Chapter Twelve

 

Harper stared at Damon’s smart, Italian leather shoes as he walked up the stone steps and disappeared from view.

She wanted to hate him. Damn, did she want to hate him, but as Damon stood there at her door, apologising, although he obviously had no clue what he was saying sorry for, her heart skipped a beat and her legs turned to jelly.

Her head pounded. She couldn’t process.

Zarya picked up the bags Damon left by her door and ushered her into the hall before closing the door behind her. “Are you okay, Harper?”

Tears welled in her eyes, misting her vision. She nodded.

Her friend urged her into the lounge, carrying the bags with her. “You’re obviously not. Sit.”

Harper’s knees buckled and she collapsed on the sofa.

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

She blinked away her tears. Why did Zarya think a bloody cup of tea was the answer to everything? “I think I need something stronger than tea. Is it too early for alcohol?” Her attempt at a joke made her throat hurt, but she took a deep breath, determined not to cry. She’d done enough crying.

Harper grabbed her laptop-type bag, the one with Magik Dates’ business plan, and rummaged through the papers. Everything was exactly as she had left it. “Nothing’s been touched, Zar. My bags were in Damon’s car the whole time.”

“That means Damon didn’t…”

Zarya didn’t finish, but Harper knew what it meant.

She reached for her handbag and ferreted inside for her phone. On the screen were multiple missed calls and messages. Her hand trembled as she clasped it to her mouth. “I think I’ve made a terrible mistake.”

“We both jumped to the wrong conclusions, Harper.”

“Damon had nothing to do with stealing Magik Dates, did he?” she asked, as though saying it out loud would help to clarify things. Guilt wracked her. She’d been so ready to believe Damon could do something like that to her, but he hadn’t. This was all Conner’s doing. He’d stolen her ideas and set up the business on his own. Hell, it even said on the website that Conner was the owner and CEO—nothing to connect the dating agency with Damon whatsoever.

How could she think it of Damon? What they had was special, she knew it in her heart. She’d tried to fight it, convince herself she hadn’t fallen head over heels in love with a charming vampire in such a short time, but she had.

She brought up the text messages on her phone. Almost every one was from Damon. Her heart ached as she scrolled through them; mainly messages of how much he was missing her. “What am I going to do, Zarya? I’ve messed everything up. Damon will never forgive me for accusing him of stealing my business.”

“You have your phone back now. Ring him.”

“I… I can’t.”

“Harper, the guy is in love with you.”

“He is?”

Her friend stroked her hair. “And you love him, don’t you?”

She nodded.

“Then ring him.”

Her stomach tied itself into knots. What if he didn’t want to speak to her? What if he refused to forgive her? “I will, soon, but I need time to process everything.” She glanced at her phone again. Twenty-odd voicemail messages, all from Damon, presumably while he was in France. “I need to be alone for a while, okay?”

“You mean you’re going to your bedroom to listen to Damon’s no-doubt schmaltzy voicemail messages?”

She smiled. There was no fooling her ocean priestess friend.

* * *

Harper sat cross-legged on her bed, listening to Damon’s voicemail messages. The messages tugged on her heartstrings, and he’d clearly missed her while he was away, but she still couldn’t get the images she’d seen on the internet out of her head, of him with those other women.

Someone knocked on her bedroom door.

Zarya opened the door, grinning from ear to ear. “There’s someone here to see you, Harper.”

Harper gasped as her friend stepped back and Damon entered the room. She switched off her phone and threw it onto the bedcover.

Damon shifted from one foot to the other. “Hi… err, Zarya let me in. I hope you don’t mind?”

She replied with an uncertain, “Hi.”

Awkward silence followed.

Zarya hovered by the door. “Would you like a cup of tea? I could make a pot?”

“No, I’m fine, thanks,” Damon answered.

“Harper?” her friend prompted.

Harper blew out a breath. She really had to have a word with Zarya about her constant offers of making tea. “No, thanks.”

Zarya still hovered by the door with a concerned expression on her face. She gave her a nod.

“Okay then,” her friend said. “I’ll leave you two to it.”

Silence descended again.

Ribbit. Ribbit.

Damon glanced over to the glass tank. “How is the handsome Prince?”

“He’s fine.” Did he have to mention her pet frog? Prince hadn’t forgiven her yet for covering him with a throw when Damon had nipped her bare backside… Her cheeks warmed.

“How are you, Harper?”

“I’m fine.” Not.

“So… everyone is fine.” He regarded her, his chocolate-brown eyes catching the sunlight streaming through her window.

She sighed. “We’re not fine, are we?”

He shook his head.

“I’m so sorry,” they both blurted out at the same time.

Damon half-smiled. So did she.

“We need to talk, Damon. Come and sit down.” She patted the bed beside her, then realised it wasn’t her best idea.

