Damon turned to look at Talia who was standing at the door of the bathroom, and his eyebrows rose in approval.
That oversized tank top covered Talia's private parts, but it was also low on the chest, giving him a glimpse of Talia's cleavage... high on the thighs, exposing her legs, and loose around arms… Damon swallowed hard as the image of Talia's side-boob flashed in his mind. Yup, he remembered that.
He really wanted to suck her there. Everywhere.
Talia squirmed under Damon's gaze. Why did he look at her like she was naked?
Talia was about to tug the tank top and cover her legs more, but she held that urge back due to fear of how that will lower the opening at her neck and expose her girls, so she just pressed her legs together and folded her arms over her stomach in a feeble attempt to protect herself from Damon's x-ray vision.
"Can I help you?", Talia asked.
Damon tilted his head and smiled a little. "There is no need to be so cautious, wife. Do you remember me treating your injuries in the hotel room? I've seen and touched almost everywhere." Emphasis on 'almost'.
Talia exhaled helplessly. The playful Damon is here.
She decided to get to the point because asking in a roundabout way will only give him more material to tease her. "Why are you here?"
"I'm here to sleep.", Damon said like it's a totally normal thing. "I was waiting for you to finish your evening routine, my dear wife."
He patted the bed next to him, obviously telling her to join him.
Talia was not willing.
Last night was one thing, but now she was not properly dressed and there was no need for comforting.
She didn't want to get used to sleeping with Damon because someone will see them, and the rumors will spread. Talia could imagine numerous she-wolves exploding in jealousy, and when the blood gets spilled, Talia was confident that will be her blood.
Talia straightened her back and stood her ground. "That's my bed. You can't come here every night to sleep. It's not proper."
Damon's brows furrowed a bit and he scooted off the bed. "You are right."
Talia pinched her arm to confirm that she was not dreaming. Did it work? It was that easy? He is leaving?
Her excitement deflated when she saw Damon stalking toward her.
Damon stood half a step from Talia, and his piercing icy-blue eyes didn't allow her to look away.
She realized that she was in trouble. What kind of trouble? Talia was not sure, but there was a storm brewing in Damon and Talia felt the urgency to fix the situation.
"I apologize, I didn't mean to disrespect you.", she quickly said.
"No, no. There was no disrespect. Your argument is reasonable."
"It is?", Talia asked reluctantly.
"It is.", Damon confirmed. "It's not proper for me to come here every night and sleep in your bed."
Talia was aware that he only repeated her words, but why did it sound like they had a different meaning?
Talia didn't have time to react when Damon scooped her into his arms.
By the time she came around, Damon was walking out of her room and into his.
"What are you doing?", Talia squeaked when Damon lowered her into his bed.
"Since you don't approve of us sleeping in your bed, we will sleep in mine.", Damon said with all the seriousness in the world.
He moved swiftly and she had no chance of escaping his embrace or the comforter that covered them.
Talia felt like crying. This is NOT what she meant! How did things end up this way?
Talia realized that she was wrong. This was not playful Damon, this was the bossy one, and the bossy Alpha wanted to cuddle.
Talia took slow breaths to calm her raging emotions, but the silky bedsheets and Damon's scent made her flustered. The fact that she was scarcely dressed only made things worse.
But Damon didn't move, and she reluctantly looked up at him.
Talia was surprised to see that his eyes were closed, and his breathing was slow and even.
It took her a minute to pick up a scent of alcohol.
'Is he sleeping?', Talia wondered. 'Is he drunk?'
She waited for some time in silence, before calling in a whisper, "Damon… Damon?"
There was no response.
She reached to touch his hair. It was softer than she imagined it to be and other than a small twitch when a strand of hair fell on his forehead, Damon didn't react.
Talia moved a bit to check if she can escape his hold.
Just as she feared, it was hopeless. They were both sideways, facing each other. Damon's arms were around her, and his right leg was over her as well. She was trapped.
She closed her eyes and resigned herself to her fate. It seems that she will sleep with Alpha Damon again, but this time in his room.
It's not that she hated it, but she regretted that she won't be able to read the book that Doctor Travis gave her.
On the bright side, Alpha Damon was like a nice-smelling heater, firm, and solid, and his proximity made her feel safe.
She chanted internally how she shouldn't get used to this because Alpha Damon's mood is unstable.
