Soul-Searching (Closed for Cum_Inside)

[LucianDevine]

http://iv1.lisimg.com/image/2404583/557full-asher-book.jpg

Damon Grant let out a soft sigh of relief when he stepped out of the airport and headed towards the parking space of the rental car that was waiting for him. He was very eager to get to his hotel so he could relax without worrying about being seen or recognized.

The ride to the hotel was a blissfully short and uneventful. Damon checked into the hotel under an alias to try and prolong the time he had to himself, time that he very much needed. When he got up to his room he gladly kicked off his shoes and flopped down on the bed, fully clothed and everything.

Damon awoke with a start, genuinely surprised that he had actually fallen asleep. Hell, it took him a few seconds just to remember where he was. When he did remember he let out another soft sigh of relief before forcing himself to get up.

It was later than Damon would have liked, being too late for him to actually get any meaningful work done. Despite that, the situation wasn't a total loss, though. It meant that he could stop by another place that he wanted to visit while he was in town, a place that meant a fair bit to him, even if he hadn't been there in a couple years.

Damon stripped out of his clothes and tossed them in a corner to deal with later before heading into the bathroom for a much-needed shower. After the plane ride and falling asleep fully clothed, he was sweaty and smelly, conditions that were only enhanced by the summer Florida heat.

The cold shower helped bring Damon back into a working state of mind, and after getting dressed in the most plain-looking clothes he had brought with him, he grabbed his baseball hat and left the room.

The drive was another short one, one of the many reasons why Damon had chosen the hotel that he had. It was close enough to the ocean for him to hear the waves, something that helped him think, and was close to his favorite bar.

Damon parked his car, locked it, walked through the door, and moved straight for the bar. He was happy to see that his favorite spot, a high-rise bar chair at the end of the bar was open, and moved towards it quickly. He then signaled towards the bartender, more than happy to get some alcohol moving through his veins.

 

[Cum_Inside]

Harper Lawson retouched her makeup in the small and slightly worn-down employee washroom during her break. Cramped as she was in the small space with barely enough elbow room at the sink it was certainly a difficult task but she did her best to maximize her look with the tools she had. Many of her coworkers considered her quite vain and narcissistic, giggling about her behind her back every time she would slip away to check and see if her foundation was still in place. They didn’t realize that it came from a place of anxiety.

Yes, Harper considered herself a garden-variety of ‘pretty’, but she was anything but egotistical. Her carefully controlled facade and impenetrable mask of makeup served as a barrier between the public and her home-life. It was all a careful ploy designed to ‘save face’ if you will, and hide her shame.

The heat of working in a bar like this in the humidity of the Florida summer made sweat pool at her hairline and when she was busy it only added to the chance that the corners of her mask might crack and slide off.

No.

She had to keep it up; it was the only thing hiding the purpling tint of burst blood vessels surrounding her eyes and the fingerprints around her throat in a mockery of being collared. Yes, she was shackled, but not in a way that made her pleased to discuss her other half. Cameron was a sore subject, both literally and figuratively. Looking in, one might think Harper had the most attentive and loving boyfriend but Cameron only cared whether or not Harper was working to support his dependency on alcoholic beverages and to bend over and take it whenever he pleased. If there was any show of disrespect or she didn’t move fast enough, she paid doubly.

The bar was the only reprieve from him but even here she was tightly in control. At least he didn’t follow her around with fingernails digging into her hip or palm as her held her close in what might seem like clinginess to outsiders, but was really a private show of his short fuse and threatening personality. Harper couldn’t even smile crookedly at the teenager working to stock the shelves in their block’s family-owned mom and pop grocery store lest Cameron think there was a plan to sabotage him in some manner.

Tossing her setting spray bag in her tiny makeup bag, she clenched the edge of the porcelain sink and sighed with eyes closed in a short moment of peace. Harper gathered her things and tucked them into her purse before ducking behind the bar on the far side next to the pool table. She smiled at a regular and leaned in just a bit to ask how the kids were doing as she fixed his typical whiskey sour, easily sinking back into her focused mentality as they made small talk. Her coworker was just about to go on his own break so she offered him a tiny nod and moved over to cover the patrons on the other side of the counter.

