Do You Still Love Me When We Meet Again? (Aubrey and Damon) novel Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Aubrey felt a pang of confusion. Wasn’t it a good thing she wasn’t jealous? Her complete trust in him was why she never got easily jealous. They’d been together for four years, and she knew Damon inside and out. He was a man of unwavering integrity, especially when it came to women. He handled relationships cleanly, leaving no room for ambiguity, and never had any vaguely–defined girls orbiting him. When he went out, he’d always proactively let her know whom he was meeting and what he was doing, and would share details with her once he got home. If he was meeting a single woman, he’d always make sure to explain the reason to Aubrey beforehand. She’d had virtually no reason to feel jealous or unhappy; there were never any misunderstandings between them. Now, though, she was Damon’s only ambiguous ex. She was already the most special one, and for that, she was content. Aubrey stood up slowly, her voice calm as still water.“I’m not jealous.”

Damon sighed softly, turning to meet Skylar’s tear–filled eyes. His voice was frigid. “Skylar, I’m telling you this for the last time, and I’m being deadly serious. You are the daughter of my mother’s best friend, and they are very close. You and I grew up together, but I have only ever seen you as a little sister. From childhood until now, there has never been a single romantic feeling on my part. Do you understand?” Skylar’s lower lip trembled in a pout as she nodded, tears welling in her eyes. Damon continued, “I’m too busy with work to concern myself with my family’s ideas or plans for my marriage, and I’m sorry if that led to a misunderstanding on your part. But my not wanting to marry you has absolutely nothing to do with Aubrey. Even if she wasn’t in the picture, I still wouldn’t marry you.”

Skylar choked out, her voice thick with hurt, “But…” Damon cut her off, his voice sharp.“No ‘buts‘. Even if you were the last woman on Earth and it was my sole duty to ensure humanity’s survival and save the planet, I would rather let the human race die out than marry you. In my eyes, you’re no different from my sister. Marrying you would feel unnatural, like marrying my own sibling. Do you understand?”

Skylar’s face instantly drained of color. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her clenched fists trembled. Aubrey gasped. Those words were truly brutal. Damon came from a prominent family, was strikingly handsome, and incredibly talented. He had no shortage of female admirers. She’d never known how he rejected all the women who flocked around him. Today, she’d gotten a firsthand look. And it was indeed cruel. Having delivered his brutal words, Damon turned his head to look out at the balcony. The night had grown deep. With the damage done, his demeanor softened.“It’s late. I’ll take you home.” Skylar lowered her head, silently wiping away her tears, and gave a small, wounded nod. Damon turned his head to look at Aubrey, his gaze inquiring. “Do you mind?” It was late, and he was simply driving his “sister” home. It was polite, gentlemanly, a sign of good upbringing. Why would she mind? Aubrey shook her head casually.“Not at all.” Damon gave a soft, amused smile. He reached out, gently ruffling the hair on her forehead, and murmured fondly, “So unbothered.”

Aubrey lowered her eyes, shyly reaching up to touch her forehead where he’d ruffled her hair. A trace of sweetness tingled in her chest, and a soft smile unconsciously curved her lips. But when Damon addressed Skylar, his tone was starkly serious again.“Let’s go.” With that, he turned and walked out. Skylar, still clutching her bag, followed, her head bowed in dejection. The door closed, and the living room settled back into silence. Aubrey took her bag to her room. After showering and drying her hair, she came out to the living room to wait for Damon to return. Curled up on the sofa, a plush throw blanket draped over her legs, she was idly scrolling through her phone when her phone buzzed.

When she tapped on the Whatsapp, she saw Damon’s profile picture and froze for two seconds, squinting to get a better look at the image he’d suddenly set. She tapped on it to enlarge the image and clearly saw it was a picture of Aubrey and Damon from behind, standing shoulder–to–shoulder beneath a cascade of fireworks, gazing up at the explosion of colors. When had this stunning photo been taken? Aubrey fell into thought, recalling the night they had watched the fireworks together. He seemed to have been talking to a girl behind them. He must have asked her to take their picture. A soft smile touched Aubrey’s lips. She remembered when they were dating in college, Damon’s Whatsapp profile picture had been a candid shot of the two of them, and it had made her feel completely secure. Now, their relationship was undefined, and there was no guarantee they would make it work, yet he had once again changed his profile picture to a photo of their backs. It was practically an announcement that he wasn’t single. Looking at the photo, a sweet warmth bloomed in her chest, like drifting in a small boat on a spring lake, where the breeze was soft and comforting. She still hadn’t replied to Damon’s message.

