Chapter 267: Morning after IV

Chapter 267: Chapter 267: Morning after IV

For thensecond time that day, Vivienne woke slowly.

For a few blissful seconds, she remained perfectly still, warm beneath the sheets and comfortably tucked against Damian.

Then she noticed the sunlight.

It was far too bright.

Her eyes opened.

She glanced toward the bedside table.

11:43.

Her eyes widened.

"Oh my God."

Damian stirred beside her.

"What?"

Vivienne pointed toward the clock.

"It’s almost noon."

He looked.

His expression immediately fell.

"Oh."

For a moment, neither of them moved.

Then Damian sighed.

"Can’t we just stay?"

Vivienne turned to him.

"What?"

"Just a little longer."

She stared at him.

"We have to go."

"I know."

"The driver is waiting for us."

Damian groaned softly and dropped his head back onto the pillow.

Vivienne laughed.

"We can’t keep him waiting all day."

"I know."

"And he’s the Foundation’s driver."

"I know."

"Then we really shouldn’t impose on him."

Damian sighed.

He knew she was right.

The project was finished. There was no reason for them to keep the driver waiting simply because neither of them wanted to leave the hotel.

Still, he looked at Vivienne again.

She was right there.

Warm and sleepy and smiling at him.

He really didn’t want to leave.

Vivienne seemed to read his expression.

"And it would be mortifying if he figured out we stayed here together all night."

Damian’s ears turned pink.

"Yeah."

She covered her face.

"Exactly."

There was nothing technically improper about them staying in the same hotel room. The storm had forced them to remain in East Junction overnight.

But having the Foundation driver waiting downstairs at the usual noon checkout time while they leisurely emerged hours later was another matter entirely.

Vivienne didn’t even want to imagine the assumptions.

Damian reached for her hand.

"All right."

He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze.

"We’ll go."

Vivienne smiled.

"Good."

But instead of letting go, Damian kept holding her hand.

He looked down at it for a moment.

It was such a simple thing, her hand resting in his, but he still wasn’t used to being able to touch her like this.

Her skin was incredibly soft.

Smooth and warm beneath his fingers.

He ran his thumb lightly over her knuckles, almost absentmindedly, appreciating the feel of her hand in his.

Then he lifted it and pressed a gentle kiss against her knuckles.

Vivienne blinked.

"Damian?"

He looked up at her with an innocent smile.

"What?"

He kissed her knuckles again.

Then another.

Slowly, his lips moved along the back of her hand toward her wrist.

Vivienne’s lips twitched.

"Stop."

But she was laughing.

Damian noticed.

And that was precisely why he didn’t stop.

The sunlight coming through the windows caught in her golden hair, making it shine brightly around her face. Her sky-blue eyes were full of amusement, and her smile was so genuine that he found himself simply staring at her for a moment.

She was beautiful.

Far more beautiful than he had ever allowed himself to think about before.

And now that he could touch her, hold her hand, kiss her whenever he wanted...

He couldn’t seem to get enough.

He pressed another playful kiss farther up her arm.

Vivienne laughed and tried to pull away.

"Damian!"

He caught her hand again.

"What?"

"You know what."

"I don’t."

She gave him an exasperated look, but the laughter was still in her eyes.

He smiled.

He liked seeing her like this.

Happy.

Relaxed.

Laughing because of him.

So he kissed her knuckles once more before finally looking up at her.

For a fleeting moment, the thought came to him again.

I love you.

The words almost rose to his lips.

But Damian suddenly felt shy.

He had never said anything like that to her before.

He didn’t even know how to begin.

And somehow, looking at her like this, with that beautiful smile still on her face, made the confession feel even more embarrassing.

Maybe later.

When he was braver.

For now, there was something else he could say.

Something he knew without hesitation.

"I want you."

Vivienne paused.

Then she shook her head, trying not to smile.

"You’re impossible."

"I know."

She finally pulled her hand free.

"I’m taking a bath."

Damian laughed.

"All right."

"And while I’m doing that, you can call the hotel."

"For what?"

