Damian by Jessica Wood Page A

That’s an ambitious goal.”
    I laughed. “I know. But I still have seven years.”
    “So a continent a year?”
    “Well if you put it that way, then yes, something like that.”
    “Oh shit!” he said suddenly as he looked at his iPhone.
    “What?”
    “I need to get back to the bar. My other bartender is almost done with his shift, so I need to cover tonight.”
    “Oh. Okay.” I felt a mixture of disappointment and relief.
    I walked Damian to the door, and as he walked into the hallway, he turned around at the doorframe and looked back at me.
    “You know what?” he asked.
    “What?”
    “There’s something about you, Alexis,” he said as his rich blue eyes bore into mine. “Hang out with me sometime this week.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement. He said it as if he knew what my answer would be.
    “Can I ask you something?” I asked back.
    “Shoot,” he said coolly.
    “Are you asking me out on a date or are you just having some fun?” I was surprised by my own boldness.
    He was silent for a brief moment before he answered, “Alexis. I think you’re really cool.” He then paused.
    I sensed a but.
    I was right.
    “But I want to be perfectly honest with you. I’m not looking for a relationship. I don’t do commitments. I’ve never been that type of guy. I never will.”
    His answer felt like a punch in the stomach and it left me gasping for air. As much as I had expected this answer, I knew deep down I had hoped that maybe there was something special here, that maybe for me he’d make an exception, and that maybe I was special. But I’d been wrong.
    “Damian, I think there’s something about you too,” I said, echoing his words. “And I think you’re really cool too.”
    “I hear a but coming,” he said.
    “But—”
    “And there it is,” he said. I caught a look of disappointment flash across his face.
    I looked at him solemnly and wanted to laugh at how in sync we were but couldn’t. I wished things were different—that either he would be interested in a relationship or I would be okay with being one of his many casual female friends. But things were not different. I knew that I could get hurt if I put myself in that situation. I wanted something real, something deep, something meaningful.
    “I’m just not that kind of girl.”
    “That’s too bad,” he said.
    “Thanks for keeping me company, Damian. And for the sushi lesson,” I said with a meek smile.
    “Any time. You take care of yourself, Alexis. Don’t be a stranger.”
    And with that, he was gone. And I felt overcome with a sense of loss as the first thing that had made me happy and comfortable since I moved to this new city had just walked away.

CHAPTER SIX
    Damian
    SOMETHING SOFT, WET, AND HUNGRY around my morning wood woke me up. I groaned and involuntarily moved my pelvis up to meet the warm wetness. Not a bad wake-up call, but how did she end up spending the night?
    I yawned and forced my eyes open, turning to my left toward my bedside table. It was 10:20 a.m. Vague memories of last night started coming back to me. It had been another crazy Friday night at Damian’s, and there had been a group of hot girls having a bachelorette party at the bar. I had ended up taking a series of shots with them after a number of them order a round of shots off my body, which was what Damian’s was infamous for. The rest of the night was a drunken blur. All I remembered was having two of the girls from that group over to my apartment for a little night cap, having a bit of fun, and passing out.
    “Good morning.” A naked brunette grinned up at me as her mouth left my fully erect cock. She began to trace my lower abs with her lips, moving up toward my face.
    “Morning,” I mumbled groggily. “Hey, baby, why don’t you stay down there for a few and get rid of my morning wood for me?” I suggested, but we both knew it wasn’t a question. It was an order.
    She looked up at me from below, her lust-filled eyes peeking