When her coworker finally sauntered away, Harper laid eyes on the drinks on the bar to see if anyone needed a top-up.

One couple was chatting away happily, slowly sipping at their cocktails with no need yet for a refill. The next guy was digging money out of his wallet for his tab and he tipped her off with a two-finger salute, sliding off the barstool and heading for the door. Harper turned to the final client.

He was quiet, body turned in on itself as if to protect himself from outside sources, dark clothing and a baseball hat. He declined making eye contact with her and it wasn’t until she leaned in to address him that her luminous green eyes connected with deep brown pools that she was pretty familiar with. God, but she hadn’t seen him in years!

This time the smile that slowly crept across her face wasn’t faked. It felt like the first time in years she’d truly been happy to see someone. Still, she played it cool — or tried to.

“You ready for another, Damon? This one’s on the house.”

 

[LucianDevine]

Damon was lost in his own little world. He was nursing his rum and coke as he just sat there, his eyes mostly closed, listening to the people around him, the music in the background, the sound of pool balls hitting each other, and of course the periodic sound of an alcohol-induced round of live karaoke. The sound of the last one brought a smile to his lips every time, regardless of how good or bad the person was.

The first bartender more or less left Damon alone, and Damon hoped that the second one would as well, at least until she leaned in closer. He reluctantly lifted his gaze to meet hers, but the second he saw those big green eyes, he couldn't stop the smile that came to his face.

"Holy shit, Harper Kaine as I live and breathe..."Damon started, clearly caught off guard by the sight of a woman he hadn't seen in years. "I...uh...sure, hit me. Rum and coke on the rocks heavy on the rum."

Damon waited to say anything else until Harper fixed him the drink. He took a long sip of it before setting it down. "God, I haven't seen you in years, not since...I guess it would be your senior prom wouldn't it?" He hesitated as he mentioned when the last time the two had seen each other. It wasn't that anything bad had happened, quite opposite really. He'd taken her to it, because Cameron was...well being Cameron. The night had gone as well as one could hope, limo ride, dancing, eating out, being fawned over everywhere they met, until they ended up on her doorstep. He seemed to lose himself in his own head for a moment as he remembered the single passionate kiss they'd shared. He hadn't meant it to happen, it just...happened.

"How have you been? What have you been up to these past couple years?" Damon asked as he finally forced himself out of his own head and to speak once more.

 

[Cum_Inside]

The memory of her prom reminded her of one of the best nights she’d ever had. Go figure that it would have been with a man who wasn’t her boyfriend. Cameron had ditched her last minute to get high with some buddies at a college party and Harper had been absolutely heartbroken, but in the end it worked out: she’d ended up having a ton of fun that night with Damon after calling it off with her boyfriend.

He had always been quiet like her, but unobtrusive. Still, everyone in high school had always talked fondly of him and Harper couldn’t help but feel the same when he offered to take her to prom in place of her then ex boyfriend. The kiss he left her with at the end of the night still had her flashing back and wondering...

Stop. You’ll drive yourself mad doing that Harper thought.

Clearing her throat, Harper tried for a more relaxed stance as she mixed the drink and poured a couple extra splashes of rum in there just as he had requested.

“Oh you know... Mostly just working. Things are pretty boring for me. Not much has changed since,” she shrugged.

But they had. Cameron’s behaviour had escalated after she accepted him back into her life just after graduation. He still did drugs and drank a lot but back then he’d never hit her. The only thing he’d broken then was her heart. Things were more complicated now.

“How about you? Last I heard you’d moved across the country to get away from this place.”

Leaning there with her elbows in the counter below the bar after handing him his drink, Harper watched him quietly.

What if I’d just pulled you closer and kept you to myself?

She couldn’t deny that she thought about that sometimes, mostly in the dark as she lay next to her boyfriend while he shook the tiny apartment with his snoring.

