Page 79 of The Heat of Us

I made a strange sort of gibbering, choked noise.

He still wasn’t done. Remy scent marked me, but wasn’t content to just run his cheek against mine. He kissed along my neck, tongue flicking out slightly until his smoky whisky clung to every part of me. Trapped in every sharply indrawn breath.

“Have a good night, baby.”

Then he fucking left, giving Aleks one of those slapping handshakes as he went.

Aleks looked at me, no doubt taking in my wobbly legs and glassy eyes. Looking like I’d just downed an entire row of shots.

“I…feel like I just watched porn.”

I groaned, opening the door wide so he could come in. “Well, yes, he’s very good at his job,” I muttered.

Aleks raised a brow at me. “I don’t know if that was work, Hazel.”

I waved his comment away. I was more than happy to focus on Aleks’ dilemma instead of whatever the fuck kind of state Remy just put me in. “Come on, you’ve had a big day.”

He faltered when he noticed the bed I’d made for him on the couch. “What is this?”

I scrunched up my nose. “Oh yeah, I didn’t actually…ask you did I? You’re welcome to stay with me.”

If I were pragmatic I would’ve caveated it with a “until you get back on your feet” or at least a “for the time being.”

But now that he was here, it felt right having him close by.

I knew he had to be tired because instead of fighting, he set his duffle on armrest. “Hazel…are you sure about this?”

“Yes, of course.” I resisted the very strong urge to tuck him in, all the way up to his neck so only his head was visible. “You know how omegas are about our spaces right? I wouldn’t have offered to be polite.”

Aleks sank into the cushions, the emotional drain of the day weighing him down. “I’m going to fight you harder on this tomorrow. But for now…” He eyed the pillow longingly.

Maybe my need to tuck him in wasn’t so much about comfort as it was about mummifying him so he couldn’t leave. “I’m really ok with you being here,” I assured him. “But speaking of er, omega things.” I scratched the back of my neck nervously. “Please stay out of my nests. One’s for filming. And the other is…well, mine.”

I trusted that he would respect that.

No one needed to see my real nest.

“Of course, I would never intrude.” Aleks looked aghast I would even suggest it.

I couldn’t help reaching over, letting his chin rest on my palm. He was due for a shave, light stubble dotting his jawline. Probably due for a lot of self care, as I regarded the slump of his shoulders. My fingers crept upward, sweeping through his golden hair.

“So pretty,” I said quietly before realising what I’d done.

He didn’t push my hand off, his breathing growing shallow at my gentle touch.

“My grandma said it looks exactly like my mother’s,” he said quietly. “I have to take her word for it. Dad didn’t want any photos of mum in the house after she passed.”

I wondered briefly if the raw, uneven edges of us would fit together to make a singular whole person.

“Good night, Aleks.” I turned to leave but remembered one last thing. “Oh and…if you wake up in the morning and I’m not here, don’t freak out. Sometimes I might not end up sleeping here at all.”

Aleks shot me a disbelieving stare. “What?”

“I have insomnia.” It was the simplest way to describe it. “I’m trying something new to see if it goes away.”

Sleeping with my scent matched alpha. Not complicated at all.

Aleks looked at me like he was really seeing me for the first time. Beyond Hazel the 101 Riverside resident, Hazel the omega that irritated him.

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