Page 82 of Legally Mated
“Oh, good. I didn’t want to have to go look for you.” He took the sleeping Pip from my arms, and pointed Laine toward the front seat of the van. “Where are you staying, in case she wakes up andmissedyou?”
“Uh…” He nodded at me, passing thequestionoff.
“My apartment,” I said quietly, practically daring Bax to saysomething.
“Oh, good,” was all my former Alpha’s Mate said. “Not too far then. Garrick, if you leave your phone on all night, she can even call if that’s all sheneeds.”
“I’ll do that,” I said, then watched him climb into the van anddriveaway.
Laine stood quietly, with the moonlight casting the bones of his face into high relief. He looked over to me again. “Well,nowwhat?”
I reached out and took his hand. “Now we go home.” And held my breath at the delight that lithisface.
“Home,” he whispered and stepped in to kiss me with gentle passion. “That’s exactly whatyouare.”
Chapter66
Iledhim across the Park and down the road, headed for my apartment building. It wasn’t much better than a barrack, but I didn’t have to share a bathroom with twenty other people on my floor, and I could retreat to my little room and be by myself. And truly, how much more did I need? It had a minuscule little kitchen, a bathroom, and enough space for a bed and a small table. I didn’t spend much time in itanyway.
But, as I opened the door to Laine, I worried a little what he would think when he saw how poor wereallywere.
He paused in the opening and I could see him measuring the six steps between the side of my bed and the kitchen cupboards and the four steps between the end of my bed and the door to the bathroom, the single window with its faded curtain set exactly in the center of the far wall. My suits hung on a nail pounded into the wall, and the edge of a cardboard box poking out from under the bed, where the rest of myclotheswere.
I watched him walk through my room, taking everything in. He put a hand on the knob to the bathroom door and looked at me for permission. I nodded and he turned it and just sort of leaned insidetheroom.
“No sink?” he asked,puzzled.
“I have one out here,” I said. “They cut corners wherever theycould.”
He came back out, nodding thoughtfully. “Very efficient. I don’t see an inch of wastedspace.”
I sat down on the edge of the bed. “We can’taffordit.”
He nodded again. “That’s going to change, though,right?”
“I hope.” I pinched up a fold of cloth on the old quilt that covered my bed and twisted it this way and that while he continued to prowl about the room, like a giant cat exploring newterritory.
“I know it’s going to change,” he said, in a voice like a pronouncement from on high. He walked over and sat down beside me, making the mattress squeak in a way that his never did, and drove blood up into mycheeks.
I twined my fingers in his. “So, you’re staying thenight?”
He picked our joined hands up and kissed each one of my fingers in turn. “Yeah. You can’t get rid ofmenow.”
I laughed. “I feel like this is a whole new start to something for us.” I wished I’d thought a little bit farther ahead—I was sure Bram could have picked something we could have celebrated with. The taste of margarita filled my mouth, physical memory, and the tasteofhim.
“Shit,” he said, and dropped my hand. “Your present is in April’s bag.” He looked for a moment like he was considering calling Bax to have him drop it off here, then shook his head. “Ah, we can have it someothertime.”
“Did you really bringmargaritas?”
“All the fixings,” he agreed solemnly. “It feltappropriate.”
I let my head rest on his shoulder and laughed until the tears came. “Well, we can pretend we’re drunk and that we’ve just won a bigtrial.”
He chuckled and kissed the top of my head. “I think we did. I’m here, April’s here, your first refugee omega is here. We’re doing it. It’s working.” He turned my face to his. “It’s been a tough six months, but I swear I’ll make it uptoyou.”
“Nothing to make up. But if you want to believe that, then I’m not going to stop you.” I slid off the bed, ignoring the creak it made, and stood in front of him. “You know, we don’t have to turn the lights offanymore.”
He chewed his lower lip and his eyes grew hungrier as I ever so slowly pulled off my t-shirt, folding it carefully before I put it on my little table. I stepped out of my shoes as I turned back around and undid the button of my jeans, sauntering toward him as I slipped the cloth over my hips, down my thighs, and finally stepped out of them into the space between his knees. “Thisokay?”
