Page 111 of Act Like You Don't Care
Miles shook his head. “I don’t think so. I think you had a lot on your plate and you didn’t need the complication of starting a new relationship. It’ll be different now, I hope. No stalker. No contract hanging in the balance. Just us.”
“And the parasite.”
“And the parasite,” Miles agreed. “Why don’t we get you that shower and I go pick up some take-out while you rest? Anything you’re craving?”
I shook my head. “Not really. Not all that hungry, honestly. I don’t think there’s much room left in there for food.”
“I can put together something light in the kitchen if you change your mind,” he said, sitting up and holding his hands out to me. “Up you go.”
This time, I let him help me to my feet and allowed myself to be grateful at his patience with my swollen and ungainly body. Fifteen minutes later, I was showered and dressed in clean sweats, comfortably ensconced on the couch with Badness on my chest and Miles rubbing the swelling out of my feet, ready to press play on a marathon of cheesy B-grade action movies.
I’d found my alpha and with him, I didn’t need to hide my omega or lack of omeganess because it didn’t matter to him. He wanted me for who I was, not what I was supposed to be. Weirdly, if it hadn’t been for Joshua, none of this would have happened.
As the opening credits to “San Francisco Nights” started rolling, I debated whether I should send some money for Joshua’s defense. Not a lot, but some. As a sort of thank you.
Badness squinted at me as if she could read my thoughts. Her merciless stare got her message across, even without words.Don’t do it, human. I’m not wasting time trying to train another one if he comes back for you.
“Right you are,” I whispered and scratched her behind the ears. Miles sent me a look of inquiry as his fingers worked their way around my ankles but I just shook my head. “Talking to the cat. That feels amazing. You should hire yourself out.”
“Thanks. I think I’ll keep my day job. This is a service I provide for only the most elite of my clients.”
Corny, but I laughed anyway. “How many elite clients do you have?”
“Just the one.”
Miles
Iwoke up the next morning and decided I’d call in and tell Dad I was working from home today. Tam was still asleep, peaceful as an angel, though I knew that as soon as those beautiful blue eyes opened, all bets were off. It was a joy, though a quieter kind, to just lie here in bed and see him, all loose-limbed and relaxed in the depths of his dreams. I brushed my fingers gently over his hair, careful not to wake him, and laid down beside him again with my arm around his waist.
Yesterday had been a revelation. We’d ended up sitting on the couch talking for hours. Both of us had been so wrong during the entire time we’d known each other. I’d rubbed his back, he’d coaxed me into the bedroom for another, slower round of sex that left both of us exhausted and deliriously happy. Tam said he wanted to take me back to Oceanport to introduce me to his family there. I promised to punch Jim for him when Jim inevitably put his foot in his mouth about our newly rekindled romance.
Later that evening, we’d ordered in Korean and ate it while Tam studied lines for the animated film he was taking on after the baby came and I did my preliminary threat assessments for two new clients at Ad Astra. It was almost like the entire separation and misunderstanding had never happened.
Tam stirred in my arms and then I heard a monstrous yawn before he muttered, “What time is it?”
“Only six,” I soothed. “You can go back to sleep.”
He gave a tired huff and started to push himself out of bed. “Need to go to the bathroom,” he said as he swung his legs over the side. “Back in a minute.”
I spread out after he’d disappeared, enjoying the pull on my muscles as I stretched the stiffness of sleep out of them. My hand glided over the warm sheets where Tam’s body had been just moments ago.
Wet. They were wet.
I leaned over to sniff at them. It was nearly scentless. “Tam?”
“What?” he called back, irritated and sleepy-sounding.
“Are you done in there?”
“No.”
“Are you still having those contractions?”
“Am I ever not having them?” he demanded, now thoroughly annoyed with me. My sleeping angel was well and truly gone now.
Time to break the news to him. “I think your waters have broken.”
“What?” I heard the toilet flush a moment later and the water run in the sink, then he strode out of the bathroom to stare at me with wide eyes. “How?”
