Chapter 58: Chapter 58

Chapter 58:

Damien’s P.O.V

I love you, Damien.

NO!

It can’t be! This is exactly what I had been trying to avoid, haven’t I? I had told Tia specifically that I couldn’t do feelings, that I couldn’t trust another woman with my heart after what Marian did! I even told her my story. Even my family, even Daniel didn’t know all the details but I’d told Tia...

Why did I tell her all that? Especially when I had sworn off relationships for good. Maybe it really was my fault? Had I gotten involved without even wanting to? Had I given her the wrong message all along? But what had I done than any other man wouldn’t have?

Was it the gifts I’d given her? But I’d given gifts to everyone, to Daniel and his new bride and even to Victor and his wife.

*

“Oh! Damien, these look wonderful!” Tia looked at me with her wide green eyes filled with joy. “But they’re so expensive; they must have cost you a fortune!”

“Not really.” I told her the truth. “Do you like them?”

“You know, I do they’re just so exquisite…but I can’t-“

“Yes, you can.” I countered. “I thought of you when I bought them.”

I took the pearls from her hand and secured them around her neck. They looked beautiful on her, just perfect. The wide beads enclosed her long slender neck in a loose hold and in the light of the moonlight, they shore as bright as her eyes. Behind her lay the vast open sea, it’s waters shimmering in the light of the waxing moon. All together, it was the perfect sight that I wished I could capture with my camera, but they would be forever captured in my heart. Whenever I closed my eyes, I would always see this sight. Tia in the moonlight, her eyes half-closed as the wind played with her hair and a soft smile spread across her face as she traced her fingers on the pearls.

“They are the best gift I have ever received.” She told me softly. “But I feel like it’s too much.”

“No, it’s exactly enough.” I leaned forward across my chair and lifted her chin up so Tia was looking right into my eyes. “Maybe I could convince you to keep them in a different way.”

Desire flashed in her eyes, just as they were reflected in mine. “How?” She asked, leaning forward into my touch.

“Make love with me.” I told her huskily. “Wearing only the necklace.”

A slow smile formed on those sultry lips. “Sounds promising.”

*

I shook myself out of the trance. No, I had given her gifts because I had always thought about her. Every time I’d bought something, I’d always thought about Tia first. What she would want, what she would think and what would look best on her. Everything I’d done, every move I’d made had been deliberate. There was no point denying that I had gotten involved with Tia on more that the physical level and even though I wanted to, I couldn’t make myself regret any of it.

To regret any of the moments spent between us would be an insult to all the beautiful moments we had spent, moments that will remain with me a lifetime. She had given me everything even without me asking for it, but it was too bad that her efforts had been wasted on a coward.

If only I had the strength to accept her in the way she had accepted me. If only I could be half the man she deserved. But Tia believed in fairytales; she believed in Prince Charming on a pure white stallion. But I wasn’t that person, I had my baggage’s and scars and I don’t think I could ever be that person for her.

But it still made me stop and think…if only.