Page 44 of Securing His Obsession

“Let me be the judge of that.” She began to type into the search box. “What is the meaning of the name Damon?”

The screen filled with information. She scrolled down to a baby naming site and clicked on it, reading it quietly. “Huh? Well, that’s disappointing. Damon is of Greek origin. Means one who tames, subdues.”

Damon laughed. “Told you it was uninspiring.”

“It’s not that it’s uninspiring, it’s just that I can’t call you Tamer or Subduer, that’s just lame.” She laughed. “This is so not you, the name exudes tranquility, implying character is calm and composed. Well, I supposed you are calm and composed in a brooding keep-away-from-me sort of way.”

“Isn’t there something about loyalty?” Damon turned down his street.

“Yes, in reference to the Greek legend of Damon and Pythias, who surprised the God Dionysus with their loyalty and friendship. Makes you sound like a dog.”

Damon busted out laughing, a deep belly laugh that she’d never heard before. “Can’t say I’ve ever been referred to as a dog before.”

Mortification swept over her as the reality of what she said set in. “Oh, God, I’m so sorry, that sounded awful.”

They’d pulled into his driveway, and he parked the car in the garage. He switched the engine off and reached over to grab her hand that was still gripping her phone. “It wasn’t awful. Putting everything together, it does sound like I’m a faithful companion.” He leaned forward so that his lips were brushing her ear. “I’ll be your faithful companion, Little Pearl.”

Desire quickly replaced her earlier mortification at his declaration. It was said as a flyaway comment. There was depth and truth beneath it and she wanted it so much. Wanted Damon to be hers, and only hers.

Could it happen?

Could he really be saying that he wanted more from her?

Margot turned her face so that their lips met, letting the questions linger and settle, waiting for the right moment for her to voice them out loud.

She sighed against Damon. His hand cupped her cheek, as if she was a precious pearl, like he called her. Her fingers gripped his shirt, lamenting the fact she couldn’t climb into his lap because of the center console.

All it had taken was one night, and the doors had opened to the possibilities of so much more than she thought they could potentially share.

They broke apart, their ragged breathing sounded loud in the confines of his car.

“We should take this inside,” he murmured, before trailing kisses across her cheek and nipping lightly at her ear.

“We should.”

Somehow, his mouth found hers again, and she clutched the back of his head to keep him close to her. Margot couldn’t remember ever making out in a car. She hadn’t had many boyfriends in high school, and by the time she’d started dating properly, she was living by herself, so her make out sessions had taken place on the couch where she was living.

This time when they broke apart, her top had been pulled out from the waistband of her skirt, and Damon’s hair looked as if he’d been caught in a windstorm.

“We really should go inside,” she said, trying to catch her breath.

Damon gave her one last peck on the cheek before he opened his door and got out. She gripped the handle, but didn’t open it. She looked through the windshield, admiring the way he moved with effortless grace. Some of the calmness that was associated with his name shone through. If she really thought about it, his presence had calmed her when her anxiety had been threatening to drown her. Isn’t that what she’d done at the jewelry showing, trained her gaze on Damon and breathed a little easier?

Ever since she’d been threatened, he’d been by her side. He hadn’t left her alone. He commanded her attention and her heart. And she’d given them freely to him because it was what she wanted.

Had wanted from the moment she’d started working at Power Security. Her crush being the first fluttering’s of love, which had multiplied until it filled her heart.

She loved him completely.

She was his Little Pearl, and he was her Damon.

He reached her side and had the door open in a flash. “Is everything okay?”

She nodded, not sure she could speak without blurting out that she loved him. He held out his hand, and she took it, grateful for his warmth and strength seeping into her.

The fiery passion from their kisses in the car still lingered, but the bombshell realization of her true feelings for Damon had tempered it a little.

As if sensing that, instead of pulling her into his arms the moment they got inside the house like she thought he would do, Damon led her to the couch where he sat and tucked her into his side. She rested her head on his chest, taking comfort in the steady thrum of his heartbeat.