The kiss had been lovely but it was somehow the last sentiment they’d ever shared and Harper didn’t know why. Had she scared him away that badly? Was that too just a gesture of pity? Perhaps she’d never know.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damon noticed the change in Harper immediately when she returned with his drink, and he couldn't help but feel bad for her in a way. He didn't pity her for the way things had gone down between them, but he felt bad that he'd gotten what so many people wanted when he'd left town, fame and fortune, yet here he was.

Despite the clear change in Harper's demeanor though, Damon couldn't help but chuckle at her statement. His eyes closed briefly as he chuckled and bowed his head with the laugh. When his eyes opened and lifted though, he made it a point to try not to look down her shirt where many men would have.

"Ain't that the truth?" Damon started before taking a sip of his drink. He let out a slow sigh as he just enjoyed the taste and the slow buzz that was creeping up on him. "You can see how that worked out for me. Life always has a way of dragging us back, no matter how much we fight it, doesn't it? I just got back into town tonight and I'm trying to keep a low profile. So if anybody asks, you haven't seen me."

Damon tried to play his last statement off as a joke, keeping a small smile as he took another sip of his drink. Seeing Harper in front of him brought back all the memories of that night they'd had together. He'd thought of her many times after he'd left, and the thoughts that were flooding his brain were slowly bringing his blood to a boil. He knew what he'd truly wanted to do that night, and what he wanted to do now, but he had to fight against such feelings, for her own good.

 

[Cum_Inside]

Harper smiler ruefully at Damon’s statement. She wanted to say that his secret was safe with her, but that only highlighted her own frustration at being so removed from the community as of late. She was isolated and had nobody to tell even if she wanted to.

Frankly it felt good being the only one to know something, so she nodded as she tucked a strand of long hair behind her ear and leaned over the bar to wipe down the counter where the gentleman had just vacated.

Harper turned back to face him.

“Life has a way of turning us in directions we never planned on. We just have to make the best with what we have,” she commented vaguely.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damon couldn't help but watch and enjoy the seemingly simple sight of Harper tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He'd of course seen it with her being leaned over in front of him, and the desire to do it himself had been so very strong.

Damon remained silent for a moment as he watched her wipe away the condensation ring left by a guy who had just left. He met her gaze when she turned towards him and spoke. Her words were cryptic and vague, but he understood her meaning.

"Can't argue with you there." Damon said as he placed his elbow on the bar and propped his head on it so he could hold her gaze.

"There's an infinite number of paths laid out before us, and we have no way of knowing which one to take. Any one of them could lead death or disappointment. The grass is always greener, and all that jazz. You could follow a dream and watch it turn into a nightmare not knowing that the nightmare you left behind was just a few turns away from being..."

Damon let his words trail off and lowered his head and shook it a bit, trying to clear away the thoughts that could so easily lead him down a path he wasn't sure he could travel. He took a long and slow drink, taking his time with it in the hopes that he would be able to think of the right words to say.

High-school had been an awkward time for Damon. The group of friends that he and Cameron were in had kids all over the spectrum. Cameron was the jock, Damon was the choir kid who was almost handsome enough to be able to ask the pretty girls out but too awkward to know what to say or when to say it. Hell, he'd had his chance with Harper too as it were, but he'd chosen to walk away and preserve their friendship instead of risking it all for the chance at something more. He had fame and fortune, but still found himself wanting...more.

 

[Cum_Inside]

Harper cleared her throat. Damon's words had a way of hitting home; a nightmare was exactly what she was living. It was such a relief to see a friendly face.

Changing the subject, Harper asked how long Damon planned on staying and if he had any big plans while he was in town.

She observed his handsome face as they chatted, admiring the sharp curve of his jaw and the way his lips turned up at the corners in a tiny hint of a smile for her. His eyes were deep and drew her in and made her feel like she wanted to drown in them but they also simultaneously relaxed her and made her feel more comfortable.

This was a man she did not have to be afraid of. She was just enjoying the moment for what it was.

