Page 29 of Vallaverse: Noir
“You two are going to double-team me every chance you get, aren't you?”
“Probably,” I answer honestly. “Follow me up. I'll have your things brought up later.”
If she's awed by the decadence of my bedroom, she keeps it to herself. I've put effort into my space. I picked the color scheme myself. I chose the furniture. I designed this room not only for my comfort, but for the mate I would eventually have. I wanted rich textures. Deep colors. Things that would demonstrate my ability to provide comfort and safety.
It's a little offensive that she isn't calling attention to any of it.
I'd enjoy Beckett's visible appreciation of everything if Dana seemed even a little pleased.
“Is there anything you don't like?”
I watch her face as she wanders around my bedroom. She opens a dresser drawer and peers inside at the neat rows of black socks.
“We can change whatever you need to. All you have to do is give the word and I'll make it happen.”
She closes the drawer and looks at me. “Doyou snore? You barely had a nap at the hotel, so I couldn't tell.”
“Not to my knowledge.”
She pics up a trinket from the top of the dresser and looks back at me. “Oh, don't look so tense. You know very well thatthis room is beautiful. We're not changing a single thing about it, other than the bed.”
“The bed?”
She nods. “We need the next size up, if you and Beckett don't plan on cuddling. I'll be in the middle, but there's still only so much room to spread out on.”
An embarrassing amount of relief washes through me. “We can get whatever bed you want. And bedding to match.”
“How loaded are you?” She bluntly asks.
“Very,” I answer, just as bluntly. “Would you like to be tucked in before I go?”
Her mouth pulls to the side as she genuinely considers it. “You know what? I think I would. Let's try it. Beckett? Are you resting or wandering?”
“Definitely wandering,” he replies. “If that's alright with you?”
“I'm not going to dictate your life, Beckett. You're my Omega, that's true; but I'm not going to tell you what to do or when to do it. You're an entire person on your own and I won't change that.”
“Okay,” he says softly.
Dana toes off her shoes and unbuttons her trousers. “Two hours,” she says, and climbs into the bed.
I let her sleep for three before I send Beckett upstairs with a cup of coffee. She walks down the stairs shortly afterward with her shirt loose and her hair mussed from sleep. “I said two hours. Do you have milk?”
“And cream,” I tell her. “You needed the rest.”
“Don't do that.”
I've just learned two things. She doesn't like her coffee black, and she needs a warming up period before she's ready to cheerfully take on the day. I follow her into the kitchen and watch her pour cream into her cup and take a sip.
“Better.” She closes her eyes and takes another, longer sip, then opens them to look at me. “I said two hours for a reason. Now I'll have to rush. Where is Beckett?”
“He's plundering the library.”
“The library. I'm not even surprised.”
“I told you I have plenty of money.”
She nods. “You did. I just didn't expect a library. Or two cooks.”
