Page 87 of His Gentle Omega
Giving me another heated look, his voice turned growly in a much too sexy way. “I will take care of your lawn needs from now on. It’s the least I can do for you.”
Rolling my eyes, I asked, “Is this still about me taking care of you that first week? I’ve told you not to worry about it.”
Bending low and getting close to my ear, so close his hot breath ghosting over my lobe caused me to shiver despite the warm day, he whispered, “It’s about me taking care of my omega. I might not be ready yet, Bennett, but I can take care of you in small ways. Ineedto take care of this for you.”
The way he put emphasis on the wordneedmade me whimper with my ownneed. Hearing him call me his omega, that hehadto take care of me, it caused a primal urge to slam into me I hadn’t known I was capable of.
Shay was sexy on any given day. Shay, acting like a primal alpha, even in the tiniest way, was like sex on a stick.
My hands covered his, and I rocked my body closer to him. Needing to feel him against me. Everywhere. Anywhere. My heart pounded too fast, the air escaping my lungs in quick, sharp pants. My hole fluttered, empty and aching to be filled, growing damp with slick.
Shay’s nostrils flared, his pupils wide, as he leaned even closer. “You smell so damn good, Bennett. Sweet and spicy. Even better than usual. I don’t know why, but it’s intoxicating.”
“Shay,” I whisper panted, my fingers digging into his. The sounds of the party had disappeared, the murmur of voices, laughter, and kids’ high-pitched calls. The only sound was of my panting breaths, and the air moving when his nostrils flared as he breathed my scent in. It was just him and me, desire thick between the two of us.
“Bennett! You came!” Lucas’s shriek broke the spell we were under, and we both jumped back, putting much needed space between us.
Lucas launched himself at me, and I braced myself for his impact, wrapping him tightly in my arms. He gave the best hugs, and I never wanted to let him go.
“Of course I came,” I whispered into his sun-warmed hair, “I wouldn’t miss your birthday for the world.”
Grinning up at me, my heart ached with love for this little boy. “Daddy, when can I open presents?”
Shay shook his head, staring at me, and I had to look away. I couldn’t hold his gaze, afraid if I did, he would see all my secrets. The love I had for his child, and for him, and the secret that was nestled safely in my belly.
My eyes locked with Asher’s, and he gave me a small nod, like he understood exactly what I was feeling. Maybe he did. I knew a bit about his and Gabe’s story from Seth, and I knew Gabe hadn’t made it easy on Asher to catch him. And it had been Asher doing the chasing, according to Seth. The omega had come on a bit too strong for Gabe’s bashful bear to handle, and he had shied away from the confident cheetah.
“How about another few minutes,” Shay told Lucas thickly, before clearing his throat. “You still have guests arriving.”
Seth entered the yard, carrying his package along with a bunch of colorful balloons, and Lucas ran over to him. Shay took a step towards me, and I held my hand up to stop him.
“You stay over there.” Waving towards the group of people gathered across the yard, I said, “I’m going to go over there. With Quinn and Wade, and…everyone else. Where it’s safe.”
“Bennett–”
Shaking my head, I repeated, pointing towards the group of omegas. “I’m going over there. You go…somewhere else. We nearly caused an x-rated scene at a child’s party.”
His lips quirked up, “PG-13 at best.”
“Oh, he’s got jokes,” I muttered, walking away.
Where it was safe. Away from Shay and all his tanned skin, long legs, and delectable scent. The man wanted space and I was giving it to him.
It was as much for his well-being as mine this time.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Bennett
August rolled into September before I knew it. The relentless heat that had plagued us finally turned into some cooler weather the very last week of the month. Which I was thankful for, not only because I was well and truly done with the high temps, but because I was starting to show, and I really needed it to start being sweater weather so I could hide my small bump.
Before long, I was going to have to break down and go buy some actual paternity clothes. Right now, I was getting by with buying a size up in everything, and just having a baggier style. But the buttons and zipper of my dress slacks were starting to get uncomfortable. Yesterday at work, I had finally given up and just yanked my shirt out of my pants and undone the button and zipper. Letting out a sigh of relief to not have anything restraining my belly.
It wasn’t the most professional look, having my shirt hanging out of my pants. My boss’s raised brows had forced me to take him into his office and let him know the reason I could not tuck my shirt in for one more second. He’d been surprised by my news, not knowing I was even seeing anyone, and I hadn’t gone into great detail about my circumstances, or my relationship status.
Seth was right and I wasn’t going to be able to put off telling Shay much longer. Soon I wouldn’t be able to hide the gentle rounding of my belly, even with baggy clothes. And the man lived right next door to me. He saw me out frequently. Though I had been making a point of heading straight into my house if he was in his yard when I got home, keeping my head down and barely tossing a wave in his general direction. Then I practically hid out in my house, behind locked doors.
We hadn’t talked since Lucas’s birthday. I had no idea where any of the court cases stood. But Edward’s rehab should be ending soon, which meant the court date had to be near.
