**ROSEANA**
"Damon, are you asleep?” I asked him. He hadn't spoken for a few minutes. His face was still on my neck.
I moved. I raised my hand and gently grabbed his head to remove it from leaning on my shoulder. I put my hand up, supporting his head resting on my shoulder. His face is on my hand.
His eyes were closed. His long eyelashes and his red lips caught my attention. It is hard not to.
I took a deep breath. The man is already asleep.
"Now, who says you can hold your alcohol, huh?" I muttered to myself as I watched his sleeping face.
His brows drew closer together. He slowly opened his eyes. His usually dark orbs are now staring at me with expressive eyes. Maybe it's because of the alcohol that his usual grim expression is nowhere to be found. I thought he was asleep.
"I am not drunk," he defensively said. I purse my lips together. I stop myself from laughing. He is so adorable. I lose my annoyance with him as I see him in this drunken state. Seeing Damon in this carefree state is a new sight for me. It is quite amusing. I couldn't imagine that I would see him drunk and very different from his usual calculative actions. It was like the alcohol was a trigger that fired his pent-up emotions.
"Yes, you are," I said.
His lips protruded in annoyance. His eyes, even droopy, are rolling his eyes at me. He leaned on the sofa. His head was almost hanging on the seat, but his arm was still around my waist.
He sighed. "Did you put something in my drink?" he asked me accusingly. "I am not usually easy to be drunk. I have high alcohol tolerance but look!” he pointed to the three empty bottles of beer on the table. He is glaring at the poor bottles of beer as if he is blaming them for his drunk state right now.
"Did you?" he asked when I didn't speak. He was trying to open his eyes to look at me.
"Of course not," I answered.
"Then why am I drunk?" he asked me again.
"Because you drink too much than you can manage?" I answered, not sure.
I frown when I remember something. I looked at him. I met his dark orbs. I didn't notice that he was watching me. I blinked several times, trying to regain my thoughts that seemed to vanish into thin air as soon as I met his eyes.
I cleared my throat. "Have you eaten?" I asked him. around ten in the evening when I saw him here at the club. Based on what Alice said, he has been here for a long time.
"Now, you are concerned about me," he mumbled.
"I am always concerned about you!" I insisted. What was this guy thinking? Why is he acting like I'm hurting and making him look pitiful?
"No, you are not."
I frown deeper. "What are you talking about? Of course, I care about you. Have you eaten before you came here?” I asked him.
I stared hard at him. He met my eyes, but soon he was the first to look away. Well, that's a first. Usually, he never backs down on our staring contest.
"Yeah," he mumbled under his breath. His lips are moving as if he is mumbling words to himself.
"What did you eat?" I don't believe what he said. I just want to make sure he's telling the truth.
His brows furrowed. "Why are you asking so many questions?" he asked me, irritated. He sounded angry, but what he was showing was the opposite.
"You are not answering my question."
My gaze stayed on him. I focused on his face. I just noticed the growing stubbles. He doesn't shave. However, his unshaven stubble does not make him look bad. It makes him look more mature and kind of rugged yet clean.
I couldn't stop myself. I extended my hand and caressed his face. His growing stubble tickled my skin. His gaze shifted to me. He flinched at my touch. I thought he would turn his face away from me, but I was surprised when he brought his face closer to my hand as he closed his eyes, feeling my touch.
"I just drank my coffee and went here," he murmured. I stopped stroking his face when I heard what he said. I couldn't believe what he said.
"I didn't eat my breakfast," he added.
"Is your assistant not taking good care of you?" I asked. Does his assistant just let him skip a meal? I don't think so.
"He has been sending food to my condo, but I don't have the appetite to eat. I have no one to eat with. I'm used to you being with me, teasing me while eating, talking, and entertaining me even though I don't speak and I only nod in our conversation."
My mouth hung open. Is he opening up to me? He is conveying in words all the things in his mind. It's like he has no control over himself, and the things he doesn't say when he's sober, he is saying to me now. He is saying what comes to his mind. I didn't know that he was this straightforward when drunk.
