Bad Girl. by E Z (classic novels to read .TXT) 📕

"Libia!" She blinked, looking up.

Ben stood across the counter from her, glowering with anger. She blinked back into reality, wondering why in the world he was so angry.

And then she realized that most people didn't share her happiness.

"Ben," She murmured, "Why do you hate him so much?"

His words died in his throat, at her soft inquiry. He furrowed his eyebrows at her.

"Libia, he took you out to get you a tattoo. He rode you home on a motorcycle. He-,"

"Cheered me up after Jackson dined and dashed on me," She murmured, her eyes never leaving his.

It took him a moment, but he settled down in the stool in front of her, eyes losing some of their anger, and being replaced with confusion.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"That guy, Jackson, the one I originally went out with - he charmed me, complimented me, and then made an excuse. He said that his wallet was in his car, so he left to go get it. I saw his headlights come on, and poof! He was gone. I was humiliated, and livid. I left the restaraunt in tears, and ran into Damon. That's why he brought me home that night."

Ben stared down at his fists on the counter top, before looking up and meeting Libia's eyes. "Why didn't you tell me this?"

"It didn't feel right. I didn't want you to worry. Ben, Damon tells me almost every time I see him how little he deserves me. He's never forced me into anything, or influenced me in anyway. He's always been kind to me - too kind, in fact."

Ben put his forehead in the palm of his hand, groaning. "So what you're telling me, is I should be out hunting this Jackson guy down?"

"No need," Libia murmured, "Damon already beat the hell out of him."

He looked up at Libia, sulking. "So I can't do anything?"

"You could go hunt him down if you wanted, but I'm pretty sure he gets the point."

He glared at the counter top, grumbling something about people taking his job from him. 

"So you're, what, his girlfriend now?" Ben asked, not exactly thrilled with the idea.

Her cheeks flamed, as she remembered his words. "I...I think we are."

"You think?" Ben got up from his seat and walked over to the fridge, pulling out a water bottle, "You mean he hasn't specified?"

"Well, he told me he loved me," She said, and Ben choked on his water, taking an agonizing second to swallow before he started coughing uncontrollably.

Libia jumped up to pat him on the back. When he calmed down, he wiped his mouth with a tired grimace. "I'm going to lay down."

She watched him go with a simpathetic smile. This was all too fast for him. 

Libia was wired, though, and sleeping was far from her mind, as she settled down on the couch in the living room, turning on the TV and settling on a comedy that she hardly payed attention to. She was trying to doze, but all that resulted in was her picturing Damon's smiling face, and feeling his lips on hers. She wasn't getting anywhere.

She had just decided to actually pay attention to the sitcom, her phone buzzed at her side. She picked it up when she saw the name, holding it to her ear with a giddy smile.

"Hello."

"Is the cost clear?" He asked immediately.

Libia crooked an eyebrow at the TV. "Well, Ben went to bed a few minutes ago, if that's what you mean."

"That's what I mean," He confirmed, and she could hear his smile. "Come outside."

She pulled the phone back from her ear when he hung up, and screwed up her mouth in a puzzled smile. Still, she stood up and slipped her shoes back on, walking over and unlocking the door as she shrugged his jacket fully on.When she stepped out into the night air, all that she could hear for a moment in the distance was the soft sound of a dogs bark. And then she heard the suttle purr of an engine getting closer, as a car turned around the corner, one she recognized immediately. When it came to a stop in front of her house, she shook her head with a grin as she made her way out to it.

He rolled down the window as she approached, grinning devilishly at her as she leaned into the opening.

"You didn't think I'd just leave after that, did you?"

"If he finds out he'll kill me," She told him, reaching up to play with his hair as she already knew why he was still at her house.

"That's what being bad's all about, Babe," He told her, making her laugh.

"I suppose you're right. Where are we going?"

He was hesitant to say, as he knew that she would remove her hand from his hair to get in the car, and he quite liked the feeling of her soft fingertips on his scalp. But, nonetheless, he gestured for her to get in as he said,

"I'm taking you on a date - a real one."

"A date? Oh, Damon, how romantic," She teased, although her cheeks flamed with happiness at the idea.

He laughed, and nodded, "I'm a real Cassinova. Now get in."

She laughed and walked around to the other side, jumping happily into the car and shutting the door as quietly as she could, while also closing it firmly - she didn't want her brother to hear.

He reached over and grabbed her hand, appraising her appearance.

"I like you with my jacket on. You should keep wearing it."

She tilted her head back against the headrest, eyes closing. "Damon."

