Mr. Lawson's Assistant

Chapter 54

I tried to think of a comeback, but nothing came to mind. So instead, I just scoffed and sat back in my seat. Damon chuckled and guided the car onto the next exit ramp. I frowned, "Where are we going?" The only things off this exit were the abandoned warehouse where I'd been held as a kidnap victim, a state park and some fast food places.
I swear if he takes me back to that warehouse-
I thought, gripping my hands together in my lap.
"We're not going there, don't worry," Damon laughed, and I snapped my eyes up to him.
"How did you know that's what I was thinking?" I ignored the entrance to the gravel lot of the warehouse as we passed it.
Damon raised his eyebrows. "Your face says exactly what you're thinking."
I glared at him, "So then where are you taking me? McDonald's?" I crossed my arms.
Damon's lips twitched, "I'm kidnapping you."
My heartbeat faltered, and I blinked, staring at Damon like he'd lost his mind. He started laughing, "You think I'm serious?" He flipped on his blinker and turned into the state park entrance.
"No!"
"You thought about it," Damon retorted.
I huffed and shoved my hair out of my face. "Did not."
Damon pulled up to the pay window at the parking lot entrance, and rolled down his window, "Evening," He said, nodding at the Ranger that stepped up to the car. The young man craned his neck and glanced into the car, checking my face, before looking back to Damon.
"Sir, the park closed at sunset. I'm afraid you're going to have to turn around." The man apologized, glancing to me again, looping his first fingers through the belt holders on his tan pants.
I opened my mouth to respond, but Damon spoke before I could say anything, "I have a night pass," Damon started, reaching across my lap and into the glove box. I glanced over to the shocked Ranger, then down to where Damon was practically laying on my thighs. Unsure of exactly what to do, I just sat there without a word.
When Damon sat back up and handed the laminated paper to the ranger, the man's face twisted into surprise and he quickly handed the paper back to Damon.
"I apologize, Mr. Lawson!" the young man hurried into the booth to flip the gate switch, giving us entrance to the park.
Damon gave the man an easy smile, "Don't worry about it." He nodded as he shifted into drive and pulled through the open gate. I watched, shocked, as we passed the young ranger, who was shifting back into his booth without another glance at us.
"A night pass?" I said out loud, puzzled.
He shrugged as he parked the Rover in a space near the back of the lot, Greyson donates frequently to help the park maintain things." He told me.
I crossed my arms, "So, basically, there's no such thing as a night pass."
Damon smirked, "Nope."
*
Damon and I left the car and headed down the nearest woodland trail, towards the first picnic pavilion. According to him, it was only a quarter of a mile, but after twenty minutes of walking, I turned to him with a glare.
"Where are we going?" I pursed my lips when Damon raised his eyebrows and flashed me an innocent look.
"I already-"
"Damon!" I snapped, cutting him off before he could avoid the question.
He smiled and held up his hands in defense, "Okay," He started, but when I pursed my lips, he continued, "I may have missed the first three turns on purpose..." He cocked his head to the side slightly and waited for me to react. When I only growled and shook my head, he chuckled and began walking again.
"If I'd known that I'd be stuck walking two miles with you, alone, in the woods, I never would have gone out with you in the first place." I muttered, internally cursing my shoes when I tripped on a loose tree branch. Damon reached out and steadied me, but released my arm slowly when I shot him a glare. He was smirking again, and I hated that I found him so attractive when he did it.
"The trick was to get you on the date," Damon said quietly, still smirking, "after that, I didn't have any other plans." He shrugged.
When I glanced over at him, he met my gaze, and for a second, I wished the sun hadn't set so quickly. I could barely make out his eyes now, with all the trees blocking the remnants of the sunset.
I tried to think of something smart to retort, but his honesty had taken me off guard. "I'm surprised," I started, frowning when the right words wouldn't come to my mouth.
"That I didn't make plans?" Damon smiled, facing the path in front of us as we walked.
I shook my head, "That you're walking with me, through the woods, in the dark, and you consider it a date." I sighed, shoving some of my hair out of my face.
Damon turned his head to glance at me again, and I noted that his lips twitched upward. "You know, there isn't really a dating protocol to follow." He lifted his chin when I crossed my arms, "Besides, what's better than being alone in a peaceful setting on our second date?" He smirked at me.
