Page 76 of Ready or Not
“That’s true.”
“Do you think you’ll be able to relax to get a good night’s sleep tonight?” I head back and stop between her legs. My thumb brushes over her cheek as she shrugs.
“Hopefully.”
I try to hold back the smile that crosses my face, but she’s got a little smudge of peanut butter left on her lip.
I lick it clean and step back. “You had a little something.”
Her hand wraps in my shirt, and she tugs me to her once more. “I’ll take another kiss just because I love you.”
I grin like a damn idiot and shove my mouth to hers. It’s crazy how quickly life changes. It’s hard to even remember how boring it was before she got here.
“She’s one step past crazy,” I whisper to Bishop, scratching my beard. “She’s been at this for the last two hours.”
Vale grunts, yanking all the perfectly folded baby clothes out of the drawer. She tosses them on top before she proceeds to start refolding them and putting them back in this same damn drawer they just came out of. All while talking to herself under her breath.
“I know it’s the nesting impulse, but I think she’s supposed to be enjoying herself.” I shrug, nodding toward Vale. “She doesn’t seem like she’s having a whole lot of fun to me.”
I leave out that I tried to help on three or four occasions, but she acted like a broody mother hen protecting her eggs and shooed me away. Her forehead is sweaty, and her face is a little red. She’s also been on her feet for hours, despite my best efforts to get her to sit down and let me bring the stuff to her.
It’s been days of this. So many days that her weekly doctor’s appointment is tomorrow.
The bond is clear. She’s relieved that Ranger confirmed Kate is okay, but we haven’t heard a word since.
Mercy’s concern is equally heavy in the bond, because Merrick and Steele have been MIA since getting to North Carolina. We’ve been stuck in a holding pattern, and everyone is on edge, waiting to see what comes next.
I think we’re all equally baffled why Ranger wanted to speak to Kate. I’ve racked my brain trying to determine what information he could’ve gotten from the dead guy on Landis’s team.
None of what my imagination can conjure seems especially good for Kate. We’ve never run across a situation where an omega was willingly involved in luring other omegas for the grab teams.
If she was…
God, I really don’t want to even imagine that as a possibility.
Then there’s the fact Landis could be anywhere, and that pisses me off too much to think about when I’m worried I’ll only add to the general tension already spilling out of the bond.
“Come on,” Bishop whispers. “She started answering herself. I think you’re right. It might be time to redirect her energy elsewhere. Also, I’m pretty sure she redid those drawers yesterday.” He strides into the room, pulling his shoulders back.
I follow and try my best to hide behind his massive frame. She already kicked me out more than twice. I’m not trying to get any further on her shit list.
“All right, gorgeous.” Bishop slides up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. “We’ve all had a stressful few days. Since it’s not too late, we thought it might be nice to watch a movie together in the pack bedroom.”
“Once I’m done. I’ve been lazy enough recently. Everything is a mess. I’ve got to finish this, then maybe.” She grabs another onesie, and Bishop glances at me over his shoulder.
“Tell the others it’s time to grab a shower and get comfy. We’re meeting in the pack bedroom in twenty minutes.” He turns our omega around, grabbing the baby clothing and tossing it back down.
Vale opens her mouth, likely to bless him out the way she did me earlier, but the sneaky bastard captures her mouth in a sensual kiss. Her anger slowly melts away in the bond. Once she’s reasonably docile, he scoops her up and heads for the door.
I stare open-mouthed for several seconds before laughing and shaking my head. Yanking my phone out of my pocket, I text Mercy and Garza to meet us in the pack bedroom.
Then I follow Bishop and Vale.
Do I need a shower? Absolutely not.
But I do enjoy feeling her soapy body sliding against mine.
The four of us cuddle in the giant pack bedroom to watch a cheesy romantic comedy with our omega.