Restore Me (14 page)

With one easy motion Damon flips me onto my back,
his hips conveniently settling between my thighs. He props himself
up on his elbows, looking down at me with a tentative smile. “I’m
going to make you happy, Josephine.”

I haven’t seen him smile in almost two months and it
makes me almost giddy with excitement. I let out a girlish,
high-pitched laugh and his smile widens. I lift my hand to brush
the back of my fingers down his cheek. “You already have.” It’s the
truth. “When you say things like that, it’s all the proof I need
that I chose wisely. I chose a wonderful, caring, brave man. I just
wish you could see how great you are.”

“I wish I could, too. I wish we both could. One
day, Josephine. One day we’ll convince each other what good people
we really are.”

He sighs contemplatively then moves in, kissing
me breathless. His lips are soft but firm against mine. His tongue
slips across my lips to caress my own tongue. I moan into his mouth
and he deepens the kiss. I bite down on his lower lip and he growls
appreciatively. This Damon, my Big Man, is a naughty devil and I
love it. He kisses me chastely once more before he pulls away.

He gets to his knees and grabs the hem of my
shirt, pulling it swiftly over my head. I actually have butterflies
in my stomach as he unbuttons my shorts and pulls them down my
legs. His eyes skate over my body appraisingly as I lie beneath him
in just my bra and panties. He takes off his shirt. His chest is a
sight that I’ll never get tired of seeing. It’s a perfectly defined
masterpiece that has my mouth watering to kiss every inch of it. I
slip my hand behind my back and unclasp my bra as I watch Damon
kick off his pants. He’s commando today and it’s just another
reason why I adore my naughty man. With one quick tug, my panties
join a stack of clothing on the floor beside the bed. He kneels
back between my legs in all his naked glory, his cock bobbing
heavily, fully erect and throbbing. My heart begins to race with
anticipation.

Damon leans down, resting on his forearms,
caging me under his beautiful body. He angles his head and kisses
my neck tenderly. My eyes slide closed; it’s a spot he knows I love
and I squirm beneath him. He kisses a hot trail from behind my ear,
up to my jaw, to my mouth. The moment his lips take mine, his cock
breaches past my wet opening, plunging all the way into me. It
steals my breath. I dig my fingernails into his muscular back. His
tongue caresses mine. Each thrust of his hips seems to be in
perfect time with his tongue. He plunders my pussy and my mouth
simultaneously and I’ve never felt so completely his until now. I
let him take as much from me as he possibly can. The pace isn’t
slow but it isn’t fast, either. I can feel the bulging tip of his
cock striking against my womb. It’s a euphoric feeling that I’ve
come to love and count on from him. I know and he knows that he’s
the only man to go there. I hope he’s the only man that will
ever
know my body so intimately.

My favorite sensation begins to bud deep within
my stomach. It tightens and stirs with each thrust he makes. A
resounding moan flies from my mouth. Damon groans knowingly. His
pace quickens. My toes curl and stiffen. My breath catches in my
throat. The sensation in my stomach explodes violently, sending
shock waves of pleasure roaring through my body. Tremors have my
limbs shaking as my joy peaks. Damon’s gaze is glued to mine, a
bead of sweat blossoming at his brow line as he takes two more
breathtaking drives into me. His body shakes and jolts as he spills
deep inside me, giving himself to me with every drop.

I have no memory of ever being so content. Not
ever. I lie with my head on his shoulder, tracing the dips,
hollows, curves, and crests of his naked form with my finger
tip.

“Does Versan know about the notebooks?” I tilt
my head back so that my eyes can meet his.

He glances down at me. “I think I’ve mentioned
that I used to journal growing up, but no one has ever seen them.
You’re the first.”

I’m not surprised by his confession; I am
impressed that he’s talking to me, even if it is a post-coital
glow.
This is progress!
“Why do you keep them?”

“To remember how much I hate him.”

