"I don't want handouts Damon."
Damon huffed and gave her a look that said, don’t be stupid Katrina.
"But-"
"Hey, when we were young, you were fine with me paying for the movie or dinner."
Katrina laughed. "Yeah, well that was cheap night at the theatre and a trip to McDonalds."
"Doesn't matter."
"Sure it does."
Not replying Damon pulled the car into the parking lot of the hotel and headed for the secure underground parking. He remained silent as he swiped his card into the card reader to raise the garage doors. Once open, he drove in and slipped the car into his assigned parking slot. Turning off the car, he turned to her, his expression serious.
"I never stopped caring for you Katrina. Even after all these years. Seeing you has reminded me of those feelings and how insane I was to allow my ambition to blind me."
Katrina opened her mouth to respond, but no sound came out. In fact, she had no idea how to respond.
"If you ever loved me then allow me a week. Allow me to try and make it up to you. Maybe I don't deserve a chance to make it up, but I'm asking. I'm a selfish, arrogant prick like that. Give this a chance to see if what we had all those years ago was as real as I remember it to be. As we both thought it was."
Katrina's eyes caught his and she saw the genuine need and yearning for her in his eyes. It wouldn't hurt right? She sighed. I could just be setting myself up to be hurt again. Could this just be history repeating itself?
Damon touched the side of her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb. His touch so light and intimate she closed her eyes and savoured the touch. It was so crazy, but... She slowly opened her eyes to see him still staring, waiting with baited breath for her answer.
She nodded. "Alright. I'll have my shifts covered and spend the week with you."
"Thank you Kat," Damon leaned into her and brushed his lips across hers. "Thank you."
Instead of deepening the kiss, Damon pulled back grinning like a schoolboy that had her grinning back at him. "So, have you ever been to Houston."
"I thought you said you live in New York?"
"I do," he confirmed, "But I also have a ranch in Houston."
"A ranch. With horses and stuff."
"Uh-huh."
"I love horses." She could never afford to go out horseback riding often, or get the time off to take an afternoon to go, but when she did she cherished every moment she was able to go.
"I know."
"Boy, do you ever know how to woo a girl, Damon Garratt," she teased.
"Only the ones I feel are worth wooing, Katrina Alexander."
*****
"You own this! Oh-my-god, and it even has your name on it!" Katrina squealed. Her blue eyes went wide and an expression of childlike amazement appeared on her face as they approached his private plane - Garratt Enterprises was written across the side.
"Well my company owns it."
She rolled her eyes at him. "Semantics."
As they approached the door on the side opened and steps descended. The pilot stepped into the open doorway and gave them a wave. "Mr. Garratt. Miss Alexander. Good to see you both."
Damon motioned for Katrina to climb the steps before him, following behind. His eyes glanced down to her round ass in the tight faded blue jeans she was wearing. He resisted the urge to caress her ass. As much as he'd wanted to spend the night with her the previous evening he knew they had to have a serious talk before they became more intimate.
You need to tell her now, a voice in the back of his head urged. He knew he should, but couldn't get up the nerve - not yet anyhow. It was like if he didn't talk about the cancer then maybe it wouldn't be real. Irrational? Very. But he cringed at the thought of seeing her eyes fill with sympathy and sorrow when he told her. He didn't want to be pitied, or treated differently by her. But, before the chemo treatments began he'd have to tell her. Especially when in the matter of a couple of weeks he'd be bald as a baby's bottom. He'd never shaved his head before and wondered if it would suit him - he hoped so. Chicks dug bald men didn't they?
I'll know soon enough, he mused. Besides, why ruin our time together. At least a few days. Then I'll tell her.
They entered the plane and Damon ushered Katrina into the cabin area.
"This is gorgeous," she gushed as her eyes scanned every inch of the cabin. Damon found himself flushing slightly, not used to people having such an exuberant reaction to his plane. For most of the people that boarded with him, flying in private planes was commonplace.
"Well, thank you."
"You really have done well for yourself. This is amazing." She turned and nudged him in the side, right over the incision. Damon winced and jerked away from her.
Frowning, Katrina eyed his side, and then lifted her eyes to meet his. "I'm sorry. Are you okay? I didn't think."
Damon gritted his teeth and pushed back the urge to wince a second time. "I'm fine. Little bruised that's all."
"Oh-my-god. I'm so sorry. Let me see." She reached out to him and was about to grab at his shirt to pull it up and inspect his "bruise," but he pulled away, batting at her hands.
"I'm fine sweetie. Really. No big deal."
Her eyes narrowed. "You winced yesterday as well. Damon, let me see." She made an attempt to grab at his shirt again, but this time instead of fending her off, he pulled her into him. Sliding a hand into her hair and grasping the back of her head, he lowered his lips to hers and kissed her with intensity and passion - hoping to get her mind off of his side and onto other more pleasant things.
And what's going to happen when she sees you without a shirt jackass, the voice in the back of his mind nagged.
Please be seated and fasten your safely belts as we prepare for liftoff. The captain's voice announced over the speakers.
Damon pulled back and was pleased to see the desire flaring up in her eyes, his bruise forgotten.
"Come on." Damon led her to the set of four black leather seats facing each other and divided by a table. Once Katrina was seated, he sat across from her and secured his safety belt.
"This is really, really cool Damon. I feel like some sort of celebrity. I never in a million years thought I'd be in a private plane."
Damon grinned. He couldn't wait to see her expression and excitement when she set foot onto the ranch and he gave her the tour.
*****
"Can I ask you something Damon?" Katrina looked over at Damon behind the steering wheel, taking them back to his ranch. Katrina could only imagine what his ranch looked like, maybe something straight out of the shows Dynasty or Dallas. She looked around her at the interior of the Lamborghini. Beautiful. Taking a ride in a Lamborghini, yet another first for her.