Chapter 238 - No Place I'd Rather Be

This was never the plan.

Katherine was supposed to spend the night alone and probably just people-watch while she tried to compare her life to the others. Now that's kinda sad but there wasn't much to do for her and it was what she would usually do when she's out by herself. Wonder. Never-ending wonder.

But for some odd yet wonderful reason, she was sitting next to the most beautiful man she had ever laid her eyes on – Damien Park. And she had no idea why a man like him would ever want to sit next to her on a Monday night instead of being somewhere else.

It wasn't as if Katherine didn't know that she's beautiful, because she did. However, she wasn't like any normal young women who did normal things. And because of that, she didn't think sitting and conversing with Damien Park was normal for her. She was a broken soul. She constantly questioned her self-worth.

And the more she looked at him, the more she thought she was definitely not going to ever have a chance with him.

What was she thinking? Have?! They were only talking… and sitting next to each other. Why did her mind go to a place like that? What a silly thought.

"Earth calling Katherine…" Damien tilted his head to get in Katherine's vision. "Where'd you go?"

She snapped out of her trance and softly chuckled, "Sorry, I got lost for a moment there. What were you saying?"

A dazzling smile flashed across his face as he picked up the wine glass, swirling the liquid in it before sniffing it like an expert. He looked like a very fine gentleman. "I was asking… if you'd like something to eat?" he probed before drinking his wine. "Have you eaten yet?" 

"Oh, um…" she suddenly realized that she hadn't eaten yet. "Now that you ask… I… No, I haven't. I wasn't hungry. I'm still not hungry… but—"

"Food sounds good right now, huh?"

Katherine smiled. "Yeah, I guess I could eat."

"How about I order something? Would you mind sharing fries? I mean, at least until you decide if you want to eat something else?"

"Sure."

Damien was good. He was straightforward yet gentlemanly and he seemed to always know what she needed even before she realized it herself. Was he always like this? Was he like this to other women too?

'Woah. Don't go there, Katherine. So what if he is? What is it to you? It was just one kiss. One… hot… steamy… kiss.' Katherine blinked and gulped a large sip of wine to swallow her crazy thought.

Damien ordered the food and then shrugged off his coat. The next thing she knew, he tossed the coat onto her lap.

The action caught her off-guard and she didn't know what to do… so she just looked at him. 

He did it so casually as though it was very natural for him to do so. He loosened his tie as he suddenly felt stuffy… and it was all because he caught a glimpse of her firm thighs.

His brows knitted from his own actions, unsure why he did what he did because if it was any other woman, he'd probably just tell her… or maybe ignore the skin showing. But for some reason, he didn't like it when he noticed a few men had been eyeing her legs.

The place was a bar-slash-restaurant and there were tables behind them. Men who passed by the bar to go to the tables would glance at her legs—even the men who were going to sit at the bar. And it annoyed him.

Rolling his sleeves to his elbow, Damien noticed Katherine's stare and he turned to her, waiting for what she had to say but she just looked at him, waiting for him to explain what he just did.

The corner of his mouth curled up as he teased, "Don't get me wrong, Kitten. I don't mind you showing me some skin… I appreciate it, but not when I have to share it with all of the men in this place."

Realizing what he meant, she looked down at her dress. She had chosen a random LBD off her rack and it was the first time that she wore it. The top part was long-sleeved and has a low V-neck, showing just a glimpse of her cleavage—it was flattering and not slutty. However, the skirt was in a drapey style and it was short for her height. So short that when she sat, it tugged upward, showing more skin than she hoped it would.

She didn't really mind as she was used to wearing sexy dresses. But receiving Damien's concern, her heart fluttered. She was touched and she couldn't help but show a small but genuine smile as she fixed the coat on her lap. It was warm and cozy… and she loved it.

Katherine didn't want to lose to him. So she turned her body towards him and flashed a flirty smile, "Ah… so if it were only the two of us… you wouldn't mind?"

"Not at all."

Damien's answer was quick and he formed a devilishly handsome smirk on his face as he matched her gaze. "Why? Are you seducing me?"

Crossing her arms in front of her chest, she found his statement funny. "Oh… you think I'm seducing you?"

His eyes raked on her front, lingering just a little on her chest before traveling up to her lips and settling there for a few seconds. He then looked at her, shrugging as he drank his wine. This little game of theirs was getting him excited and it was something that he had never experienced from other women that he had met before.

When he didn't respond, a small chuckle escaped from her lips. "Huh… Are you seduced, Mr. Park? Is it working?"

"Can't say it's not…"

"I see… Then good. I thought I'd have to take my top off for you."

Damien's brows raised, throwing his head back laughing at her response. He hadn't had this much fun flirting and the two of them didn't even have to try so hard. It just worked like magic.

"Does this usually work for you?" he wondered.

"What does?"

"This whole seductress thing. How many men have you slain?"

The question struck her but she immediately recovered and did not let it show on her expression when she responded in a joking manner, "Wouldn't you like to know?"

The two exchanged smiles and when the bartender placed their order in front of them, they ate a few pieces of fries in silence. The quietness between them wasn't at all awkward. It was as if they had known each other for a long time that they didn't need small talk just to avoid a weird atmosphere.

"Tell me something, Kitten…" Damien started.

"Katherine."

"Kitten." He insisted with a teasing smile.

Katherine didn't correct him this time and only rolled her eyes. She nodded for him to continue as she took another fry and ate it.

"If you weren't here tonight, where would you be?"

"Hmmm…" she pretended to think or else she would have said 'I'd probably be off on a mission to save the world if I wasn't at home eating ice cream straight from the tub and watching cartoons. Yep.'

There was no way she would have said the first one so she only admitted half of the truth. "Probably just at home. But I felt like going out today… and I ended up here."

Damien was glad that she ended up here because he found her. "Then are you enjoying your night so far?"

At this point, Katherine thought it was harmless for her to tell the truth. For the first time in a really long time, she was happy, so she answered him truthfully while locking her gaze with his.

"I am. There is no place I would rather be right now."