Smells Like Damien

Katherine's heart thumped when she heard Damien's words.

'His house?'

'Stay here?'

She gawked at the spacious and luxurious yet minimalist interior of his house. It very much looked like a bachelor's pad. How did she not know about this area? No wonder why her boss was always so early at work and that's because he lives here! 'Oh my Lord, we've been living in the same building the whole time?' Katherine became even more conscious.

"President Park… Sir, what did you mean when you said I'm going to stay here?" she probed as she watched Damien strode towards the huge kitchen.

Her thoughts were exactly like Damien's, they had been in the same building every night yet he didn't even know about it. He was so pissed that she had been sleeping in that small room…and on that cold floor.

Damien shook his head when he thought about it as he retrieved a medicine kit from the bottom cabinet and pulled her towards the white sectional sofa. "Sit." He ordered as he sat on the sofa. Katherine did as he asked.

"It's exactly how it sounds. You're going to stay here and not in that…" his voice trailed off. He was still mad and was trying to control himself from flaring up. "Hands." He said as he extended his left hand out to her.

Katherine slightly hesitated but she reached out her hand and Damien grabbed it halfway. They had been very close in the last twenty minutes and she's starting to feel comfortable and dependent on his warmth. She liked the feeling of his slightly rough, warm hands as he applied ointment onto her small cut. He was very gentle with her and even blew on her finger as he did. "Have you always lived here?" she wondered.

"Mhmm."

"How come I didn't know…"

"You didn't ask."

It was quiet for a good minute before she mumbled, "I thought you were going to throw me out on the streets."

Damien sighed when he heard her, "Why would I do that? Did you really think I was the kind of person who would chase you out despite knowing that you don't have anywhere to go? All this time, have you been thinking that I was a heartless person, Katherine?" He took out a band-aid and wrapped it around her finger. "Why didn't you tell me?"

She pursed her lips into a thin line and felt a stab in her heart because of his words. "I didn't think that you are heartless... but I didn't want to bother anyone with my problems which was why I didn't tell anyone."

"Am I just anyone?" He asked in a low, wistful voice before he turned his face to her and looked at her in the eye.

Her brows furrowed at his question, wondering why he asked her in that tone. "I barely know you… I just met you a few days ago."

Shifting her gaze to the floor, she added, "Even if you say that we knew each other back then… I don't remember any of it. So how could I turn to you? I couldn't..."

'Right. How could she when she doesn't even remember me?' he said in his head. "Why not? I'm your boss," he replied in a dismissive tone.

Damien got up and returned the kit back in the kitchen. "Are you hungry?"

"No, I'm okay… thanks" Katherine was fast to shake her head. She squeezed her thighs together when she felt the urge to pee. Two glasses of water was a bad idea.

"What were you doing in the snack station then?" he came back to her side with a glass of water.

'More water. Great.'

"I was thirsty. Umm… Can I use your bathroom?" She clenched her hand when she felt the need to go.

Nodding, Damien headed up to a flight of stairs. "Follow me."

Katherine half-jogged to keep up with him, he really does walk fast. They entered a spacious bedroom that had mostly white, grey and black decor which screamed masculinity. 'This must be his bedroom.'

"Take your time," he said as he opened the door that leads to the bathroom.

She did not waste her time and entered right away, locking the door as soon as she was inside.

Damien rubbed his forehead with his fingers and brushed his hair with them before he turned around and walked to his closet. "I need to survive this night," he said to no one in particular.

Fifteen minutes later, Katherine came out and found Damien waiting for her by the bed with her bags next to it. "It's late, you should get some sleep," he tossed a folded towel on the snowy white bed.

With a pillow and a blanket in his hand, Damien walked closer to her, "The sheets are new. I'll be downstairs if you need anything." He stared into her eyes as if he wanted to say something else but he held himself back.

"Isn't this your room? You can stay here, I'll stay in the other room instead."

"There's no other room. You sleep here."

"But… I… but this is your room. How could I sleep on your bed? You should sleep on your bed," she insisted.

"No more arguing. I'm tired. Now go to sleep." Damien formed a smile on his face and tilted his head to tease her one more time, "Unless you want me to sleep next to you... I'm totally fine with it."

Katherine quickly shook her head making him chuckle at her reaction.

"But where will you–"

He strolled out of the room, closing the door behind him.

"...sleep?" she sighed when he was no longer in sight.

...

With the lights turned off, Katherine slipped under the covers and laid very comfortably in Damien's wide King-sized bed. His bed was cool and soft like a cloud, that she instantly felt sleepy. It was simply perfect.

Turning to her side, she nuzzled her head on the pillows. Although he said that the sheets were new, she could definitely smell his scent on them. The pillows and the sheets smelled like Damien. She wondered if she was going to smell like him too when she woke up. "Silly Kath," she mumbled.

Will she really be sleeping on his bed tonight? Was this a blessing or torture?

He just saved her tonight. It wouldn't be wrong for her to accept his kind gesture, right?

'I have a comfortable bed tonight. I will worry about everything else tomorrow,' she told herself in her head as she succumbed to drowsiness. In a matter of seconds, Katherine had already fallen asleep.