Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 186

Chapter 186

Aubrey waited quietly for his response, her clear, bright eyes searching his with a touch of confusion.

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Damon held the door, his dark gaze swirling with a depth of emotion she couldn’t quite decipher. He lingered for a few tense seconds before finally, reluctantly, dropping his hand. He pressed his lips together, let out a soft, controlled breath, and shook his head.

To Aubrey, his internal struggle looked like a profound sense of restraint–as if he were holding back a flood of words.

She didn’t know his true temperament, his character, or the dynamic they had shared in their past.

The whole situation felt like a whirlwind marriage; the legal bond was official, but they were essentially strangers, their interactions stiff and layered with an awkward formality.

“I’m going back to my room to study,” Aubrey explained, giving him a reason for ending the night.

Damon’s expression was earnest. “You don’t have to work, you know. I can take care of you.”

“I don’t need you to take care of me,” she countered firmly.“I want to work. It’s not about the money; it’s about finding my own purpose in the world. My value is something I have to realize for myself.”

A flicker of pride touched Damon’s eyes. Even with her memories erased, her core identity remained unchanged.“If you run into any trouble, tell me.”

“Maybe these laws and cases were second nature to me before the accident,” Aubrey said, her smile radiating a quiet confidence.“Reviewing them now feels effortless, almost like I have a photographic memory. I haven’t hit any real obstacles yet. Honestly, I feel like I could go back to the firm

tomorrow.”

Damon didn’t miss a beat.“I’m taking the week off.”

“Hmm?” Aubrey blinked, the realization hitting her a few seconds later.“Oh. Right. I understand.”

His implication was clear: he was taking the week off, and he wanted her to stay home with him instead of rushing back to the law firm.

Adults rarely laid everything out in plain words; they spoke in the spaces between them.

Damon didn’t move. He just stood there, rooted to the spot. Aubrey couldn’t help herself.“Is there… anything else?”

He shook his head, slowly sliding his hands into his pockets as he took a step back.

I’m going to close the door then,” she said tentatively. As the door began to swing shut, her eyes caught his one last time. For a brief second, she thought she saw a flicker of raw disappointment in the depths of his gaze.

Once the door clicked shut, Aubrey leaned her back against the cool wood. She looked down at the velvet box in her hands and slowly flipped the lid open. The brilliant gem inside caught the light, and her heart gave a sudden, sharp flutter,

He’d just gotten back from a long business trip. Maybe she really should spend some time with him?

Because of her amnesia, she didn’t feel any emotional pull toward him. She didn’t “need” him the way a wife usually needed a husband.

But Damon was different. He had his memories, his feelings, and his needs. He’d probably been thinking about her the entire time he was away, and he needed an outlet for all that built–up longing. Coming home after all that time only to be shut out… how painful must that be for him?

After a moment of hesitation, Aubrey hurried to the cabinet and locked the jewel away. She spun around and ran back to the door, pulling it open The second the door swung wide, she froze.

Damon hadn’t moved. He was leaning against the wooden railing outside her room, his gaze fixed absently on her door as if he were lost in thought When she suddenly pulled the door open, a flicker of startled surprise crossed his face

Their eyes locked, and for a heartbear, a pulse of awkwardness vibrated between them, the air thick with things left unsail

They both spoke at the exact same time

“Are you heading out?”

“You’re still here?”

After the synchronized outburst, they fell back into a heavy, self–conscious silence that stretched on for several long seconds

Damon turned, intending to finally make his exit. “I’m leaving now.”

As he took a step away, Aubrey hurried toward him, an impulsive need to close the distance between them taking hold you know how to make peat

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< Chapter 186

syrup?” she asked, her voice slightly breathless.

“I do,” he replied, pausing.

Aubrey pointed toward the Bartlett pear tree in the courtyard. “Then let’s go make some together.”

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Mers

“Okay.” Damon glanced toward the garden, where the branches were heavy with ripe fruit. A faint, rare smile touched his lips, and he instinctively reached out his hand for hers.“Come on. Let’s go pick them.”

Aubrey stared at his outstretched hand, her heart skipping a beat. The intimacy of the gesture made her hesitate, a wave of shy uncertainty washing over her. She couldn’t bring herself to take it just yet.“I’ll… I’ll go get a basket,” she said quickly, spinning around to make a hasty retreat.

Damon’s gaze fell to his empty palm. He slowly curled his fingers into a fist, a shadow of disappointment darkening his eyes. Turning toward the courtyard, he reached up to a low–hanging branch and plucked a large, perfectly ripe pear.

Aubrey returned with a small woven basket and stepped up beside him.“Put it in here,” she said, holding the basket out to him.

Damon dropped the pear he’d just picked into her basket.

He reached up toward the higher branches, easily clearing six or seven feet. The pears there were a brilliant, golden yellow, perfectly ripe and glowing in the light.

There was a certain kind of fulfillment in a harvest that money simply couldn’t buy. Aubrey watched him, her chest tightening with a sudden, sharp spark of joy at how beautiful the fruit looked. Setting the basket down, she decided she wanted to pick some herself.

Damon, look! There’s a massive one right at the top,” Aubrey chirped, her voice light with excitement as she pointed toward the crown of the ree.“Quick, come get this one.”

Damon stepped closer, his shoulder nearly brushing hers as he followed the line of her finger. Sure enough, a single, sun–drenched pear hung from the highest branch–enormous, golden, and looking incredibly sweet.

Even with his height, it was just out of reach. He was only a few inches short; he’d likely have to get on his tiptoes to even stand a chance.

I can’t reach it either,” Damon said, dropping his hand. He looked down at Aubrey, his gaze heavy and focused.“What if I lift you up?”

A flutter of panic rose in Aubrey’s chest.“I–I’ll just go grab a chair.”

No need.” Before she could turn away, Damon was already moving. He dropped into a crouch and wrapped his large hands firmly around her thighs,

oisting her up as he straightened.

The sudden, intimate contact sent a jolt through her. Aubrey gasped as her feet left the ground, the world tilting as he lifted her higher. Panicked and insteady, she instinctively braced herself, her palms pressing against the hard, solid muscle of his shoulders to steady herself.

Her heart hammered against her ribs, and she couldn’t tell if the sudden rush was from the height or the feel of his powerful hands locked around her highs.

de tilted his head back, his handsome face pressed right against her waist. The contact was electric, dangerously intimate.

That should be high enough,” Damon murmured, his voice vibrating through her.

ushing past the sudden wave of self–consciousness, Aubrey reached upward, her eyes fixed on the target.

fer fingers brushed the skin of the massive pear just as she reached it. As soon as she plucked it, Damon spoke up again. “Get the ones next to it, too. They look perfect.”

Okay,” she whispered She worked through the branches, handing the fruit down to him one by one. Damon held her steady with one arm, his grip irm and secure, while using his free hand to catch the pears and toss them into the basket.

They stayed like that for a long moment, locked in a tangle of limbs and shared breath

That’s all of them. You can pur me down now,” Aubrey said, bracing her hands against his broad shoulders once more

nstead of crouching down to set her on the grass, Damon slowly loosened his grip, letting her body slide down the length of his

The friction of her body against his chest sent a jolt of heat through her. It was a slow, agonizing slide that nearly rugged her top up, the chemistry between them practically simmering in the afternoon air.

Once her feet hit solid ground, Aubrey quickly smoothed her shirt and took a frantic step back. Her cheeks were flushed, and a lingering warmth hummed beneath her skin

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