"Uhm, no.", Talia responded awkwardly. Why would Damon ask if she was pregnant? It took her a few long seconds to realize that Damon thought how baby shopping was for her, so she quickly explained, "Yasmin is expecting twins. Now that we are going to the Midnight Guardians pack, we shouldn't go empty-handed. I'm going to be an aunt, and that makes you an uncle."
Damon's disappointment seeped into Talia through their mate bond, and her heart cracked.
Did Damon want kids so badly? She was not aware of it.
It's not that she didn't want kids, but she never seriously thought about it. A few times when kids were mentioned, Talia brushed it off because she was young, and she only started getting to know the world. However, Damon was twenty-seven years old and Talia realized that he had babies on his mind.
Damon saw Talia's concerned gaze directed at him and he cursed internally while focusing on his computer, pretending to be busy. He didn't want to make it sound awkward or like he was pressuring her, but here they were.
Talia could feel that he was unsettled.
She swiftly moved to Damon's desk and sat on his lap. She gave him a smacking kiss on the lips and spoke cheerfully in an attempt to lighten up the mood, "I am not pregnant because I didn't go into heat, yet."
Damon was silent, so she persisted, "You know that, right?"
"I know you didn't, but so many things are different with us, and I thought…"
Talia caressed his cheek gently. "Do you really want babies?"
"I told you. Five. At least." He paused. "Don't you want kids?"
"I thought you were joking."
"Kitten", Damon called seriously. "You should know by now that I don't joke. I tell the truth. Always."
"I didn't realize how important kids are to you."
"Important? No.", Damon said honestly. The only important thing in his life was Talia. "I never liked kids. They are small, fragile, messy, and loud."
Talia stifled a giggle. This sounded like Damon, but it didn't match his feelings.
"If they are so bad, why do you want them?"
"Since I met you, and I started thinking how five stinky noisemakers with copper-colored hair and honeyed eyes would be a delight to have. We will go for walks and spend the day in the forest, I will give them piggyback rides, they can chew on my ears, wreck the packhouse, and we will shower them with our care and the best things money can buy."
Talia stared at Damon in disbelief. "You really thought about this."
Damon looked away awkwardly. For some reason, he was uncomfortable admitting these thoughts that seemed too personal.
Talia smiled and cupped his cheeks, forcing him to look at her.
"Damon", she called. "I don't know when it will happen, but whenever I get into heat, you have my permission to impregnate me."
"I don't want to if you are not ready."
"Who said I'm not ready?"
"You are not excited about the idea.", Damon voiced his thoughts. "Is it because I keep on hurting you? You know that was just dark magic, right? Now you have your guards, and I will give them permission to be hostile toward me. We will be careful and it won't happen again. Maybe I should do a blood oath, so I can't act against you. I would never..."
"No, no!", she interrupted him. What hostility and blood oath nonsense? She wouldn't allow anyone to harm him, even if he lost his mind completely. "I know that was not you. You are the best mate in the world, but..."
"But?", Damon urged her to continue.
Talia couldn't lie and say how things were perfect and she was ready.
"I am scared.", Talia admitted. "I grew up without parents, hiding. I don't know much about this world, and I definitely have no clue how to be a good mother. The closest thing I ever had to a mother was Stephanie. No one else cared about me in such a way."
Damon's heart cracked and he pulled her into his embrace, making her lean on him completely. He wanted to comfort her, to encourage her, but he was not sure what to say, so he just held her tightly, letting his emotions fill her up with the hope that Talia will realize that she was enough. She will be enough, because, for him, she was everything.
"You will be a wonderful father.", Talia continued talking after some time. "Maybe you can teach me. Tell me more about your childhood and what you did with your parents because I would like our kids to grow into exceptional individuals just like their father is."
Damon's lips lifted into a smile. Talia complimenting him will never get old. He knew that he did many cruel things. No matter what his intentions were, someone always judged him and called him names (behind his back), but none of those were important, because Talia's love and trust in him overshadowed everything.
"You will be an amazing mother.", Damon said, his voice rumbled deeply as her ear was on his chest. "You are taking care of me. You are taking care of your friends and everyone around you. I know you will take care of our kids also."
Talia released a slow breath. She hoped he was right. She read somewhere that mothers develop an instinct that tells them what their children need. Talia pushed her insecurities aside. Was there a point in psyching herself out about babies? Even if she got pregnant right that instant, it would take months until she became a mother. Considering how much she learned and had grown since she met Damon, Talia was confident that she will learn at least some basics about babies during her pregnancy.
Pregnancy.
It was a foreign term, but the thought of having a part of Damon growing within her made her feel all warm and tingly inside.
Talia lifted her head and Damon saw her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"No matter how I feel about babies, I am excited about babymaking. Does that count?", she asked with a sly smile.
Damon's eyes clouded with lust and Talia felt his erection growing under her behind.
"Show me.", he said.
Talia was not sure what he meant, but then a mental image flashed in her mind of her riding him in that chair they were sitting on and Damon's playful smirk confirmed that he sent her that.
Her heart started racing as she stood up and reached under her skirt.
"Slowly", Damon demanded. He wanted to enjoy the striptease.
Damon observed keenly as she shimmied out of her panties, letting them fall on the floor before she stepped out of them.
"This also?", Talia asked while gesturing toward her blouse.
"Only buttons.", he said, and Talia started undoing three buttons on the top of the blouse that revealed the pink bra under it.
Talia thought that Damon will remove his pants, but he didn't move a muscle.
Ah, the naughty Alpha wanted to be served. She didn't mind.
Talia got on her knees and slowly worked on his belt and buttons, without breaking eye contact. She could see his anticipation building. Desire. Approval. And it was all wrapped in an endless amount of love and lust that left her breathless.
Damon lifted himself slightly so she can slide his pants down, and his erection sprang free. He was half-hard already.