"If I didn't know you, there would be a lot wrong with it." I muttered, tucking my throw-over together to cover my stomach when the wind picked up slightly.
Damon actually smiled this time, "You mean because I could be a serial killer?" He asked, and I scoffed. His smile faded ever so slightly as the woods in front of us started to thin and suddenly we were walking towards a long, wooden boardwalk. The path drifted out above a beautiful lake that stretched across the entire space in front of us, reflecting the moon's white light on the surface. As the gravel switched to wood, I stopped and stared at the scene. It looked like something out of a fairytale, the glistening surface of the lake, the dark, mysterious shapes of the trees surrounding the edges of the water, closing in the lake around us. It felt as if we'd just stepped into another world.
"Wow..." I breathed  Damon remained wordless and let his own eyes wander the surface of the water. For a moment, both of us just stood in silence, taking in the scene. I reveled in the sound of the crickets and the subtle splash of a frog or trout somewhere in the distance.
Finally, Damon spoke, "I'm glad I know you, Oana." He said, his voice cutting the night like a smooth, clear blade.
I glanced at him, frowning slightly at his choice of words. When he kept looking at me, I knew he was waiting for a response.
"Since I've met you, I've been shot, kidnapped, and hospitalized more than once," I said, switching my gaze back to the water, "I hate the hospital..." I murmured, more to myself than to him. I let the silence fall once again, because I wasn't sure I knew what else I wanted to say. But Damon kept watching me, patiently waiting. "And you," I turned to face him, expecting the fact that he was already facing me, "you haven't left me alone since I've met you," I let my lips slowly start to spread upward, "and not even my best efforts can get rid of you."
Damon chuckled, "Is that so?" He asked, pushing one of his hands into his pocket.
"I like you, Damon." I stared at his tall figure, outlined by the moonlight reflected from the lake, and my heart pounded against my chest, "I have no idea why. You're annoying and snarky, and you're always trying to prove me wrong," I started, cutting him off when he started to smirk, "You respect me, and my opinions, and you're intensely stubborn with your own opinions." I slowly uncrossed my arms, "You've helped me in so many ways, but I've never given you a single reason to." I lifted my chin so that, if it were light enough, I would have been staring him directly in the eye.
"You think you need to give me a reason?" He said quietly. My stomach tightened. "I'm captivated by you, Oana. If it isn't obvious by now." He shook his head, still facing me. "You're a breath of fresh air from the other women in my life." He straightened his shoulders as though it took his full concentration to form these words, "I want to know more about you. I want to experience who you are..." He paused, swallowing and clenching his jaw. "No one has ever done that to me before."
I laughed, "That's a lie."
Damon took a small step closer to me, "I swear on my life it isn't. I've never met a woman like you."
"Damon, you're handsome, you're rich, and you're a gentleman. You can't tell me that you've never met another interesting woman!" I argued, setting my jaw.
Damon let out a quiet breath and shook his head, "Of course, I've met some amazing women. And I still know plenty of them. Lots of them were interesting, and beautiful like you, but none of them catch my interest like you do." He seemed frustrated to explain what he was saying. "The first time you really saw me, you looked right past me as if I wasn't even there!" He said, blowing out another breath as he spoke. "No single woman has ever done that to me in my entire life."
I raised my eyebrows, "Just because you're handsome doesn't mean I should have given you the time of day." I smiled.
Damon smirked and shifted closer, "That's twice in one day that you've told me I'm handsome..." He lowered his voice and tilted his head down to look at me better.
I rolled my eyes, wrapping my pull-over tighter around my middle. "Don't let it go to your head. There's plenty of attractive people in the world. And anyways, your looks aren't even your best quality." I smirked, prodding Damon's own grin.
"So, you're in love with my shining personality then?" He asked, closing the remaining distance between us, and pulling his hand from his pocket to run it through his hair.
I tipped my chin up to look at his face in the moonlight and cocked my head to the side, "Who said I was in love with you?"

Hey guys! So sorry about the time between updates, testing week rolled around and I'm sure you all know how that is... Anyways, I'll be posting two chapters today to make up for lost time😊 Thanks for your patience and happy reading💙