Page 40 of Dream Girl
“Good. I know you’re still trying to work through everything, but people are going to expect us to act a certain way,” he told me. “I’m your omega. Us cuddling in your hospital bed–perfectly normal. My bringing you fluffy blankets and pillows, very normal.”
“These blankets are like clouds.” This world seemed full of soft blankets, and I was all for it.
“Did I get the right shade of green?” he asked.
“It’s a pretty shade of green,” I said, petting the soft blanket.
His eyebrows rose. “Forest or spring?”
“Emerald. But sage green is nice, too, I like it.” I cuddled into him. “I like snuggles.”
“Me too. Still like pink and cookies?”
“Mauve and chocolate chip.” I nodded. “What else is normal?”
“You sleeping in Wes’ or my shirts. Someone from the pack always being here with you. Wes and I touching you. Oh, and lots of little normal couple things.” He started playing with my hair, which was comforting and made me sleepy.
Normal couple things? Yeah, I wasn’t sure I knew what those were.
I leaned into his touch, because it felt nice. “I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t very good at relationships. After my mom cut me off, I was in my PhD program and too busy trying not to starve. Also, going through massive and expensive therapy to get over what my mom put me through. Not to mention I have issues.”
“They cut you off?” He frowned. “Oh, you remembered something else?”
“You’re right. I did.” My brows furrowed as I tried to think. There really was no rhyme or reason to what I remembered other than older memories were a little easier.
“Take your time, Peaches.” He kissed my forehead.
I winced as a particularly painful memory surfaced. “After I wasrehabilitated,I went to the local state university to study to be a teacher,” I said slowly as I shoved the memories together.
“She literally had the love of math beaten out of me. When I found it again and decided to pursue my childhood dreams of getting my PhD in math instead of coming home, teaching and marrying some church boy, yeah, she cut me off. My dad and I eventually reconnected when he divorced my mom. Still, I didn’t even know my mom had died until one of my brothers accosted me right before I graduated to inform me she left me nothing and everyone hated me. Once that would have devastated me, but I no longer cared, I was living my dream. And now… now I’m here. I still don’t know why or wherehereis.” Myactualdream.
While Wes had told me he lived inRockland, I never did specifically figure out what mountain range he lived by. His world had been strange, because while some cities and states were called the same things, other things were different. Not that we’d really dug into the geographical, historical, or political differences of our worlds. Mostly we just talked aboutlife–school, our families, hobbies, our hopes and dreams. I never asked him to draw me a map.
“Wow, you remembered a lot, good job.” Evan stroked my hair.
“That one hurt,” I whimpered.
“I’m sure it did. You can still achieve your dreams here. I think Spence would hire you.” Evan kept stroking my hair. “But that’s good to know. While your mom keeping you from him will help Wes from being deemed a neglectful bond mate, you’ve been an adult for a while.”
“I didn’t think he was real. I’m struggling with that, Evan. They hurt me, drugged me, told me over and over I was imagining things, and now…” I shook a little. It was so much to take in.
“Sorry, Peaches.” He nuzzled me again. “I’m sure this is so much for you. Don’t stress too much about keeping things straight right now. I’ve got you.”
“Because I’m the disoriented one with the head injury? None of this is Wes’ fault. You can’t neglect someone who doesn’t exist. But it’s not like I can tell the whole truth. I should never have come here.” I sniffed, feeling awful for causing problems.
“Did you come here? Like, did you flee the men chasing you and you came here so Wes could keep you safe? Were you dumped here?” he prodded.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I tried to picture it. I was running, there was shouting, and then… black. Park bench. Those guys. Nothing else came. “I don’t know.”
“That’s okay. We’ll get to know each other a little. You should know things about us and the rest of the pack,” he added.
“True. I know what you, Jett, and Wes do for a living, but what about Spencer and Brennan?” I was curious, especially after Spencer justknewI wasn’t from here.
“Brennan’s in real estate. He’s loaded–and so is his family. His mom owns half the city. He’s also grumpy, likes privacy because he grew up in such a public family, and is overprotective, which explains, but doesn’t excuse, him this morning. Spencer’s a genius who made a shit-ton of money in pharmaceuticals, then shifted into biotech. He’s always had an interest in quantum physics, but I’m not sure how he figured out so fast that you weren’t from here–I didn’t tell him,” Evan told me.
“He said that I smelled of neutrons. I didn’t know they had smells, but it makes sense that some sort of particle might cling to you during inter-world travel. Do you think he can help me getback?” Oh my god, Spencer was hot in a sexy silver fox way. I’d make some science with him.
Whoa, girl. What about Wes and Evan?There I went with the thirsty thoughts.
