Céline’s heart was in her stomach for the rest of the day, it refused to return to its position in her chest.
She questioned her actions over and over through out the day.
Did she go too fast? Had she messed things up?
Should she have mentioned that to him now?
Damien hadn’t said much after she told him over lunch that she was a virgin and would only sleep with a man she married. He wasn’t cold towards her but he was lost in thought through out the meal and even when they got back to the office. He became withdrawn and more to himself.
She tried to focus on work but it was useless. Her mind kept reminding her that she had messed up. She was too fast. She had turned him off completely. She had lost her chances of making twenty million dollars to pay John.
What was she going to do now?
“Céline?”
She jumped out of her thoughts and looked up in surprise. “Yes?” Tiana was standing by the door, smiling gently at her.
“Mr Damien asked me to check on you. Are you alright?” She asked, walking to where Céline sat.
“He did?” Céline questioned, her voice going on a higher pitch.
“Yes, he did.”
If he did send Tiana to check on her, it meant she hadn’t totally messed up. She still had a chance, a smile covered her face as the thoughts flowed in her head.
“Where is he now?”
“He is in the conference room… Is there a problem between you two? I- I m-ean did you fight?” Tiana reached a hand to her nose and was about to rub it when Céline held back her hand.
“Don’t be like that. You didn’t say anything wrong.”
She smiled a bit trying to make Tiana comfortable.
She needed to talk to someone about her relationship with Damien and since her aunt Elizabeth wouldn’t want to talk about it, why not talk to Tiana.
“Did something happen?” Tiana hesitated but said it out loud anyway.
“We are- we have our differences that’s all.” Céline found it hard to explain to Tiana what the problem was.
“Oh okay.” Tiana nodded her head in understanding.
How do you tell your colleague that you have been seducing your boss and now he wants to sleep with you but you want him to marry you first, so you could have rights over his money and pay your psychopathic ex-boyfriend, who was now a serial killer you hired?
Oh God! Just the thoughts was a chaos to put together in words.
Céline was sure Tiana would think she was mad if she let such things out of her mouth. So she settled for something totally different, she would manage her problems on her own.
“How is he doing?” Céline asked.
“He is-” Tiana started to speak but stopped herself.
“Céline, are… Please forgive me if this sounds like I’m prying but… Ar-e y-ou t-wo to-gether?” Tiana stuttered, looking around uncomfortably.
Céline’s brain stopped for a second as Tiana’s words reached her ears. Damien and Céline were not together. But Céline would never settle for negativity. She and Damien were going to be together. They had to. Her whole life depended on it.
“You are not prying. Damien and I… well, we have a long history.”
Tiana nodded her head in understanding again and a comfortable silence spread between them.
They did have a history. Though not as long as Céline made it sound, but it was history either way.
“May I say something?” Tiana whispered after a while.
“Sure. What’s up?”
Céline looked at the older woman in front of her wondering what she wanted to say to a situation she knew nothing about. Céline had basically given her only scraps of the true tale.
“I have worked for Mr Damien for a very long time and all that time, he has never allowed a woman to work with him closely.”
“But you are a woman too.” Céline countered, smiling up at Tiana.
“No- no, I am a woman but I am not-” Tiana rubbed her nose in frustration and Céline snickered.
It was so easy to mess with Tiana, she thought.
“I am just playing Tiana. Tell me why didn’t he get an assistant earlier?”
“Well, he- he didn’t want a scandal…” Tiana trailed, her brown eyes lighting up with a smile that danced on her lips.
“A scandal?”
“In his exact words, he was carefully avoiding being a victim to the stuff usually depicted in cliché movies,” Tiana said and burst out in laughter.
“Really? That’s absurd!” Céline exclaimed joining Tiana in the laugh.
“I know right! Mr Damien could be so many things at times.”
When they had both calmed and recomposed themselves from their laughter, Tiana spoke again. “You know, I have never seen him act with a woman the way he does with you, Céline.”
“How many women have you seen him with?” Céline countered.
The revelation Tiana was giving her was making her feel good about herself. Even her heart warmed over at the thought of Damien treating her differently from the way he treated other women.
“Quite a number… But I think he really likes you.”
Céline raised her brow in surprise.
“Did he say that to you?”
This was good news! It was the best news ever!
If Damien liked her, then all she had to do was make him marry her! It shouldn’t be that hard!
Good lord! Céline squealed in her mind with excitement.
What if Damien was even considering marrying her right this moment? And there she was sulking in her own doubt!
“No. He didn’t. But I know it. I can see it in his eyes… Please give him a chance. Who knows? You might just be the one to change the mighty Damien Culhane.”
Good fucking Lord!
Céline couldn’t believe her ears.
She wanted to jump up in excitement and make a happy dance but she remained in her seat smiling like a fresh bride.
Hell, she would be a fresh bride sooner than anybody anticipated!
“Oh dear!” Tiana jumped up from her place on the chair.
“We have been chatting for so long we forgot the time. Oh Céline, you have to hurry!”
Hurry? Why should Céline have to hurry?
“What’s going on? Is an earthquake happening?” Céline’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Actually, he asked me to tell you to meet him in the car when you were finished with your work. And I forgot!” She covered her mouth with her right palm and her eyes became consumed with fear.
Céline’s heart skipped a beat as soon as Tiana’s words registered in her head.
He still wanted to drive her home? After what happened?
Céline got up from her chair, stretched her limbs and bent over to start adjusting her bag.
“You don’t have to be scared. I will head out right now,” Céline said as she placed her aunt’s old laptop in her bag.
She finished packing her stuffs and Tiana walked her to the reception area where she took the elevator to the ground floor.
While in the elevator she wondered the way tonight would go. Would he kiss her goodnight the way he had been doing? Would he open the door for her? There were so many questions in her head and she hoped whatever happened she was still able to end up with him.
The door of the elevator dinged and opened, exposing a number of cars lined up in neat rows at the parking lot. She took slow strides to the spot reserved for the owner of the company and she found him.
He was at the drivers seat, drumming his fingers to the wheel. Céline could not tell his mood. Was he happy? Was he sad? Was he angry? She couldn’t tell.
She picked up her big-girl pants and walked to the passengers side of the car. Damien leaned over and pushed the door opened for her from inside.
“I am sorry I kept you waiting,” Céline cooed making her voice sound as sexy as possible.
Damien gave her a brief nod and a grunt but said nothing. He locked the doors from his side of the car and started the engine. He reversed out of the parking spot reserved for him and drove out of the building.
Céline didn’t know what to do. He was not being as responsive as before. Maybe he wasn’t such as easy target as she had earlier thought.
She unconsciously played with her fingers, thinking of what to do next.
As he drove, she watched him. He was paying attention to the road and not her. He didn’t even steal the occasional glances her way to catch her ogling at him.
She must have really messed up with that line. What was she thinking telling him she would only sleep with a man who married her? What was she thinking! What could she do now to fix it?
Should she throw decency out the window and kiss him like she did the first time they met? Or she should forget her dignity and just give in to his sexual demands?
The car got to her neighborhood faster than she had anticipated and when she looked out the car window, Damien was maneuvering his car into their front porch and Céline still hadn’t come up with a solution.
“I’ll see you on Monday morning. Do have a nice weekend.”
His eyes met hers for a brief moment before he unlocked the doors and Céline saw the determination in them, he was done chasing her.
Her heart broke. She was in big trouble.