Page 40 of Damon

“Damn, I never imagined you could look so put together.” Her gaze ran over me. “Dressed up looks good on you, Damon.”

I found myself momentarily speechless. Her makeup was soft and neutral with a pop of pale pink lips. I couldn’t help but remember them wrapped around my cock. Maybe Dom had the right idea. A quickie would be spectacular.

Athena wagged a finger in my face. “Stop looking at me like that. You’re not doing anything to get this dress dirty. Just drive, Mister.”

I bit back a smile, doing my best to sound serious when I said, “Fair enough. Why don’t you suck my cock then? Pretty sure I can drive while you do it.”

She scoffed. “Excuse me, sir, but I am a lady. Also, not too keen on having you drive us off the road with your dick in my mouth. Let’s save the sexy shenanigans for after we get this job done and over with.”

Putting the car in gear, I pulled away from the curb. “Are you nervous?”

“A little bit. I hope nothing goes wrong.” Fidgeting with the gold bracelet she wore, Athena twirled it round and round her delicate wrist.

“I’m hoping you won’t have to do much other than stand watch with Dom. Noah and I will handle getting the safe out of the house.” Trying to lighten the mood and make her feel better, I added, “You’re mostly there to be arm candy for me.”

Athena’s head whipped around as she stared at me. “Are you being lighthearted and teasing right now? What happened to the moody asshole I’ve come to know?”

Good question. I hadn’t always been so uptight and serious. I suppose over the years I’d grown bitter and unimpressed with life in general. Something about being around Athena had caused a shift inside me. Reminding me that life wasn’t all bad. Sometimes there were good things worth being happy about.

Was that what this was? Happiness? Damn, I could possibly get used to this.

“No worries, creampuff. He’s not going anywhere. I guess I’m in a good mood tonight. Enjoy it while you can.” I flashed her a genuine smile that set loose a warm flutter within me. What the hell was that?

After reaching the elaborate house on the south side where the wedding and reception would be held, I hurried around to Athena’s side to open her door. Cars were filling the large driveway. I’d purposely parked in a manner that would allow me to get out easily when we needed to make a quick escape. I had also made sure my license plate was obscured.

Athena gawked at me in disbelief. “Did you just open my door for me? What’s going on here? Have you been abducted by aliens and replaced with a clone?”

“Very funny.” Closing the door, I offered her my arm. When she continued to stare at me in dramatic shock, I simply grabbed her hand, sliding my fingers between hers. “Quit staring at me like that.”

“Sorry. I can’t help that you’re blowing my mind here. You’re not usually this chivalrous. It’s…strange.” She gave my hand a squeeze, stepping in close as we made our way to the house.

“Strange,” I muttered. “Would you prefer that I pull your hair and spank your ass?”

Athena chuckled. “Actually, yeah, I kind of would. Don’t get me wrong. I’m enjoying this nice guy act. It just feels like something’s missing.”

The pointedly devious look she shot me then hit me straight in the stomach before descending to my cock. The things this woman made me feel were beyond dangerous. It was starting to concern me.

We were quickly swept up in the wedding chaos. Inside the sprawling mansion, we mingled while sipping champagne beneath a massive chandelier. Once Noah and Dominik arrived, we all did our best to play our parts, making small talk with other guests while waiting for the ceremony to get started.

As the ceremony drew closer, everyone was ushered out into the backyard where several rows of seats were lined up between the trees. An elaborate archway had been decorated with flowers where the bride and groom would stand with the officiant. The families of the bride and groom sat near the front while the rest of us sat in the remaining rows. I was content to sit near the back.

Having to sit through a wedding in order to get to the reception and get this job done was a pain in the ass. An unfortunate part of some jobs. Thankfully, it paid well, making it worth my time.

Finally, the ceremony got underway. The bride followed the bridesmaids in her giant white dress. Everyone oohed and aahed at her appearance.

Even Athena gasped, covering her mouth with a hand. “She’s so beautiful.”

Not nearly as beautiful as you, I thought. I’m going to marry you one day.

As soon as the thought ran through my head, I felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. Marriage was not on my radar. I’d never really bought into the concept of legally binding myself to another person. It had always sounded insane to me.

Sneaking a glance at Athena where she sat next to me, all I knew was that I had no plan to let her go. I wasn’t sure right now what that meant, only that she belonged with me. Feeling my gaze upon her, Athena glanced over, offering me a smile. Gradually it faded, replaced by a raised brow instead.

The officiant began to speak, drawing everyone’s attention forward. For a few minutes I was able to tune out. I didn’t need any distractions right now. I needed to focus on the job ahead.

The bride and groom were married. Everyone clapped. That’s when the real party got started.

Caterers laid out tables of food and more alcohol than everyone present could safely consume. A live band had set up on the back patio, providing the entertainment. Across the yard, the best man caught my eye, giving me a slight nod. The guest list was large enough that most people wouldn’t question our presence. If so, we were the best man’s friends from work invited along to help him celebrate his best friend. Not that anybody cared. They were all too caught up in the party.