Substitute for Lawson

21

Emily took a bunch of work home, so she laid out with her laptop at the dinner table, fiddled with pieces of paper and typed a report in a Word. Damian went about his business, or rather, as the girl thought, he was just messing around: playing xbox, which rarely entertained himself, but if he sat down, then for a long time. Moving first to the sofa, then immediately jumped down onto the soft carpet, behaved extremely emotionally, made strange sounds and sometimes even swore. Emily glanced sideways at him, at first amazed at the unusual behavior, and later simply began to be touched. How did it say? Are the first forty years of childhood the most difficult for men?

But still, after a while the sound accompanying the game stopped and an unusual silence fell. Emily was distracted and shook her head. The plasma was off, and Damian was not in the living room, raising her eyebrows in surprise, she thought that she hadn’t even noticed how he had disappeared somewhere and buried herself back into the papers.

- How long are you going to be? - made the girl flinch. As she straightened in her chair, she finally found the one she had lost. The man sat opposite, or rather spread on the table, resting his head on his fist. Behind the open laptop screen, you will not immediately notice it, so the girl was terrified.

- What are you sneaking up for? She clicked.

- Did I frighten you? - He grins smugly, continuing to stare at the girl, with complete longing in his eyes. He's too bored tonight. The week is approaching the weekend, and he himself, having limited himself in entertainment, can not even go anywhere. We need to get someone. The girl did not answer him, only frowningly buried herself in the electronic document, which aroused more curiosity, thereby forcing Jamian to get up from the chair.

- What are you doing there? The man purred as he walked around the table. Standing behind the girl, who certainly felt someone else's presence, immediately tensed, leaned his arms on either side of Amy and bending down closer, doused her tender neck with hot breath. She instantly became covered with goose bumps and involuntarily began to blush, but so far Damian has not noticed this.

“Here's a mistake,” he jabbed at the laptop with his index finger and looked down at the open folder.

- Where? Amy squeaked, trying to distract herself from the close contact.

- This does not fit with this, - now the man pokes at the white sheet. Finally finding something to do, he forgot that he was causing the shy girl terrible discomfort. - And here! - For convenience, he puts his chin on the top of Amy's head, starting to correct something in the document.

The secretary wants to howl at that moment. Why is he doing this? Why test her patience? Too close, smells too good, and her heart is beating too fast. Close his eyes tightly for a couple of seconds and exhale deeply.

- What are you doing? - A man is naively interested.

“It's just ... It's just hard. You are heavy. Emily shrugs her shoulders.

- Oh, oh, I'm sorry. - having finished correcting mistakes, Damian pulls back and sits on a nearby chair.

Collecting her thoughts, the girl begins to work again, although when they sit over your soul, it does not work out very well. Damian lay down on the table looking bored, stretches out his hand and rests his head on it. So it is more convenient for him to watch the "future wife" that frowned so concentratedly.

- Do not frown like that, otherwise they will grow together. He chuckles, smiling with one side of his mouth. The girl does not answer, but her facial expressions soften. - Let's go for a walk? - Not knowing why, he suggests, but at home it is completely boring.

- What? - She is distracted by slightly turning her head to him. - What for?

- I'm bored ... - He continues to sigh, drilling blue-eyed eyes. - Well, let's go ... I really don't know where, but can I think of it? Or shall we go to the park? Can I go to a cafe?

- Why did you decide that I will go with you? - She chuckles imperturbably, taking out another folder.

- Why not?

- I have a lot of work. And I think you have something to do instead. Aren't you a fan of nightclubs with friends and girls? Forward. - Amy did not want to say this at all, and the last word was hardly given at all, because she did not want to show jealousy at all.

“I don’t want to…” he claps and turns away.

- Why?

- I'm tired. - indistinctly muttering in response, Damian gets up, leaving closer to the window. He examines the surroundings, and without receiving an answer from the interlocutor, that for some reason she was trying to ignore him with all her might, he turned back to face her. - Give me a laptop, I'll do everything myself.

- Why is that? - Trying to find a catch in Damian's words, Amy was alert.