 

[LucianDevine]

It wasn't until midway through the conversation with Harper when she asked how long he was here and if he had any big plans that Damon realized something. He realized in that exact moment how much he had missed this. He missed having a simple and unassuming conversation with somebody that had no hidden agenda. She wasn't begging for money, asking to be taken to some red-carpet event she couldn't get into, or asking him to hook her up with somebody he knew.

This was the kind of thing that Damon wished somebody would have told him before he became famous. People normally just thought of the money and all the perks of being famous without thinking about all the negative things. Until he'd left New York he'd been hounded by fans, paparazzi, groupies, gold-diggers, and beggars, all of which wanted something from him. Hell, that wouldn't be so bad if there was more to their desires than that, but such one-sided relationships and interactions were hollow and depressing.

"I didn't actually have a specific time frame set in stone when I left." Damon started at last as he continued to stare into Harper's beautiful and shining green eyes.

"I've got the hotel room for a week as a start. I came back, because I was trying to find something I lost..." Damon paused there before tipping his head to finish the last of his drink. "I can't even say for sure what I lost, but it's that spark of inspiration, y'know? The sound of the ocean always helped put me into a good state of mind, and I was hoping it would do the trick again. Having a friend so close makes me want to extend the trip, though..." He continued as he set his glass down. "Now I'm thinking at least a month or more."

As he finished, Damon offered up the little half-grin that he'd been known for in high-school.

 

[Cum_Inside]

Harper raised an eyebrow.

"Jeez, you got it good enough you can just pick up and go for a month with no issue? Maybe I should have snatched you up when I had the chance," she joked with a playful wink, though her mind wondered if it really was a jest after all. That boyish grin transformed his face into something amazing and she remembered that look well. He'd worn it as they danced all those years ago and right before he leaned in and kissed her... It was the last thing she'd seen before her eyes had fallen shut for the soft peck. It hadn't lasted more than a few seconds and it was simply lips sliding together but she wasn't lying when she recalled it as the most memorable kiss just due to the way her heart had thudded in her chest.

Damon had always been pretty withdrawn and the fact that he'd thought enough of her to want that made her toes curl in pleasure, but several years later it felt more like a foreign dream than anything based in reality.

Still, his smile coaxed one of her own.

"I'm glad you're doing well for yourself Damon," she said softly. "You deserve all the best. Some of my best memories of highschool were being your prom date. I don't get why some lucky lady hasn't snatched you up. Or have they?"

It was maybe a bit prodding but not for someone she considered a friend, albeit one she hadn't seen in forever.

"You can tell me to shut up if I'm being too nosy," Harper added, second-guessing the question. It had been so long since she was able to have a close conversation with a man just due to the fact that Cameron didn't allow her to question him and he kept careful watch of all her other interactions. This was a huge change.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damon couldn't help but laugh at Harper's joke. He knew she meant it as such, as opposed to the gold diggers that had started swarming the second his name got out and the money started to roll in. Even with her words to somewhat distract him, it was the playful wink that caught his attention the most. He found himself surprised how much he loved that she felt comfortable enough to be so casual with him, especially after the time had passed.

"Thank you Harper, truly." Damon said in response to her well-wishing words. "And no, no woman to speak of. It's a bit hard with how busy work can be sometimes. You could say that I work in design. So most of the hard stuff goes on up here..." He pointed at his head. "And the rest I can do pretty much anywhere with a computer."

Harper's final words actually made Damon laugh again. "Nah, truthfully I'm just glad to have someone to talk to. When I can do most of the work by myself human contact can be...limited to say the least. Hell, sometimes I see the delivery guy more times in a week than the people I work with." He offered up another laugh, but found it cut a bit short as he found himself staring into her eyes and thinking of her words and the events that had caused them.

"I've thought about that night many times..." Damon started again, bowing his head and staring at his fingers playing with his glass. It was so damn hard to find the right words. "I enjoyed that night more than I thought I would, given that I couldn't dance worth a damn." He offered up a soft chuckle before continuing. "Thankfully most of the music was for slow-dancing, which is much easier, even if I wasn't sure what to do with my hands at first." His head rose, and once more he found her gaze. "Those eyes...goddam those eyes." He said and offered up another half-smile. They just sort of...drew me in I guess. Even now they're hard to resist." He offered up another chuckle. It wasn't the most subtle way to show his interest, but at least if things went badly he could maybe try and blame it on the alcohol.

