CHAPTER THIRTEEN | WORKING FROM HOME
2030 Words
Wendy POV
I don't know why I thought it was an idea to move in here, even if it was temporary. After our almost kiss, I had taken a shower and succumbed to the craving between my legs. It wasn't until after I finished and got out of the shower that I found out that he could have heard what I had just done. My attraction to Damien began to become a problem, because it was no longer a simple attraction, but began to develop into something more, something dangerous. I couldn't afford to fall in love just to get hurt and left behind once more. It was only in my daydreams and fantasies that the opportunity for us to be together worked out. In reality, however, it will not happen, he is not interested in me that way. Besides, he's my boss. He's helping me with shelter because he's sorry for me. Soon I will have enough money to be able to find a sensible apartment for all four of us. Me and my children.
The morning after is rather awkward. Damien is sitting by the kitchen island drinking coffee with his phone glued to his ear. I don't say anything to him, there's no need to bother him when he's busy. I pour water into a pot and put it on the stove. I caress my stomach and look at my work email. There's a lot of documents for me to fix up today, why not start early? When the water is done, I pour it into the cup and wait for the flavour from the tea to spread. When Damien hangs up the call, I'm already done with the first document and has forwarded it to him. All he has to do is read it through and sign it. I pick up my cup and take a sip while looking at Damien, his eyes widen when he reads the document I've sent him. When his gaze lock at me, he's smiling.
"Good work, Wendy."
I just smirk at him and walks to the couch. My leg hurt suddenly, I've gotten something that the doctor called "pregnancy spasms". Which means that my muscles get cramps and twitches which is very hurtful. I lift my leg and put it on the table infront of me. I'm trying to massage my gastrocnemius muscle, but my stomach is in the way.
"Come on, babies. You're in the way for mommy." I coo at my stomach and tries to reach it once more before I give up. I grimace from the pain and try to breath through it like the doctor told me to do. Damien walks up to me with a worried look.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes, my leg hurts a bit. It will go away soon."
He crouches down on the floor and looks at my twitching leg before me starts to massage it. I give him a surprised look. Why is my boss kneading my leg?
"Um, you don't have to do that."
"I want to. Besides, you're in pain. I don't like that." he answers without looking at me, his full focus on the kneading. I smile at his consideration.
"Thank you." I said suddenly shy when his hands are moving against my skin.
The pain is subsiding fast and finally it's all gone. He looks at me and I nod my head, indicating that I'm fine now. He sits down at the couch infront and looks me over.
"So, when are we going to work?" I ask in an attempt to steer the awkwardness away.
"We're not. You and me are working from home today."
"Why is that?"
"After what happened yesterday, we should be better safe than sorry. Jaxon brought your new laptop to work from, you can start whenever."
My mouth forms an 'O' and I walk to where the computer lies. I pick it up and put it on the coffee table. It doesn't take long for me to be inside the company cyperspace. My email has not changed since I looked it over earlier, which makes me relax a bit. This is day two of me working there and I don't want to be overworked in the first week. Damien has placed his computer at the same table as me, infront of me. I don't look at him when I work. But I can see him glance my way quite a lot. One of the times I look back at him and he blushes before averting his gaze. That made me chuckle on the inside. He really is adorable sometimes.
*
I don't realize how long I've been working until someone knocks on the door. Damien rises from his seat and opens the door. I can't see who it is but Damien pays the person before walking back. He clears his throat and I look up from my computer. He is standing there with a smile and two pizzas in his hand.
"Lunch is served, my lady." he says and bows dramatically. I laugh at his sillyness before I rise and sit down in the kitchen with him by my side.
"You didn't have to bring me food, you know." I said, still smiling.
"Of course I did. Your stomach was screaming for food and you didn't even realise it yourself."
"It was not me, blame it on the peanuts."
"Peanuts?" he asks with one of his eyebrows rised.
"My best friend Adrian, calls the babies 'the peanuts'. It kinda stuck after that." I answer with a shrug.
"I like that nickname."
"Yeah, it's cute and so much easier for me. I would have gone mad with not knowing the genders otherwise."
"It's must be exciting though."
"Oh, it really is!"
"May I ask a personal question?"
"Sure."
"Do you ever wish you could change who and how you got pregnant?"
"No, I wouldn't." I answered truthful.
"How come?"
"The person I got pregnant with was a real sweetheart. He had the most beautiful eyes and made me laugh more than once. I just wish I knew who it was so I could tell him about his children. And also to..."
"To?"
