Lavender

Chapter 16 - Cheeks

LAVENDER'S POV

This is all Larry's fault. Why does everything that he even says come true? From the part where he said he could help me find a job to the part where he is giving me a warning about Damon's dominant side.

Why must bizarre and shocking things keep happening whenever Damon's around? If this is all still a part of Larry's plan, I swear, I will hit him harder the next time something ridiculous happen again.

Feeling my nerves shaking, I spoke. "S-sir, please. Ca-can you back up for a second? I-I can't breathe," I said as I felt my body reacting to Damon's breath that was hitting the left side of my neck. "S-sir..."

"Change to something comfortable. We will wait," he suddenly said before hearing his footstep and the sound of my door closing.

That's the cue for me to breathe correctly again. Damn it. I gasped, feeling my heart beating faster as I also tried to call myself. Feeling my knees wobbly, I sat on my bed.

What's wrong with Damon earlier? I thought he was the kind of a man who would not let any woman get near to him now, especially since he has Daisy to think about. What he did was really shocking to me. I don't know if he's teasing me or playing with me as I can also remember that he was the one who bumped yesterday but hell, it's not funny anymore.

Before I meet Damon again, my life is peaceful and only Dad and Jada are the only persons in my life who's giving me pain in the ass. Though I really don't take their antics seriously, it was like I'm already used to them.

But earlier. It's clear that Damon is flirting with me. He is only standing inches away from me on my back. He is even playing with my hair as I feel his hot breath touching my neck. What happened to us gave me real goosebumps. I mean, who's employer would do something like that on his caregiver? Only a man who's drunk or a man who has motives to flirt like what he did can do that.

"But no." I shook my head as I realized what I was thinking.

What happened earlier must not affect my job here as a caregiver. I don't know if Damon also feels something the way I did earlier but I can't risk making a mistake here in my job. I can not risk this opportunity because I admit that I'm afraid I can't achieve my Dad's plans once that I have missed everything up.

All I want is to earn money. All I want is to help Dad and give him everything that he deserves. I want to give Dad everything that he deserves and that is a better life. Even if Mom is not with us, I wish to make Dad happy by giving him the happiness that Mom took from him.

I hate Mom to the point that I even wish for Dad to find another woman but Dad is a hopeless romantic. I can not change his mind from believing that Mom will come back again. Because for me, Mom will never come back. She left and if Dad was saying was right, even if she were far away from us, she would call. Call, text, chat, anything that can make her have communication with Dad and me again but no. None of those she did and many years already passed. I'm twenty-eight now and when did she leave? Right when I was in my last year in high school.

So no, I really don't think Mom will come back. Only Dad is crazy enough to believe such a thing that isn't really going to happen. And even if I want to scold Dad, tell him to stop hoping for Mom's return, I can't stop him. It's only Dad who must realize the fact that I'm believing.

Realizing that I have spaced out again, I sigh before standing up from the bed and going to my suitcases that contain my clothes while I'm here. Earlier, the maid said that Damon doesn't need me to wear a uniform and I was glad to know that. Not that I don't want to wear uniforms as a caregiver but because I was praying the whole drive that Damon will not want me to because I have actually brought almost all of my clothes.

I know that I must have known about it but after having the interview with Damon and signing the contract, I don't know if it's me who must be blamed for not knowing the details or Damon doesn't just want me to wear a uniform at all like he did not really say a word about it because he's not strict as I thought he is after seeing him again.

"Really glad to know," I muttered below my breath before holding the zip in my suitcase and pulled it downwards.

After choosing a variety of clothes in my suitcase, I go in skinny jeans and a curve blouse with puff sleeves and after changing I immediately go out of my designated.

Finding the dining area wasn't easy, but as I went and followed the maid's given direction that Larry sent to help me earlier, my eyes widened when I saw a big table. Like a large and long wooden brown table that is filled with foods that I recognized Larry had bought earlier.

I noticed that Damon and Larry were nowhere to be found so I let my eyes wander around the big dining room designed with lacquered classic red and black leaf ceiling that reflects light coming from the fireplace and the dashing big chandelier in the center and top of the long and large table.

"Oh, God. Is there a feast going on here?" I said, still amazed as my eyes followed maids putting more food from the table.

"There you are!" Larry said, who is suddenly appeared in the other corner of the dining room where maids are also coming in and out.