 

[Cum_Inside]

Her cheeks flushed, uncertain as to whether she was just imagining his flirting. After careful consideration and observation, Harper decided that no, she wasn't making anything up - he'd really made those comments and he appeared sincere about it as well. She nibbled on her lip as she debated what to say. She knew what she wanted to blurt out but things were a little more complicated.

"It's not like I was much better," she finally laughed. "I was just glad to have someone put up with me all night." For a moment she paused and then said boldly that "I probably would have let you put your hands wherever you wanted anyway," before turning away and pretending to focus on putting away the glassware with her back to him. She felt embarrassed about saying something so stupid but it was too late now.

"It was nice to feel appreciated for once. I had fun and I know you did, too. It was a pretty fabulous date if I'm being truthful; still beats out any I've had thus far."

 

[LucianDevine]

The small half-smile reappeared on Damon's face when he saw Harper's face blush. "Heh, the same could be said about me. I'm wasn't really a social person back then. So being surrounded by people was definitely out of my comfort zone."

It was Damon's turn to blush when Harper spoke after the brief pause. He bowed his head as she turned her back. He'd thought about that night and what could have happened so many times before. Hearing her say it too put things in a whole new perspective.

"That was one hell of a night wasn't it, and you were quite the temptation... You were the most beautiful woman in every room we stepped in, and that fact still hasn't changed."

As he finished speaking, Damon lifted his head once more, hoping to meet Harper's gaze if she turned around. "You deserved somebody that could give you all of themselves, and that just wasn't something I could do back then."

 

[Cum_Inside]

That statement was heavily weighted. She could feel it sinking into her shoulders, the thought infectious. Not then, but...

Not now, either.

Harper frowned and turned to face him.

“I just... things are... they’re complicated,” she said lamely. She wanted to have a better answer for him but she doubted he was that interested in the particulars. Harper hadn’t said no, just deflected, and she knew he caught it but she wondered if he might push. Something inside her wanted him to. She needed something for herself for once and something was telling her that it could be Damon, even if that was traitorous.

“I don’t know what it means to have a man like that. My dating history is pretty informative.”

 

[LucianDevine]

Harper's words said one thing, but her body language said something else. Damon hated seeing her this way, even after all this time. He couldn't be sure exactly which emotions she was feeling, but he had an overwhelming desire to hug her and just hold her close.

"What kind of complicated are we talking about?" Damon asked at last, his concern reflected in his brown gaze. His mind was flooded with so many questions. Could he help, should he help, was this all an act? Despite all those questions though, the one question from his heart was the one that made it to his lips.

"Is there something I can do to help?"

 

[Cum_Inside]

Her initial reaction was to scoff but it took all she had to hold that urge in check.

“It was just me being stupid I’m afraid. It’s just that Cameron... He’s still a huge part of my life even if I’ve checked out of the relationship,” she admitted. She didn’t want to go into the details with a man she hadn’t seen in years but she felt comfortable enough to be honest about the basic premise. For some strange reason, she felt like he needed to know why she was blowing him off because he did look sincere about those flirtatious sentiments.

“I just don’t know how to walk away,” Harper said slowly. “I don’t know if I can. So unless you have a set of balls to lend me I think it’s my own problem.”

Awkward humour was her way of dealing. It came off as self-deprecating most of the time but I’m situations like this it was only blunt. There really wasn’t anything else she could do.

Harper did pluck the empty glass he was now nursing from his hand, her fingers curling around his for just a moment and squeezing, tiny curl of her lips denoting her appreciation for his thoughtfulness.

“Can I get you another or are you ready to run, handsome?”

