CHAPTER 9 JARED #6
My thumbs slide slowly along the sides of his face, tracing the line of his cheekbones before settling against his jaw, while his hands wander across my back in unhurried strokes.
His fingers skitter down my spine, his thumbs skim over my ribs before resting on my hips, as I shiver beneath his hands.
Then I realize he’s trembling too, the two of us caught in this strange trance of shared caresses, silently exploring one another, losing ourselves in the stolen pleasures, drowning in closeness.
At last, he opens his eyes, and our gazes meet again.
My attention switches to his mouth, just as it did before in the dining room, when we came so close to kissing.
No… this time I'm not going to let anybody steal the moment from me.
I can't look anywhere else, my eyes firmly fixed on those tempting lips, and a heartbeat later my hands slide behind his neck, gently drawing him closer.
I don't have to forcefully pull him down. His head lowers toward mine as naturally as if he'd been waiting for it all along, and then our mouths finally meet.
Dear Fate, why do I feel like I know this kiss, this taste? Fresh peppermint flavor fills my mouth as my tongue finds his, my body melting, transforming into a trembling pink jelly-like pudding.
"Are you him?" slips from me between kisses, the words dissolving into his mouth as I breathe into him, catching his lower lip and sucking on it, before our tongues meet again.
"You shouldn't be doing this right now."
The voice behind us cuts straight through the haze.
I pull away from Mauro so abruptly my breath catches, and my eyes land on… Gianni.
The inconspicuous, silent omega Renato introduced at the breakfast, is standing in the doorway with a blanket draped over one shoulder, his expression carrying a hint of disapproval that makes heat rush into my face.
"An omega in heat recovery shouldn't be disturbed. Your hormones need time to stabilize, and your body needs rest. Sex during recovery can cause hormonal problems, making your next heat unusually weak or short, and sometimes even affecting fertility."
I freeze, staring at him.
"Sorry. I worked as a nurse for years," he says with a weak, strained smile, glancing at us through his thick glasses. "Occupational habit. I had to warn you."
There's something painful in his expression. I catch a shadow of jealousy there and, underneath it, sadness. Then I remember what Davos told me. Gianni's own life hadn't turned out well. His husband had been an abusive drunk.
Standing there with my lips still wet from Mauro's kisses, my cheeks must be so red it's a miracle they aren't bleeding. I take a step away from him and turn the door handle.
I've been in this house for less than an hour, and I'm already making out with one of its residents. There's no way Gianni sees that as anything good.
Slut.
Gianni walks into the room right behind me like a living barrier, with Mauro following close behind. Then he stops, apparently unwilling to let the matter go. He turns toward Mauro, then looks at me.
"There'll be time for everything," he says rather sourly. "But give yourself these few days to rest first, Jared."
Hmm, why does he also act as if he knows me, as though we already have some kind of relationship that would make comments like that appropriate?
He then gestures toward the wide bed standing in the center of the room. "I made it up for you."
The question is, exactly when did he make up the bed? He went downstairs for breakfast, and only now came back upstairs. Unless he sprinted up here while I was talking to Veyron and spent the entire five minutes changing the sheets.
Well, it really looks magical. Delicate embroidered green muslin curtains hang over the windows, their vine-like patterns resembling twisting morning glories and creating an almost enchanted woodland atmosphere.
The bed is covered with pale celadon silk bedding adorned with pastel pink and lavender floral motifs, while large potted palms and ferns line the walls.
There are so many plants that the room feels as if someone had been trying to turn it into a miniature botanical garden.
"Wow… Thank you. It's a beautiful room," I say, because I genuinely mean it. "It feels… like a forest." I've always missed having plants in my home, but Mark hated them. He thought houseplants made a place look cheap.
"I've already put some clothes in the wardrobe for you to change into."
Oh, he did? And when exactly did he have time for that? Can someone explain it to me?
"I hope they'll fit. You're super tall," he adds with a mildly acerbic edge, as though my height were something to be criticized or, at the very least, a problem.
"I still have my clothes in my car," I mutter.
Mauro makes a quick series of signs to Gianni, and the omega nods before turning to me. "Mauro's offering to go pick up your car and bring back your things."
"Thank you," I murmur as I sit down on the bed, feeling even more dizzy.
Of course Mauro never asks where my car is. Should I even be surprised at this point?
My thoughts drift back to those cameras I saw in the forest, but I keep that to myself. These people know far more about me than they should, and they're clearly prepared for my arrival. The question is, why am I letting it all unfold without digging deeper?
I glance around the bed, but there aren't any extra pillows, blankets, or throws I could use to build a nest, and… I desperately need one. Right now, it feels like the only thing that might help ease the chaos in my head.
The way my eyes keep wandering around the bed immediately catches Mauro's attention. He turns toward Gianni again and signs something rapidly.
The omega looks awkward, his cheeks almost glowing with embarrassment.
He signs something back, rather reluctantly, Mauro frowns, then makes a few signs of his own, turns toward me and gives a small nod before hurriedly leaving the room, but Gianni stays, seemingly at a loss.
"What was that about?"
"Mauro got upset because there isn't anything in here for you to build… a nest with," he says apologetically, articulating the word ‘nest’ in a peculiar, sheepish way, and even more heat rushes into his cheeks.
"I offered to let you use some of my things, but he hated that idea. He said he'd go buy everything you need himself. Brand-new. Not someone else's used stuff."
And now my cheeks are also practically burning. Wow.
That’s sweet of him, but… the nesting topic is a very delicate and private matter in ABO society.
Omegas don’t discuss it with alphas, and even between two omegas, it’s considered a deeply personal subject.
To be honest, I have no idea what I'm even supposed to say.
I almost choke on my own bashfulness, and Gianni seems to share the feeling.
We stand awkwardly, both unsure of what to do.
An alpha giving an omega a nesting kit is an incredibly meaningful gesture. It isn't just an ordinary gift. Within ABO culture, it's an open declaration of serious interest and genuine intentions, expressing the desire for a deeper relationship, not merely a sexual one but an emotional one as well.
If I take it from him, it'll be understood as accepting Mauro's feelings and entering into a relationship with him! Yup!
If I refuse, he'll have no choice but to step back. Rejecting a gift like that sends a painfully clear message.
My head hurts.
It’s all too big, too serious.
Yeah, a part of me wants to accept the nesting kit, but I force myself to snap out of it.
None of this makes any sense during heat recovery, after knowing him for maybe an hour, and before making my planned trip around the forest in search of my hypothetical True Mate, who may still be lurking out there.
I don't know Mauro or his family. It's simply stupid.
Gianni probably notices that I'm lost in thought and distracted. With some hesitation, he turns toward the door, but adds one last thing before leaving.
"Get some rest now. Try to sleep. You've had an incredibly exhausting day."
I nod and lie down, hugging the soft pillow in its gentle celadon case.
My mind wants to race, to pick everything apart and analyze every detail, but the smooth silk sheets quickly lull me into comfort and quiet. Within moments, I fall asleep like a child.