Page 51 of Unexpected Delivery

Then again, you don’t have the best track record with men.

I settle against the pillows and shake my head as a physical reaction to my thoughts.

No.

No fucking way am I going to allow Adam to destroy my ability to trust anyone else.

I had two great boyfriends in high school who were also alphas. They ended up going to colleges on opposite sides of the country, but they were decent guys. I also dated a really awesome beta during my first semester in college. I was pretty deep in grief over my dads, and Jimmy wasn’t equipped to deal with all that. He was a solid guy, just really young.

Morris has to have more than ten years in age on me. Possibly closer to twelve or fourteen. The twins might be a little closer to my age, though not by much.

Not that the age difference bothers me.

It feels like they might be at a stage where they’re ready to settle down. They certainly didn’t run off when I gave birth in their living room, and I’m pretty sure guys my own age would have freaked the hell out in the same situation.

Morris climbs onto the edge of the bed and rolls to face me. “It looks like you’re thinking about something pretty hard. Want to tell me about it?”

My head shakes, but I scoot closer to his expansive chest. “I’m not sure I’ve said it, but I want you to know how much I appreciate you looking after me. You make me feel safe in a way I don’t have words to explain.”

Morris moves closer, like he’s going to kiss my forehead, but I push up using my forearm and capture his mouth. His hand wraps around the back of my head, and he growls against my lips.

There’s not even any tongue, but it’s a perfect kiss.

I lick the seam of his lips and kinda throw my whole body at him. He pulls me over until I’m halfway on top of him, and he lets me guide the kiss. There’s something so tender about the way he cradles my skull and lower back, and it makes me want him even more.

He catches my lower lip between his teeth and nips at it as he releases it.

I’m a little heartbroken when he pulls back to breathe, but he nuzzles his beard to my cheek as his thumb teases the side of my neck.

“Rest now.” He bumps his cheek against mine. “More kisses tomorrow.” That low, ragged purr starts in his chest, and I can’t help but smile.

More kisses tomorrow sounds like heaven.

Chapter Nineteen

Hayes

“Well, I know Morris had the purest of intentions to come back for you.” I chuckle, patting Gracie’s bum. “But I’m guessing he passed out with your momma.”

The little lady isn’t the best conversationalist. She has fussed her head off for the last hour or two, though. She just got done with a bottle of expressed breastmilk, and as long as she doesn’t destroy another diaper, I’m planning to try to put her down after she burps.

I sway around the room, trying to settle the cranky baby. If this is what Arbor has been experiencing every night, I’m genuinely surprised she hasn’t had a breakdown.

It’s fucking complicated.

The longer I focus on it, the more I’m convinced we handled things the wrong way. That first night, we should have put Arbor in the primary suite. There’s more room up there, and it has an attached bathroom.

There’s also a nest.

Omegas don’t just nest leading up to heats. They also hunker down and build safe spaces during pregnancy, the first few months postpartum, and anytime they’re feeling especially stressed.

I mistakenly thought she would ask if she needed it. At the very least, I thought she would vocalize some interest in being able to nest, but I’m just now realizing how differently alphas and omegas approach problems.

We hyper-focused on the wrong things.

We didn’t want to come on too strongly and scare her off, since omegas are known to run, but it’s not like she has the resources to up and leave.

Now I’m wondering if she has any idea how emotionally attached we are to both of them. My system views Gracie as mine, but I haven’t had a lot of opportunities to show Arbor that.

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