- I'll finish this faster than you, there is work for a maximum of twenty minutes. - comes back to her, already stretches out his hands to the laptop, but Fox quickly moves away with the device. - What are you doing? - He is surprised. - I want to help.

- Well, I do not! She protests, clutching her computer tightly with her fingers. - I'll do everything myself! And then our boss is angry, with every small mistake he threatens to fire him. - she sneers and again turns her attention to the laptop screen.

- What other evil boss? - he mutters incredulously, squinting suspiciously.

- You just can't imagine how a deputy the general loves to find fault with everything. What a nightmare! Therefore, I will do everything myself, otherwise God forbid you make more mistakes, but get me. - the girl groans theatrically, shakes her head and tries her best not to laugh. Already feeling the man standing behind her, a slight chill runs down her spine, but stubbornly not paying attention to it, she continues to drive in the report.

- I never thought that your deputy general was such a s**t. He says through clenched teeth, crossing his arms over his chest.

- You just can't imagine how much.

“What are you saying…” he continued sarcastically, leaning closer to the girl's ear. - Give me a laptop, otherwise you really can't escape from the shitty boss. - like a maniac in a horror movie, he finished, breathing his breath over the delicate skin.

Damian really finished with the report much faster than Emily, who herself planned to fiddle with these pieces of paper until late at night.

- How can you do it! - he cheerfully concluded, and stretching like a cat, he got up from his chair. - That's it, we're going for a walk! - clapped his hands like a small child and without even giving Amy to argue, rushed towards the bedroom. The girl just looked after him wearily and, sighing, went to get ready.

The clock was about nine in the evening. The man and the girl left the entrance and wandered down the sidewalk without any purpose. Emily looked around, did not know what to insert, and why should they actually walk like this, and Damian, looking at the girl's face, grunted under his breath, and from time to time a barely noticeable smile glittered on his face.

- Do you want to go to some eatery? He suddenly suggested.

- What for? Are you hungry?

- And you? I think I heard a sound coming from your stomach. Or do you, as a typical female, do not eat after six, and try not to visit eateries in general, so as not to encroach on tasty, but unhealthy food? - accustomed to such things, the deputy snorted.

- How did you decide that I adhere to this rule? - the girl blinked in confusion. - I have never tried to lose weight, and in general it is difficult for me to gain weight, although sometimes they say what is needed. My metabolism is too fast. - she even complained, catching herself thinking that she was not a representative of the juicy forms, which she sometimes dreamed of, looking at the employees around her. Most of them tried to win Damian's attention and sometimes it worked out for them, judging by their own conversations. From this she concluded that he was even more the antipode of the ideal girl, although now other thoughts slipped through.

- Then why oh why suggest to eat fatty hamburger in the nearest cafe? Or can you eat something typically British? - the man blinked playfully, on whose face a smile blossomed.

- And you? Is it not work to have such a gorgeous body? Do you think you should eat only the right food too? - with this topic, she tried to behave as naturally as possible.

- Labor? I rather do it out of boredom. You can call me crazy, or a masochist, but I love to feel tired in my body after a long training session. But, somehow, I don't eat in a special way. - he laughed, showing his teeth. - Gorgeous body? I see, you really managed to see everything?

- Yes, so far there. - embarrassed by such a remark, the girl bites her tongue mentally scolding herself for bringing up this strange topic.

- Let's go here? - the rather crowded cafe Baileys Fish and Chips attracts the deputy's attention to which he nods, forgot that he was going to further embarrass the girl with his words. Pretty funny seeing her blush like that, but the most important thing right now was finding a place for herself that Friday night.

- Do you think there is where to sit? - Excited by the numerous youth, Amy squeezed.

- Well, even if not, will we buy it to take away and eat in the park? There will definitely be places for us, - there was an introvert in the girl, therefore, in order to distract her at least a little, he clicks Amy on the nose and, while she hasn’t had time to yell in response, takes her hand. Better to think about him than about the popularity of this place.

