Omega’s Refuge (Rambling Cow Dude Ranch #1)

Chapter Fourteen

Our kisses grew more passionate, but when I started to clumsily unbutton his shirt with my good hand, he stopped me. “Wait, Tanner.” He gave me a weak smile. “You should rest.”

I frowned. “You don't want sex?”

He laughed gruffly. “Uh, of course I want sex.” He looked pointedly down at his raised crotch. “But I’m trying to be considerate. You’re recovering from a snake bite, and you’re pregnant . You should sleep and heal your body. There’s no rush to jump in bed. I’m not going anywhere.”

I squinted at him suspiciously. “You sure you’re just not interested?”

“Are you insane?” Rex scowled. “You think I’m not interested in sex with you?”

“It's possible,” I mumbled.

“No. It's completely impossible .” He sighed at my wary expression. “Tanner, I’m always going to put you first. Don’t you get that? Do I want to fuck you right now? Damn straight I do. But I’m trying not to think with my dick .”

I gave an embarrassed smile. “Steven would have jumped my bones with no thought at all to the fact I'm pregnant and recovering from a snake bite. It’s going to take me a minute to get used to having an alpha who puts me first. ”

“Well, this is all part of us getting to know each other, right?” He gave me a gentle smile. “Trust me, I want to be selfish right now. It's painful not giving into that.” He nuzzled my throat. “But your well-being matters more than me getting off.”

To be honest, my hand was throbbing and I probably needed to take more pain medication. A nap was the smart thing for me, regardless of whether my dick agreed or not. “I'll try not to be so suspicious.”

“Good.” He pulled back to study me. “Now, if you're sure it's what you want, I'll talk to Mrs. Rodwell about getting us moved into a bigger cabin.”

“It is what I want.” I stood. “So long as it's what you want.”

“It sure is.” He gave a happy little smile and rose. As he headed to the door, he said over his shoulder, “Take a nice long nap and I'll bring dinner later. We can eat together.”

“Okay.” I was happy he wanted to spend more time with me. “Say hi to my biggest fan, Mrs. Rodwell.”

“Will do.” He chuckled and left the cabin.

****

I woke up early the next morning feeling horribly nauseated. It was still dark when I stumbled to the bathroom and spent the next ten minutes retching into the toilet. Covered in sweat, I returned to the bed.

The night before, Rex had brought dinner as promised, but he hadn't spent the night. We'd made out some, but then he'd insisted on leaving so I could go to bed early. My welfare had been his only real concern.

I stared up at the ceiling as the morning light shifted from gray to pink, then to gold, thinking about what a good person Rex was. If Rex had spent the night, he would’ve been concerned about my morning sickness. Steve, on the other hand, would’ve just been annoyed that I was ruining his beauty sleep.

There was a sweetness in Rex that had been completely lacking in Steve. I’d put up with Steve’s selfishness because I’d been so used to it, but the contrast between an alpha who actually treated me like I mattered and one who only thought of himself was stark. I already felt spoiled by Rex, and we’d barely scratched the surface of what our relationship could be.

When I was sure the nausea had passed, I got up and got ready for the day. Rex had invited me to join the staff for breakfast this morning, and I'd agreed. I wasn't looking forward to seeing Mrs. Rodwell, but I couldn't avoid her forever. We were going to be around each other plenty, whether I liked it or not. I was hopeful that she'd accept the situation sooner rather than later. It would be very awkward if she didn't.

Rex had mentioned a new batch of guests would be arriving later today, which meant he’d be busy taking care of them. I’d have to amuse myself, which was fine. I had plenty to handle. I needed to arrange to move some of my things from Billings to the ranch and terminate my lease back home.

In the coming days, I’d have to return to Billings to sort through my belongings and decide what to keep and what to toss. Rex had offered to drive me on his day off since Steve had taken my car, and I’d accepted.

I wasn’t looking forward to going back to Billings, but having Rex with me would be a comfort. Although, it could also make things more awkward if we ran into Steve. He’d be twice as obnoxious if he found out about Rex and me. His pride would be bruised at the thought of me moving on with another alpha. It wouldn’t matter that he’d cheated on me with Tony. He’d only see his own side of things.

I’d finally decided not to tell Steve about the pregnancy. He’d flat out said he didn’t want kids, so why tell him about the baby? It would only complicate things. Plus, Steve could be vindictive when his pride was hurt. If he found out about the baby, odds were he’d then also know Rex and I were together. He might stir up trouble just because he was angry about me and Rex, not because he wanted to be a part of the baby’s life.

