Numb
Today's incident told Damon that he needs to win Talia's heart and her trust because just saying that they are mates won't be enough.
Without feeling the bond, Talia could run away from Damon when she feels threatened, and he will need to assure Talia that he will be there for her no matter what.
How will he accomplish that? Damon had no idea. He decided to ask Caden and Maya for advice tomorrow, but for tonight, this was good progress and the night was still not over.
For Talia, sitting on Damon's lap with his arms around her, came with a sense of safety and belonging, and he managed to make her nervous at the same time. His hold was comforting and warm, yet her insides shivered. It was unbelievable and contradictory.
When Damon asked her earlier that day what she wants as a reward for being the MVP of the tournament, Talia was thinking about a date with him, and this… isn't this kind of a date?