On the small terrace, where the tables are also placed, there was practically no overcrowding, which cannot be said about what was inside. In the hall itself, it turned out to be much more adequate, a couple of free tables, an almost free long counter with chairs, sitting at which one could watch through the wide windows overlooking the street. Damian confidently led Emily, who looked around, noticing every little thing, for a second lingering her gaze on every noisy company that drank beer and had fun joking about something, but that didn't bother.

- Shall we sit down here? - takes her out of her thoughts "future husband" that stops at the two extreme behind the counter. The girl nods positively, after which he lets go of her hand and sits on a high chair. - I'll go and order, and you sit, okay?

- Yes, - she agrees, settling down more comfortably on the chair and taking off her windbreaker and all the same knitted hat.

- Do you have any preferences? What you want? - Until he left, Damian asks, posing as a helpful waiter.

The girl turns back a little,to where orders were served and, finding a menu on the black board, quickly skimmed over it with my eyes.

- Anything, I think I want to try everything, so you'd better choose it yourself! - She smiles funny wrinkling her nose. - You can fish, you can also a hamburger ... - shrugs his shoulders in confusion, and seems now to choke on his saliva from the smells and the food itself on white square plates that have recently been placed in the neighboring places.

“Okay, I get it,” he grins cheerfully and, leaving the girl, goes to place an order.

There is a small queue at the checkout, so Damian has to wait a bit. Turning half-sideways, Emily watches him intently, a smile blooming on her face. It's good that they got out like that. For a long time he does not take his eyes off the menu, carefully considering what he would like to eat himself and what exactly to order the girl.

- Girl, can I sit down with you? - heard from the other side a cheerful male voice, thereby forcing Emily to distract herself from her pleasant occupation. Before she even had time to turn around, an unfriendly grimace appeared on her face, ready to kick off the stranger as soon as possible.

- No, it's busy here. - She clearly objected and turned around, froze. In front of her stood none other than Jeremy, one hand on the counter. In the hands of the guy was a bottle and beer, and on his face, as always, a wide smile. - Jeremy? Hey! - dissatisfaction was replaced by a smile and she herself relaxed a little.

- Beauty, why are you sitting alone? Would you like to join us? We have a big company! - Parker nods to a large corner table, at which sat a rather noisy company, which was attended by both boys and girls.

- I'm not alone, - Emily smiles and already nods towards the cash register, where Jeremy eyes find the man whom he saw with her before. - So I'm sorry, this is not such a good idea ...

“Okay,” he sighs resignedly, pouting his lower lip as a joke. - So, why don't you answer me in the mail?

- At the post office? - the convolutions begin to work in my head remembering when she even opened the mail the last time? - Oh, I'm sorry ... I completely forgot ...

- Here you always forget about me! - threatening her with his index finger, the young man laughs and takes a sip from the bottle. - Well, okay, since we collided so successfully, I invite you to a photo session tomorrow!

- Tomorrow?

- Yes, just the weekend. But if you opened your mail more often, you would know about it earlier, and there would be no such person! I work in a photo studio tomorrow, so I want to take good pictures with my favorite model, ”Jeremy purred playfully, turning the girl into paint. - Please agree!

- Well, if you need it ... - she shrugs. Well, if he insists, then why not give it a try.

- Then, I need your number, otherwise it takes too long to contact you via mail! - snaps his fingers and puts his bottle on the countertop and reaches into his pocket for the phone.

At this time, one of his friends calls out to him, to which he simply waves his hand, again turning his attention to his shy companion. Emily dictates a number to him, to which he smiles contentedly, makes a call and again picks up the unfinished bottle.

- Or maybe to us after all? - and it seems the last hope is slipping away.

- She's busy. Finally and irrevocably. - Damian cuts off in a steel tone, approaching from Emily's side.

The girl was scalded with boiling water from these words. The men pause, carefully studying each other with a glance, and even Jeremy lost his seemingly eternal smile.

- Okay, I will not bother you, - the young man is the first to decide to hush up this whole strange situation, again depicts a relaxed grimace on his face and waves his hand to Amy. - Okay, beauty, see you tomorrow then? I'll call! - as if on purpose he adds phrases that embarrass Fox and, winking, leaves for his table.