“I can't worry about Steve right now,” I muttered, pulling on a navy-blue hoodie.

After breakfast, I planned to head into town to look for art supplies. Since I didn’t have my car, Rex had asked Mrs. Rodwell if I could borrow one of the ranch vehicles, and she’d given her permission. I was relieved because if Jack decided to commission some artwork from me, I’d need to create new pieces that matched his clients' specific styles and themes. That meant I’d need some art supplies. The idea of selling my art was both exciting and nerve-wracking. If it actually worked out, it would be a dream come true—and I’d have Rex to thank for it all.

Feeling anxious about breakfast with the staff, I left my cabin and made a beeline for the main house. When I entered the dining room, many ranch employees were already seated at the long table. My nerves jangled as I took a seat near Rex, who was in his usual spot at the head of the table. He gave me a warm smile, and I tried to reciprocate, though my face felt tight as Saran wrap.

“You made it,” Rex said, patting my leg under the table.

“I did.” I glanced down the long table, meeting the curious stares of some of the staff. Many of the faces were familiar to me, but some weren't. Mrs. Rodwell sat almost across from me, and when my gaze met hers, she gave me a polite smile. “Morning,” I said brightly, forcing myself to appear as if I hadn’t a care in the world. I didn't want her knowing how nervous she made me.

“Good morning,” she replied. There was no warmth in her voice, but at least she hadn’t flat out snubbed me.

The guy next to me was an omega around my age named Seth. He had auburn hair and light green eyes. I'd met him a few times when the ranch had taken us on trail rides. He hadn’t been the friendliest of the staff, but this morning he honored me with a smile.

“This must be weird for you,” he said, gesturing to the table of people. “You're usually on the guest side of things.”

I smiled. “It is a little odd, but I’m looking forward to getting to know you guys.”

“Yeah?” He chuffed. “You want to mingle with us? Get to know us personally?”

“Of course.” I blinked at him. “Why wouldn’t I?”

He sighed. “Well, guests don’t usually look at us as real people . We’re simply here to cater to your needs.”

I laughed. “But you are real people.”

“Are we?” He smirked and took a bite of bacon .

“You seem pretty real to me.” I put my napkin on my lap, feeling a bit self-conscious because I could feel people staring at me.

He chuffed. “Bet you don't know half of our names.”

I frowned. “That’s not true. I know your name is Seth.”

His brows rose in surprise. “You know my name?”

“Of course.” I gestured to a few of the others. “I know she's Sheila and he's Tom. I think I know all the names of anyone I actually met. There are a few here I didn't see during my time as a regular guest.”

“Well, I'll be,” Seth said softly. “I thought we were invisible to your kind.”

I laughed. “My kind?”

Rex sighed. “Ignore him, Tanner. Seth is our resident cynic.”

“Is that right?” I smiled at Seth.

“Yep.” Seth rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. “There’s so much to be cynical about, don’t you agree?”

I shrugged. “I never really thought about it. I guess I prefer to try and see the good in the world.”

“Oh, dear.” Seth widened his eyes. “How very innocent you must be.”

My face warmed. “Not innocent, just optimistic. ”

“Tsk, tsk. You’ll be eaten alive if you keep that up.” Seth looked amused. “The world is a scary, wolf eat wolf environment. There’s no real place for optimism, if you ask me. Naturally, I wouldn’t usually speak this freely to a guest, but since you’re not really a guest anymore, I suppose I can show you my dark side.”

I laughed. “Please do.” While Seth was a little odd, I liked him. He was quirky, but easy to talk to. “Feel free to show me your dark side.”

“Careful what you wish for,” Seth said, smiling.

“Seth,” Mrs. Rodwell interrupted curtly. “You should hurry and finish your breakfast. The guests will be arriving in an hour, and you haven’t mucked out the stalls yet.”

Seth’s smile vanished, and he scraped his chair back. “I’m done eating, Ma’am.” Without another word, he grabbed his plate and headed for the kitchen.

Rex grunted as if he didn't approve of Mrs. Rodwell's boorish behavior, but he said nothing. I was annoyed she'd butted in because I'd enjoyed talking with Seth. If I was going to live on the ranch, I needed to bond with the people who worked here.

