The next few days felt like we were slowly stitching our relationship back together, one careful thread at a time. Damien was still guarded, but the walls were lowering, inch by inch. I could see it in the way he kissed me goodbye in the mornings, longer and softer than before, and in the way he pulled me into his lap on the couch at night just to hold me. I wanted to keep that momentum going.
So when he suggested we go out for dinner on Friday night, just the two of us, somewhere nice, I jumped at the chance. This time, I decided to push things a little further. I wanted to tease him. To remind him how much I desired him. I chose a dress I knew would drive him crazy. The fabric clung to every curve and moved dangerously when I walked.
When I came downstairs, Damien was waiting in a blac