He stared at the bed, as if in a trance. “I’m so sorry for everything, Harper.” He raked his hand through his hair. “I swear I never had anything to do with what Conner did.”

“I know.”

“It’s all my fault. If I hadn’t convinced you to give him a chance, none of this would have happened.”

“It’s not your fault, Damon, it’s mine. I jumped to the wrong conclusions. Can you ever forgive me for thinking you were behind stealing my business?”

He closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, he crossed the room and sat on the edge of her bed. He took her hand, his touch gentle. “I would never do that to you. I know how much Magik Dates meant to you, and how hard you’ve worked to try to make it a success.”

She stared at his hand. “But I was so ready to think the worst of you…”

“Harper, stop, please. I forgive you.”

She looked him in the eyes.

Damon tucked a curl behind her ear. “So, where do we go from here?”

“That’s up to you, Damon.” She swallowed. “I… kind of googled you, and… and I saw the pictures of you with all those beautiful women. Is that all I was to you? Another woman to drape on your arm?”

“Oh God, no.” He shook his head. “Those women were from a past I’m not proud of, and they meant nothing to me. None of them ever bothered to get to know me, who I really am. It was never like that with you, Harper. You have to believe me.”

The sincerity in his eyes left her in no doubt he was telling the truth.

“I kept calling you while I was in France. I damn near lost my mind when you didn’t reply.”

A smile fought to break free. She’d listened to his messages, and read the texts, smiled as he’d relayed his day and the vineyards he’d visited, and his confessions of how much he couldn’t wait to see her again.

“I thought you never wanted to see me again, and it broke my heart. What we had was special. Surely you know that?”

“I tried to contact you. I called the restaurant and your office, but no one would give me your phone number.”

“My fault again. My employees have strict instructions not to give out my private number.”

“Good employees to have,” she commented. “I did leave a message with your secretary, though—didn’t you get it?”

“No, sorry, I haven’t been to the office yet, or looked at my messages from Joan. Anyway, I don’t care about that right now. I care about you, about us.”

“Is there an us, Damon?”

“I want there to be, but—”

But nothing. Throwing caution to the wind, she kissed him. Damon responded, his kiss everything she remembered and more. Her body reacted with a thrilling jolt.

He let out a groan, held her shoulders and pushed her away. “I… I can’t.”

Confused, Harper stared at the regret etched across his face. “What’s wrong, Damon? Is it the bloodlust?”

His jaw tightened. “No. Yes. It doesn’t matter.”

She touched his arm. He flinched.

“Leave it, Harper.”

“No, I won’t. Did I do something wrong?”

His features softened once more as he cupped her face. “You could never do anything wrong.”

She frowned.

Damon expelled a deep sigh. He dropped his hand and looked away. “I can’t tell you how sorry I am about what Conner did to you. It’s despicable.”

His sudden change of subject suggested something was bothering him, but what? She went along with it, for now. “Me too, but onwards and upwards, as they say.”

“When I left here earlier, I went to his flat and told him exactly what a lowlife he is. I made him shut the website down.”

“You did that for me?”

“I’d do anything for you.”

She smiled. “Thank you. Families, eh? They’re a pain in the backside sometimes, but they’re still family.”

“You got that right.”

“If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from this, it’s that I’m more determined than ever to make Magik Dates a success.”

He frowned. “You can’t use the name Magik Dates.”

“What do you mean?”

“Conner registered the name, so no one else can use it.”

Her shoulders sank. “I want to say you’re kidding, but you’re not, are you?”

“No, but there’s nothing to stop you from starting a new business under a different name. I’ve been thinking about it on my way over. It’ll be brilliant, I know it.”

His sudden enthusiasm was infectious. “I never liked the name anyway. Magic with a K was because I was dating a Kevin at the time.”

“And was it magical with this Kevin?”

She harrumphed. “That relationship went as well as one of my disastrous spells—I accidentally turned him into a cockroach.”

He winced. “I’d better be on my best behaviour then.”

“Forget Kevin the cockroach—it was temporary, unfortunately. I need to come up with a new name for my dating agency.”

“I’m sure you’ll think of something.”

Harper twiddled with her hair. Her fingers brushed against her neck, where Damon’s fangs had pierced her skin. The reddish mark with two darker spots on either side had almost faded now, but her skin still tingled every time she recalled his bite. “I’ve got it!” She grinned. “It’s the perfect name, and kind of apt too.”

“What?”

“Love Bites.”

His gaze lingered on her neck, and she caught the look of regret that flashed across his face again, but he hid it with a smile.

“Love Bites, Paranormal Dating Agency.” He nodded slowly. “You’re right, Harper. It works.”

“I’ll need a slogan. Something that tells people what we do. Something flirty and fun, maybe a little corny. Got any ideas, since you’re so good at that?”

“How about: Love Bites. The number one dating agency for supernaturals. Find the magic in love.”

