Chapter Twelve #2
I turned away from the stove in time to see her stunned expression, as if she were surprised someone was asking her that question.
It was a sad fact that many people got stuck in jobs they didn’t enjoy simply to make ends meet or because they didn’t have the means, be it time or money, to get the education they needed to do what their heart desired.
Her expression shuttered once she realized I was looking, her chin dropping as she picked at her fingernails.
“I’m not sure.”
Lie.
It was written in her body language, and once again I was left fighting disappointment over her lack of trust. I wanted to give her everything she desired, but she had to be willing to tell me what it was and accept it when offered.
Busying myself with preparing the salad as the chicken finished cooking, I tried to keep the conversation going to get more information about her.
“There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be nothing more than a mother. It’s the traditional role for omegas, but you’re also capable of doing anything else you put your mind to, Sweetheart.”
The disbelief on her face told me someone had led her to believe the opposite.
Too many still had the mindset that omegas were nothing more than breeders to be kept locked away.
Barefoot and pregnant had been a phrase for far too long, and while many were happy with that life, too many were trapped in it when they had other aspirations.
“Not many share your sentiment.”
The quiet words confirmed my guess. Perhaps it was the father she hadn’t mentioned who had pushed her towards the mundane role instead of what she’d hoped to pursue.
I swallowed the instinctive growl, vowing to make things right once she was mine. If she didn’t want to work, Leo paid me enough to keep us more than comfortable, but if she did, I’d make sure she got whatever schooling or support she needed to achieve it.
The promise and the act of providing for her settled my instincts enough that I was able to relax tense muscles and finish plating our meal. Paige looked uncomfortable just standing and watching me, so despite the desire to do everything myself, I nodded toward the cabinet beside the fridge.
“Could you pour us some drinks? There’s juice and water in the fridge, or I can open a bottle of wine?”
Drinking wasn’t the best idea so soon after her heat when she was likely dehydrated, but it would give me an excuse to make her stay without seeming to break my promise that she could leave.
It didn’t matter in the end since she shook her head at the offer and reached for the fridge door, selecting a bottle of apple juice from the top shelf.
“Which one do you want?”
I shrugged as I finished slicing the chicken into strips to place atop the greens.
“Anything is fine.”
I’d drink acid with a smile on my face if she poured it for me.
My still hard shaft twitched as I watched her perform the task, despite the fact that I’d asked her to do it.
It didn’t help that she was wearing nothing but one of my shirts that rose up her lean thighs as she reached for the glasses in the cabinet.
Trying to force my thoughts away from her body and what she’d look like bent over the counter, I dug utensils out of the drawer and grabbed our plates.
Paige followed as I strode out to the dining table where I’d first sat her when we arrived.
It felt like it had been more than a few days since that conversation, and I’d never be able to sit there and not remember how it had felt to learn she was still innocent, even if she had been with an alpha before.
I faced another dilemma as I stared at the table.
I wanted to sit our plates in the same spot and feed her in my lap, but I feared that would push her willingness to play along too far.
I knew she was trying to keep me happy until she was sure I’d let her leave, but that didn’t mean she’d allow the intimacy to continue, even if her omega side craved it as much as my alpha nature did.
If I let her choose she’d likely sit across form me, as far as she could get while remaining at the table, and my teeth clenched over the thought of her wanting to put space between us.
I needed her closer, but I had to settle for placing us side by side.
She managed a small smile when I stepped out of the way and took hold of the back of the chair, indicating she should sit. After setting the glasses of juice on the table, she carefully smoothed my shirt down over her bottom, assuring it was beneath her as she perched on the edge of the cushion.
My shaft twitched again as her scent enveloped me, and I took a second to breathe her in before pushing the chair forward. My own seat was close enough that I could reach out and grab any part of her, and I wanted to, because she still felt too far away.
How was I going to survive until I convinced her she was mine?
Trying not to focus on how little she put on her fork, nor how her lips parted as she raised it to them, I held my breath and waited for her judgment. Cooking was something I wasn’t particularly skilled at, but I’d taken the time to learn enough to get by on my own.
I suddenly regretted not asking my mother to teach me more so I could have impressed Paige with something fancier.