With those thoughts, Talia shifted how much she could, to get more comfortable.
Talia slowly pushed her hand between his arm and his torso until her fingers reached his back.
Once she settled her head on his arm and his breath fanned the top of her head, Talia realized that their position was way too intimate for two people who are not in a romantic relationship, but she was aware that someone unpredictable like Alpha Damon probably has his own definition of what's normal.
She told herself not to overthink it. It's just sleeping next to each other and nothing more.
After all, considering what princess Marcy did with Damon and he just left like it's nothing, Talia could assume that this sleeping position for him is a regular occurrence, like a handshake.
Maybe Damon is one of those people who can't sleep alone and now that Cassie is gone, he needs someone to hold until his next bedmate comes, and Talia is right there so… is she his bedmate?
No. No. This doesn't mean anything, and she shouldn't get attached to this soothing warmth because soon another she-wolf will come, and Talia will go back to her room, or maybe she can use that opportunity to move out of the packhouse.
In a way, it made sense.
Cassie left on the previous night, and that's when Alpha Damon came to Talia's room.
Talia's heart cracked a bit at the thought that she is Damon's bolster pillow in the absence of women that interest him and she blamed herself for dejection that swelled in her because she allowed herself to get attached. Damon was an important existence in her life, yet for him, she was easily replaceable.
She confirmed that many women want to be with Damon, and Talia was painfully aware that she doesn't qualify.
After all, she was barely dressed, their bodies stuck close to each other, yet he didn't try to touch her inappropriately. If he was interested in her, he would definitely try something. Alpha Damon is many things, but inexperienced and shy are not on that list.
Talia let out a long breath. Does she want him to do more than just holding her? If he makes a move, how would she react? Talia was not sure about that.
Talia suppressed any bold thoughts that formed, just like any other time when Damon was kind to her because it will only lead to heartbreak.
Talia smiled sadly at the thought of Alpha Damon breaking her heart and he wouldn't even know about it. But even if he did, would he care? Probably not.
Right now, she is like a pet project for him, and she shouldn't delude herself that it's anything more than that because soon he will find something (or someone) else to occupy him.
For tonight, Talia decided to enjoy the comfort that comes with Damon's embrace. Who knows? Maybe this is her last chance to experience a man holding her. After all, there are no guarantees that she will ever find a man who will fall in love with her.
Talia buried her face in Damon's chest, allowing his scent of forest and dark chocolate to fill her up. Talia had no idea at what point it became her favorite scent, probably from before she met Alpha Damon because she always loved the forest and dark chocolate; those are scents Talia associates with freedom and forbidden delicacy, and Damon's scent combined those two perfectly.
Within a minute, all her anxiety dissolved into nothing, and she savored his warmth, firm hold, and there was the sound of his heartbeat and his chest moving as he breathed… and Talia drifted off to sleep.
Unaware of Talia's internal conflict, Damon counted Talia's slow breaths and waited for her to fall asleep.
He was pleased when her arm snaked under his, to hold him. That was progress.
It was torturous for Damon to be a gentleman with Talia so close and scarcely dressed, but he forced his hands to stay in place and not wander to explore her body.
Damon was confident that with a few kisses and caresses, Talia would become putty in his hands, but he didn't want that. If he acted like that, there was a risk for Talia to think that he treats her like one of the numerous hookups from his past and she is anything other than that.
Damon didn't want one night with Talia; he wanted a lifetime of her proximity. He wanted to enjoy the sound of her voice, and her intoxicating scent, and he could spend an eternity staring into her beautiful, honeyed eyes that hide a million secrets he is yet to unfold.
Damon confirmed that Talia is intelligent, kind, sharp, adorably na?ve, and his to hold and protect. Only his.
He remembered Travis's words about increasing chances of awakening Talia's wolf if Talia's mate is with her, the closer the better.
Is this helping her wolf heal? What will happen if her wolf awakens, and Talia finds out that Damon is her mate? He had no way of predicting what her reaction will be, but he was certain that Talia will feel the pull and she won't think about leaving his side… and that should be enough.
When he confirmed that Talia was sleeping, Damon lowered his head and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.
Damon's body was ablaze as delightful sparks ignited all his nerve endings, and at the same time, his heart was at peace, knowing that Talia was not going anywhere. For tonight, at least.
