Page 23 of His Gentle Omega
There were more things I remembered after that, but it was all just weird pieces to a jigsaw puzzle, and nothing seemed to fit together correctly.
There had been three large alphas, who had managed to get me into a tin-can sized car. I distinctly remembered being almost too tall, sitting in the cramped passenger seat. I guessed those same big alphas had followed us here and gotten me into the bed, because there was no way Bennett would have been able to manage it on his own. But I remembered nothing until I was being stripped down to my boxer briefs and tucked into a soft, warm bed.
Remembering that made me realize that my boxer briefs seemed to have vanished from my body. I was as naked as the day I was born under the duvet. Had Bennett done that? If he was going to strip me, he could at least wait until I was awake and not feeling like death warmed over.
Where were all these sexual thoughts coming from? It was nice to know I wasn’t completely dead inside, but having these feelings for Bennett–a complete stranger–seemed wrong. Edward and I hadn’t been intimate since the night we had conceived Lucas. My desire, even for getting myself off, had vanished about the time my tiger had gone into hiding. Suddenlyfinding myself attracted to Bennett was…somewhat of a relief, but startling.
Looking around the room, I saw my underwear folded neatly on a dresser, resting on top of the pile of clothes I had been wearing. Waving a hand, indicating the room as a whole, I implored Bennett with my eyes. They said fated mates developed a bond, and that they were able to feel their mate’s emotions, even communicate with just their minds. I didn’t know if that was true, but it was worth a shot.
Bennett looked around his bedroom, a soft smile curving his lips upwards, drawing all my attention to them. They were petal pink, and the most perfect bow shape I had ever seen. His bottom lip was fuller than the top and just a smidge shy of being pouty. He had kissable lips and I wondered if they were as soft as they looked. Sadly, there were only parts of me that seemed interested in Bennett’s lips or kissing them. My cock didn’t even twitch. Not surprising considering the sorry state I was in.
You have no business even thinking about kissing him. Or thinking about what his hands would feel like trailing across your skin, undressing you. Remember what happened the last time you were instantly captivated by a beautiful omega? Nothing good.
You do not need this in your life right now, Shay. Stop thinking about pouty lips and soft kisses. You already have one mess of trouble you’re mated to, and a bond you need to break.
Though in truth, our bond had been broken years before. Getting rid of my mate bond mark would be more of a formality at this point. And something I wanted to do. They might not be able to make the mark disappear completely, but they could scrape the last traces of Edward from my body.
“I’m sure you have some questions,” Bennett started, his hands hovering like he didn’t know exactly where he shouldtouch, or what he should do with them. Finally, he let them rest in his lap, and my eyes were drawn to where they were folded over his crotch.
He was dressed in pale pink sleep shorts, and they had ridden up a little, high on his slender, toned thighs. The matching pink shirt was cropped, showing off a slender band of bare skin just above his hands. Black letters declared, “Napping Vibes” across his chest.
He was sexy and adorable, all wrapped up in a compact, petite body, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t find him incredibly attractive. But I absolutely could not let myself focus on anything other than the mess my life was. And the last thing I needed to do was drag another person into my mess.
Nodding my head slightly at his statement, I waited for him to say more.
Instead, his hand gently pushed mine out of the way of the little machine–whatever he had called it–and pulled it away from my face. Holding it up to the light to peer at the contents, I used the reprieve from the medicine to wipe the wetness it left off my face. My hand rubbed over my rough stubble that was quickly becoming a thin beard.
I hadn’t bothered with shaving on the trip here. Maybe I wouldn’t shave. Maybe I would keep the beard. Edward always hated it, even when I had so much as morning stubble. He complained it was too rough on his skin and he despised facial hair.
So many things I had done because they were what Edward wanted or liked or disliked. I barely knew what I actually liked and what was Edward’s influence. It was time I figured out what I wanted. Shay, not Edward.
“Not quite finished yet,” Bennet declared, placing the mask back over my face. “Just a few more minutes.”
Tilting my head at him like I was a damn dog, I tried to implore him with my eyes to read my mind, and answer some of the questions I had.
It must have worked because Bennett settled into the same spot on the bed by my hip, sitting cross legged this time. I tried to keep my eyes averted from what that position was doing to those very skimpy sleep shorts, because I was sure if I looked just right, I might be able to get a glimpse of his little omega cock.
Stop looking, Shay. Keep your eyes above the waist at all times.
“It’s Sunday morning, technically,” Bennett told me, and I tried to remember what day we had finally arrived in Sweet Alps. “You collapsed at the hospital on Friday night.”
I’d lost an entire day that I could barely remember. My heart started pounding thinking of all the things that could have happened to Lucas.
Bennett’s hand flattened on my chest, his touch searing, and he calmly ordered, “Slow your breathing down, Shay. Nothing bad happened. It was probably the best place for your body to give out.”
It was startling how he seemed to know me so well, was able to pick up on changes in my body. I tried to do what he instructed, tried to calm my racing heart, tried to not think about the what if’s and concentrate on the now.
“I’m going to give you a quick rundown of the most important things, because you need the rest of your meds, and sleep. And so do I. Three a.m. isn’t the best time to talk about anything.”
“You have bronchitis, borderline pneumonia. You’re very sick, and this isn’t something you’re going to shake right away. Lotsof bedrest. The sheriff is aware you declared Alpha Law. He’ll need to talk to you when you’re up to it.”
He pulled the face mask away, checked the medicine level, and nodded, satisfied it was empty. Placing the machine beside him on the bed, he uncapped a brown medicine bottle and shook a large white pill into his hand. Handing it to me along with a glass of water, I swallowed it dutifully, without even asking what it was.
“Antibiotic,” he told me, handing me three small, brown pills I recognized as ibuprofen. “For your fever and body aches.”
Pouring red liquid in a medicine cup, he handed it to me. Grimacing at the taste, I swallowed it down. “Prescription strength cough suppressant to help you sleep.”
Handing him the cup back, I saw my hands were shaking. “I feel weird,” I rasped, because I did. Everything felt shaky, but kind of wired, at the same time.
