Damien's eyes widened in shock, the feel of Elena's lips still burning on his own. The kiss had come out of nowhere, taking him by surprise, and for a split second, he felt lost in it.
But instinct took over.
He took a step back, pulling away from Elena, his breath heavy, mind clouded with confusion.
Elena, ever the performer, gasped dramatically and covered her mouth with her hand, eyes wide as though she had just committed an unthinkable crime.
"Oh my God, I'm so sorry!" she blurted out, her voice filled with false regret. She turned swiftly, intending to run back to the kitchen and hide from the moment.
But before she could flee, Damien's hand shot out, grabbing her by the arm. Without a word, he pulled her into his arms, closing the distance between them.
His hand slid around her waist, the other tangled in her hair as if it belonged there.
Then, before either of them could stop it, his lips crashed down onto hers, hungry and unrelenting.
He kissed her like a man starved, like someone who had been deprived of something essential for far too long.
Elena's heart pounded in her chest, a whirlwind of excitement and panic swirling within her.
On one hand, her plan was working better than she had imagined; she had him right where she wanted. But there was also a growing fear, a fear she hadn't anticipated. What if she was falling for him? What if this wasn't just a game anymore?
As the kiss deepened, Elena found herself losing control, her hands slipping around his neck to pull him closer.
Little moans of pleasure escaped her lips, and she hated how genuine they sounded, how real this felt. Her mind screamed at her to stop, to remember her original intentions, but her body refused to obey.
Damien's arms tightened around her as he lifted her off the floor, carrying her effortlessly toward the sofa.
Their lips never parted as he laid her down gently, his body hovering over hers, his hands caressing her as though she were something precious.
The intensity of the moment was overwhelming, but Elena was too caught up in the heat of it to care.
But then, suddenly, Damien froze, just as quickly as the moment had begun, it ended.
He pulled away and sat up, his breathing ragged, his gaze distant. "I'm sorry," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I shouldn't have done that."
Elena blinked, still dazed from the kiss. She pushed herself up to sit beside him, her eyes searching his face for an explanation. "Why?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Damien sighed heavily, his eyes fixed on the floor. "I'm married. And you… you just got divorced. Plus You've been through so much today, and I don't even know your name."
Elena reached out, placing a hand under his chin, gently guiding his face toward hers. She smiled, a wide, radiant grin that lit up her entire face. "Elena Grey," she said softly. "Now you know my name."
Damien stared at her for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Well, nice to meet you, Ms. Grey," he said, his tone lightening despite the tension. "I'm Damien. Damien Lawson."
Elena laughed, the sound light and carefree. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Lawson."
For a brief moment, the tension between them dissolved, and the two of them broke into laughter, everything felt normal, as if they weren't two broken souls colliding under complicated circumstances.
Then, without warning, Damien reached out and pulled her into his arms again. This time, the embrace was different—softer, tender, filled with an unexpected warmth.
They sat in silence for a while, their hearts beating in sync, the weight of the world momentarily forgotten.
"You know," Damien finally spoke, his voice low, holding her close to him. "For the longest time, this is the first time I've felt alive. Like in the last five years, I haven't laughed or smiled… not once."
Elena's heart ached at his words, her chest tightening with a pain she knew all too well.
She understood it all too well what was like to feel hollow inside, to go through the motions of life without really living. She glanced up at him, her expression softening.
"You know," he continued, his voice growing quieter, thick with emotion.
"After my son died, everything changed between me and my wife. Things took a turn for the worse, and every day became a living hell… until today."
Elena lifted her gaze, her eyes meeting his. She saw the pain etched in his features, the deep, unhealed wounds that still festered inside him.
Her heart pounded in her chest, but for once, it wasn't just from the excitement of the game she was playing. There was something more, something real, and it terrified her.
Without thinking, she reached up, brushing a stray lock of hair from his face.
"From now on, you have me," she whispered softly, her voice filled with a sincerity that surprised even her. "I'll make you the happiest man in the world."
Damien chuckled, a sound that was more bittersweet than joyful. "Really?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.
Elena nodded, her smile returning as she tried to bury the emotions swirling inside her.
She was about to look away when Damien gently caught her chin, his eyes locking onto hers.
He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips, this one tender and filled with something unspoken.
"Thank you," he whispered, before placing another kiss on her forehead, right next to the band-aid that covered the small cut she had earned earlier in the day.
For a while, they stayed like that, sharing quiet moments that felt far too intimate for two people who had just met.
Eventually, Elena stood up, a smile tugging at her lips. "I should get back to the kitchen," she said, her voice teasing.
Damien, ever the gentleman, immediately rose to his feet. "I'll help."
Elena raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh, really? Can you cook, Mr. Lawson?"
"I've been known to burn a toast or two in my time," he said with a grin, following her into the kitchen.
What started as a simple task quickly devolved into playful chaos.
Flour flew through the air as Damien playfully tossed a handful at Elena, earning a gasp of mock indignation.
She retaliated by smearing butter across his cheek, laughing at the look of shock on his face.
The kitchen became their playground, laughter echoing through the house as they danced around one another, teasing and flirting as though they were children.
Damien found himself smiling more than he had in years, his heart light in a way he hadn't thought possible.
And for Elena, the walls she had built around her heart seemed to crumble, piece by piece.