Chapter 300: the unexpected I

Chapter 300: Chapter 300: the unexpected I

After leaving the girls, Vivienne made her way toward the equestrian grounds.

She was supposed to sign her attendance first.

But as she passed the polo field, she slowed.

Her eyes wandered across the grounds.

She looked toward the players, the benches, and the areas where the teams were gathered.

Christopher wasn’t there.

Vivienne frowned slightly.

She knew he had a polo elimination round today. He had mentioned it to her before.

She just hadn’t known when it was.

Still, she had hoped.

Actually, no.

She had deliberately come this way hoping she might see him.

There was no point pretending otherwise.

She was being a stalker.

A very shameless one.

Vivienne glanced around the field one last time before continuing toward the equestrian grounds.

Nothing.

She would have to make do with that.

At the equestrian stands, she signed her attendance and found a seat.

The afternoon stretched ahead of her.

The events continued around her, horses moving across the grounds while students and spectators came and went. Vivienne watched quietly, occasionally clapping when someone finished a good run.

But her attention wandered more often than it stayed.

Christopher.

Her conversation with him.

Last night’s dinner.

The way he had walked her back without asking questions or making her feel guilty.

And then the silence afterward.

Her phone remained beside her.

She looked at it once.

Then again.

Still nothing.

She could text him.

She could ask how his polo match went.

She could casually mention that she had passed by the field.

She could even send something completely harmless.

But what if he didn’t reply?

Then she’d be right back where she started.

Making excuses for him.

Maybe he was busy.

Maybe he hadn’t seen it.

Maybe his phone was—

No.

She had already done that.

If she texted again and he didn’t answer, she could still tell herself there was a reason.

A phone call was different.

If she called him and he answered, they could actually talk.

If he didn’t answer, then at least she would know he had chosen not to.

No excuses.

Vivienne leaned back in her seat.

Fine.

She would call him tonight.

Not now.

There was no reason to interrupt whatever he was doing during the day.

She could wait until the evening, when the Sportsfest events were mostly over and he was more likely to be free.

Her phone buzzed.

Vivienne looked down.

Damian.

She opened the message.

How’s your event going?

She stared at it for a moment before typing a short reply.

It’s going well. Still at the equestrian grounds.

A moment later, another message appeared.

I see. I would love to come by, but our team is still having a meeting.

Vivienne smiled faintly and typed back.

It’s okay. I’ll be leaving soon anyway.

She had barely sent it when another message appeared.

Can I come over later?

Vivienne’s eyes widened.

Her face heated.

No way! Claire would be there!

She stared at the message after sending it, embarrassed by how quickly she had answered.

Damian replied almost at once.

Then how about grabbing dinner together?

Vivienne hesitated.

He was being persistent.

And, despite everything she had been thinking about Christopher, a small part of her wanted to see him too.

That was the problem.

She liked Damian.

She couldn’t pretend otherwise.

But tonight, she was going to talk to Christopher.

She needed to know what Christopher wanted before she made any decision about Damian.

She typed:

I’m having dinner with the girls. Some other time.

There was a pause.

Then his reply appeared.

Okay... then I’ll see you soon.

Vivienne frowned.

What did that mean?

She put the phone down and returned her attention to the field.

She didn’t give it much more thought.

--

Damian’s meeting ended earlier than expected.

The moment his team was dismissed, he checked his phone.

Vivienne might still be at the equestrian grounds.

He smiled.

He knew exactly where to find her.

When he reached the stands, he spotted her almost immediately.

She was sitting in the same place she’d chosen yesterday—the very back row, where the seats were slightly tucked away from the main crowd.

And for a moment, Damian simply looked at her.

Her golden-blonde hair fell loosely over her shoulders, catching the afternoon light whenever she moved. She wore a fitted white Oxford shirt beneath a light cardigan, a short pleated skirt, dark stockings, and ankle boots.

Pretty.

Far too pretty.

He had spent the entire morning telling himself to be patient.

To give her space.

To let her come to him.

