Page 85 of Omega's Refuge

The next morning Rex and I moved our stuff into the bigger cabin. The new cabin had a rustic charm, and was even nicer than the one I’d stayed in previously. There was the warm glow of natural wood floors, with pine-paneled walls and exposed wooden beams. A small stone fireplace was on one wall, and there was a comfortable looking leather sofa and a couple of overstuffed armchairs arranged around it.

As Rex had promised, there was a compact kitchenette, well-equipped with stainless steel appliances that added a touch of modern convenience. The butcher block countertops softened the sleekness, lending a cozy, country charm to the space.

There were two bedrooms, and the larger room had a queen-size bedwith a sturdy white pine bed frame, topped with a thick blue and white quilt and plush pillows. The other bedroom was mostly empty, which I appreciated. That would make setting up my art studio easier. Both rooms featured large windows that looked out over the sprawling ranch, allowing plenty of natural light to filter in.

“What do you think?” Rex asked, standing in the center of the living room. “Will this work?”

“I think it’ll be perfect for now. Once my stuff from Billings arrives, we’ll know more about what we need in terms of space.” I moved to one of the boxes near the fireplace. The boxes were all Rex’s stuff since I only had my two suitcases with me for now. “Most of my stuff from my apartment will be put in storage.”

He put his hands on his hips, surveying the boxes stacked around the room. “I’m sorry there wasn’t a cabin big enough for you to bring all your furniture here.”

“That’s okay. We can worry about that later. Once the baby arrives, we’ll move if we need to, right?” I touched my stomach, still in disbelief that I was pregnant. “We’ll probably need three bedrooms eventually. It’s fine with only two while the baby is little, but they’ll need their own room at some point, and I’ll still need my studio.”

He moved closer and put his arms around me. He kissed me softly, his expression gentle. “We could buy a home before the baby arrives, if you’d prefer that?”

I hesitated. “I think we should wait.”

He nodded, but his expression seemed uncertain. “Is that because buying a house is such a permanent thing?”

I frowned. “No. Rex, you claiming me is already a permanent thing. At least, it is to me.”

“It is to me too.”

“Okay, good.” I met his warm gaze. “I hesitate about buying a house because I don’t have a job yet. I don’t want you to buy the house and then I’m not really a part of it.”

“But you’re my omega. Of course you’d be a part of it.”

“I want to contribute, not live off you. I told you that before. It’s important to me that I make my own money. I’m not comfortable being taken care of.”

He wrinkled his brow. “But, I want to take care of you.”

“I like that you want to take care of me, and I’ll need that as the pregnancy progresses. But I have to feel like I could survive financially if something went wrong.”

“If something went wrong?” He narrowed his eyes. “What does that mean?”

I shrugged. “I just mean, if… you know… we didn’t work out or something.”

He let go of me, looking disgruntled. “Why wouldn’t we work out?”

I laughed nervously. “I just mean, we might not be compatible. We don’t know how we’ll get along living together. We barely know each other. Maybe I snore and that would drive you nuts, or maybe the way you brush your teeth will bug me.”

“Those aren’t things that break couples up. Those are small annoyances. If you’re committed,you wouldn’t let things like that affect the relationship.” He sounded agitated. “Are you having second thoughts, Tanner?”

“No.” I reached for him and grabbed hold of his sleeve. He reluctantly let me pull him closer again. “You know what I’ve been through with Steve, right? I’m sorry if I still feel scared sometimes. It’s hard to fully trust after what he did. This thing with you, it… it feels almost too good to be real. It feels too perfect. That makes me nervous.”

“But why? When you’re compatible with someone, it should feel good.”

“I… I’ve never been in a relationship that feltthis… right.” I grimaced. “I guess I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“There is no other shoe. I’m exactly who I seem, Tanner.” He touched my cheek. “I promise.”

I let out a shaky breath. “I believe you. Just, be patient with me.”

“Okay. I can be patient.” He nodded. “But you shouldn’t go into this expecting us to fail. That doesn’t sit right with me.”

I didn’t like how unhappy he looked, and I slipped my arms around him, holding him close. “I’m sorry if I upset you. I didn’t mean any of that the way it sounds. I’m just hormonal and stressed.”

“Moving in together is probably overwhelming for you.” He rubbed his hands up and down my back. “I can stay in my cabin for now if this is too much for you, Tanner.”

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