- Why will he call you? Who is this anyway? - Damian gloomily follows the Briton with a glance and, sitting down in his place, looks at the girl.

- This is my friend ... - she throws in excuse. And why is this whole situation so embarrassing? As if she was caught at the scene of treason.

- Familiar? What did he want? - the man chuckles incredulously. Inside, Damian has the feeling that he has already seen him somewhere, but only where? - And this is not the same acquaintance with whom I found you in the department store? Emily's even more suspicious tone throws her into confusion. She nods silently. - So, what does he want? - Hook asks again. Tingling unpleasantly in my chest again. This reminds him of the jealousy that he may have felt once, but completely forgot when such feelings pierced him. Catching himself thinking that this was some kind of nonsense, Damian pulled himself up trying not to think about this anymore, but it was difficult. Now he was even ready to make her a scene of jealousy, to remind her that they had a wedding next week, but that was complete nonsense. The painting is essentially fictitious, and he had no right to be jealous of it.

- He wants to take a picture of me.

The feeling that had just been suppressed returns again to Damian. Clutching his jaw tightly, he exhales noisily through his nose.

- Pofoto trace? - his voice almost breaks, so he has to hastily clear his throat. - I see. - he directs his gaze out the window, where he practically does not notice anything, he just needed to be distracted. - Hopefully not in the style of nude? - depicts a grin, crossing his arms over his chest.

- How? - the girl does not understand.

- To put it simply, nudity. He says. And why did the mood deteriorate so much in just a couple of minutes?

- No! I will not agree to this ... - the girl opened her mouth in amazement. She hadn't thought about it. And really, how will this photo session go? Maybe you shouldn't have agreed? Damn it makes you think even more!

An awkward silence ensues between the couple until their order is fully prepared. They glance at each other, but they can't talk about something. But then they were told that the order was ready, so Damian rushed out for a full tray of food. Shocked by so many plates, Emily opened her mouth and didn't know what to take out of it.

- I thought I'd take both hamburgers and fish. - remarked Damian confusion "bride".

- It's so much! - in front of her was a plate with a serving of fries, fish fillets in batter, a huge, as it seemed to her, hamburger and juice.

- For that, it's delicious! - wasting no time, he has already grabbed a hot and such an alluring hamburger, opening his mouth wider, took a big bite. The girl's eyes have become several times larger. - What? He mumbled indistinctly.

- You, like a boa constrictor ... - she stammered, taking a slice of potatoes in her fingers, began to bite off in small portions.

“I like the anaconda better,” he mumbled again, making another similar bite. - She's bigger and stronger! - the speech was almost incomprehensible and it looked pretty cute, which made Amy break down and laughed. - What are you laughing at ?!

“It’s just…” Because of laughter, she couldn’t say a word. - Sorry, this is so funny ... - covering her mouth with her palm, she was moved by this view, in which Damian appeared before her.

“Come on, eat,” Damian muttered, rolling his eyes and moving the plates of fast food closer to the girl. - Here, try it! I'm telling you, it's gorgeous! - with all his acting skills, which was reflected in his facial expressions, he shoved the last piece of harmful hamburger into his mouth and closed his eyes in pleasure, depicting almost an o****m on his face.

***

On Saturday morning I wanted to lie longer in a warm bed, but the one who tried to call Emily's phone again did not think so. Probably from the third time to the sleepy girl it dawned on her that she was not turning off the alarm at all, but stupidly dropping someone's calls.

- Hello? - She answered hoarsely, squinting from the daylight.

- Wake up and sing, beauty! - a man's perky voice banged into her phone. Hell, she didn't even look who's calling her.

- Jeremy? - sits down on the bed and wrapped herself in a blanket more tightly, yawns. - What time is it now?

- Are you sleeping?! It's already half past eleven! - exclaimed the young man, horrified. - I need you all day, so I won't waste a minute! Get ready! You don't even have to bother with makeup, they will do everything in the studio, and also tell me the address, I'll order you a taxi to come! - the photographer chatters excitedly.

