His lips parted. “You couldn’t possibly. Stop being polite.”
I gathered all my bravery, what little there was, and leaned over him until our chests met and this time I kissed him. The position was awkward, catching me off balance, and I grabbed his bare shoulder to keep myself in place. I pressed in, opening my mouth.
He murmured my name against my lips. It sounded like a rumble. Another language. Then his arms came around me to hold me tighter and his mouth opened to match mine. My blanket fell behind me. His dropped to his waist. The kiss, my hand on his warm skin, my chest pressing into his, his arms around me… all of it created a circuit between us. The room scintillated. When I shut my eyes I still saw light. All I could think was, hold me, hold me and don’t ever let go.
Was it the heat talking? It all felt so real. It had to be real. He hadn’t scented me until later, after all the rescue stuff. He kissed me because when all was said and done he wasn’t really the jackass he thought he was.
When I turned my head for air I said, “You aren’t a jackass. Not even the first night I met you.”
“You woke the alpha in me.”
“I’m not sorry.”
His lips sealed to mine again. I pressed my hands behind him, scraping the couch back with my fingernails. Somehow I ended up in his lap. Through the material of blanket covering him a hardness pressed into me. Instantly my body reacted. My hole became slick with need.
I wanted him. Would it hurt? I didn’t care. What worried me was when my heat came on fully. That would hurt.
As if reading my mind, Malin turned his head. “You have to tell me. Before… before anything more happens between us.”
I nodded, willing to do anything for him.
“How do your heats hurt you? Other than cramps?”
“Mainly it’s just terrible cramps. The kind that makes it hard for me to breathe.”
“What helps?”
“Heating pads. Hot baths. Rest.”
“Okay. Thank you for being honest. I’m going to make sure you have everything you need to be comfortable.”
I never dreamed an alpha would want to take care of me. Not set omega me. And not a person who goes through difficult heats and can’t satisfy his partner properly.
“You’re not disappointed in me?”
He frowned at me, tracing the non-bruised side of my face with his forefinger. “Why would I be?”
“I guess I thought?—”
He interrupted. “I’ve never been with an omega before but the Cassius I’ve come to know can’t disappoint me. Nothing about you is a disappointment. Do you understand?”
“I’m flawed in every way. Including the ability to have kids.”
“I don’t see the problem. Life is like that sometimes. But you, Cassius… you’re perfect the way you are.”
I lowered my chin until I was staring at the strong curves of his pecs. “I don’t know if I can believe that.”
His finger went from my jaw to my chin and pressed up to get me to look at him. “I guess trust is something we’ll be working on.”
The things he was saying were all the right words. The way I responded to them was to want more connection. Did he know that? I was created to be led by his sweettalk. It was as if he knew me longer than the time we’d been living together, as if he’d opened me up when I wasn’t looking and peeked inside me. He woke every yearning cell of my body.
Did I trust him? I wanted to. I needed to. My mind and body were saying yes, yes.
“Right now, I trust you.”
“Is that good enough?” he asked.
My answer was to lean forward for more kissing, my passion too strong to control. Malin groaned into the kiss. The next moment I felt myself lifted into his arms, the kiss ongoing. My arms rose to encircle his neck. I hung on as he carried me out of the game room and upstairs. We passed by my door and headed straight for his room.
