Page 15 of Blooming for His Omega

I had no right coming here this late at night, begging for his touch after all I’d done to refuse him.

I’d led him on and turned him off.

Drew him in and pushed him away.

I didn’t deserve Zion, but I knocked anyway, holding my breath for the bear to answer.

“Cicek,” he breathed as he answered the door.

“Zion. I’m sorry. You were sleeping.”

His hair was tousled in the sexiest way, and he also wore nothing but a pair of pajama pants, his slung low on the hips. “I was tossing and turning. Thinking of getting up and having a snack. Is something wrong? You? The baby?”

I shrugged, feeling stupid for coming here. The man was trying to sleep and, again, I was burdening him with my troubles.

Yes, he was my mate, but we were not mated. And I had decided not to take on another alpha.

I shouldn’t be leaning on him as much as I was.

“I’m fine. Just couldn’t sleep. Thinking too much. Sorry I bothered you.”

I began to walk away, but he put his hand on my elbow and tugged. “You aren’t bothering me, omega. Come on in. The night air is chilly.”

It was the first time I’d been inside his apartment. Much like mine, the layout was a studio, but his was homier than mine. Pictures on the walls and I smelled the remnants of meat, vegetables, and freshly baked cake.

Didn’t know he baked as well, but the fact didn’t come as a surprise. Zion had talents in the kitchen and beyond.

I would bet he had all kinds of talents.

He offered me to sit on his love seat. It was covered with a soft fabric and had plushy pillows. I sank into its comfort, surrounded by the scent of Zion.

“Tell me what has you all riled up.” He pressed his thumb under my eyes. I knew they were puffy from crying. He moved to hold my hands. Even this simple touch unraveled all the knots inside me. I couldn’t imagine the sheer joy and ecstasy it would be for him to mate me, take me as his own.

I never would have that.

“I need to tell Derek about the baby.” I gasped, realizing it was the first time I’d told Zion my ex’s name. My secrets and desires tumbled from my mouth when I was around him.

He nodded. “That’s probably the right thing to do.”

“One step at a time, right? I don’t know what he will do or how he will want to be in this child’s life, one way or another, but I will have to deal with it in time.”

He chuckled. “That’s right.” Pausing, he squeezed my hands. “You’re not…are you trying to have a relationship with Derek again?”

My heart sank. I should’ve explained that better. “No. I won’t be under his thumb ever again, but I can’t have him finding out. There are so many things on my mind and so many unknowns.”

“Like what?” he whispered, scooting forward. I smelled my own arousal in the air mingled with his scent. He could have pointed out that I had decided to tell him already…but he did not. Which made my actions more understandable. Or at least so I told myself.

“Like what I’m supposed to do about you.”

Chapter Fifteen

Zion

I had no excuse for what happened next. Cicek showed up at my door in his striped cotton pajama pants, no shirt, feet bare, and sex appeal whirling around him. I invited him in and tried to make him comfortable. He’d been through so much lately, leaving a bad relationship and his whole life to move here and make a new one. What if he hadn’t had Bloom to come to? He’d have been pregnant and living who knew where. I couldn’t stand the thought.

But protectiveness did not need to cross the line; I could have sat down and listened, without winding up in my bed naked and kissing the omega I yearned for. Unlike next door, my unit was not a studio, so I’d had a living room we could have stayed in and talked. I’d always heard that once you met your mate, everything would be perfect. Sure, free will came into play, but why would someone not want their fated?

By definition, a fated or mate would be the perfect person, with every trait their mate could need or want to have an amazing life. There would be zero reason not to jump into a relationship with them with both feet and a beaming smile. And, maybe that was the case for some, but in real life, by the time a fated came along, both of the people involved would have a bunch of life behind them. They might have dabbled with other relationships and been hurt, had a rough childhood, or a hard time succeeding with work, could be just about anything that years on the planet brought out.

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