Page 56 of Knot Guaranteed
“Yeah,” she agrees. “I guess it’s silly, but I’ve always wanted to know what it felt like to feel the baby kick and see them on the ultrasound scan.” My heart races because all those things sound pretty fucking amazing to me too. I keep my mouth shut for once. Thank God. I would never forgive myself if I said something to unintentionally hurt her. She finally goes on. “Do you know what I mean? If I had a heat, at least I’d feel confident that it would one day be a possibility.”
“I do,” I tell her. I really do. Omegas are guided by their impulses as much as alphas are. “If ninety-eight percent of omegas present before age twenty-one, then that still means two percent present a little later. I know you’re tired of hearing that, but just don’t give up hope, okay?”
“Yeah,” she says, but it’s unconvincing.
“Are you ready to head back to bed?”
She nods. “Okay, thank you for checking on me.”
“Always, shortcake.”
* * *
The next morning, Tinley is miserable. She’s crabby and obviously in pain.
Which makes sense.
Mother Nature is kind of a dick to women. Sure, guys have to deal with random hard-ons, but I’d still choose that any day of the week.
She scrawls out a frantic list that Warrick assures her the hotel concierge can deliver, but Tinley gives him a look that indicates that’s not going to fly.
Fitz kisses her on the forehead before War does the same. I think it’s a dumb idea for the press to catch wind of my brother purchasing feminine care products, but I’m also intelligent enough to keep my mouth shut about that.
Huh, I guess I am growing and evolving.
They leave, and the little omega bolts back to her room without a word. I don’t let it hurt my feelings. Instead, I follow like any good alpha predator should. When I yank back the covers, she’s curled up in a ball, rubbing her lower stomach.
“I’m gross,” she says, frowning. “Are you sure you want to cuddle with me? Gah, doesn’t it feel like they’re taking forever? I need those heating pads and the cramp medicine.”
“You’re not gross. It’s a part of life. Nature is allyay, you’re not pregnant.” I grimace, because holy fucking shit, I never think before I speak. I would bang my own head against the wall right now if I didn’t need to find a way to make this better. “Are you in lots of pain?” I crawl under the blanket, facing her, and her cold little feet barely land halfway down my shins. She really is short.
“I’m okay. It doesn’t feel great, but I’ll live.” Her thick lower lip pokes out.
“Roll over.” I frown. “Unless it’s your lower back that’s bothering you.”
“Everything kind of aches,” she grunts, giving me her back. I pull her ass to rest on my pelvis and slide my hand into the long shirt of Fitz’s that she’s wearing. She’s got on tiny little booty shorts that I’d really like to negotiate she wear more often. My hand works her stomach, but she cups my fingers, moving them lower. I’m a little surprised by the level of pressure she indicates she wants.
“So, tell me about you,” I say, working my hand against her skin. “You and Fitz go way back, huh?”
“Yeah, I was a freshman in high school when we met.”
“Damn, I feel old.” I laugh, shaking my head. “I keep forgetting how much younger you are than me.”
“Yeah, but Fitz is two and a half years older than I am. He’s a great guy. He’s always looked out for me.”
“How the hell did you end up dating? I can’t imagine he liked that very much.” I snort. “He’s a pretty big dude.” I realize I probably should have kept my mouth shut when she doesn’t say anything for what feels likeforever.
Man, I wonder if she knows Fitz is a virgin. I straight-up called him a liar when he let it slip one night when we were drinking a beer after a long practice. It took until I saw him with Tinley that it finally clicked that he wasn’t talking shit.
“I don’t know. I had a boyfriend my senior year of high school, but we ended up going to different colleges. Then I had a couple of shorter things. Just a few months, where you’re getting to know someone and kind of hanging out. Then another longer relationship that ended after I graduated recently. He wanted me to move in with him, but we’d only been together for six months. He’s also a beta.” Her head shakes. “Me too, I guess.”
“Stop,” I bark. We both jolt. “Shit, sorry. Who gives a fuck if you have a heat? Not me. You’re still an omega. That law is stupid as fuck.” I go stiff when I realize it’s about so much more for her than that. “Think of it this way—maybe you’ve got the anatomy of omega, but the biological makeup of both an omega and a beta. You spit out pheromones like you’re an omega, but you have a period like a beta. I don’t know. Maybe your system is set up differently and falls more in line with a beta for that. I’m just saying, either way, you’re perfect the way you are.”
She groans when I run my hand to the other ovary. “God, cramps suck so bad.”
“I can only imagine.” My fingers dance lower, sliding into the band of her panties. “You know, I’ve heard orgasms are a great way to offset cramps.”
“Ramsey,” she gasps. Her back slams into my chest as she tries to push my arm away.