Page 70 of His Sassy Omega
I peered at him over the rim of my mug. His stammering was cute, and a little funny, especially considering the man had knotted me more than a couple of times at this point.
However, I wasn’t sure if we were at the boyfriends stage, either. Despite everything happening at warp speed between us, I wasn’t sure I was quite there yet. We’d just agreed to try dating a few days ago. To not put pressure on either one of us.
My contemplating him over my mug, and my brain whirling at the word ‘boyfriend’, must have made Lachlan think I was going to turn him down, and he started stammering again. “I didn’t even ask if you were free that night. You probably have your own family traditions on Christmas Eve, and that’s fine, I totally understand. Forget I asked.”
“Yes, I’d like to come with you to your mom’s house,” I said, grinning into my cup. Lachlan was adorable when he was unsure of himself. “My family does a big Christmas morning breakfast, then presents, then dinner. We usually watch a movie or two in between all that. I’m free on Christmas Eve. Well, that night I will be. The Sweet Spot is open until six that day. People need their coffee for last-minute shopping, and desserts for parties and dinners, so we stay open later. I could be there by seven if that will work?”
He grinned wide at me, his smile all white teeth. It lit his face up, giving him a softer side that I didn’t think many people were privileged enough to get to see. As we got to know each other, as I’d gotten to know him, I could see him starting to relax more in my presence. The rude businessman that had barged into my bakery that first day, cutting in line, was gone. When we were together, he seemed to be able to let his guard down, to let his walls crumble a little. I could almost see him discovering things about himself he hadn’t even known existed.
Should I invite him to my family's Christmas? I hadn’t ever invited anyone to our Christmas. Mostly because, the only time I’d been dating anyone of any seriousness, had been last Christmas, and it had been Leo. And he’d said he’d had a business thing he’d had to take care of out of town, and wouldn’t be able to make it. In reality, he’d probably been taking care of Justin.
Yeah, Leo was a shit person, and he’d probably been cheating on me the entire time. If I was going to be honest with myself, I’d been detached from the whole relationship. I’d never let myself get that close to Leo, but I hadn’t cared. The relationship had gone on as long as it did because I’d been too busy to end it. Leo had always been an afterthought in the back of my mind.
I never felt like I was missing anything when we weren’t together. Why it still stung to find out he’d been cheating on me, I had no clue, but it did. Why I was still angry over what he’d done, and tried to do with my bakery and my life, I couldn’t say. Probably more a pride thing, than any actual feelings that were involved.
With Lachlan I found myself wanting more with him. I wanted to get to know him, all of him. The real him, the person he was at home, in his sweats. I wanted to know his favorites – color, music, movie, food – all of it.
I wanted it all with him.
“Do you…” I started, but the words caught in my throat, and I cleared it a little. “Would you like to come to our Christmas breakfast at my parents’ house? Spend the day, watch movies, and have dinner?”
He nodded his dark head immediately, his smile beaming, taking no time to even think about his answer. “Yes, yes I would.”
I yawned, because even though I’d slept a whole day away, I still felt drained. Lachlan took the mug from me and placed it on the bedside table. “I should get going.”
Without thought, I reached out a hand, stopping him.
“Stay. With me. Tonight.” I scooted over and made a spot in my cocoon of blankets.
He stopped mid-stand, then sank back next to me on the bed. “Are you sure?”
I patted the mattress. “I’m sure. It’s too late for you to drive home.” That sounded lame as hell, but I refused to say the actual words letting him know I wanted him to stay. “And you’re too long for the couch.”
That at least was the truth. I figured that’s where he’d been camped out, since he was in sweats and a t-shirt, with sleep rumpled hair.
“This isn’t some kind of trick, is it?” He slid in next to me, his big body taking up a lot of real estate in my queen-sized bed. I always hated sharing space, especially in bed. I was a sprawler, and a restless sleeper, and I didn’t need to hear anyone complaining.
“You’re not going to wake me up in an hour, and kick my ass out again, are you?” he demanded. “I have to tell you, I won’t handle it well.”
Lachlan pulled me close to him before I could protest, and I settled my head on his chest, just under his chin. My thigh wrapped over his big, hairy ones, like it had a mind of its own, and knew just where it belonged.
“I’m too tired for all that nonsense. But if you could be gone by the time I wake up, that would be fantastic,” I teased, wriggling around until I was draped over him like an octopus.
He stroked my back lightly, and nuzzled his chin into my hair, something I noticed he did a lot of. It was nice. Comforting, and warm, and all the things I’d never known it could be. I was just dozing off, when his voice whispered in the darkness, piercing the silence.
“Quinn?”
“Hmmmm?”
“What’s happening between us? Do you want it to continue? Truly? I know we talked about it in my office, but is it what you want?” He sounded so unsure, hesitant like he was prepared for me to say no.
“I do,” I answered him, speaking the first words that popped into my head. It was a trick Gigi used on me when I was growing up. If I was having a hard time choosing something or working things out in my head. She’d tell me to close my eyes, to not think, and just answer with the first thing that popped into my head. She’d say,“There’s your answer, Quinny. That’s what you really want, deep down. No second-guessing yourself.”
“We are very different,” he whispered, and he sounded as afraid as I felt. He wasn’t wrong, and some of our differences seemed big, and I wasn’t sure we would be able to move past them.
“We are,” I agreed, not denying the truth. Truths were easier to talk about under the cover of darkness. “I like you, Lachlan. More than I want to. More than I’ve ever liked anyone.”
I could feel his smile against my hair. “I like you too, though honestly, I’m not sure why.” I tensed beneath his feather-light strokes on my skin. “That came out wrong. What I mean is, you’re not someone I would have ever pictured myself with. But the last few weeks have been full of all kinds of surprises, and I think I’m still sorting through them all.”
