Chapter 201: Saturday XII

Chapter 201: Chapter 201: Saturday XII

The waiter returned with their ordered dishes a few minutes later. A platter of grilled meat, a bowl of rice, soup, and a vegetable dish were arranged between them.

"Enjoy your lunch."

"Thank you," Vivienne said.

The waiter left.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Vivienne looked down at the table.

Then she glanced sideways at Damian.

He was already reaching for the serving utensils.

He seemed perfectly composed.

She, on the other hand, was still thinking about what she’d realized.

Damian liked her.

He really did.

And now that she knew...

Well.

It was difficult not to feel a little giddy about it.

She picked up her fork.

Then deliberately glanced at him again.

Damian caught her looking.

"What?"

"Nothing."

She smiled.

He studied her for a moment before returning his attention to the food.

Something was different.

He just couldn’t figure out what.

Damian served himself some of the grilled meat, then reached for the vegetables.

Vivienne immediately shook her head.

"No."

He glanced at her.

"No?"

"I don’t like vegetables."

"I know."

He calmly placed some on her plate anyway.

Vivienne stared at them.

Then at him.

"Damian."

"You should eat them."

"I don’t like them."

"They’re good for you."

She gave him an incredulous look.

"You sound like my mother."

"Your mother isn’t here."

"Unfortunately for you."

Damian smiled.

He reached over and nudged the vegetables slightly closer to her.

"Eat them."

Vivienne stared at him.

Then, slowly, a smile appeared.

"You really like taking care of me, don’t you?"

Damian’s hand stopped.

"What?"

"You’ve been doing it all day."

She counted them lightly on her fingers.

"My bag. The door. My seatbelt. My phone."

She paused.

"And now my vegetables."

Damian felt warmth creep up the back of his neck.

He forced himself to remain calm.

"Someone has to."

Vivienne’s smile widened.

"Oh?"

She leaned slightly toward him.

"And you’re volunteering?"

His heart skipped.

Was she flirting with him?

He couldn’t tell.

But—

He liked it.

Very much.

"If you need me to."

Vivienne’s eyes sparkled.

"Oh, I see."

She leaned back again, looking entirely too pleased with herself.

Damian stared at her for a moment.

What was happening?

Was this because he’d taken her phone?

Was she teasing him?

Or...

Could she actually be responding to him?

He didn’t know.

And because he didn’t know, he was suddenly much more nervous than he had been when he’d first approached her that morning.

Still, he wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.

Vivienne reached for her glass.

Then paused.

"Damian."

"Yes?"

"I’m thirsty."

He looked at the glass.

Then at her.

She tilted it slightly toward him.

"Could you put some water in it?"

His eyebrows lifted.

There were at least two perfectly functional hands attached to her.

But she was looking at him expectantly.

He understood.

She was doing this deliberately.

And somehow, that made his heart beat faster.

"Of course."

He took the glass from her and filled it.

Vivienne watched him with a tiny smile.

"Thank you."

"My pleasure."

She took the glass.

Their fingers brushed.

This time, neither commented on it.

Vivienne took a sip.

Then looked down at the vegetables again.

She picked up her fork.

Damian watched her.

She speared a small piece of broccoli.

For a moment, he thought she was finally going to eat it.

Instead, she turned toward him.

"Damian."

He looked at her.

She held the broccoli out.

"Can you eat this for me?"

He stared at the fork.

Then at her.

"You want me to eat it?"

"Yes."

She smiled sweetly.

"Please?"

Damian’s mind went completely blank.

She was holding the fork directly in front of his mouth.

He could simply tell her no.

That would probably be the sensible thing.

But—

She was smiling at him.

And he had spent the entire morning trying to get closer to her.

He wasn’t about to retreat now.

He leaned forward.

And took the broccoli from her fork.

Vivienne froze.

Damian straightened and chewed.

For several seconds, neither of them said anything.

Vivienne stared at him.

Her cheeks slowly turned pink.

Oh my God.

He actually did it.

She had expected him to tease her.

Maybe refuse.

Maybe tell her to eat it herself.

She hadn’t expected him to—

Actually eat it.

From her fork.

Her heart started beating faster.

"Did you really just..."

Damian swallowed.

"You asked me to."

Vivienne stared at him.

Then looked away quickly.

"I..."

She pressed her lips together.

A smile threatened.

"Oh my God."

Damian’s mouth curved.

"What?"

"Nothing."

She shook her head.

"Never mind."

But she was still smiling.

And Damian couldn’t stop himself from smiling too.