I get up to my elbow to look at him square on.
“I think Versan should know about them. I think if he could read
them, he could help you out with all of it. You can’t keep these
things forever.”

He nods in response. I know that he knows I’m
right.

“I’ll take them to him,” he says softly.

“Promise me?”

His crooked smile has me melting for him again.
I’ve missed that smile so damn much.

“I promise.”

***

I’ve had my Damon
back for a month. One blissful, heavenly, steamy month. We make
love every day. We eat nearly every meal together. He’s even been
joining in my morning ritual and coming to The Diner with me. Noni
gawks and flirts with him every single day. She’s always blushing
and smoothing her hair and straightening her apron when she sees us
come in. It’s comical as hell.

His relationships with others have been
progressing, as well. He’s been seeing Elise every other week for
dinner; they seem to be tolerating each other again. He’s back to
work full-time and both Brian and Dr. Versan say he’s doing well.
He’s seeing Dr. Versan once a week, and while he doesn’t talk to me
about it, he seems a little more peaceful after a session. The
store remodel is going well, too. Damon stops in to have lunch with
me most days and we talk about all of my ideas. Hopefully
everything will be done on schedule and we’ll have a grand
reopening in a few weeks.

“So do you think it’s a good idea?”

“I do. You’ve said multiple times how great Noni
is. She seems like the lady for the job. I think you should go with
it.” Damon pats my leg reassuringly as he parks the Volvo in front
of The Diner.

“Awesome.” I was planning on going with Noni
anyway, but I love knowing that I have his support in the decision.
“Have you thought any more about your mom?” I ask, completely
changing the subject.

He gives me a look that spells exactly what he’s
thinking and I back off. Last time I asked, he said he’d think
about it; I guess he’s still thinking. I understand that he’s got
serious hatred for the woman, but I can’t help thinking that
somewhere underneath all that muscled up Big Man exterior is a boy
who’s been waiting a terribly long time for his mother to come
claim him.

“Okay, but just know that if you’re still
undecided then maybe you could ask Brian his thoughts. What if we
asked Elise, Brian, Noni, Dr. Versan, and Grams? We’ll take a poll
to see if it’s a good idea.” I shoulder bump him as we walk into
The Diner and he shakes his head, dismissing my idea easily.
He’s not ready
.

Right on cue, Noni blushes and smoothes her
brown hair, straightens her apron, then glides over to us. I’m
starting to get nervous about my proposition.
What if she thinks
I’m nuts?

“Good morning, Jo, Damon.” Noni turns in Damon’s
direction and gives him a little nod with her head. Damon smiles
curtly back then turns his attention to the menu on the table.

“Morning, Noni,” I say as I slide into our usual
booth. I don’t bother with the menu. I always get the same thing.
Damon however…Big Man likes to sample two or three different
breakfast items every morning.

“You know what I want,” I mutter then look to
Damon, who’s still scanning the menu.

“I want coffee and the Ultimate Sampler, but can
I get double bacon and double eggs?” Damon flips the menu shut and
gives Noni his signature crooked smile.

Noni is battling to keep her stupid grin under
wraps. She nods and scribbles down our order then heads back to the
kitchen.

I twirl my hair and smile at Damon like a
lovesick idiot. I couldn’t care less. I’m definitely one of those
“bitches cruising through life” now. I like cruising through life.
Things are coming together nicely and I’m one satisfied broad. I
still miss Captain and my parents on a daily basis, but Damon is by
my side to ease the ache. He senses when I’m in a bad place
emotionally. He’s that person that reels me in when I’m treading
deep water and tiring quickly. Everyone should have someone,
anyone
, who can do that for them.

“Let’s make a bet,” he says out of nowhere.

I raise my brows. I love a good gamble as much
as the next person. “What’s on your mind, Big Man?”

“Five bucks says you won’t ask her when she
comes back over to the table.”

