She smiled bright and nodded even though he couldn’t see her. “I’m glad. See you in a few.”
Trihn hung up and started her drive back toward campus. Her sketchbook was sitting pretty in the passenger seat, reminding her that she was making the right decision. Her heart was torn—not on Damon. She liked Damon even though she had been ignoring that. It was just torn over whether getting into a relationship would be a good idea. Anything that had the potential to trample her heart made her wary.
As Trihn neared the campus radio station, a message came in from Bryna.
Where are you?
“Shit,” she murmured. She pulled into the radio station parking lot and replied.
Have to cancel. Got into it with Neal, and now, I’m meeting Damon. Sorry!
Yay! Go off and have a scandalously sexy Brit bang fest, and tell me all the juicy details later!
Trihn laughed and shook her head. Leave it to Bryna.
Only a minute after she’d arrived, his car parked next to hers. They both stepped out and he smiled when he saw her.
“Hey.” He walked around her car and pulled her into an embrace.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Hey yourself.”
When he released her, he nodded his head toward the door, and they walked to the building together. He used his phone to illuminate the door and then produced a well-worn key from his pocket. The lock turned easily. Twisting the door handle, Damon let her enter the dark space first.
“Wow. It’s a little creepy in here,” she whispered.
“Yeah, sorry,” he said. “Give me a minute.” He fiddled with a box and then flipped on a series of switches. The hallway lit up before them. “Here we go. This way.”
Trihn followed him into the studio. It was a relatively small room, all things considered. A bunch of computer monitors sat before a keyboard and a pretty impressive-looking soundboard. A speaker hung suspended from the ceiling. A few seats for interviews with musicians were placed in front of the soundboard. Trihn had heard local artists come on campus radio to try to gain exposure with the college crowd.
Damon sank into the seat behind the soundboard and habitually fiddled with a few of the controls.
Trihn walked around to his side. She leaned against the desk. “I’m sorry,” she finally said.
His eyes shot to her. “For what?”
“I haven’t been myself the last couple of weeks, and that was the girl you got to know. My breakup really messed me up. Then, you had to see me when I found out about my sister’s wedding.” Trihn choked up when she mentioned the wedding. That part still burned with a fiery passion. “Her fiancé is an asshole, and I was shocked when I found out the other night. Basically, you and I have gotten off to the wrong start.”
“I kind of liked our start.”
She let loose a breath. “You liked the sex, but you wanted more.”
“Look, I’m sorry, too. I wanted more. I want more with you, but that doesn’t mean I have to force you into it.”
“I don’t feel forced. I just feel like I have major trust issues. And it’s hard, letting in someone new.”
He nodded in understanding, but she knew he could never really understand.
She moved forward and sat down in his lap. Her hands snaked up around his neck. “But I’ll try for you.”
His arms circled her waist, and he smiled the most brilliant smile. “I like the sound of that,” he said before kissing her.
Wear white. Something you don’t mind getting ruined.
TRIHN RAISED HER EYEBROWS at the text she had just received from Damon.
All white and something I could get ruined. Is he planning to tear it off of me? Now, that would be fun.
They’d spent a couple of hours in the radio station, talking. Damon had picked up a few instruments around the location and played for her. It had been a nice, chill evening, something she hadn’t realized that she needed.
Now, they were going to go on their first official date, and after that bizarre request, she really had no clue what to expect.
An hour later, Damon knocked on the door, dressed in jeans and a plain white T-shirt. He had a bouquet of tulips in his hand. “For you.”
“Thank you,” she said, taking them from him. She found the vase she had put the last bouquet in and placed the flowers inside.
He came up behind her and kissed her shoulder. Then, he slipped something in her hand.
“What’s this?” she asked. She turned to face him and opened her palm to reveal a Hershey’s Kiss. She laughed. She could get used to this.
She opened the wrapper and popped the chocolate into her mouth. It melted almost instantly, and Damon leaned forward, capturing her lips in a searing kiss. The taste of the chocolate lingered between them.
“Oh, I like the kiss,” he said.
“Which one?”
“Both.”
He kissed her again and then had to drag himself back. “Come on. This isn’t an event you’ll want to be late to.”
“Where are we going?” Trihn asked, following him out of her apartment.
They hurried out of the building and into Damon’s car before he answered, “So, we’re going to see this DJ.”