Stained

Chapter 38

"If you want, I could give your back a massage..." Oh god, why does saying it out loud sound way worse than it did in my head?

Damien's eyebrows soar up his forehead. "You want to give me a massage?" He utters the words like he can't believe his ears.

I nod my head yes. What's so surprising about it? He's letting me stay at his house, so a massage is the least I could do if he's in pain. Plus it's just a massage.

'You seem to have forgotten that in order to give him a massage you're going to have to touch him.'

My stomach sinks. Why didn't I think about that before my big gob opened? How could I not have thought of that? It's not like I momentarily imagined I was qualified in giving him a hot stone massage. And now I'm hoping he'll say no because I feel guilty taking back MY offer.

'Or maybe you forgot because you're not afraid of his touch.'

I don't let myself think too much into that. I let the persecutors in my head bully the voice away.

"You can give me a massage," he says.

I swallow hard. Not what I was hoping but I'm the one who offered it so I might as well go through with it now that he's agreed.

"You're going to have to sit on the ground," I tell him.

He narrows his eyes at me, cocks his head to the side. "My back hurts. Sitting on the ground will make it worse."

"I'm sorry but it's the only way I can give you one. You're too tall."

He smiles and I watch with adoration as his dimples protrude.

"No, you're just a midget," he jokes.

I try not to visibly startle. Wow, twice in one day he's shown humour. Before today I didn't think Damien had a playful side to him.

Wait a minute, did he just call me a midget? I glare at him. "I so am not. I'm five foot five." That's not too short, right? Hannah's like three inches shorter than me.

His smile deepens and so do those dimples. It's beginning to become harder and harder to keep my smile at bay when he looks at me like that.

"Yeah, you're short," he scoffs out a laugh, shaking his head.

I bite my lip to stifle a smile. I like this playful side to Damien. It makes him look kinder, more approachable. It's a thousand times better than the scowl he has plastered on his face twenty-four-seven.

"Okay get on the floor," I lightly shove his shoulder.

Surprise flashes across his face but then he smiles.

I'm not able to keep my smile contained anymore, I let it free, let it take over my entire face.

Damien doesn't stray his eyes from my face as he sits down. His smile fades, his lips part and he watches me in a way I'm unable to understand.

I laugh at how he's sitting; his back is against the coffee table when it should be facing me. "Wrong way."

His eyes snap up to mine as if he was in a daze. "Right." He turns around.

"Could you leave like an inch between your back and the couch? Please."

He scoots forward a little. I cross my legs on the sofa but then realise it won't work like that so I uncross them and place them on either side of him. The hoodie rides up and I blush. I try chastising myself that his back is to me so he won't see anything but I can't stop my hand from grabbing the blanket and draping it across my lap.