Loving Damon

| 9 | The Epiphany

| Ariel |

Slipping the black baggy AC/DC t-shirt over my head, I removed my wet hair from under it and shook it dry a bit with my towel. My thoughts were to move to my dresser to find a pair of comfortable yoga pants or boy shorts to sleep in but I didn't get far as my bedroom door opened and slammed shut.

My eyes widened at the door opening afraid it would be Damon walking in on me in nothing but a band t-shirt that barely covered my ass and panties, but relief flooded my body when I saw Emma and Lena step in and effectively locking the door behind them.

I rose a brow in question "Really guys? Can I get no privacy?"

"Nope." Lena smirked

Emma followed behind her as the sat on the edge of my bed. Emma waged a finger up and down my poorly covered curves "Plus, we've already seen all there is to see under that shirt."

"Wouldn't Damon be disappointed..." Lenas smirk grew and a mischievous glint was in her eye.

I rolled my eyes and scoffed "Please," I mumbled looking down at my more than generous thighs rubbed together. No thigh gap here. "He doesn't know me bare of clothes, if he did the last thing he would be is disappointed."

"Stop it!" My head immediately shot back up at Lenas motherly tone. I knew that tone, it wasn't exactly what I wanted to go through right now.

"You will not do that with us. You are not going to body shame yourself and look down upon yourself. Nobody thinks of you that way!"

I sighed "All the men in America do..."

"Wrong." Lena cut me off "One man did and he was a fucking monster, he fed off your innocence and insecurities."

"Yeah Ari, you have to learn to be stronger and stick up from yourself." Emma jumped in, agreeing with Lena "He wanted to see you as some sort of innocent thing that could find comfort in no other man but him so he closed you off from the world and beat you down. He made you think all the bad things about yourself!"

"Which are farthest from the truth!" Lena scoffed "Have you even seen the way Damon looks at you? Sure as hell isn't like a man who doesn't like what he sees."

Emma groaned "Oh please can we not talk about my brother and his sexual glances or desires of wanting my best friend!"

"He doesn't want me guys!" I finally exclaimed, lifting my hand in the air only to have the slam back down at my sides. I was getting frustrated at this conversation. Damon thinks he likes what he sees but I know that the furthest thing from the truth. It's one thing being dressed nicely in front of a man, it a whole other ballpark to be standing stark naked in front of him.

I highly doubt he desires me as much as they say he does. I don't doubt he feels something for me because I can see it, hell if the incident on the couch is any indication then he does feel something but its not the desire to rip my clothes off and fuck me until I'm crying out his name and it sure as hell isn't love. We all know that.

Maybe he just cares for me and wants to see me happy and fulfilled?

What he thinks is an attraction will slowly fade away. Again he's not capable of love and I can't imagine he'd desire my body as much as my friends think he does.

"Look, we're sorry," Lena voiced sympathy strong in her tone. She shrugged her shoulders "We won't bring it up again..."

"Yeah, its for the best..." I responded in a mumble.

"But, just one more thing," Emma added in hesitantly. "Since we are on the topic of my brother..." Her eyes met mine "What did I walk in on before you ran off to take a shower?" Her brow rose and I knew she knew exactly what was about to happen but knowing Emma, she wanted to hear it from me.