"Ask if we can have a little more time before checkout."

He nodded.

"Until one?"

"That should be enough."

She slipped out of bed.

"And call the driver too. Tell him we’re going to be a little late."

Damian sat up.

"All right."

Vivienne glanced back at him.

"And don’t tell him anything embarrassing."

His eyebrows rose.

"What would I tell him?"

"I don’t know."

She pointed at him.

"Just... don’t."

He laughed.

"I won’t."

Vivienne disappeared toward the bathroom.

Damian watched her disappear toward the bathroom before reaching for the telephone.

He was responsible.

He would make the calls, arrange the extension, apologize to the driver for the delay, and make sure they got back to university today.

He could do all of that.

He glanced toward the bathroom door.

A small smile touched his lips.

Then he picked up the receiver.

Whatever happened between them, he knew they couldn’t stay here forever.

Eventually, they had to return to reality.

And, much as he disliked the thought, he would make sure they did so properly.

--

By the time Vivienne emerged from the bathroom, Damian had already taken care of everything.

"We have until one," he told her.

She nodded.

"And the driver?"

"I called him. He’s waiting downstairs."

"Did he sound annoyed?"

Damian smiled.

"No."

Vivienne relaxed.

"Good."

She picked up her bag.

Damian immediately reached for it.

"I’ll carry that."

"I can carry my own bag."

"I know."

He took it anyway.

Vivienne rolled her eyes, but she let him.

They made one last check of the room before leaving.

For a moment, Vivienne stood at the doorway and looked back.

The suite was quiet again.

Everything was exactly as they had found it.

Except that neither of them was quite the same person who had walked into it yesterday.

She turned away.

Damian closed the door behind them.

They took the elevator down together.

The lobby was considerably busier than it had been the previous evening, and Vivienne instinctively became a little more conscious of herself.

Not because they were doing anything wrong.

They weren’t.

They were simply two students returning from their Foundation assignment after being stranded by the storm.

Still, she couldn’t help remembering what had actually happened upstairs.

She glanced at Damian.

He seemed completely at ease.

Perhaps too at ease.

He was carrying her bag in one hand, his other resting casually at his side as they walked toward the entrance.

Outside, their Foundation driver was already waiting beside the car.

The moment he saw them, he straightened.

"Good morning."

"Good morning," Vivienne replied politely.

Damian nodded.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Not at all, sir."

The driver opened the rear door.

Damian immediately stepped aside.

"After you."

Vivienne gave him a small smile.

"Thank you."

She moved toward the car.

Damian placed one hand above the door frame so she wouldn’t bump her head as she got in.

Vivienne paused.

She glanced at him.

Then at his hand.

He was back to being ridiculously gentlemanly again.

Yesterday, he had seemed to realize how absurdly attentive he had been getting around her and had tried to rein himself in.

Apparently, that realization hadn’t lasted very long.

Vivienne shook her head, amused.

"You know that looks ridiculous, right?"

Damian smiled.

"I don’t think so."

"Of course you don’t."

She laughed softly and slid into the back seat.

Damian leaned in after her and reached toward the seat belt.

Vivienne caught his hand.

"I can do it."

He stopped.

"Oh."

"I have functioning arms."

She gave him an amused look.

"You don’t have to do everything for me."

"I know."

But he was still smiling.

Vivienne shook her head and fastened the seat belt herself.

Honestly, she couldn’t even be annoyed.

She rather liked being fussed over.

Damian closed the door carefully before walking around to the other side.

The driver glanced at them through the rearview mirror.

He said nothing.

Whatever had kept the two young people inside the hotel suite beyond the usual noon checkout time was none of his business.

The storm had delayed their departure, and that was explanation enough.

He started the engine.

Damian settled into the seat beside Vivienne.

He glanced at her.

She smiled back.

Then the car pulled away from the hotel, leaving East Junction behind.

For the first time since yesterday, they were truly on their way back to reality.

And neither of them knew quite how different that reality was going to feel.

--

AN: and now we get to the next part. We all know we need them to actually talk. Hehe