Her words felt like knives stabbing right through his heart. "Avery…"
"Don't say anything." She interrupted him before he could say a word more. "I wasn't trying to get to you to say a word."
He knew this. She was merely trying to get it off her chest. She was the best mother he had seen so far and from an outsider's point of view, it looked like she was handling it with much ease. Most of the things were fairly manageable because she loved Angel more than her life, and because he was her first priority. However, only she knew the difficulties that loomed beneath the surface.
The fact that there was no father was one thing. He knew that she must have had it difficult before she managed to be this stable, especially with Angel's medical condition. Yet, she had no one to talk to about it. Her family was a bunch of scumbags while he, the man who should have been responsible for filling all those gaps, had been away for all this time. It broke his heart.
"I know you don't need me to say anything but I still want to say it." He slowed down which forced her to turn around and look at him. When she stopped walking, he closed in on her. "Avery, I can't turn back time and be there for my son when he was one, two and three. I can't reverse the situation and…" He knew he would probably earn a beating for saying it but it was just as important so he added, "I can't be here for you for the nine months that you were expecting him."
Her eyes squinted and he grabbed her hand to stop the words that she was going to say. "But I'm here now. I will be there for him whenever he needs me. Now and forever." He wanted to add, 'I will be there for you whenever you need me.' But he knew that not only would she kick him out, but she would also ban him from coming to her residence.
She swatted his hand away in annoyance and looked up to meet his eyes, hers full of warning. "Don't say things you cannot fulfill. I'm not a child, you know. And it's even more wrong to give empty promises to a child."
"I know, Avery." He lowered his voice, understanding her logic. "It will give them the impression that it is okay to break their promises. But I'm not giving an empty promise nor am I saying it to make you feel better. I will be there for our son whenever he needs me."
She didn't say a word more. Only time would tell how much of his words he meant. What a conniving liar! Anyone who heard him would believe him. If she lost part of her memory, she would probably believe him too, like the fool he thought she was. This man before her had said those exact words years ago. He had made her believe that she meant the world to him, that he would never leave her. Yet…
"Avery…" He knew what she was thinking from the hate in her eyes. He deserved that glare, he had no complaints about it.
"What else?" She snapped.
He wanted to add that he had not lied to her, that she still meant the world to him, but he knew better than to do that. "Have a good night. When you tuck him in bed later, please give him a kiss for me."
She pursed her lips for a second as if she wanted to say something but just nodded in the end. For some strange reason, she gave her lips a slight lick.
His throat tightened. Did she know what she was doing? It was already bad enough that he had wanted to kiss those lips since he saw her but had been unable to do so. She was still near him…
'Kiss her,' a voice whispered in his head—it must be the devil. If he did that, all his effort would be nullified.
But then again, if she liked the kiss, she wouldn't react too negatively, right? He swallowed and tried to shut off the temptation. But she looked just too alluring right now. She was still looking at him and her eyes seemed to draw him in like a vortex, sucking the soul out of him.
'Don't be such a chicken, Damon. Kiss her.' Came the temptation again, which must have emanated straight from hell. 'She wants it too, or she wouldn't be giving you that look.'
He looked into her eyes. It was impossible to know what she was thinking. It was in fact impossible to know what gaze she was giving him because no matter whether it was a glare or a curious gaze, it translated into an inviting stare in his own eyes. What was worse, his manhood hardened in his pants, agreeing to the temptation of kissing her. Traitor.
She blinked, making him give in. But just as he moved an inch, she turned away. "My son needs me. I'll go up now."
His manhood twitched. Well, he would definitely need a cold shower later. She turned and sauntered away, unintentionally giving him a clear view of her silhouette. She was not petite in the past but now after having a child, she looked much more feminine with perfect curves in all the right places.
Make that two cold showers.
_____
AN
I'm in a good mood today so early chapter!
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