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CHAPTER 21

While Damon drove them to CC's apartment building, she was completely distracted by what had just happened. She faced the window the entire way home to ensure that he wouldn't notice the look on her face or the blush colouring her cheeks. She crossed her legs and felt a little dampness in her panties. She got goose bumps again just at the thought of it.

They arrived too soon and Damon held the passenger door open for her. She greeted the doorman as she passed him. He frowned at her. He obviously wasn't used to her being friendly with someone in his shoes. He didn't know that CC was trying her damnedest to be present in the moment and to be aware of everyone around her in order to take her mind off of him.

When they reached her apartment door, she felt Damon's hands on her hips and his lips on the back of her neck while she attempted to unlock the door.

When they got inside, he turned her around to face him and began kissing her forcefully. She tried to speak and couldn't so she pushed him away gently.

"Damon, how about some coffee?" She asked and escaped to the kitchen.

"Uh, yeah, okay." She grabbed the decaf beans.

"Decaf? No regular?" He asked. "I thought since we'd be up all night anyway..." He beamed smugly.

She smiled at him nervously. "Sorry, don't have any." She lied and poured the decaffeinated beans into the coffee grinder in her automated coffee machine. She poured some milk into the machine and let it do its thing.

He stepped into the kitchen and she moved away from him to get the coffee mugs. "Sugar?"

"Please!" He said, smiling and reached out to caress her lower back.

"How much would you like?"

"As much as you'll give me." He winked.

She laughed and hoped he couldn't hear the scoff in it.

"Two spoonfuls, please." He added, still smiling.

The coffee machine beeped and she placed the mugs at the base. Coffee started filling each mug. The smell was intoxicating and woke her senses. The frothy milk followed shortly after and the scent pulled her mind to mornings at the Sheffields' house.

She couldn't allow herself down that path. These days it only seemed to lead in one direction.

The machine beeped once more and she handed a mug to him and gestured for him to follow her to the living room while she sipped from her own mug.

She sat on the couch, and he did too, but only after he had placed his mug on the coffee table, without having taken a sip.

She held hers in front of her almost as though guarding the mug... Or letting it guard her.

He moved her hair away from her shoulder and kissed the skin at her neck. She flinched involuntarily and hoped he hadn't noticed.

He stopped and took the mug from her hands to set it down on the table alongside his.

She turned to look at him and he used the opportunity to kiss her full on the mouth. He leaned onto her and his hand landed on something next to her on the sofa. He pulled his lips from hers with a pop and spotted the purse she had used during the day, a stocking protruding from the opening.

He released an aroused giggle. "A-ha!" He said, reaching for the stocking.

"Are these the ones you were wearing when you were teasing me over the phone today?" He smiled and kissed her neck again.

"Yeah." She looked at it, clutched in the hand he had rested on her thigh.

"So sexy..." He muttered into her hair. "Almost couldn't control myself knowing you were touching yourself while talking to me."

She recoiled to some degree, mostly out of guilt. But why? Niles was the only one who knew she had faked it. Why did she feel guilty?

"Tell me how you like to be touched," he said while trailing kisses along her jaw. She felt awkward. She wished he would just know how she liked things.

She spent her workdays telling people what to do. She didn't want it to be expected of her in intimate situations too.

"Slowly." She said. She didn't know what else to say and she thought that that would give her time to get her mind on the current moment instead of the previous one.

He slowed his ministrations, grazing his hands slowly up her sides and kissing the tops of her breasts.

"Faster," she said, annoyed that she wasn't into what he was doing. Why isn't this working?

He chuckled and moved to push her backwards into the couch, rapidly kissing her inner arm from her wrist to above her elbow, and then quickly kissing her lips. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and began moving his tongue quickly around hers.

She was becoming frustrated that he couldn't get her turned on. She had been attracted to him. She thought him a handsome man… and, to be honest, she had been very much in the mood not less than 20 minutes before at the mansion. What's the problem here? She thought angrily.

A hot shiver ran through her when she felt his hand run over hers. He had her stocking over his hand. Something about it suddenly woke her from the state she had been in. He ran his hand up her arm across her shoulder and down to the edge of her dress along her breasts.

She moaned. He became excited by her sudden relaxation. "Hold my hand," she said. He thought it an odd request. He thought they were past that stage. Holding hands, to him, seemed too innocent for his tastes but he decided to oblige. He was about to pull the stocking from his hand but she grabbed his wrist and told him, "No, leave it on. Please."

He did as she asked and clutched her hand through the stocking. She sighed and pulled him closer. She guided his stocking-covered hand to her jawline. "Kiss me."

He caressed her cheek as he dipped his tongue into her mouth once again. This time, he noted, she was aroused by the kiss. She began to arch into him and groaned into his mouth. Her voice got him going too.

"You're so hot, CC..." He said into her mouth.

"Call me Miss Babcock..."

"Kinky." he grinned. "Okay... Miss Babcock..." He whispered.

She sighed and kissed him harder.

"Mmm, Miss Babcock..." He whispered again. She gasped and wrapped her legs around him.

He was beginning to realize the term turned her on.

He reached under her to unzip her dress.

"Touch my bare back."

"Yes, Miss Babcock!" He said.

"Lower!" She ordered, breathless.

He lowered his hand in her dress.

"No, I meant your voice... Deeper."

"Oh," he said, lowering his voice an octave. "Anything else, Miss Babcock?" He asked.

"Touch me, Ni- now..." She said, panting.

He cupped her sex and she gasped.

He savoured the affect he was having on her.

Without opening her eyes, she undid the button and zipper on his pants and slid them down, revealing his loose satin boxers. He pushed himself between her legs, thrusting his boxer-covered manhood against her centre. She groaned and turned to smell the cologne at his neck. She opened her eyes suddenly.

"Wait, wait, wait." She whispered.

"What?" He stopped.

"I... I can't. This is... This feels wrong." She said, pushing him gently off of her.

He looked irritated. "What could possibly feel wrong about this? We're perfect for each other. I thought you wanted this too." He grunted in frustration.

"I'm sorry, Damon. This is all just a little fast. Maybe I'm... just not ready?" She sounded as though she was unsure of herself.

"Could we, um... Would you mind if we postponed?" She smiled timidly.

He looked over at her. He sighed. "A third 'meeting'?" He asked with a straight face.

She nodded. "I'm not saying no, I guess I'm just saying not now." She tried to explain.

He nodded in understanding.

"Okay." He said.

"Okay?"

"Yes. I'm obviously attracted to you, CC. I want to see where this could lead."

"You're obviously attracted to me?" She grinned.

"Have I been too subtle?" He grinned back.

She laughed and leaned in hesitantly, hoping things wouldn't be awkward. He leaned in the rest of the way and she smiled as they pecked each other on the lips once or twice.

She rose from the sofa. "So. I'll see you again soon?" She queried.

"Yes." He followed her to the door and touched her back where her dress zipper was still undone.

He kissed her chastely and left. She closed the door and felt a breeze on her back. She put a hand on her chest to hold her dress in place.

Niles had zipped me up. She thought and then shut her eyes tightly to try to rid herself of the memories.

She felt a little cheap even though she shouldn't. Damon was the man she was seeing. She had no reason to be ashamed of what was happening between them. So what if she had seen him out of her apartment with her dress undone and her hair a mess! ... She still felt cheap though. She should have felt cheap after the incident with Niles. She was disappointed that she didn't.