“Well, I don’t know about the number one dating agency part—maybe one day—but I love it!” I love you. A million and one ideas bombarded her mind. “I’ll have to find another website designer.”

“I know someone. She did the websites for my restaurants. She’s trustworthy, unlike Conner.”

“Okay, but those websites are for humans. I need someone who knows how to set up the magic veil too.”

“She does that as well. She designed the websites for my other businesses, restaurants, nightclubs, etc., that cater especially for non-human types.”

“She sounds perfect.” More ideas buzzed around her head. “I’ll need to employ someone to man the live chat feature, too. Zarya does the bookkeeping, and I know she’ll help with the live online stuff, but she’s only here sometimes, and if I want to go international, it will need to be manned around the clock.”

“International? I like your thinking. I might know someone there too. Jamie. She’s a lovely young woman, a human, but she knows of the supernatural world.”

“Go on.”

“Her father, Bill, was my business partner—I learnt everything I know from him. He was a dear friend too, but he died a while back, sadly.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Thanks. I miss him a lot.” He paused. “Poor Jamie’s had a run of bad luck lately. I don’t know the details, but a new job might be what she’s looking for. I could give you her number?”

Harper knew a thing or two about bad luck, but she had a feeling all that was about to change. “It wouldn’t hurt to ask, I suppose, but I can’t pay her much.”

“I can give you some money to help with the start-up costs, if you want?”

“No, you’ve already helped enough, thanks,” she answered, her tone a tad snappish.

“Hey, don’t fly off your broom handle.” He pressed his lips. “Sorry, couldn’t help that one. It’ll be a business loan. You can pay me back when you get up and running if it will make you feel any better?”

She shook her head. “No, if I’m going to do this, I want to do it on my own, with my own money. I have some savings. I’ll make do with that first.”

Damon smiled. “If you’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“I have a good feeling about this, Harper.”

“Me too. Do you know what else I have a good feeling about?” She stroked her thumb along his stubbly jaw and whispered, “Us.”

Damon’s gaze flitted to her mouth. “I want there to be an us with all my heart, but I have to tell you something first.” He looked away and sighed.

“What is it?” Her heart pounded. Nothing could change the way she felt about him, but he was clearly troubled.

“You took a chance on me, Harper. You even braved my bite, but my bloodlust, it’s…” He shook his head.

The look of shame on his face tugged at her heart.

“It’s what?”

“Fledgling vamps aren’t supposed to experience the bloodlust, but I do.”

“Okay,” she said slowly, not sure where he was going with this.

“I can’t ask it of you. It’s a huge responsibility. If you say no, I’ll understand, and you’ll never have to see me again.”

Her eyes widened. “Don’t you want to see me again?”

He faced her. “Of course I do, more than anything, but you control my bloodlust, Harper. If we have any kind of future together, Nerissa said you will have to keep me in check, so to speak.”

“You spoke to your maker about me?”

“Yes. She can’t wait to meet the beautiful witch I fell in love with, but…” He closed his eyes and shook his head.

Her breath hitched.

Damon took a moment to compose himself and then opened his eyes. “I know it’s a lot to ask. Too much,” he whispered. “You are my weakness and my strength, my Kryptonite and my reason for existing. It has to be your choice, Harper. Is there even the remotest possibility you might consider taking on such a huge responsibility?”

His honesty, his vulnerability only made her love him more. “No one has ever given me a reason to take a chance on love, not until you, Damon.” She smiled. “I love you. I love everything that you are, including those fangs of yours. If controlling your bloodlust is part of the deal, I’m in. One hundred percent.”

“You are?”

“Yes.”

His eyes gleamed with joy. “I… I…”

She grinned. “What’s up, the vampire lost for words?”

He sucked his cheeks. “No, but I can’t believe how lucky I am to have found you.”

“I’m the lucky one.”

“I love you so much, Harper.”

He paused, his expression taking on a certain familiarity, and she knew what was coming.

“In fact, you could say it was love at first bite.”

Harper rolled her eyes and laughed. “You know you’re going to run out of those awful jokes one day.”

He looped his arm around her waist and drew her closer. “Never. There’s always b-room for one more.”

She traced her fingertips over his shirt buttons, toying with them. “What is there, a school for the worst supernatural jokes or something?”

“Not that I know of—I get all my jokes from a crypt writer.”

She smirked, then lowered her voice to a sexy rasp. “What am I going to do with you, vampire?” Harper slid her hand down to his belt buckle.

“Harper?” he murmured.

“Hmm?” She fluttered her eyelashes, her thoughts anything but innocent.

His gaze smouldered with desire. “You are one very wicked witch.”

“Show me those fangs, Damon, and you’ll find out how wicked I can be.”

In less than two seconds, his fangs elongated. He grinned, running the tip of his tongue downwards to their sharp points. “Oh, I intend to, believe me,” he said with that irresistible charm she fell for every time.