Page 78 of His Innocent Omega
This was Sweet Alps, where nothing much happened, except for a few one offs. Like the domestic dispute that had turned ugly the day Grayson had been shot. He still claimed the bullet had barely nicked his skin, but my heart squeezed every time I ran my fingers over the red scar on his arm.
Besides, the entire town knew my house was where the sheriff slept most nights, and nobody wanted to mess with Grayson. You messed with Grayson, you messed with Jamie, and most people didn’t want to tangle with the two of them. Honestly, Bash was more dangerous than the both of them combined.
I listened as he made his way up the stairs, his boots creaking on the third step from the top. And I knew with certainty that he would stop and check on Julianna before he made his way to my bed. Through the baby monitor I heard him softly whispering to her, even though she was soundly sleeping. The gentle caress as he kissed the top of her head and fussed with her blankets. She had undoubtedly wriggled out of them, as she did every night. She ran as hot as her alpha daddy did and was like a little furnace.
Finally, it was my turn, as the large shadow of him loomed in the doorway. I didn’t mind that he checked on the baby before coming to bed. I loved the fact that he was so devoted to our daughter. That she had her strong alpha daddy wrapped around her tiny finger. Loved that I knew he would protect her with every cell of his body.
Because I knew he would do the same for me.
He tugged off his shirt, tossing it in the general direction of the hamper I kept in the corner of the room, and I shook my head when I heard the rustle of it landing on the floor.
“Breaking and entering again, Sheriff?”
There was more rustling, the jangle of his belt. The thud of his boots, and the clink of his holster as he laid it on the dresser. “Have to keep my skills from getting rusty,mon petit. But it’s not breaking and entering when I have a key.”
My eyes already adjusted to the darkness of the room, and I watched as Grayson knelt down and punched in the code to the small gun safe he had installed there, securing his weapon for the night. It was within easy reach if he needed it, but he could do just as much damage with his hands or in his wolf form.
Scooting over, I held the blankets up while he slid in next to me. His naked skin on mine was just what I had been waiting for all night. Turning in his arms, I wiggled around, getting his big spoon just how I wanted it. Finally, I was settled, his arm wrapped around my waist and my hand stroking his arm.
His lips caressed the back of my neck and I shivered. “What brought you to town? Did you miss us that much?”
“Yes,” he sighed against my skin, “but no. Had a call I was needed on. Didn’t want to drive all the way home.”
“Everything all right?” Tension radiated from his coiled, tight muscles.
“Has Gabe ever mentioned Asher having a brother in that group chat of yours?” he finally asked.
Shaking my head, I said, “Asher has a brother? Gabe’s definitely never mentioned him. I would remember.”
“He does. A younger, alpha brother.”
“Is that who the call was about?”
His hand stroked my curls, his fingers playing with the ends where I was letting my hair grow out again. “Yeah. He’s in the E.R. in bad shape.”
Alarmed, I turned to look at him over my shoulder, “Is he going to be okay?”
“He will be,” he snuggled into me, letting out some of his tension. “I’m glad I got called in. I missed you and Jules.”
“We missed you too,” I agreed, “I can’t sleep when we aren’t together.”
“We really need to decide where we are going to live. Take the plunge already, since you won’t marry or claim me.”
I giggled at his sulky tone, laying my head on his arm. “I know. So, who is giving up their house? Mine is closer to work for both of us and bigger. But yours has all that land and is really convenient for shifting. And it’s so nice and private, but it’s way too small.”
“I’ve been thinking about it and I want you to hear me out before you say no.”
Brows furrowed, I muttered, “I’m listening.”
“What about us keeping the cabin as a kind of casita, and we build something bigger, with a garage. I’m tired of waiting for my car to thaw when it snows. We have enough land, and we can use the cabin for when your parents visit. If they visit. I mean, I feel like your father wants to visit, but your mother,” he shuddered.
My father called once a week, and even had learned to facetime so he could see Julianna. He talked about visiting all the time. The relationship between my mother and I was still strained, and she still had no interest in Julianna whatsoever. Sometimes I wondered if my father was going to just show up one day with his suitcases and announce he had finally left mymother.
“We can stay here while it’s being built so the construction doesn’t bother us, and we can make it exactly how we want it. Then we either sell or rent this place.” Grayson continued.
“So my parents–specifically my mother–would be in a completely different house than us if they do ever visit us again?”
“You hate the idea.”
