37. Nate
When I had booked my leave of absence, I had assumed I would be groveling and making up for being an asshole to Daisy.
The last thing I expected was for it to be the happiest time of my life.
Daisy was magnificent. She had been beautiful before, but ever since becoming a mother, there was a new glow to her that I couldn’t resist. She fell into the role so easily, anticipating the girls’ needs before they even thought about crying.
Holding her hand throughout her labor had been an honor. One I hadn’t expected. But once the labor got underway, Jeremy and Devon became somewhat useless thanks to their bonds, leaving me to step up.
The girls were mere days old, and I was already considering if Daisy would ever want more children. I certainly wanted them. It wasn’t something I had really thought about until I was holding Poppy and Petunia in my arms. The moment they looked up at me with those big eyes, I knew that two wasn’t enough. I wanted an entire football team of children in my life.
I couldn’t picture anyone else to have children with other than Daisy.
The idea of letting another omega into my life had always been so daunting. While it would have helped the majority of my symptoms, the idea of opening myself up to that level of pain again was terrifying.
Only, this small omega and her adorable babies had crept up on me in a way that it didn’t matter if we were bonded or not: if I lost any of them, I would suffer immensely. Every time I imagined some sort of harm coming to them or them leaving, my chest tightened painfully and spots appeared in my vision. Deep down, I knew it would hurt more than losing Jilly.
The girls were due for a feed soon—we were all falling into a natural rhythm with feeds and naps. Nursing made Daisy thirsty so I grabbed a large glass of water, adding a little electrolyte powder and stirring it with the pastel glass straws Daisy loved so much.
At the last second, I grabbed a cereal bar and a bag of dried fruit so she had snack options as well, and took my little haul upstairs to the nest.
Daisy was standing over the crib, her hair falling down in a thick mass of red waves as she cooed at the girls laying next to each other. The late afternoon light was hitting the stained windows just so, drenching the nest in bright colors. It reminded me of a church, but far more beautiful.
If this was a church, I would happily worship on my knees at this omega’s altar all day and all night long.
Gilbert laid by the crib. He had taken to staying by the twins at all times. He was completely enamored with them, same as every other male in the house.
“Hey, Nate,” she said, looking up and smiling at me. “They just finished nursing.”
I placed the snacks and drinks on the bedside table, joining her to look at the girls for a moment.
Despite being awake, they were peacefully curled around each other, their eyes drifting in a happy little milk coma.
“You’re fucking amazing with them,” I said.
“They’re easy babies, and I’ve got plenty of help.” Daisy shrugged.
“Don’t sell yourself short,” I admonished.
“I’m not. Devon and Jeremy have been wonderful.”
“I’ve never seen the pair of them so happy. They’re eternally on cloud nine.”
Daisy snorted. “It’s the post-pregnancy hormones from me. They’re feeling it all through the bond.”
“It’s not just that,” I said, gently reaching down to adjust Poppy’s bootie that she’d kicked off before turning to look at Daisy again. My chest tightened, there was so much I wanted to say, but didn’t know how. “It’s because they love you, and the girls.”
“I love them, too,” she admitted, a dreamy, blissful smile stretching across her face.
“The girls are so easy to love.”
“They are.”
“I’m also in love with you,” I admitted, the words catching in my throat.
Daisy smiled at me indulgently. “So, you finally admit it?”
“You knew? How did you know? I didn’t even know.”
“You’re not exactly subtle, Nate. You just needed to come to your conclusions.” Daisy walked over to me and wrapped her arms around me. “I know you’ve had a lot happen to you, and I know that admitting how you feel is difficult. I realized early on that I needed to give you space and time.”
“I was such an asshole to you.”
Daisy shrugged. “You were hurting. Now, don’t get me wrong, that’s not an excuse, and if you ever treated our girls badly because of that, I would not hesitate to castrate?—”
“If I ever hurt the girls, you have my full permission to draw and quarter me, castrate me, and give me the most gruesome and grotesque death you can think of.”
“You really love them, don’t you?”
I nodded my head lightly. “It’s like the moment I saw them, I just knew I would kill for them. They were so small and fragile, and it was impossible not to fall in love.”
“They’re going to get a lot of attention growing up,” she said.
“No boys. They’re not allowed to date until they’re fifty.”
Daisy laughed. “Fifty? I would say that’s a bit extreme, but Jeremy insisted that they wait until they’re sixty.”
“Jeremy is a very smart man. We should listen to him.”
Daisy snorted.
“I’m serious, though,” I gently clutched her elbow, bringing her closer to me, looking down at those large green eyes. “I’ve had really strong feelings for you for a very long time, Daisy. I’ve simply been too scared to admit it. And as much as I adore the babies, they’re not the reason behind me finally realizing, though they certainly helped. They helped me see just how amazing you are. Jeremy brought you into our home knowing very little about you, and I honestly thought him insane, but, at every turn, you’ve taken my anger and met it with kindness and understanding. I thoroughly believe that you are the strongest out of any of the adults in this house—fuck it, out of anyone I know, and I know a lot of people. You are beautiful and intelligent and I don’t know what lucky star Jeremy wished on to find you, but I’m eternally grateful he did.”
“Nate…”
“What I’m trying to say, in a very roundabout way, is that I want to court you… Are you open to that?”
Daisy’s face broke out into a grin, leaning up so her face was a mere inch from mine.
I dared not move as she closed the distance between us, her lips brushing against mine. They were softer than I had imagined.
That one touch was all it took for my entire body to come to life. One hand flew to the back of her neck, the other to her hip, keeping her firmly in place as I kissed her, my own lips far more demanding than hers had been. Her eyes closed as a blissful look on her face.
She whimpered into my mouth, and I almost came there and then. Was this what I had been missing for so many years? The warmth, the connection, the sheer intensity of having an omega who smelled like the sweetest treat in my arms?
My heart pounded erratically, blood rushing in my ears.
Despite all the adrenaline, I hadn’t felt so stable, so down to earth, in years.
Daisy was like a balm to all the soreness of my life, and I had been denying it for far too long.
When she pulled back, everything in me screamed to keep her right where she was, my lips on hers, but the rational part of my brain also understood that we both needed to breathe.
“I think…” Daisy panted, opening her eyes and looking up at me through long lashes. “That I would very much like you to court me.”