He’d thought about Anthony.

About Christopher.

About what he should and shouldn’t do.

All of it disappeared the moment he saw her.

Because there she was.

And he wanted her.

That simple.

Damian didn’t stop to reconsider.

He didn’t remind himself to be careful.

He just walked toward her.

Vivienne was watching the event below, though from the way her attention kept drifting, he suspected she wasn’t particularly interested in it.

He stopped beside her.

She looked up.

Her eyes widened.

"Damian?"

He didn’t answer.

He simply sat down beside her, slipped an arm around her shoulders, and pulled her against him.

Then he kissed her on the lips.

Vivienne froze.

Completely.

For a moment, her mind went blank.

Damian pulled back, looking perfectly pleased with himself.

"Hi."

Vivienne stared at him.

She couldn’t even speak.

Her eyes darted toward the rows in front of them.

No one.

She looked again.

Still no one seemed to have noticed.

Thank God.

Her heart was pounding.

It wasn’t as though they had never been affectionate in public before.

They had.

Plenty of times.

But this—

This was different.

A kiss on the lips.

And not somewhere private.

Not even hidden away somewhere where it could easily be dismissed.

They were sitting in the stands.

Together.

Like a couple.

Vivienne swallowed.

What if someone had seen?

What if someone told Christopher?

Her stomach twisted.

Not because she was ashamed of Damian.

She wasn’t.

But tonight, she was planning to call Christopher.

She was going to tell him that she wanted to date him.

And suddenly, Damian was sitting beside her, holding her hand as though they were already something far more official than friends with benefits.

Vivienne finally found her voice.

"Damian..."

"Hm?"

She glanced around again.

He followed her gaze, then looked back at her.

"What?"

She opened her mouth.

Nothing came out.

Damian smiled.

He seemed completely unconcerned.

People had seen them together plenty of times. There was nothing particularly unusual about them sitting side by side.

He took her hand and laced their fingers together.

Vivienne stared at their joined hands.

This was exactly what he always did.

He was affectionate.

Touchy.

Casual about it.

As though being close to her was the most natural thing in the world.

And normally, she liked it.

Today, though, every little gesture made her more conscious.

She shifted slightly.

Damian noticed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You look nervous."

"I’m not nervous."

He studied her face.

Then his fingers came up, gently smoothing the little crease between her brows.

"There."

Vivienne blinked.

"Damian."

"What?"

"I don’t think we should..."

Her voice trailed off.

Should what?

Stop?

Move?

Pretend they weren’t together?

She couldn’t suddenly object to him being affectionate.

They had done this before.

They had kissed before.

They had been much more intimate than this.

Calling him out now would be absurd.

Unless she wanted everything between them to stop already.

And she didn’t.

Not yet.

She hadn’t even spoken to Christopher.

She couldn’t make a decision based on a conversation that hadn’t happened.

Before she could say anything else, Damian leaned over and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Vivienne leaned backward slightly.

Oh, no.

She looked around once more.

Thankfully, no one seemed to have noticed.

Still, Vivienne couldn’t help feeling a little panicked.

Because she knew what tonight meant.

And if everything went well with Christopher—

Her gaze dropped to Damian’s hand still holding hers.

She would have to let this go.

The thought made her chest ache.

She didn’t want to think about that yet.

So when Damian shifted closer and rested his arm around her shoulders again, Vivienne didn’t stop him.

For now, she let him have his way.

She liked him.

And until she talked to Christopher, she wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Damian.

Damian, meanwhile, had arrived intending to follow his careful little strategy.

Stay close.

Be patient.

Keep giving her reasons to want him around.

It had seemed sensible that morning.

But now that he was sitting beside her, holding her hand and feeling her warmth against him, the plan seemed rather unnecessary.

Why keep acting like he had no right to be close to her?

He knew what they were.

So did she.

And if he wanted to treat her like she was his, perhaps he simply would.

Damian smiled to himself.

His carefully restrained strategy had lasted all of a few hours.

--

Tbc