Page 51 of Shattered Trinket
Jeremiah scoffs and drags me closer to him, wrapping his arm around my middle. He kisses the top of my head, and my eyes close with a content sigh when he inhales, humming as he takes in my scent.
“I’d never leave without telling you. I just thought you needed some food, and since I knew everyone was gone, I didn’t see the harm in putting something together for you.”
I tilt my head back and look up at him.
“What time is it?”
“Almost two. We didn’t sleep too long, so I figured it was safe enough,” he murmurs, tapping me on the nose.
“Well… What have we got?” I ask with a teasing smile, glancing over at the tray he set in front of me.
“Nothing too fancy, just a simple pb and j, some apple slices, and some juice. I took care of you, but now it’s time for me totake care of you,” he says meaningfully, raising his brow while grabbing an apple slice and holding it to my lips.
My breathing becomes labored as he pushes the slice between my parted lips. I bite down, and the juice from the slice trickles down my chin as I chew. Using his free hand, he reaches forward and wipes away the juice with his thumb, before sucking it off with a lingering gaze. The taste of the juicy apple fills my mouth, but in an instant, my brain betrays me, and I find myself unable to swallow, struggling to regain control. After a fit of coughing, I finally succeed in swallowing it, and my hand quickly reaches for the bottle of water he had handed me, which I drink greedily.
When I’m done, I carefully twist the cap back on, taking a moment to catch my breath before shifting my gaze back to the alpha in front of me. The mischievous glimmer in his beautiful blue eyes gives away his intentions, despite his feeble attempt to appear innocent when he looks at me. Witnessing this playful side of him fills my heart with joy, causing it to dance within my chest. I can’t help but giggle like a carefree schoolgirl, momentarily liberated from all worries.
Once Jeremiah has fed me to my heart’s content, we spend the rest of the day intertwined in my cozy nest. As we talk, we discover new aspects of each other, and our kisses become more frequent. However, apart from the occasional playful caress, we savor the unrestricted joy of each other’s company, making it the most memorable day I’ve experienced in a while.
Nineteen
Zeke
With a sigh, I absentmindedly run my fingers through my hair, my attention fixed on the sight of the wee omega with shiny copper hair strolling hand in hand with Ripley in the backyard.
From the moment I saw her, I was captivated. I never expected to walk through my in-law’s house and find the perfect omega for me. Forus.I also didn’t expect to be told her past was full of a darkness unlike anything we could imagine. But that hasn’t deterred me. I don’t care how sticky her past is as long as she’sopen to giving us all a chance to show her how much she could mean to us.
Despite her tiny and frail appearance, she exudes an inner and outer beauty that’s simply beguiling. Not only that, she possesses a heart of crystal that yearns to be safeguarded, cherished, and adored. In my opinion, she’s still too small, but every time I see her, I can tell she’s growing stronger, both in body and mind.
“You gotta stop watching her like a stalker every time we come over here,” Manny mutters at my side, arms crossed with a bored expression painting his features.
“I dinnae ken whit yer talkin’ about,” I respond lowly, my accent coming out thicker than ever at the lie as my eyes stay glued to the sprite of a lass that I fear I could crush with the slightest amount of pressure.
The pull I feel towards her is so intense that it consumes my every thought, like a magnetic force drawing me closer to her. That day in Mama V’s kitchen, her scent hit me like a tidal wave, flooding my senses. And every day since, there’s been this overwhelming need to touch her, breathe her in,holdher. To bewith her.
Mine.
I’ve never fallen arse over tea kettle for someone so fast, and if I’m being honest, no woman I’ve ever met even compares to Cozette now that I’ve met her. She’s literal perfection in every way.
Manny scoffs and shakes his head.
“She agreed to let us court her, so stop watching her like you’re afraid she’ll disappear any second. If you want to spend time with her, then do it. Go out there and ask her. I have no doubt she’d love that.”
With a gentle tone, his last words slip from his mouth, and his face eases into a serene expression as he looks out the window.The moment Cozette comes into view, his eyes light up with adoration, his lips tipping up into a semblance of a smile before he slaps me on the back and walks away.
Manny is usually so stoic, his face rarely betraying any hint of emotion. So seeing him barely able to contain his feelings when Cozy is near is something. I love my brothers, don’t get me wrong, but I won’t lie and say I haven’t been a little concerned about their strong personalities scaring the skittish woman we’ve all become enamored with. Especially after the disaster of our last courting attempt.
I never liked her anyway,I think to myself with a scowl when I remember how down both Ridge and Manny were after that brat of an omega did what she did.
Cozy is a much better fit for us, not to mention a million times the omega Elise ever was. With one last look out the window at the two omegas, I straighten my shoulders and take a deep breath. I make a quick stop at my truck outside to grab the things I got for Cozy after she agreed to us courting her. And then I go hunt down Mama V to beg for her help.
I find her in the kitchen, making lunch. When she glances up at the sound of the kitchen door opening and sees me, a smile blooms on her lips.
“Ye’re lookin bonnie as ever today, Mama,” I say with a grin, leaning on the island across from her after stealing a cookie from the plate in the center.
She titters and swats me with the hand towel draped across her shoulder, making me chuckle as I stuff the cookie in my mouth like a child.
“What do you want, you rascal?”