Damon wasn't my only client. I still had to answer emails, talk with vendors, attend meetings and do all the other dozens of things that took up my day when not at an actual event.

I was able to pass most of it over to Katherine. Since I'd mentioned the coordinator position, she'd been more keen than usual. I didn't need to ask her to take on some of my work. She eagerly asked every morning and afternoon if there was anything else she could do to help.

Although part of it was her trying to prove herself, I had a sneaky suspicion she had an ulterior motive. The more work she did for me, the more chances she had at running into Damon — and potentially the other members of Darkest Days. The girl was a perfect mix of me and my sister — workaholic and starry-eyed fangirl all in one.

With my mind occupied by my busy job, I didn't have much time to think about Damon, or his weird phone call. He hadn't messaged me at all since that day in the stadium. I'd thought he would continue torturing me through text, but he was oddly silent. I didn't know whether to take that as a good sign. Maybe I'd shut him down enough times he'd gotten the hint. Or maybe that phone call had been more serious than I'd thought.

Alright, so I lied. Despite being inundated with work, I had been thinking about that man more than I should have.

It was when I'd found myself checking my phone for the tenth time that day, wondering if I'd missed a message from him, that I realized I had a problem. I decided to call my sister. She'd know if Damon was okay. At the very least, she could discreetly ask her boyfriend about his brother.

"Hey Faith," Hope asked, breathless, after answering her phone on the sixth ring.

"Sorry, you busy?" I asked.

"No, just— Stop it!" She squeaked and laughed, the sound muffled through the phone's speaker, as if she held her hand over it.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No, no, it's fine." I heard her shush someone. "What's up?"

I hesitated, pondering how to phrase this without giving anything away. Finally I decided to just come out with it.

"Have you heard from Damon recently? Is he okay?"

I could see Hope's frown in her voice. "No, why? Is something wrong?"

"We had a meeting the other day." It was only a sort of lie. "He got a phone call and it seemed to upset him."

I heard Hope murmur something to the person she'd shushed. She returned to the phone. "Ian says Damon seemed fine the last time he talked to him."

"That's good."

"Are you worried about him?" Hope sounded suspicious.

"He's a client now," I hedged. "I need to make sure nothing's going on that might jeopardize the event."

"I see," she drawled, not sounding convinced. "If I hear anything, I'll let you know."

After saying our goodbyes, I went back to my work. If Ian didn't notice anything wrong, whatever had bothered Damon couldn't have been too bad.

Still, I couldn't get the look on his face out of my head.

It was getting close to the end of the day. Most everyone in the office had already packed up and were getting ready to leave. A few of us always stayed late, either to work, or just to avoid the rush hour traffic. For me it was a bit of both. There was always some sort of work to do, so why not stay late and avoid being stuck in my car for an extra hour?

I'd just finished writing one last email for the day when my phone pinged. It wasn't the sound of a new email being received. It was the new text message sound. My heart did a little skip and jump as I almost rushed to pick it up. I told myself to calm down. I made myself hit send on the last email, shut down my laptop and pack up my bag before checking the phone.

A slight wave of relief washed over me when I saw it was Damon. Then my cheeks burned as I saw his message.

You ready for another hot sexting session? it read.

I'm at work, I replied.

That's not a no.

I snorted. I already proved to you I can sext. Why would I do it again?

Cause it was hot as fuck and you can't deny it.

He was right. I couldn't. I changed the subject instead.

Is everything okay now? I asked.

Sure, why wouldn't it be?

I wanted to bring up the phone call, but if Damon didn't want to talk about it, I wouldn't pry. It wasn't my place.

So you're still at work? he asked. Why don't you go lock the door to your office and we get this started.

I had to laugh. You're determined to get me talking dirty, aren't you?

Doesn't have to be talk, he wrote back.

Are you going to send me a dick pic or something? I asked.

Do you want one? he asked.

And what makes you think I'll find a picture of that arousing? I wrote back.

Why don't I show you and we find out? he countered.

Go on then, try to impress me, I wrote, trying to convey my snark through text.

My phone went silent for a few moments, before it pinged again. This time, there was no message. Instead, it was a photo.

A photo of Damon's hand.

A photo of Damon's hand wrapped around himself, hard and stiff, the tip just peeking through his fingers.

My breath caught. A hot flush went through me.

I showed you mine, he texted when I didn't write back. Now you show me yours.

We're not kids anymore, Damon, I scolded, typing with shaky hands.

Good thing, or else you'd get in trouble for having a photo of my dick on your phone.

I began to type the words, You're such a…. but didn't finish the sentence. Damon was so many things I didn't even know where to begin. Another series of messages flashed while I tried to think how to reply.

I can just imagine the flush on your face right now, he wrote. You're probably bright red. Bet you can't get the sight of my cock out of your mind. You'll be thinking about it for days. Thinking about how good it would feel to touch me with your own hands. Thinking about how good it will feel to have me inside you.

Damon had called it. My cheeks were red. My belly was tight. My mind was in the gutter.

Sexting really was hot.

I snuck a glance out the window of my office. The blinds were pulled down. No one would be able to see in. It was late in the evening. I was probably the only one left.

I have no idea why I did what I did. I'd never done something like this before. Maybe it was because I liked feeling naughty. Maybe because Damon's words had more power over me than I'd ever thought.

I quickly unbuttoned the first few buttons of my blouse, revealing just a hint of my purple lace bra. I angled the phone towards my chest and snapped a quick pic.

Damon had me doing a lot of things without thinking. I didn't know if that was going to end up being a good thing or a bad thing. All I knew was that heat had begun pooling in my core, and it had been way too long since I'd felt that way.

A little harmless flirting couldn't hurt, right?

I hit the send button before I could think twice.

Fuck, came the single curse word. Your tits are gorgeous.

That now familiar sense of pride came over me.

I just wanna suck on them 'til you're squirming and panting for more, he wrote.

That's never gonna happen, I wrote back.

Why, because you don't let guys suck on your tits if you're not dating?

Yes, I said simply.

But you'll send them dirty photos? he continued. What else do you do with guys you're not dating?

I let them have a little taste of what they're missing until they decide to man up and ask me out properly. I didn't even try to hide the snappy tone behind the words.

My phone went silent for long minutes.

Exactly how much of a taste are we talking about here? he finally wrote.

What do you mean? I asked.

Send me a pic of you touching yourself.

I let out a vexed laugh.

Don't push your luck, I wrote. Cleavage shots are all you get.

Damn. I was hoping to get some more wank material.

Good night Damon, was all I wrote.

I put my phone on silent mode and threw it in my purse before gathering my things and leaving the office. I knew he'd probably responded after my last text, but I was determined to ignore it.

I had succumbed to that man's desires far too much for my liking. I was doing things I'd never done before. Naughty things. Dirty things. I was losing control over myself.

But a small kernel of doubt still rose inside me.

I sort of… liked the way I felt around Damon. I liked how he made me feel. Whether he was being an obnoxious ass or making stupid jokes, talking with him, bantering with him, was sort of fun, in an odd way. And it had been a long time since I'd done anything I could consider fun.

Despite my phone being on silent, I still felt the vibrations in my purse. After several minutes, I gave in and checked it.

Guess I'll have to find someone else to give me those wank pics, he'd written.

My heart clenched in my chest.

Who was I kidding. I had to stop torturing myself.

Yes, this thing between us was hot, and yes, it had been a while since I'd last felt the way, but nothing was going to happen.

Damon didn't date.

I didn't sleep around.

That was all there was to it.

But, of course, things were never that easy when it came to Damon Drake.