I met the eyes of Sheila across the table. She smiled at me sympathetically and opened her mouth to say something, but before she could get a word out, Mrs. Rodwell interrupted .

“Sheila, are all of the guest’s cabins done?” Mrs. Rodwell's tone was sharp as she addressed the young girl. “I don't think you got to the Ponderosa or the Blue Bell cabin yet, did you?”

Sheila seemed to shrink. “No, Ma'am. I planned on doing that just as soon as I finished my breakfast.”

Mrs. Rodwell glanced pointedly at Sheila's empty plate. “Well then, you'd better get to it.”

“Yes, Ma'am.” Sheila stood and picked up her plate, exiting the room the same way Seth had gone.

Frustration gnawed at me as I met Mrs. Rodwell’s blank stare. Was she going to chase off anyone who tried to be nice to me? What the hell was her problem? Why wasn’t she happy that Rex had found an omega? She’d implied she wanted that for him, yet she was treating me like a leper.

Rex must have felt my frustration because he pressed his leg to mine, and he once more patted my leg beneath the table. Was he trying to comfort me or keep me in line? I wasn't sure. Maybe he was worried I'd confront Mrs. Rodwell and get myself kicked off the ranch.

Out of respect for Rex, I held my tongue and focused on my meal. But my appetite was ruined. It was going to be a huge problem if Mrs. Rodwell hated me. If she went out of her way to make sure none of the staff befriended me, life on the ranch would be very lonely. Rex had to work and he couldn't be my only source of social interaction. Was her plan to isolate me so I’d give Rex up and run home?

After how Mrs. Rodwell had behaved with Sheila and Seth, none of the rest of the staff attempted to talk to me. Mrs. Rodwell certainly made no attempt to engage me in conversation, only speaking to Rex. After a while, she excused herself and left the room. I was relieved she’d left, but unfortunately, the others followed her lead. They all cleared out when she did, giving me no opportunity to connect with them.

“I called Jack last night,” Rex said, once we were the only two left in the big room.

“Did you?” I met his gaze and my stomach dipped from nerves. I'd shown Rex photos of some of my favorite art pieces from my phone. He'd been very complimentary, but that didn’t mean his brother would be.

Rex nodded. “I did and he seemed very interested.”

“Really?” I squeaked.

“Yep.”

I gritted my teeth. “Are you sure he wasn't just being polite because we're together? I don't want him to take my art out of pity.”

Rex looked confused. “He's not going to do that. You're really talented, Tanner.”

I sighed. “I… I think I’m pretty good, but art is so subjective. It's hard to know if he actually li kes my work, or if he's just trying to please you because you’re his brother.”

“Jack has a reputation to uphold. He isn't going to buy my boyfriend's art just because he's my boyfriend.” Rex shook his head, wiping his mouth with a napkin. “He truly liked the stuff I showed him. I could tell. I think he was pleasantly surprised.”

“Okay,” I mumbled. “God, this is so nerve-wracking.”

He shook his head. “You're a professional artist. How can you be this insecure about your art?”

“Because, creating art is so personal.” I pushed my empty plate away. “If people don't like my art, it's like they don't like me .”

“But he did like it.” Rex sounded patient. “In fact, he's coming here to meet you in person.”

I bugged my eyes. “What? He's coming here ?”

“Yes. He always meets his artists in person before he works with them. He needs to know if he’s compatible with their personality. He hates drama.” He smiled reassuringly. “It’ll be fine. I wanted you to meet him anyway.”

I nodded, heart racing. “When is he coming? I don’t have any of my work here yet. I can’t just keep showing him photos on my phone. He’s going to think I’m a fake.”

He put his hand over mine. “Tanner, take a breath. ”

I winced, trying to relax. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay, but you have nothing to worry about. Jack isn’t coming for a few weeks. We’re going to your place in Billings on Saturday. We can bring any pieces you want to show Jack here, and store the rest. You’re going to need to get storage anyway, right?”

“Yes.” I couldn’t bring all my furniture and things to the ranch. There weren’t any cabins large enough to accommodate all of my stuff. Once the baby arrived, Rex and I had discussed maybe buying a house nearby. But for now, it was easier to live on the ranch.

“It’ll all work out. Mrs. Rodwell said we can move into the Big Sky Cabin tomorrow. It has a kitchenette and two bedrooms.”

I frowned. “I thought we weren’t having separate rooms.”

