Page 33 of Omega's Refuge

I laughed, cheeks warm. “No, I’m just a really bad fisherman. I hope you’re not counting on me for dinner or we’ll all starve.”

“Nah. Like I said earlier, we brought food.”

“Good.” I sighed. “Because I’m hopeless at fishing.”

He met my embarrassed gaze. “It just takes practice, that’s all. You’ve never been fly fishing before, right?”

“No.”

He patted my back. “Well, were you an expert the first time you drove a car, or tied your shoes? Of course not. New skills take time to learn, but we can’t beat ourselves up just because we’re not fantastic on our first go-around.”

“I suppose,” I murmured, staring at the clump of roots hanging from my pole.

“Here, let me see that.” Rex looked like he was trying not to laugh as he reached for my fishing pole.

“Sorry you’re having to waste so much time on me.” My pulse quickened as he moved closer.

He smiled and said softly, “That’s what I’m here for. I’ll get you sorted out, don’t you worry.”

I sighed. “I don’t know. It’s pretty tangled. You might have to cut the line.”

“Nah, just give me a sec.”

My attraction to him made me uneasy at our close proximity. I felt guilty for being so achingly aware of him. He smelled fantastic, and he was close enough that I could have easily leaned in and kissed him. I shivered when our fingers brushed as he helped me free my hook. The hairs on my arms prickled, and there seemed to be an electrical charge in the air as our bodies brushed.I knew he felt the sexual tension too, because his breathing sped up whenever our eyes met.

But he didn’t try anything or flirt with me. He remained professional, focusing on the task. He eventually managed to get the gunk off my hook, then baited it again and lifted the rod. “Now, I want you to watch me closely.”

No problem, Rex.

“You need to cast way out, like this.” He pulled the rod back, then let the line fly. The hook dropped with a loud plop into the middle of the river. “It’s best if you can get the lure out as far as possible, because you’re going to slowly bring it back in. You need some distance to work with.”

“I see.”

He focused on the line, tugging it slowly back in and letting it out every now and then. “Otherwise, if you’re too near shore,” he murmured, “you’re going to keep catching slime salad.”

“I’ll do my best.” I grimaced. “But I make no promises that I’ll succeed.”

“You’ll do fine, Tanner,” he said quietly. “Here, you take the rod and I’ll help you get the feel of it.”

“Oh, uh… okay.” I gingerly took the rod from him, heart pulse racing.

He stood close behind me, his warm body pressing gently against my back. He aligned his arms with mine and placed his hands over myown, guiding me as he slowly reeled in the line. “Just relax,” he murmured near my ear. “We’ll pull the rod back and cast the line into the river. Then, we’ll let it dance across the water as we reel it in, making the fish believe the fly is a real insect skimming the surface.”

“Got it,” I said softly, trying not to obsess over how warm and solid his body was. I hadn’t been this close to another alpha besides Steve in a long time. I felt guilty about how much I liked the feel of Rex’s body against mine.

“Loosen your muscles, Tanner. You’re too tense.”

I shivered as his husky voice and warm breath wafted against my ear. “Okay,” I said gruffly, praying he couldn’t tell I was getting aroused. That was all I needed, for someone to notice I had a boner.

“Now,” he said, “pull the rod back and give the line a few quick tugs, just making small jerking movements.”

I did what he told me to do, trying to concentrate on the movements of the fly in the water, instead of his body against mine. “Like that?” I asked, struggling to focus on the lure.

“Yeah, that’s good.” He straightened and took his hands off mine. “You’re getting the hang of it.”

“Thanks for helping me,” I said quietly, already missing the touch of his calloused handson mine. I felt embarrassed because I was supposed to be focused on fishing, but kept getting distracted by my body’s reaction to Rex.

“It’s my pleasure,” he said. “I have to be sure my guest’s needs are met, right?”

---