I remained silent. I didn't try to speak. I want him to express what he truly feels. I want to hear the things that are on his mind.
"The coffee tastes bitter when you are not the one making it. I yelled at my Martinez several times because he couldn't brew my coffee properly. Before you came, I liked the way he brewed coffee. That is one of the reasons why I hired him.”
He is unbelievable. His basis for hiring his assistant is the way he or she makes his coffee. From all the possible words he could say, I didn't expect him to say that. It is just so surprising. When his assistant finds out about it, he will be surprised.
“The condo feels so foreign. It doesn't feel the same when you are there with me. It felt... colder. It felt colder and sad," he murmured. His voice sounded sad.
"I can't eat without thinking of you. You were the one who prepared my food. You cook delicious foods, and when you left, I kept on looking for that taste, but even five-star hotels can't compare to your cooking," he said. I felt my cheeks turn red because of what he said. Is he aware that he is making me blush with his brutal honesty? I feel like he's just teasing me, and here I am, quickly believing what he says.
"I kept searching for your scent in our house. I looked like a man losing his mind when I went ballistic when I found out the maid I hired to clean the condo dared to wash your used clothes.” He pouted.
My eyes widen. I couldn't stop myself from speaking. I lightly smacked his arms. He didn't seem to be hurt by what I did. “You did what?!" I couldn’t believe what I heard.
It's been almost a month since I left his condo. Don't tell me that my used clothes haven't been washed since then. Oh my gosh! That's so gross!
"What can I do? I missed your scent," he reasoned. I massaged my temple. God, what should I do with this man? The revelations I hear from him are surprising. I have a feeling that I will hear a lot more that will surprise me.
I took a deep breath. "What happened to the maid?" I asked instead.
"I fired her," he said firmly. “Damon!” my voice complained. How can he fire the poor maid just because of his lame reason?
"Relax, love." I calmed down a little. My traitorous heart beat hard when I heard that he called me love. He's just drunk, Roseana; that’s why he can say such things. "I fired her, but I hired her husband instead." From frowning, my expression changed to laughing. The heck? He sounded boastful while saying those. He was proud of what he did like he was great because he thought of it.
"What should I do with you, huh?" I think my head hurts from what this man is saying. I don't know if he's telling the truth or if it's just because of the alcohol he drank.
"You don't know what to do with me?" I turned my attention back to him when he spoke again. "You should bring me with you then," he added.
I was stunned when I saw his wide smile. "I will behave. I promise.” I stared at his face carefully, making sure his smile was fake, but it wasn't. His smile is genuine. I feel better.
It took me a lot of effort to avert my eyes from his face. Didn't he know his effect on me? Much more his smile.
I fished my phone from my pocket. I was about to dial Ric's number when he snatched my phone from my grasp. When I looked at him, there was a trace of irritation on his face. His dazzling smile is gone.
"Damon, what are you doing?"
"Who are you calling, huh?" he asked after looking at my phone screen. I am lucky enough that Ric's cell phone kept ringing because otherwise, he would have known immediately that I was with a man.
"It's my boss, okay? I will let him know if I can come home early today. You can't drive. You're too drunk to show off. I will send you home," I explained. I don't even know why I'm explaining to him.
“Okay.” His expression quickly changed. He handed me back my cell phone right before Ric answered my phone.
"Seana, is there a problem?" That's how Ric immediately greeted me.
"No. I called to ask you if I can go home early today," I asked daringly.
"Why?" There was concern in his voice. "Are you sick?"
I glared at Damon when he snorted when he heard what Ric said. He put the call on a loudspeaker so he could hear our conversation.
"No. I am fine. There is a sudden issue that I need to address now.”
"Okay, I understand.” I breathed a sigh of relief when he agreed.
“About Macy…”
"I'll take care of Macy; don't worry. Call me when you need help, okay?”
"Okay. Thanks!” I said cheerfully before hanging up completely. When I turned to look at Damon, his face was serious again. He rolled his eyes at me. What the hell?