Twenty two.

ISHTAR.

The moment I heard the roaring of the engine as his vehicle entered the compound, I ran back to my seat and pretended to be engrossed in my book. I'd been sitting by the window for the past hour, waiting for him to arrive.

Damian was a bit late, and I wondered why. I flipped the pages and perused over a particular page when I finally heard the door open, and the room was engulfed by the strong smell of his cologne. It was to die for, literally.

As though it was the key to playing with my brain, I became restless on the seat, thinking about how or when I'd ever get a chance to be that close to him again. His footsteps echoed in my direction, and it took everything in me to stay still.

I was burning with excitement, like a kitten would before milk. He'd been standing there for a while, watching me while my cheeks burned, and I tried to hide between my hair. It was excruciatingly anxious to pretend like I didn't notice he was there, so I turned slowly and looked up at him, "Thank