"Yeah, Babe," He said as he pulled away from the curb.

"I like it when you call me Baby. You should keep doing it."

They drove for a while, and Libia couldn't hardly look at him, in embarrassment for what she had said. She hadn't meant to say it, it just kind of blurted out. He didn't say anything either, but his smile was more than enough of an indicator that he'd heard and aknowledged what she said. 

When the car pulled to a stop, Libia looked out the window and couldn't help but let out a laugh.

"We're having a date in the park?" She asked, quirking a brow.

"Yeah, so?"

"So," She gestured to her coat, "It's cold out!"

"That's why you stick close to me, Baby, I'll warm you right up."

Her cheeks warmed at the name, and she narrowed her eyes at him, "So this is all just an elaborate plan to make me hug you?"

He laughed. "Not exactly. Now come on."

He shut the car off, unbuckling his seatbelt, and watching as she reluctantly did the same.

"What, you don't want to?" He asked, raising his eyebrows.

"I'm warm right now. The prospect of cold doesn't exactly make me happy," She told him as she opened the door.

He let out a laugh that echoed down the street as he stepped out of the car, and she couldn't help the brief smile that pulled at her lips at the sound. She'd never heard him laugh or seen him smile as much as he had in the past few hours.

He met her at the sidewalk, pulling her in close to his side when she shivered. He pulled the hood of his jacket over her head, and she felt swallowed up, as she couldn't see past the piece of clothing in her eyes.

"You're too tall," She complained, "And built."

He laughed again as they walked into the park, his arm draped around her shoulders as she held onto his shirt with her sleeve-covered hand. 

"I'm going to take that as a compliment."

"It's not," She murmured, her voice soft and non-believable. Despite the cold, she was enjoying herself.

She, once again, marveled at the fact that no man had ever been this close to her. She could feel his pulse, even from her hand's position over his stomach, and his warmth seeped through the jacket she wore and into her body. No man had ever even come close to kissing her as he'd done so many times before. To holding her like he'd done in his bed. He'd said to her words that she'd never imagined any man would ever say. It didn't seem real. Perhaps she was dreaming. She peeked up from her hood to look at his face, and he was watching the sidewalk in front of him, shoulders relaxed, eyes soft and casual under his golden hair that she'd managed to mess up while playing with it, a small smile never leaving his chiseled face. How could she dream up something like that?

"Damon," She murmured after a moment, eyes staring at the ground that they walked. The moonlight managed to cast criss-crossing shadows over them from the sleeping trees. It was peaceful.

"Hm?" He asked, as if coming out of deep thought.

"I love you."

Under her hand, she felt his pulse stutter.

"You have no idea how good that sounds, coming from your lips."

She ducked her head, glad for the hood that covered her face, as it was most likely cherry red at that moment. 

"I'm not sure you should know," He continued on, oblivious to her shyness. "What would happen if you realized just how much power those words had over me? It might turn out as my parents said - you could influince me any way you choose...all you had to say was those words."

She looked up as his joking tone turned serious, and met his eyes. He really meant it. He meant every word. 

"Do you really love me that much?" She found herself asking, her voice slightly disbelieving.

He let out a snort, his arm tightening around her. "Believe me Baby, I'd love to tell you that I'd say no to you if you asked me to kill someone - or even myself, for that matter - but the fact is...I wouldn't. I'd do it in a heartbeat."

She swallowed thickly. "So if I ever say "Can I please kill Jackson?", I'd basically be sentencing him to death?"

"If he did something to warrant it, yes, probably," Damon said, eyebrows furrowing as he looked out at the dark field in front of them.

She couldn't help it, she felt it bubble up before she could stop it, and it escaped without consent - her laugh made his footsteps falter.

"What?" He asked as she kept on giggling, "You find my undying devotion funny?" Now that she was actually looking at him, she could see that his cheeks were bright red, and she pressed her palm to her lips, as more giggles escaped.

"I-I'm sorry but...you're just so cute!"

Now she was embarrassed, pulling her hood over her face as she tried to stifle her giggles. But after a second of silence, she heard a groan from his direction, and he wrapped an arm around her waist as the other hand pulled her face up from the hood. He leaned down just in time to catch her lips with his, and she was caught in surprise for a moment. But she responded just as he knew she would, relaxing in his grasp and letting him deepen the kiss.

When he pulled back, he glowered at her, settling his forehead against hers. "You can't throw something like that on me and then hide your face. Your smile is way too precious."

Now her cheeks were burning, as she looked