Page 31 of Audra: The Prequel

“It’s so unfair. She doesn’t deserve this,” she said, her voice trembling and thick with tears.

He held her for a few minutes until she was able to compose herself. Wiping her eyes, she looked gratefully at him. “I shouldn’t be laying this on you.”

“I don’t mind, and I care about you. Because I care about you, I care about your daughter. I hate that she’ll be disappointed. Some people become parents without understanding the magnitude of their decision and how the way they treat their child will affect them for years to come.”

“They don’t understand or they don’t care,” Audra said bitterly. She sniffed, and then a soft smile touched her face. “When she was a baby, I used to stand over her crib and watch her for hours.”

“Hours?” Damon asked, teasing.

“Seemed like it. I couldn’t get enough of watching her little fingers and toes and listening to her breathe. And you knowhow babies smell—oh, I loved her little baby smell. Every time I looked at her or held her, I was amazed by this tiny person I’d created. I still can’t believe she’s already six years old, has such a big personality, and is so loving. She loves kisses and hugs and is very affectionate.” The light dimmed in her eyes. “I know she wants to give kisses and hugs to her daddy the way she gives them to me and her grandparents and her uncles, but he never makes time for her.”

“Not everyone was meant to be a parent.”

“True.”

“It sounds like you have a great support system with your parents and your brothers. I know it’s hard for her not to have her father in her life, but having a loving family—who shows her that she’s loved—I promise you, it helps.”

Audra looked at him with curiosity. “Are you speaking from experience?” she asked gently.

“I have two loving parents,” Damon said, unwilling to divulge more. He brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “The good news is, she isn’t disappointed again like she’s been in the past. She didn’t know, like you mentioned.”

“Yeah, I’m learning.” She breathed through her lips and then fixed a smile on her face. “Ready for dinner?”

“I am, but are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yes, and thank you for listening.” She rose onto her toes and gave him a kiss.

Damon groaned and grabbed her bottom, pressing his lips against hers when she was about to pull away.

Audra licked his lips and placed her hands on his shoulders. “How about you fix our drinks while I prepare our plates?”

“All right.” He slapped her bottom, and she yelped.

Chuckling, Damon went to the refrigerator. He poured them each a glass of punch that his personal chef had whipped up and left for him.

During dinner, he told her about his trip, complained about where he thought he could have improved, and generally appreciated that she listened. After dinner, he washed the dishes and put away the leftovers while she relaxed on the sofa. When he joined her, she shifted closer and curled up next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.

He never would have thought a relaxing night at home would be enough to satisfy him, but with a full belly and his arm around Audra while they watched TV, he felt as if he’d won the jackpot. He pulled her closer. This was happiness. He had no interest in going out—not if she couldn’t be there with him.

He hadn’t seen himself getting married for at least a few more years, but there was something about Audra that made him look deep into the future and think about forever.

Forever with her.

“Baby, wake up.”

Audra heard Damon’s deep voice as if from far away. Her eyes fluttered open, and she lifted her head from his shoulder.

“Have I been asleep long?” Yawning, she covered her mouth and blinked rapidly. The room was dark because he had turned off the television. Beyond the windows, the lights of the city’s buildings and moving cars brightened the night.

“Thirty minutes or so,” Damon answered.

She knew why he’d woken her up. It was time for her to go.

His lips brushed over her forehead, slipped across her cheek, and moved lower to the corner of her mouth. She snuggled closer. She didn’t want to go home. Leaving him was getting harder and harder, and tonight felt particularly difficult. She wanted to lose herself in his arms.

Everything leading up to this had been foreplay: the gifts he sent for weeks, the dinners, dancing, the weekend retreat, and the late-night phone conversations. He’d torn away her hesitations, and now she trusted him. Completely. And wanted to lose herself in his arms.

Audra stroked her hands down his chest. “Damon,” she whispered.

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