22. TWENTY TWO #2
I purr her into sleep, but I’m unable to rest myself.
I should be wrecked after a game day and the flight coupled with the physical exertion of rutting her, but I’m hyperaware of all her sounds and movements.
Every time she rolls over or whispers in her sleep, I’m on alert, wondering if she needs me.
And in heat, Natalia is a restless sleeper until she crawls close and presses her face to my chest, letting out a little sigh and finally relaxing.
I feel better too, once she’s touching me and I can finally relax.
Over the next night and day, I feed her my cum three more times and lose count of the number of times I knot her. Her voice is raw and hoarse from moaning and crying out my name, and despite my care not to hurt her, bruises are forming on her hips and thighs.
I hold her in the shower, my legs shaking slightly while I stroke the washcloth down her back with gentle motions. My purr rattles in my chest, but I keep going, afraid she’ll want me to knot her again if I stop. I’m not sure if her small human body can take any more.
“I thought this is what my honeymoon would be like,” she says in that raspy voice I’ve grown used to.
“Mmm? You did? Are humans this horny then? I thought that was just a shifter thing.”
She laughs, which turns into more of a cough. Stretching, I reach around the glass to get the drink bottle I stashed on the counter and offer her a drink. I should brew her a ginger tea.
“Well, maybe on honeymoon. Not that I’ve ever been on honeymoon before, but that’s what it supposed to be like, right?
That’s why they call it the honeymoon phase when you can’t get enough of each other.
Except Miguel and I had been together for nearly five years, so I guess that’s why he never wanted to touch me anymore. ”
Now her coughing turns to sobs, and I purr louder, shifting her in my arms so I can scoop one hand beneath her legs and bring her around to face me. It takes everything I have to force my voice to sound calm when inside me my bull is raging. “He never deserved you.”
She sniffs. “Things just fell apart after the diagnosis.”
I huff out a hot breath. “You’re more than a breeding factory, Natalia. So much more. That should have made no difference.”
Her gaze locks on mine, and for the first time something like a barrier that’s been there all along falls behind her brown eyes. “Would it make no difference to you, even though you want a family?”
“Natalia, if I had you, I would have a family. Period. I know that seems unfair of me to say, because I already have Jayden and I’ll never really know, but even if we’d met before he was born, that wouldn’t make you any less special to me.
We would have found a way around it if that’s something we both wanted. We still could.”
Tears sparkle behind her long lashes, but she blinks them away. “You really believe I’m your fated mate?”
My mouth goes dry and my arms tighten around her. “Yes. I’m certain of it. My bull has recognized you. Are you saying you’re ready to talk about that again?”
Now the tears fall, but her scent is happy. Sometimes women are confusing.
“I don’t know. Maybe. Yes. I mean the last day has been very convincing.”
I grin. “I’d like to think so. I’d offer to keep being convincing, but I think you milked me dry.”
She laughs. “Is it bad that I’m kind of relieved? I don’t think I’ll be able to walk for days.”
I wince. “I’m sorry. Where is it sore? I’ll kiss it better.”
“Ay! No. None of that. That only leads to trouble.”
The water is growing cold, so I switch off the shower and carry her out to towel her off. Her body is loose and floppy as I dry her as if she’s a doll or a pet, but at least the tension is gone and her body temperature has subsided.
I wrap her in my bathrobe, which is so giant on her it trails on the floor and the sleeves hang down past her hands. She sits on the bathmat, folding her legs under her and tucking the back of the robe over her head like a hood. “I like this. It’s cozy.”
I slap my forehead with my palm—of course! “You need a nest!”
She blinks at me, two pretty eyes from within a mountain of white fluffy fabric. “A what?”
“A nest. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it before. An omega needs a nest.”
“Like a bird?”
“Yes. Come on, little bird. I’m going to make you a nest.”
I gather her up and carry her to the bedroom and then start making piles of everything soft. She giggles, but I don’t hear her protesting.
“Choose the things you like best. Or if you don’t like anything here, we’ll buy new things.”
“You don’t have to buy me things!”
“I’m going to. If you want them. I want to make you comfortable.”
She rolls her eyes but fondles a nearby pillow with faux fur. So she likes fluffy things. I gather everything in the house I can carry. By the time we’re finished, she has three duvets, twenty pillows and cushions, and my bathrobe. Time for my secret weapon. “I’ll be back.”
I rush to the garage, thanking past me for being so prepared.
I’ve been waiting for my fated mate for so long I almost forgot I bought a nest kit.
I’m surprised when the sun is rising as I open the back door and step out into the yard.
I guess a second night has passed. My stomach growls, confirming the truth of that.
Coach is gonna be mad that I’ve skipped so many meals, but there’s nothing for it.
I hurry to the garage and find what I’m looking for, returning with it tucked under one arm and my toolkit in the other.
It doesn’t take me long to assemble, since it comes pre-made.
The canopy sits over the bed like a tent ,and all that’s left to do is assemble the soft things inside and get Natalia comfortable.
She crawls in and lets out a long sigh, burying her face in the faux-fur cushion. “OK, you were right. This feels good.”
I let out a long sigh of my own. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. I think I’m going to go to sleep.” Her jaw drops into a big yawn.
“Mmm. Perfect.” I flop down beside her, relieved. “I’m just going to rest my eyes for a minute, and then I’ll fix us something to eat.” I’ve barely spoken the words before my eyes drift closed and I’m out like a light.