She quickly exited the photo to see Damon’s message: “Want a late–night snack? I’ll grab you something.” “No thanks. Eating late makes me gain weight.” Damon didn’t reply. After waiting a while, a prickle of worry prompted her to send another message:“Are you back?” “Driving.” Seeing those three words, she didn’t text back, not wanting to distract him. Instead, she leaned languidly against the sofa, settling in to wait. This feeling of waiting for him to come home was truly wonderful. With anticipation in her heart, she couldn’t help but feel her spirits lift. Twenty minutes later. The click of the fingerprint lock echoed from outside. Aubrey quickly tossed off the blanket draped over her lap, sprang to her feet, and excitedly took a few steps. forward, her gaze locking with Damon’s as he entered and kicked off his shoes.

Damon had one hand hidden behind his back, his gesture conspicuously obvious. His eyes warmed as he looked at Aubrey. She was dressed in loose, long–sleeved cotton pajamas, her soft, dark hair cascading over her shoulders. Her bare face was pure, almost ethereal in its beauty, strikingly delicate and captivating. Aubrey couldn’t suppress the happiness that bubbled up inside her. Her voice was light and gentle when she asked, “You’re back?” “Mhm.” Damon walked up to her in his slippers, pulling his hand from behind his back to reveal a beautiful bouquet of flowers. The sight of them took her completely by surprise, making her freeze for a moment. Then, her eyes immediately sparkled, her heart swelling with joy at the beautiful blooms and utterly overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness and the romantic gesture. “Why would you buy me flowers?” Aubrey slowly took the bouquet from him, her gaze fixed on the blooms, her eyes misting with emotion. “I was driving past a flower shop and happened to see these flowers blooming so vibrantly,” Damon said, downplaying it.“I remember you used to really like them.” It had been a long time since she’d received flowers, and her face was alight with irrepressible joy. She smiled brightly.“Thank you.” She lowered her head to inhale their scent again, then turned and walked lightly into the

< Chapter 48

house. “I’m going to find a vase for them.”

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Suddenly, Damon strode after her, reaching around her from behind to slip one arm around her waist and scoop her up. “Oh!” Aubrey let out a soft gasp, freezing as her feet left the ground. Damon carried her to the sofa and sat down, still holding her close. Aubrey shifted easily, turning to settle onto his lap. His strong arm tightened around her waist. His other warm hand found her cheek, a gentle caress that trailed back past her ear, sweeping aside the soft strands of hair that clung to her face. Then his fingers threaded through her hair, cupping the curve of her skull. The cool white light of the living room bathed them, making their figures stand out in stark relief. Aubrey gazed into Damon’s deep, burning black eyes. His handsome face held an unspoken intensity, and his gaze on her was fiery and full of longing. Then, in a swift movement, Damon leaned down and kissed her deeply. Aubrey still clutched the flowers in one hand, her other quickly pressing against his chest, pushing at him, bewildered. Damon caught her wrist, guiding her hand from his chest to the back of his neck, making her loop her arm around him. Unlike the gentle kiss they’d shared before, this time his was fueled by an aggressive hunger, deeper, hotter, as if he wanted to melt her down and then consume her whole. Aubrey found herself involuntarily lost in the intense, deep kiss, her heart pounding like a drum, utterly unable to pull away. Four years had refined his technique; he was a masterful kisser, and he knew exactly how to make her feel everything. His kiss sent a rush of heat through Aubrey’s body, her mind emptying, her logic dissolving as she surrendered completely. If, in that moment, he were to scoop her into his arms, carry her into the room, and press her down onto the big bed to take things further, she would melt into the embrace, yielding to whatever came next. But he didn’t. He pulled back from the kiss, a fierce self–control warring within him. His hands cupped her face as their ragged, hot breaths mingled in the air between them. His deep eyes burned, hazy with raw desire, and his voice was a hoarse, almost soundless whisper.“Bree.” He murmured her pet name, dotingly and tenderly, just like he had five years ago. No more words were needed, yet the moment was profoundly tender and utterly consuming, heavy with all the grief–stricken longing he had carried for years. It was as if they had been transported back in time, falling in love all over again. The wavering uncertainty in his voice made Aubrey’s heart ache. A tender ache bloomed in her chest, and her eyes welled with tears. She clasped her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder. Damon pressed a kiss to her fragrant hair, tightening his embrace around her slender waist. He cleared his throat, his voice a soft murmur as he asked, “Tired? Want to head to bed?” Aubrey shook her head against his shoulder. Damon hesitated for a few seconds.“It’s a little past ten,” he said.“How about we watch a movie before bed?” “What movie?” Aubrey asked, inhaling his distinct scent. She felt incredibly safe and comfortable, wanting to stay in his arms forever, not to sleep or do anything else. Damon pondered for a few seconds, gently stroking her hair.“Is there a movie you always wanted to see but never had time to catch in theaters?” “Yeah, Aang 2.”

