Page 44 of Just Like in the Movies
His eyes widened and his expression grew thoughtful. I waited to see what he’d say.
Lew scratched his fingernails over the cloth of the couch, making a rhythmic burring noise as he turned my words over in his head. “You know, Mom wasn’t sure you’d be able to make that leap,” he said finally. “I thought you could, or at least I thought you had it in you. But I’m not going to lie and say that I was positive.”
“If we’re going to make it work in this town, with my career, we can’t go into this without thinking,” I told him honestly. “Yeah, I rushed things back home. But film schedules are going to rule our lives if you decide you want to stay with me. We can’t let them make us do things differently.”
“I do want to stay with you. You know it’s more complicated than that.”
I nodded regretfully. “I know. And I know that I still have a lot to make up for.”
He shrugged indifferently. “I think we’re mostly past that, aren’t we?” He stopped picking at the couch and reached out to stroke my chest. “And I miss this.”
I shook my head. “Is it funny that suddenly I’m the anxious one?”
That made him laugh. “No worse than me.” His smile disappeared and he leaned in to kiss me gently on the lips. “All right, I’ll give you some space,” he whispered. His hand on my chest grew heavier. “Doesn’t mean we have to give this up.”
I licked my lips and wondered if this was how omegas felt when faced with an alpha they desperately wanted. “Yes, it does.”
“Mike, you only have one bedroom!” he cried in exasperation, but he was laughing too.
“I know. That’s why,” I stood up and went to get his suitcase, “you’re sleeping in the bedroom. I’m sleeping on the couch. But I have to leave around five-thirty to get to work on time, so if I wake you up, I’m sorry.” I carried his suitcase over to the bedroom and turned to find him following me with a bemused look on his face. "I want this to work," I explained. "You made it plain back home that I was trying to move too fast and leaving you behind. So this is me, slowing down."
He narrowed his eyes as if he didn't quite believe me. I couldn't blame him—I didn't know if I'd believe me either, except I knew what was going on in my head. I waited, standing just inside the door of the bedroom with him just outside, like some overly artsy director had gotten hold of our life story, and secretly crossed my fingers that he understood what I was trying to do.
"What am I going to do with you?" he mused finally, shaking his head. He stepped through the door and kissed me, one hand on my waist, the other just barely touching my cheek. Light as a summer breeze, almost as if he wasn't there, which was an uncomfortable thought. I hoped it wasn't the artsy director's version of foreshadowing.
Lew reached for the suitcase. "All right, I'll humor you for a bit. Until I don't want to anymore." His free hand trailed over my chest and he squeezed my arm. "Do you need the bathroom for anything?"
I nodded. "Need to brush my teeth."
"I'll unpack then."
"I should clean out a drawer for you."
"Time for that tomorrow. You have a long day ahead of you." He laid the suitcase on the bed and came over to hug me. "I'm not mad at you. Lots of other things I'm still mad about, but not this, and we'll work through the other things." He stepped back. "Go get ready for bed. I don't want you getting in trouble at work over me."
"Right." I hesitated, then leaned in for a kiss. He grinned and kissed me back and then slapped me on the ass. "Go."
"Brat," I grumbled, but I went.
When I came back out, he was already in a pair of pajama pants and a loose t-shirt. Not his usual sleeping outfit, as I had good reason to know, but I was glad for it because I would have wanted to change my mind if he'd been in here all naked and close and as willing as he'd obviously been earlier. I fished a spare blanket out from under the bed and snagged one of the pillows. He laughed at me as I made my way back out to the living room, and as soon as I'd turned off the living room lights and gotten settled, he turned out the bedroom lights. Because that was Lew, always thinking ahead, and I wasn't fool enough to believe he hadn't recognized that I'd be stumbling over my own furniture if I had to roam around here in the dark.
It took me a long time to go to sleep though and I thought, from the rustling in the bedroom, that Lew had the same problem. Which was weirdly comforting, in a creepy, pervy sort of way.
Of course, when I thought about Lew, I was always kind of pervy. But I supposed that was only to be expected of a young, healthy alpha faced with a gorgeous, sexy omega.
I sighed and punched my pillow.Sleep, I need to sleep. Stop thinking about Lew.
It took me forever, but I did eventually fall asleep. And then I dreamed about him.