Larry smiles as he walks towards me before standing near to me as we both watch the maids, who are still putting more food on the long table, making me curious. I thought Larry said that it's only him, Damon, Damon's sister, and me who's going to have lunch.

"Is there going to be more visitors here? It looks like a feast is about to come," I asked, my forehead knotted.

Larry sighed as he shook his head. "Yeah. Actually, Damon made this day his rest day but problems on his company don't really want him to rest so, here we go. We are the first ones who are going to eat before their dinner meeting starts here."

"He's the boss, why can't he control those who are going to be here for the dinner meeting?" I asked, confused by what he said.

"He just can't control them yet, Lavender. They are his Dad's friends but now that his father is gone, those shitheads want to strip Damon off from the seat of being the CEO of Ellington Enterprise. Damon is aware of those people's issues with him being the CEO but what they don't know is Damon can also play with them. Damon can be dangerous if he wants to," he said that made me heave a sigh as I imagined what kind of hardships Damon has been through.

"So with these people, is Damon still okay working with them? Because for me, I find it awkward working with people who hate you are around you," I said that made Larry chuckles a bit before putting both of his arms cross together above his chest.

"You are right with that, Lavender. And like what I said, Damon can be dangerous if he wants to. Since the day that he has found those people who want to stab him from behind, Damon has been working silently. Doing meetings, acting CEO even if the Damon back then was still there, only that he rarely shows it. And what those shitheads did not know is that Damon has been digging skeletons in their closets. Which he was able to use to kick those shareholders out of his Dad's company," he said that made me shocked.

"W-wait... that serious? Th-that's how serious the situation he is in?"

Dayum. I never really thought Damon was dangerous. He's just really far from the cute MVP of our school back then. I admit aside from being shocked, I'm not also used to seeing his face stern, his blue eyes lifeless and him being cold and distant. It was like, it's not just really him but knowing now a bit from Damon's hardship, I understand how pain and hardship can change a person from being sweet to savage.

"Yeah, he's determined to kick those shitheads out of his Dad's company. That's how I started seeing him as boring even though I'm also a man with a job," Larry said that made me look at him, confused.

"Yes, I forgot to ask. What is your job? You seem like you have lots of time to be here." I said before looking at him with a squinty eye. "Don't tell me you're a CEO too? You and Damon have been surprising me a lot and I really..."

I took one step towards him, still, my eyes were squinty to make him scared. "... really don't like it," I said but Damon just chuckled at me, not scared of the look I was giving. "What's funny?"

"I'm Damon's personal lawyer, and aside from being his lawyer, my restaurant also is the sponsor of his company's food in their canteen," Larry said, which made me blink a few times, feeling embarrassed for accusing him.

"Oh, uh. Good for you," I said before darting my eyes to the food place on the long center table, still feeling embarrassed when suddenly, someone slightly bumped at me.

Upon seeing that it was Damon walking past and towards the largest table, the embarrassment I was feeling because of what happened earlier instantly resurfaced. Feeling my face hot again, I fan myself with my hand, making Larry confused about what I'm doing.

"Uh, what are you doing? I've been noticing you fanning yourself even at the carl earlier," Larry asked but I just shook my head as I tried not to look in Damon's direction. "Are you okay, Lavender?"

"No, I'm fine." Damn it, I am not fine. Because of what happened earlier, I don't know if I can stay inside a room where Damon is present.

If only Larry did not say such a thing as Damon spanking me behind, I wouldn't really feel this way. I will not feel embarrassed even if I find Damon hotter than he is back in high school right now. I would work simple and normal even if Damon hired me as someone who I have humiliated back then.

And Damon looks like he is not affected by what happened but goddamn it, I am! I hated the fact that my first day on this mission is ruined because of what happened earlier. I don't know what's with Damon to stand close behind me and even play with my hair that I really can't get off to my mind but he really should let me have my space. Even if I was rude for not facing him while he was talking earlier, he should have just scolded me and not stood near me.

"I don't think you are fine, Lavender. Are you sure you are all right?" Larry asked who was now beside me, his left on my right arm. "Damn, your cheeks are red. Are you okay, Lavender?" he asked, both of his brows furrowed as he looked closely at my face.

"I believe this is not the place to flirt with my lawyer, Miss Miller," Damon said enough to let me hear and Larry, who was looking confused, until he suddenly laughed.