Stained

Chapter 89

Damien raises a pierced brow as if surprised by the offer.

A sense of deja vu washes over me. I tuck my lips in between my teeth to suppress a smile at the role reversal.

"Is it safe to get in a car with her?" Hayden asks, a mocking tilt to his tone.

I narrow my eyes at him over the hood of the car. "If it was just you..." I pause for emphasis. "But because Hannah and Damien are going to be in the car, you have nothing to worry about."

"Touché." He laughs and bends back in the car to annoy Hannah.

When I bring my gaze back up to Damien's he is smirking down at me. That one dimple popping out, prodding me to poke it. I feel like if I don't poke his dimple at least once in my life I won't be satisfied.

"You're sitting with me." Hayden pulls a protesting Hannah out of the passenger seat.

"The hell I am, get off me," Hannah shrieks but Hayden pushes her into the back seat anyway.

I guess that's a yes then. I get in the car and as soon as it roars to life Damien gets in the passenger seat.

"Hannah pass me my cardigan," I say and instinctively lean over the centre console to get my hair tie out of the glove compartment. I can never drive with my hair out because of how long it is, but I would never trade my long shield for anything.

When I feel strong legs press against my chest, my eyes widen. Crap, Damien. I squeeze my eyes shut before hesitantly looking up at his shocked face. My breath catches in my throat and I think Damien stops breathing altogether.

"I erm," tearing my gaze off his, I push my hand out between us and awkwardly fiddle with the glove compartment with my left hand, seeing as though my right one is in a cast. "I can't drive with my hair down."

Feeling the fluffy scrunchy beneath my fingertips, I compress the trapped breath that threatens to shudder out of me and sit back in my seat.

"Take it then." Hannah wacks me with the sleeve of the cardigan.

Keeping my gaze pinned ahead and nowhere near Damien, I wordlessly grab it. I should've never taken it off in the first place.

I'm awkwardly putting it on when suddenly lose you to love me by Selena Gomez blasts through the speakers.

My cheeks tinge red and I quickly shove the rest of my arm into my other sleeve.

Hannah's voice stops me from turning it off. "I love this song because I can really relate to it. Leave it."

I laugh and increase the volume.

As I'm pulling my hair out of the collar I get another sense of deja vu.

Damien reaches a hand out to help me. I stiffen when his fingertips touch my neck, a shiver running down my spine and not because of his cold fingers.

He drives with one hand and tries to take my hair out with the other.

After a moment, I come to my senses and move his hand away. "I can do it myself," I tell him and struggle yet again, to take my wet hair out.

He swats my hand back. I gape at him.

"Your incessant need on not letting me help you is getting boring," he deadpans. Keeping his eyes on the road, he goes back to trying to get my hair out.

"And your incessant need on helping me is boring," I refute. He turns his head and smirks at me.

I roll my eyes, I'm glad he finds me amusing. "I don't let anyone help me. What makes you think you'll be the exception?"