy the weekend with you,” he answers.

“Okay, what do you do for a living? Send emails to the whole world?” I ask a little sarcastically.

He laughs. “No, not exactly, I have my own company, Golden Global. Don’t know if you’re familiar with it. And then I have a few investments in smaller companies.”

He gives me a very big smile and turns his attention back to his phone.

~What, so he’s ~that~ Damitry Goldman? Oh, shit. Okay, didn’t see that coming.~

Jordan starts to laugh at both me and Ray. Everybody knows Damitry or knows of him, I think my mouth is hanging open and Ray must have snapped her neck when he made his statement.

“Wait a sec. So you’re telling me that you are Damitry Goldman from Golden Global, Inc.? Wow,” Ray says, surprised.

“Yep,” he replies, popping the “p.”

I’m still a bit shocked.

~Well, that would explain the car, the fancy club, the fancy food, and the fancy date.~

“Oh, shit,” I say.

~Oops. Did I just say that out loud?~

Everyone just starts to laugh.

“Okay, Jordan, do you also have some fancy job or your own business?” I ask. He looks at Damitry through the mirror as if he is asking for his permission to answer my question.

“No, Anna. Not exactly. I work for Damitry’s company. I’m his IT guy.” He smiles at me and turns his attention back to the road.

“And Xander? Where does he fit in?” I ask.

Damitry clears his throat.

“He is the business manager of my company,” he says and turns his gaze back to his phone.

“Are you always this busy?” I ask.

He looks up, grins, and finishes his text.

“Yes, especially now. I’m taking over another company and there is a lot of paperwork to be done,” he answers.

“Oh, okay. I’ll leave you to it, then.”

He looks up, puts the phone down, and turns to me. He smiles and leans in closer.

“You are very distracting,” he says in a whisper.

I smile at him.

“I won’t say another word. Sorry for bothering you.” I turn my attention out the window.

He takes my chin gently, turning my face toward him.

“It wasn’t the words that distracted me. It’s being in your presence that’s distracting me. You are so beautiful,” he says as he brushes some of my hair out of my face.

“Why didn’t you call?” I ask in a soft voice, looking into his eyes.

“I wanted to call, but I needed time to figure some stuff out,” he says.

“I can’t share you, Anna. I don’t want to be the rebound if things between you and Xander don’t work out. I will not be able to help myself from kicking his ass if he hurts you.

“I care about you,” he says, moving even closer to me. “I knew it from the first time I saw you that you are special. There isn’t a woman on this earth that makes me feel so…alive like you do.”

His voice is soft and gentle. We never break eye contact.

~Oh, honey, please kiss me, please, please, please.~

He grins at me and moves away.

~What the hell? Not again. This is bullshit.~

I move closer to him.

He looks me in the eye like he is daring me to make a move.

I take my hand, run it down his jawline, move in closer so our lips almost touch, and whisper, “You are not a rebound.”

He grins and places his hand on the back of my neck. Our lips lock in a sweet, passionate kiss.

He slides his hands down to my waist, unclips my seatbelt, and pulls me up so that I sit on his lap. Our lips never break the kiss. He gently bites the bottom of my lip, and I let out a small moan.

“Hey! Get a room!”

We turn and look at Ray. She is smiling at us, and we start to laugh.

He gently places me next to him, planting a soft kiss on my forehead and placing one hand around my shoulder.

I can’t help the smile on my face and the butterflies in my stomach. I look up and see a big smile on his face as well.

~This man has some sort of power over me. Since our date, I haven’t been able to get him out of my head.~

***

We’re almost at my parents’ place.

~Oh, shit, I never told my mom about Damitry.~

I hope my brother behaves. I don’t want to be embarrassed, especially not after that kiss.

“Um, Damitry?”

He looks at me. I flash him a smile and he returns it.

“My family, well they don’t know about…us. I mean, I don’t even know what this is and well, my mom…she is a bit odd and she might start talking with you about marriage and kids and stuff like that.

“My brother, well…he is a bit overprotective, but my dad, he is cool and straightforward.

“Um…I don’t know why I’m telling you all this. I’m sorry.” I smile at him sheepishly.

He gives me a drop-dead gorgeous smile.

“It’s okay, cupcake.” He kisses me softly on my head and grins as he continues.

“Well, let’s make it easy for the both of us. We are not just friends. So, Annabeth, would you like to be my girlfriend?” he asks and smiles again, oh so sweet and innocently.

I nod and kiss him softly on his lips.

“Eek!” Ray is freaking out in the front and Jordan starts to laugh. Yeah, they heard the whole speech.

~Oh, my word. I’m so lucky.~

~Oh shit, I’m not going to sleep with him ~now~. I mean, I would think about it, but to do the deed? I’m not ready for that now. I mean, I’m still a Mary, for crying out loud.~

~I hope this isn’t going to be weird. I hope he doesn’t kick me to the curb after this weekend. I mean, we just started dating.~

We pull up to my parents’ house. My heart is racing now.

~Okay. Plan: grab Damitry and run for the hills, live in peace and harmony.~

~Yeah, great plan. Ass. Ugh. ~

~Okay, well, let’s just see what happens. Time for my boyfriend to meet the parents who don’t even know he exists.~

Ray gives me a big smile.

“Don’t stress so much, Anna. You’re going to explode. Just breathe.” She kisses Jordan on his cheek.

“Cupcake, it’s okay. Nothing will change the way I feel about you.” Damitry smiles and plants a soft kiss on my forehead.