“Animated?” “Have you seen it?” “I haven’t been to a movie theater in five years, not since we broke up,” Damon said, pulling out his phone and opening an app to check. Aubrey straightened up from his shoulder, turning her head to look at his phone screen. Aang was the movie he’d gone to see with her five years ago. Back then, they’d walked into the movie theater hand–in–hand, popcorn and sodas carried between them. When the final post–credits scene rolled, they lingered, marveling at the rise of domestic animation. They promised each other then that once Aang 2 was released, they would definitely catch it together. But when Aang 2 finally hit theaters, they had already broken up. Not seeing the movie, it seemed, became a regret that hung heavy between them. Even with glowing reviews and a strong desire to see it, neither of them had the courage to step foot in a movie theater. Damon logged into a streaming service and activated a premium account. He gently settled Aubrey onto the sofa, covering her feet with a blanket, and started the movie on the projector. Aubrey held up the bouquet. “I haven’t put the flowers in water yet.” “I’ll do it,” Damon said, taking the flowers from her. He grabbed a vase and headed for the kitchen. The movie was about to begin when Aubrey hit pause. Moments later, Damon emerged, carrying the vase with the flowers now beautifully arranged, and placed it in the center of the coffee table. In his other hand, he held a small plate of freshly washed cherries, settling them gently into Aubrey’s lap. He turned off the living room lights. The moment he sat on the couch, Aubrey instinctively eaned into him. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close into his embrace. The flowers on the coffee table, revived by the fresh water, slowly began to unfurl, revealing their vibrant, radiant beauty. Nestled in Damon’s arms, Aubrey popped cherries into her mouth, occasionally feeding one to him. How she wished time would slow down, ideally freezing forever in this perfect moment. The screen’s glow enveloped them, lost in the silent, profound understanding of the moment. Even the air seemed infused with a honey–sweet warmth. After the movie ended, they lingered for a while, liscussing their thoughts. Damon gave her a goodnight kiss, and then they each retreated to their own rooms for the night.

In her spacious bed, Aubrey tossed and turned, sleep eluding her. A wave of sweetness enveloped her heart, yet an unsettling emptiness coiled within. Damon consumed her thoughts. The craving for his body, the desperate ache to be entwined with him, reached an unbearable peak. But shame choked her voice, and she lacked the nerve to make the first move. She couldn’t tell if Damon simply didn’t want her, or if he was just exercising an infuriating evel of self–control. She remembered how quickly things moved when Damon was pursuing her. From the moment she agreed to be his girlfriend, hey were holding hands by the third day, kissing within a week, and three months later, he’d taken her to bed. A year after that, they’d moved in ogether. Damon had never once held back his feelings or desires in her presence. He’d never been shy about declaring his love, or even about wanting o rip her clothes off. If she didn’t stop him, there were no limits to his passion. He’d been in college then, at the very peak of his masculine prime, hadn’t he? Aubrey let out a soft exhale and rolled onto her side, restlessly kicking the covers away. The heat inside her was growing, burning. She hooked the duvet between her thighs, rubbing it almost unconsciously, utterly unable to find sleep… She couldn’t believe it herself. Five years of celibacy, five years without a single flicker of desire, not even after Damon had come back into her life. Yet here she was, barely back in his orbit, and suddenly she was consumed by lust. The thought of sleeping with him stirred a deep, primal yearning, her body aching with a hunger she hadn’t known she possessed. But Damon had been swamped lately, always working late. And tonight, he’d still made time to take her to a movie. He must be utterly exhausted. She couldn’t disturb him. He deserved his rest. Aubrey, still flushed and restless, slowly surrendered to sleep, her desires momentarily pacified. The next morning. Her restless night caught up with her, and she slept until past eleven that morning. When she finally emerged from her room, Damon had already left for work. Brenda was in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared lunch.

Brenda, ever observant, asked why she wasn’t at work. Aubrey offered a quick excuse about taking some annual leave, then added that Brenda only needed to focus on cooking and cleaning, and wouldn’t need to drive her anywhere when she went out. Brenda, of course, didn’t question her. She was

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