“Deal. I hope you have a five dollar bill in
that designer wallet of yours.” I look over my shoulder and locate
Noni. Perfect timing—she’s on her way over, coffee in hand. I
extend my arm and lay my hand out in front of him, palm up as I
look to Noni.

“Thanks, Noni. Hey, you wanna run the coffee
shop in the store?” I blurt out. I see Damon shaking his head and
digging out his wallet in my peripheral vision.

Noni raises her eyebrows in a mix of surprise
and confusion. “What?!”

For a second, I’m worried she’s going to drop
the coffee pot; her hands are shaking that much. “Remember? I told
you about adding a coffee shop to the bookstore during the remodel,
because serving coffee and muffins and that shit at the store will
bring in business?” She nods her head. “Well, I need a barista or
whatever they’re called. You’ve been pouring my coffee every
morning for years and Damon and I both agree you’re the lady for
the job.”

“Me?” Her chin does this scrunched up quivering
thing and the waterworks start.
Ah, shit.
“I-I would be full
time?”

“Yeah. Store hours.”

She stops for a minute, a worried crease between
her eyes. “Are you sure, Jo? I don’t know anything about running a
coffee shop.”

I reach out to take her hand. “Noni, I don’t
know anything about running a coffee shop, either. I trust you, and
I figure we can learn the rest together.”

“I’ll take it!” She beams a smile at me and
Damon.

“Don’t you want to know what the pay is?”

“Anything is better than here,” she
whispers.

Damon smacks a 50 dollar bill into my hand and
shrugs. “You win. Change?”

“Not a chance, Big Man.” I slip my winnings
quickly into my pocket, proud of myself. I just
know
this is
going to work out.

Noni swipes the moisture from her eyes and
lights up the room with a smile I’ve never seen on her face.

“When can you start?”

She looks over her shoulder at her boss,
Margaret, who’s wiping the counter and chatting with the regulars
at the counter. “Margie! I quit.”

Margaret looks up and rolls her eyes. “You quit
every week.” Margaret keeps at her cleaning duties while all three
of us laugh at the grumpy waitress’s comment.

“Stop by the store tomorrow, okay, Noni? We’ll
talk about plans then and get you on the payroll and
everything.”

She nods, unable to stop smiling. “Thanks, Jo,”
she whispers. “You, too, Damon. You don’t know what this means to
me.”

After my morning ritual with Damon, I drop him
at the penthouse to “work” and head to the store. He promises he’s
going to be home all day, making calls, and he’ll drop our fur kid
at the store if he has to go out. Hemingway doesn’t like to be
alone.

My day passes swiftly and before I know it, my
cell phone says it’s ten minutes to five. I head back into my
freshly renovated office and gather my things. I smile at Captain’s
photo on my desk, kissing my index finger and pressing it to the
glass frame.

“Looking good, huh, Captain?”

I step out of the office and take a look at the
store. New shelving has been installed. The paint is fresh and
vibrant. Pendulum lights dots the ceiling, bathing the store in a
warm, ambient glow. Plush chairs, exactly like the one in Damon’s
library, are scattered randomly. The small coffee bar in the front
corner of the store is nearly done. It has a refrigerated glass
food case to display whatever the hell we decide to sell; muffins
and bagels, I guess. I’ll have to discuss it with Noni. She’s a
career waitress, she’ll know what to serve with her coffee. Boxes
and boxes of inventory are stacked high, just waiting to fill the
shelves. Damon made all of this happen and it still baffles me how
I got so damn lucky with a man to love me and support my dream.

I stop ogling my beautiful store and get ready
to leave. I grab my phone, sling my bag over my shoulder and
prepare to arm the damn security system. Arming the system is still
pretty tricky for me, so I carefully punch in the code and select
the “arm” button. It gives me 60 seconds to get my ass out the door
before it activates the bells and whistles. I scurry out the front
door and lock it with one hand while dialing Damon with the
other.