"To thank him for giving me a purpose in my life. For giving me what I always wanted." I said and smiled down at my stomach before caressing it. A kick made me laugh, they always moved when I talked about their daddy. I look at him but his gaze are at my round belly.
"Do you want to touch it? They're kicking."
He looks hesitantly at me, like he doesn't believe that I would allow it.
"Are you sure?"
"As long as you don't hurt them, then I'm sure." I answered laughing and pulled my sweater over my stomach. He looked like he didn't dare to touch. I took his hand with a sigh and put it where the kicks are. He smiled when he felt it and caressed it very lightly. Suddenly he looked like someone threw ice-cold water on him, because he withdrew his hand rather quickly. And excused himself mumbling before leaving the room. What is it with him?
Damien POV
My hands were sweaty and my heart flipped inside my chest. I didn't know if it was my bad conscience or the feeling of having felt my kids kicking that caused it. The only thing I was sure about was that I didn't know how to react. I tore my hair in frustration that I still haven't told her the truth. She deserves to know that the father of her child, whom she also wanted to thank, is closer to her than she could ever have imagined. My conscience keeps gnawing at me. Especially after today. She had specifically said that she wished she knew what he had greeted so that she could tell him the truth. She just didn't know that person was me and that I already knew. I lied to her by maintaining the truth from her. I have to tell her, I just don't know how and when. The longer I hold it in, the worse it will be. Nevertheless, I could not let go of the thought that she could take the children and disappear for good. I didn't want to start a custody battle with her, even though I knew I was gonna win, considering I had about fifteen lawyers at my disposal at the company. It didn't feel right for me. Our children deserve to have both their parents in their lives and I can't take that away from them. I don't think she would do that to them either, but there was a risk that at least she would stay away from me. I'm sure she would have allowed me to meet them because they were also my children. But it wasn't enough for me. I didn't just want my kids. I wanted the whole package. And there she was included, as my future wife. This may sound weird to you because we have only known each other for a very short while. But that woman who is currently sitting in my kitchen, I've been looking for her since that night at the bar. And long before that, if you have to be meticulous. I've never been the one who believed in love at first sight, or soulmates, she changed my view on it. She was the woman of my life. I must have her! The problem was, I'm not very good at this relationship thing. Or feelings at all. Social situations that did not include work were difficult for me. It's always been that way and I've tried to train myself to relax more to function when I'm in these types of situations. Francly, I think it's the overthinking that's my problem. Maybe I should just swing it and ask her right out if she would like to come with me on a date? She may actually say yes and we could have the time of our lives... Or, she could say no and never talk to me again. Ugh, why was this so hard?! She was making me nervous and I didn't like it. Just being in her presence made me all giddy and jumpy. Goddamn it, I sound like a teenage girl at a 'One direction' consert... Maybe I should just call Jaxon about this, he dates a lot. I dial his number and he picks up at the fifth ring.
"Hi, everything alright there?"
"I want to take her on a date."
"What? Who?"
"Wendy."
"Oh. Well, have you asked her out then?"
"No..."
"Why not? You just told me that you wanted to take her out."
"I said I wanted to, not that I had asked her."
"And why not? You like her, it's pretty obvious."
"I don't like her."
It was a total lie and my dear little brother knew it.
"Oh really. You have been talking about 'Amber' since that night you first met. Everyday it was just Amber, Amber, Amber. You didn't stop talking about her until you met Wendy when I was out eating dinner with her. That was the first time you didn't talk about that girl for months. So yes, you do like her."
"Yes, of course I like her! How could I not? She's special..."
"Yeah, she really is. If I wasn't so totally gay, I would have banged her."
"Watch it!" I growl at him which earns me a chuckle in return.
"See! I told you. But seriously, why don't you just ask her?"
"Because I'm afraid..."
"What are you afraid of?"
"Getting hurt. Again."
That made him turn silent for a whole minute before he continued.
"Listen. Wendy has been hurt many times in her life. And not just mentally. She's probably as afraid as you are about the whole dating thing. Just talk to her and ask her."
"Okay, thank you." I sighed.
"Anytime, brother."
I walked out into the living room where she sat and worked. She looked at me perplexed as I was standing there. Not saying a word.
"Did you need something?" she asked with a soft voice with amusement.
I shaked my head, trying to focus on the matter at hand. I breathed in before asking her bluntly.
"Do you want to go out with me?"
She looked at me surprised.
"You mean on a date?"
"Y-yeah." I stuttered.
"Okay, sure." she answered smiling and I just nodded before walking away from there. In my room I did a happy dance and pumped a winning fist in the air. She actually said yes!
- Writer