And only after these words Emily was able to wake up. Jumping out of bed, she did not know what exactly she should do now.

- And how much time do I have?

- Well, maximum forty minutes. - the interlocutor ponders.

- I'll call you back as soon as I'm ready ...

- Send me the address! - Jeremy throws in pursuit before Emily declines the challenge.

Sleepy and disheveled after sleep, the girl hastily opens the wardrobe, at the same time combing her hair and choosing what to wear. She is overwhelmed with fear and anticipation of something new and interesting. But in the closet it seems to her that there are no normal things, and in the mirror a not so attractive, discreet girl is looking at her. Is she right for all this?

“Whatever happens…” she nods resolutely to her reflection and pulls out the clothes she’s about to put on from the shelves. Everything is neatly laid out on the bed, takes a change of linen and not forgetting that there is not so much time rushing to the bath, where he collides at the door with the same sleepy Damian that apparently decided to wash.

“Good morning,” he smiles, but Amy only nods in response with an indistinct sound like "uh-huh" and closes the door behind him, leaving the confused guy outside.

Damian manages to make sandwiches, brew coffee and even delve into the news while the sound of water is heard in the bathroom.

- “Is she going somewhere? Really with this acquaintance? " - he torments himself, looking at the TV presenter, but as if through her. The sandwich that is in the hands does not fit into the mouth, and the coffee does not seem tasty. There are many thoughts in Damian's head that he does not fully understand. She does not understand why she behaves this way when she sees that she is leaving for another, even if this is just a friend and just photographs. For that matter, he takes pictures himself well, just because of the man's employment, the camera with numerous gadgets has been idle for a long time. I would like to stop her and ask, they say, why do you need someone the other when there is me?

Staring at the screen without blinking, Damian sits down in a chair and stretches his legs onto the bench. It seems he needs to understand himself? He still does not understand why he could not resist and took it, after which he scolded himself for a long time, but from the thought that he wanted more, he would be ready to give himself a savory slap in the face. After that night, Emily began to seem a little different to him, she no longer had that gray mouse that he once named her just by looking at his resume. He wants to touch her again, to touch her sensitive places, but this requires grounds, which, alas, do not exist.

- I'm gone! - heard from the corridor. He immediately jumps up from his seat and, trying not to betray strong curiosity, walks slowly into the hallway. The girl hastily puts on her shoes, puffs and looks very preoccupied.

- Where are you going? - asks, leaning his shoulder against the wall. In the eyes of a man, universal sadness is expressed, which does not need to be shown.

- I told you, - the girl exhales, finishing lacing the sneakers. - My friend invited me as a model. Damian wants to blurt out something superfluous and caustic, they say, which model is you, look at yourself, but this will not be true and he will only offend her.

- Friend? - a nervous chuckle flies out of the man's mouth. Holding a mug of coffee in his right hand, he brings it to his mouth and sips loudly, looks away. - And yesterday was just an acquaintance.

- What's the difference? - clinks the girl straightening her burgundy checkered shirt. - Or are you jealous? - ironically she blurts out, taking off her coat from the hanger.

- Jealous. - without any hesitation, he replies by moving his eyebrows on the bridge of his nose. Why hide the obvious, even if you don't know why there is such a rare feeling that the last time there was in Damian, when the older brother got ahead of him and congratulated their mother on her first birthday. Then he was angry, he wanted to inflate the universal resentment against Chonghyun, and scream at the top of his voice that he was the youngest in the family and that this was his mother and that he should have congratulated her first. But here's the bad luck, the youngest is already thirty and he did not congratulate her earlier, all only because of his oversight and employment at work.

- What? - the girl did not expect such a harsh statement in her address.

- What? - just as calmly, he interjected with a question.

An awkward silence. The girl tries to peer into these impenetrable black pools, but finding nothing, sighs.

- Okay I need to go. Until.

- Until. - he throws indifferently and returns to the TV, not deigning to wait until she leaves the apartment. A moment later he hears the front door slam shut and the young man is left alone in his apartment.