 

[LucianDevine]

While he wasn't surprised to find out that Harper was in a relationship, Damon was genuinely surprised that she was still with Cameron. One would think that he would be happy to know that she had checked out of the relationship, but even he knew that it wasn't always that simple, especially with a guy like Cermon. If he was anything like the guy who'd ditched his girlfriend's prom with only one night of notice then it was definitely volatile situation no matter how you looked at it, especially for her.

The self-deprecating joke that Harper made wasn't really a surprise. When you are friends with a bunch of high-school guys, you learn to talk like them, be it intentional or otherwise. Her words did spark something in Damon though. He watched the way her lip curled up just a little as she reached out for his glass, her fingers lingering on his, giving them a gentle, if subtle squeeze.

It was the final question that Harper posed to him that made up Damon's mind. He didn't know if she just meant run away from her or run away for the night, but in that moment he didn't even care. "I'm not running this time." He said with conviction as he braced his feet on the metal rungs of the high-rise chair he sat on, pushed off and rose up. His left hand came up to cup her cheek as he pressed his lips to hers.

 

[Cum_Inside]

She froze, eyes wide as she struggled to catch up with what was happening. This time when Damon kissed her he was more confident about it, lips moving with a purpose even as she stayed still. Snapping out of the haze, Harper’s mouth began to move with his, effectively kissing him back slowly.

She didn’t fight, body relaxing.

It felt good to be given this type of affection. She probably should have pulled away but for the first time in forever, she had no concern.

 

[LucianDevine]

Words could not express the feelings flowing through Damon when Harper not only didn't pull away, but actually started to move her lips and kiss him back. Despite that elation though, he was still aware of their surroundings and the risks involved for both of them. He let the kiss linger for just a few more seconds before pulling back, his fingertips grazing along her cheek as he moved back to settle in his chair.

"I can't give you my balls..." Damon started as he met Harper's gaze once more. His brown eyes burning with intensity as his heart was beating a mile a minute. "But I can help you down the path, and even be your light at the end of the tunnel...if you want..."

Damon spoke his words with as much confidence as he could muster, but he was not going to be like Cameron and try to force her hand. He'd expressed his interest and made his move. He was now ready to accept the consequences of his actions, whatever they may be.

 

[Cum_Inside]

Harper nodded, appreciating that he backed off and didn’t force the issue.

“Thanks Damon. Lord knows I needed someone in my corner for once. It’s been a struggle as of late.”

She could still feel the imprint of his mouth and part of her wished that it didn’t have to end, but here in a small town like this in a bar where Cameron’s friends frequented, there was danger to be caught like this with another man.

 

[LucianDevine]

"I can't imagine what it's been like for you, Harper, but you are welcome. You will always be welcome to anything I can give you. If you need me, call me. Anytime, anyplace, it doesn't matter."

Only when he was done speaking did Damon finally break the eye contact. He wanted her to see the conviction in his eyes before he moved to reach over the bar and grab a pen from the ledge beneath it. He then reached for a napkin and wrote his phone number down on it.

"Put it in your phone under any name you want.."Damon said as he slid the napkin across the bar to her." Pick a name that will raise the least suspicion if Cameron checks your texts or calls."

Damon gave Harper a final nod before he reached into his wallet and pulled out enough cash to settle his tab with a generous tip left over. "Have a good night, Harper, and take care of yourself." He then bowed his head, pulled the brim of his hat down a bit, got up, and headed towards the door.

 

[Cum_Inside]

Clutching the napkin tightly, Harper watched him go.

Damon seemed to understand the things she couldn’t say, which was amazing.

She reached for the money even though she’d told him that his drink was on the house. Tucking it into her frock, she scrubbed busily where his drink had been and ignored the hustle around her as her mind raced. Harper had no clue what to do now and the rest of the night was uneventful, but as she climbed into bed next to her snoring fiancé, she went over the events of evening over and over until she fell asleep.

 

[LucianDevine]

Damon just sat in his rental car for a while, thinking about what had happened inside the bar as he let the buzz wear off a bit. Only when he felt absolutely comfortable with driving did he make that short drive back to the hotel.

