“Shh, I know. I’m just curious what animals you like.”
I look back at the pole barn, then the swaying purple flowers around me.
“I don’t know,” I shrug. “I’ve never had any pets, but I’ve always loved lambs and sheep. How they look, at least.”
“Some of them are very sweet,” she says. “Sounds like we need to find you a sheep to meet.”
I try to hide my smile, feeling shy about it for some reason, but Vee doesn’t let me.
“Look at me, Sage,” she says, her voice soft.
I tip my face up to hers, and her deep brown eyes flick between mine. Eucalyptus and sun-drenched cedar wood swirl through the air around us.
“I’d like to kiss you, if you want that.” Her gaze is earnest, her lips hinting at a smile.
I nod, my eyes wide. I’ve been avoiding thinking about it because I don’t know how to actually be intimate, or be in any sort of relationship, really. When I kissed Riley, it was mostly because I rolled into him in the back seat, and then it just… happened.
She quirks a smile. “Brooks would make you use your words.”
I nod again, biting my lip, and her smile grows.
“I’m more interested in making sure you know you can stop things at any point. Anything from hand holding to kissing, sex or more. We don’t do anything you don’t want to do, okay?”
Her smile has fallen, alpha dominance flaring as she cups my cheek in one palm.
“Yes, alpha,” I say.
She pauses, and I wonder if she’ll tell me not to call her that too. I’m surprised to realize that I like calling her alpha, though. It’s different with her than it was with Steve or Josh.
“Good. Now, can I kiss you?”
I nod and rise up on my tip-toes, but she still has to bend down to meet me. Her plush lips meet mine, and they’re sopillowy soft I can’t help but moan into them. She smiles into my mouth, then kisses me again.
To my consternation, instead of deepening the kiss, she pulls away.
“Let’s continue our walk, Sweetling. I’ve got a lot to show you today.”
We spend a peaceful morning exploring the grounds together, both the lavender fields and the undeveloped areas that are mostly forest. It’s so relaxing to be out in nature, not having to worry about where I’m going or if I might be caught. I haven’t been surrounded by trees like this since I was a kid, and I love soaking up the birdsong while dappled sunlight plays across the forest around us. Our steps are soft on the blanket of pine needles, the air warm on my skin, and a feeling of contentment seeps into my usually tense muscles.
“I have an idea I want to run by you. Feel free to tell me if you’re not up for it,” Vee says, pulling me from my reverie.
“What is it?”
We round a bend in the trail we’ve been following, and somehow we’re back near the public area, on the opposite side of the shop.
“We have a community garden,” Vee says, pointing to a fenced in section with raised garden beds that I hadn’t noticed before. “There’s a group that meets up every Sunday that I wanted to introduce you to.”
“Oh,” I hesitate, some of the tension returning to my shoulders and back. Meeting new people wasn’t on my radar for today. “Why?”
Vee stops walking and pulls me into her arms, curling them protectively around me. My body instinctively relaxes inher hold with her eucalyptus and cedar scent surrounding me, but my mind is still on alert.
“It’s a gardening club, but they’re very casual. I think mostly they meet up to chat, rather than actually garden,” she says with a soft huff. “But the reason I wanted you to meet them is because they’re all omegas—well, mostly. There is one beta in the group, too.”
“An omega gardening club?”
“Yep. I know they’d love to meet you. I thought you might enjoy getting to know other omegas. Have someone to talk to who understands what it’s like. They’re very friendly and welcoming.”
My omega instincts flare, a surge of apprehension shooting through me when she mentions how friendly and welcoming they are. It’s ridiculous, and even if she has been with any of them, it’s not like she knew me at the time. I have no right to feel hurt by the thought, but I am.
