NOVEL NEXT Chapter 71: Will You Catch Me?
Katherine was furious at herself. Her tears were hot against her skin but it was the least of her concerns at the moment as she was practically shoving her clothes into a duffel bag. She didn't know what she needed to pack — all she wanted was to leave fast and run away from the person that's causing her heart to tremble.
This wasn't supposed to happen. She was supposed to only have a normal life. Despite not knowing her past, she was unfortunately okay with how she was before she met Damien weeks ago even though she was friggin' poor and struggling.
But after meeting, knowing, and wanting Damien…She had experienced a lot of emotions more than how much she felt for the past five years. 'He's cruel. He did this to me,' she cursed in her thoughts. She got irritated, annoyed, confused… pampered and liked… all because of Damien.
While she had already a lot of things in her mind, the words that Frederick Park said echoed in her head:
'I don't like you for my nephew.'—"Who the f*ck cares? I don't like you either!" she spat.
'We can't afford to put any taint on it even a small speck of dust.'
Katherine felt like her whole being was being trampled on. She felt like 'dirt' who was nothing compared to Damien and his family.
'You're a smart woman, aren't you, Ms. Miller?'—"Of course, I am. Which is why I'm leaving!"
Katherine only had one bag in hand, leaving all the other clothes that Damien bought for her. Right… She really didn't have much. Everything was given by him and she couldn't take it with her.
Walking out of the penthouse, she went down to the ground floor and arrived at the lobby. She could feel her heavy heart asking for her to stop and go to him but her stupid brain was convincing her to run away and never look back.
She halted and turned to the side where she saw the "Employees only" door, making her tightly grip the handles of her bag.
She couldn't fall for him.
But just one last look. Katherine wanted to have just one last look at his face.
Just one last… long look if she could. Was it okay for her to be selfish?
"You already hurt him," she muttered to herself. Was it okay for her to say sorry? At least before she leaves?
Before she knew it, she was already in the elevator going to the top floor. 'You hurt him. How could you? You're a bad person,' she mocked herself.
The elevator door opened… and so did his office door. She dropped the bag and strode towards the corner of the room.
Katherine stood in front of his secret door that only she knew the passcode of. Her fingers hovered over the numbers on the device on the wall, trembling and itching for her to do what she wanted to do until the scary man's voice sounded in her head again:
'He had his fair share of women by his side from affluent families.'—"He told me I was the only one worthy of him!" she bit out.
'He's just trying out different flavors.'—"What if I am his favorite flavor?!" she fumed.
After a mental debate, she sighed and punched the code into the device. "F*ck it. I want to be happy. Let me be happy."
As soon as she said that, the door slid to the side, revealing the dimly lit den of the man she yearned to see. When it fully opened, she saw him standing there and looking back at her — Looking forlorn in his unbuttoned shirt and hair that was still perfectly in place, just like the man that he was – perfect.
His eyes were cold and deadly as he looked at her but she loved it.
He was being mean to her with whatever his beautiful mouth was saying at that moment.
She knew that he quoted her for all the words that she said to wound him earlier and she was hurt as well too but the pain that she felt in her heart dissolved just by looking at him.
And Katherine became even more selfish. She wanted more. And she wanted him.
She hated and liked him at the same time. She hated his beautiful face and beautiful eyes that were hating her beautifully at the moment — but she still liked him. She liked him a lot.
She trod towards him only focusing on his lips, "I don't need men, Damien. I only need you."
When Katherine smashed her lips unto his, everything stood still. Even Damien froze on the spot, not knowing what to do with her confusing advancement.
Her lips touched him for a few seconds before she pulled away and their eyes met.
"What are you doing, Katherine?" He asked with a piercing stare, she swore she was going to drown in those dark eyes. He remained rooted and did not touch her like she wanted him to.
"I want to be with you."
She whispered, her hands fell to his chest, feeling his warmth through his shirt underneath her hands.
"Are you toying with me again? Is this a game to you? Do you enjoy playing with my emotions, Katherine?"
"I'm sorry…" She kept her gaze on him, wanting him to understand how she really feels but all her eyes did was produce waterworks like a fountain — hating herself for being weak in front of him.
Just several minutes ago, she didn't want anything. Why was she doing all this to him now? "If you think this is fun, why don't you just–"
"I want you," She said under her breath. "I want to be with you, Damien Park."
Looking into her eyes, he could see it. "I told you, Katherine. If this is your final answer, I won't allow you to go back on your words," he reminded her.
"I really want to be with you. Let me be with you."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Damien claimed her lips.
Her lips were as smooth and as soft as he remembered it years ago. He kissed her gently, tilting his head and brushing his lips with hers in a slow and unhurried manner.
She tiptoed in her heels and pushed herself against him at the same time that his arms were around her waist while her arms encircled his neck. She was kissing him… and he was kissing her back. It's the most heartwarming feeling in her lips that sent her entire body into submission. He can have her. All of her. She was willing.
Damien slipped a hand in the slit of her dress — touched her thighs and he lifted her up so that she could wrap her legs around his waist with his hands supporting her back and bottom.
He carried her to the sofa in his strong arms as if she weighed like cotton and slowly laid her on her back, their lips never parted since they started.
Katherine tried so hard to keep herself from moaning when his warm hands caressed her sides, touching her in places that she did not know she wanted to be touched.
Though reluctant, Damien pulled back to look at her and in an instant, Katherine missed his lips.
Brushing her hair away from her face, he looked at her tenderly and wondered what was going on in her pretty head that made her change her mind.
As if she was able to read his wandering mind, she brought her hand up to the side of his face and stared into his eyes as she said, "I like you too, Damien."
"But I'm afraid that if I fall for you... I might fall so hard and get myself hurt."
They gazed at each other, their eyes conversing just like their hearts. She parted her lips and asked –
"Will you catch me?"
Damien felt a strange tug in his heart when he heard her plea. It was as if everything else no longer mattered.
"With arms wide open."
He answered and he lowered his lips to hers once again. This time, he grazed his tongue softly on her bottom lip as though he was asking permission to taste her more.
And as soon as Katherine gave him access when she parted her lips for him, his fervent tongue danced with hers in a slow and utterly sensual fashion.
A moan escaped her lips when he felt his hand on her bare thigh, stroking it lovingly while she pulled him even closer as much as she could, wanting to feel his weight on her — wanting to tell herself that she wasn't dreaming.
"Stay with me tonight," he breathed. "Don't go back and stay with me tonight."
"Why do you sound like that?" she asked when she saw the look in his eyes and noticed the tone of his wistful voice.
Damien swallowed as he pressed their foreheads together and he whispered above her lips, "I want to sleep next to you and wake up next to you."
He pulled back and looked at her again as he added, "I don't want to scare myself if I wake up and not see you beside me... thinking that I'm just imagining all of this."
"So, Katherine… Will you stay?"