He had no idea what had gotten into her today.

But if this was what happened when she decided to flirt with him...

He sincerely hoped she wouldn’t stop.

Vivienne picked up her fork again.

She tried to return her attention to her food.

But her mind wouldn’t cooperate.

Did I just feed Damian?

No.

Technically, he had eaten it himself.

But still.

She had held the fork to his mouth.

And he’d actually leaned forward.

She could feel the heat in her cheeks.

Maybe she’d pushed too far.

Maybe she had been too obvious.

She glanced at him.

He was eating as though nothing unusual had happened.

Except there was a faint smile on his face.

Vivienne lowered her eyes.

Well...

Perhaps not too far.

She hid another smile behind her glass.

This was dangerous.

And, unfortunately...

She was having far too much fun.

--

The meal eventually came to an end.

Damian settled the bill, thanked the waiter, and followed Vivienne toward the entrance.

They stepped outside into the warm afternoon air.

Vivienne adjusted the strap of her bag over her shoulder.

Then she remembered.

She stopped.

"My phone."

Damian looked at her.

He knew exactly what she meant.

His hand instinctively went to the pocket where he’d placed it.

For a moment, he considered simply giving it back.

But he already knew what would happen.

The moment the phone was in Vivienne’s hands, she would start texting Christopher again.

He didn’t want that.

Well... they still had an assignment to complete.

He shook his head.

"Later."

Vivienne blinked.

"Later?"

"We need to focus on the assignment first."

She stared at him.

Damian continued, perfectly serious.

"You’ve spent most of the journey texting. If I give it back now, you’ll probably spend the rest of the afternoon doing the same thing."

Vivienne’s lips twitched.

"Probably?"

"Yes."

"And you’re worried about my concentration?"

"I’m being practical."

She studied him.

There it was again.

That earnest expression.

That perfectly reasonable explanation.

Except...

Vivienne knew.

She couldn’t help it.

A smile began forming at the corner of her mouth.

He’s jealous.

The realization was almost ridiculously satisfying.

So he really did like her.

Enough to be bothered by Christopher.

Enough to confiscate her phone because he didn’t want her texting him.

Vivienne lowered her gaze, pretending to consider his argument.

"Hmm."

Damian watched her carefully.

"You can have it after we’re finished for the day."

"After we’re finished?"

"Yes."

She looked up at him.

"That could be quite late."

"It could."

"And you’re really going to keep it until then?"

"I think it’s better if you focus."

Vivienne pressed her lips together.

She was trying very hard not to laugh.

This was too entertaining.

She could text Christopher later.

It wasn’t as though the conversation would disappear.

And besides...

Christopher wasn’t here.

Damian was.

And now that she knew what Damian was doing—

Well.

She suddenly wanted to see how far she could push him.

She tilted her head.

"You’re very strict today."

"I wouldn’t call it strict."

"No?"

"No."

"What would you call it?"

"Responsible."

Vivienne laughed softly.

"Responsible."

"Yes."

She stepped closer.

Damian’s attention immediately sharpened.

"You’ve been responsible all day."

"I have."

"My bag."

"Yes."

"My seatbelt."

"Yes."

"My food."

He hesitated.

"Yes."

"My phone."

"Especially your phone."

Vivienne smiled.

"Oh."

She let the word linger.

Damian felt his heartbeat pick up.

He couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

She looked almost amused.

Not annoyed.

Not uncomfortable.

Amused.

And that made him hopeful.

Very hopeful.

Vivienne glanced toward the car waiting for them.

Then back at him.

"All right."

Damian blinked.

"All right?"

"I’ll survive without it for a few hours."

He nodded.

"Good."

She started toward the car.

Then looked back.

"But Damian?"

"Yes?"

She smiled sweetly.

"You’d better keep it safe."

"I will."

"I’d be very upset if anything happened to it."

"Nothing will."

Vivienne nodded.

"Good."

She climbed into the car.

Damian followed.

As soon as the door closed, Vivienne settled into her seat and looked out the window.

A smile slowly spread across her face.

She couldn’t text Christopher.

But that was fine.

She’d have plenty of time later.

For now...

She had Damian.

And apparently, Damian was jealous.

Vivienne bit back another smile.

Oh, this is going to be fun.

Beside her, Damian watched her from the corner of his eye.

He still wasn’t entirely sure what had changed.

But she wasn’t angry about the phone anymore.

If anything...

She seemed almost pleased.

And that made him wonder whether, perhaps, he’d finally begun to make some progress.