“We’re not. You can use the second room as your art studio. You’ll need somewhere to work, right?” He smiled coaxingly.

“Oh, yeah. That’s true.” I was touched that Rex had thought of that when even I hadn’t.

“Mrs. Rodwell is having the cabin cleaned for us as we speak.” He studied me. “You still want to live together, right?”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Okay, then we’ll move our things over tomorrow.” He leaned toward me. “Jack is going to love you and your art. I’m telling you, everything is going to be fine. Just trust me, Tanner. I know my brother. He wouldn’t say he liked your art if he didn’t. If he thought your art sucked, he’d very politely tell me to fuck off.”

I smiled grudgingly. “Okay. I hope you’re right.”

“I am. He has to be able to sell your art. He wouldn’t just commission art that he can’t unload. That wouldn’t make any sense. He’s a good guy, but he loves making money.”

“All right. I’ll trust you on this.”

“Good.” He scooted back his chair and stood. “Now, I have to go prepare for the guests since they’ll be here soon. You still plan on heading into town?”

“Yeah. Do you know where I might find some art supplies?”

He squinted up at the ceiling. “I’d probably try Tom’s Hardware. They may not have much of what you want in stock, but they’re happy to special order things.”

“Okay, I’ll try that place first.”

Rex smiled and leaned in for a kiss. When he straightened, he looked happy. “This is nice. I like having you here with me, Tanner. I feel content with you as my omega.”

My heart squeezed. “I’m glad.”

“Are you happy so far?”

I laughed. “Yep. It’s only been a day, but so far so good. I wish Mrs. Rodwell wasn’t so determined to isolate me from the rest of the staff though. Hopefully she’ll loosen up when she gets to know me.”

“She will. She’ll have to.” He pulled me closer. “I’m not giving you up, so she has no choice but to accept you.”

“Or she might poison me.” I smirked.

“Nah. She’s more of a hatchet to the head kind of gal.”

I widened my eyes. “Is this you reassuring me?”

He grinned. “Didn’t work?”

“No. Not at all. For some reason the idea of a hatchet in my skull doesn’t appeal.”

“Huh.” He looked like he was trying not to smile. “That’s weird.”

I pulled away, laughing, and headed toward the door. “Anyway, will I see you for dinner? Or will you be busy with the guests?”

“I’ll have to eat with the guests. It’s part of the job. But you’re welcome to join us.” He sounded sincere.

“Yeah, I’m sure Mrs. Rodwell would love that. She just loves me so much she can barely hide it. Her face turns into a prune the minute she sees me.” As I finished speaking, Mrs. Rodwell stepped into the room from the porch outside. Heat rushed to my cheeks as our eyes met; there was no way she hadn’t heard my mocking remark .

“Oh, uh, hey, Mrs. Rodwell, you’re back,” I mumbled, feeling like a toddler caught stealing candy.

Her smile was brittle. “I just popped back over to tell you boys the Big Sky Cabin is cleaned and ready for you to move in at your convenience.”

“That’s great,” Rex said smoothly. “Thank you so much, Ma’am.”

Feeling like a jerk, I also murmured, “Yeah, thank you, Mrs. Rodwell.” In that moment, I wouldn’t have minded if the ground had opened up and swallowed me.

“"Mm-hmm. You bet.” She turned around and left, shoulders rigid.

“Shit,” I groaned. “I just fucked everything up even more. Now she’ll hate me forever. I was just joking, but she won’t believe that.”

Rex moved to stand beside me. “Maybe she didn’t hear you.”

“She heard me. We both know she heard me.” I groaned again. “Damn it. Why did she have to show up like that? Or why didn’t I just keep my big mouth shut? Now I’ve made everything worse.”

He put his arm around my shoulder. “Well, even if she did hear you, it’s not like you said anything that awful. She’ll get over it. ”

I slumped. “Yeah, but just to be safe, would you mind hiding all the hatchets on the ranch for the time being?”

He laughed and ruffled my hair. “Sure.”

We moved toward the door. “And while you’re at it, maybe hide all the pitchforks, shovels, and guns too.” I snapped my fingers. “Oh, and the weedkiller, if you have any.”

“Maybe I should just call the FBI and get you into witness protection.”

I grinned up at him. “Would you do that for me? It would be much appreciated.”

Smiling down at me, he said softly, “Sure, Tanner. Anything for you.”