Though he didn't have really have hope of it, Damon got back into bed in the hopes that he'd actually be able to sleep and wake up at a semi-normal time. He tossed and turned for the better part of half an hour before he finally gave up and sat up in bed. He was still thinking about what had happened in the bar, but it was more than that. He was thinking specifically about what he'd said to Harper and they actually struck a chord in his head.

Damon got out of bed and headed towards the desk where he'd set up his computer. He didn't even bother to put a shirt on, wanting to boot up his computer and make a record of his thoughts while they were fresh in his mind.

After Damon sat down at his computer, his mind and body worked like a machine. He typed up the words as they came to him. The rhythm came next, but took a fair bit of time. He tweaked the word order and the phrasing with the breaks until flowed and felt right. He wanted to take a break after that, but his body just wouldn't let him. Every time he sat back to rest and think about taking a break he thought of the next thing he wanted to do. Even when it came time to work on the notes of the song his mind and body just wouldn't be stopped. He'd never had this kind of spontaneous inspiration before, even after he'd won the competition and had a bunch of people helping him write songs.

Damon didn't even know how long he'd been working on the song until he caught a glimmer of sunlight through his window. That wouldn't have been as crazy a realization if his window didn't face west! He looked at the clock and was utterly shocked to see what time it was. He'd worked clear through the night and well into the early afternoon!

Only after he realized what time it was did he finally force himself to stop. He got up, took a shower, and decided he'd head out and get lunch. He wasn't in the mood for any fast food from the drive-thru, even if it would be the safest option. Yet he did find himself craving a burger. He had a fair few options for where to go, but ended up going for one of the semi-fancy steakhouses, a place that he and his friends had used to frequent on the weekends.

Damon was glad to see that the restaurant wasn't too busy, not much of a surprise for a week day at lunch time, it was never a guarantee. He asked for a corner booth against the interior wall, knowing that it would help him keep a low profile, being away from the window as well as minimizing the number of people that would walk past him. He ordered a Coke and took a brief look at the menu before pulling out his phone to send a couple of texts to his agent and publicist.

 

[Cum_Inside]

Sitting at a table in the middle of the local steakhouse, known only as “Joe’s”, Harper watched Cameron scarf down an extra large order of chilli cheese fries after finishing his steak. After she’d come home the other night with an extra few dollars (okay, it was more than just a measly tip), it hadn’t taken long for his bloodhound nose to sniff it out. He’d insisted on her taking him for dinner somewhere better than greasy fast food and had snatched the bills away before heading to the liquor store.

He’d been happy with her that evening but more suspicious of just how she’d gotten such a tip from any customer in this dumpy little town.

Harper had remained mum and she’d been walking on eggshells all week around Cameron, always prepared for the worst. As he called for another beer with just a rude wave of his hand, Harper sighed and turned away, eyes observing and roving over the other patrons in order to distract herself. Listening to the obnoxious smacking of his lips truly irritated her. As a matter of fact, everything he did really irritated her.

 

[LucianDevine]

When the hostess came back with his drink, Damon lifted his gaze from his phone and thanked her, offering her a smile before she walked away. He lifted his glass and took a drink as he let his gaze wander around the mostly-empty restaurant. It didn't take him long to scope out the few people that were around, but he couldn't help but recognize one of them.

Cameron had always been a bit of a neanderthal, eating any finger-food with both hands except when he had to take a break to take a drink from the large mug of beer he had beside him. The sight was as entrancing as it was disgusting. Hell, it even took him a moment to realize that the man wasn't there alone. Harper was sitting across from Cameron with her back to him, looking about as embarrassed by the man as few people around were disgusted.

Though he knew she likely wouldn't like it, Damon couldn't help but feel sorry for her for the situation she was in. He also couldn't help but wonder why she stayed with him. She'd said that it was complicated, being understandably vague. He could have tried to press for more at the time, but wanted to respect her privacy as much as she'd respected his.

When the waitress eventually came, Damon ordered his burger, fries, and a chocolate shake, still wanting to eat even if his appetite had been diminished.