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"You might be surprised to learn that I haven't," he said.
"Mmm, people are normally disbelieving at best. Others like to then start asking you to do things that are impossible."
"Like make someone fall in love?"
"Eurgh, so many times. They never liked it when I told them I couldn't do that. People have to fall in love of their own will." I finished the rest of my gyros and dropped the wrapper into a passing bin.
"So what do you do?"
"When it comes to love? These days, very little. But in the past, I've been known to use my power and status to influence situations. There had to be something between the people involved for it to work though, I was just really good at recognising that."
"Which made it look like you were the one making them fall in love," he concluded.
"Exactly. It was kind of genius, actually. Everyone believed what I was capable of, which gave me more power, more followers, and more money."
"Which meant you could do it more." He scrunched up the paper from around his gyros and dropped it into a nearby bin.
"Until it didn't, and then no one really believed in me any more," I said. "At first, I hated it. I was angry and confused." I glanced to the left, staring off into the distance as I recalled the feelings of long ago. I hadn't thought about any of this for a very long time.
"And then?" he asked when I'd been silent for a little too long.
"Then I didn't mind," I said, looking at him and flashing him a smile. "I could finally live life for myself and not for the people who felt like I owed it to them. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy being in charge and telling people what to do."
"I noticed. But the results at the fundraiser can't be argued with," he said.
"They can't," I agreed. "But it also left me with this sense of needing to be perfect all of the time, and that's been hard to shake."
"I think you do a good job."
"I think that's flattery," I responded, bumping into him gently.
"The stories say you like that."
I let out a surprisingly carefree laugh. "Doesn't everyone, though? I'm yet to meet anyone who doesn't actually like flattery."
"Hmmm, I don't know how I feel about it."
"You don't?" I turned around to stop walking, the light breeze lifting my loosely curled hair from my shoulders. "How about we find out?"
"If I like flattery?"
"Mmhmm. You look really handsome in your tux."
"Is that right?" he asked, stepping closer.
"Yes. I reached out and straightened his lapel. "But you look hot with your bow tie undone like this." I touched it, every part of me aware of how close to his throat it brought my fingers.
"Maybe that's just a tux thing," he murmured.
"Oh, it's definitely a tux thing," I responded. "But I'm not here with anyone else in a tux, am I?"
There was something heavy in the air that I didn't expect to be there, but knew exactly what it was. As if he sensed it too, Damien's gaze flickered down to my lips.
Oh, I knew exactly what the feeling was.
"Have you really never invited anyone for after-event gyros before?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Just you."
