“That didn’t go the way I expected.”
“No, not so much.” I giggled at the look he on his face. He would figure out soon enough that four-year-old girls were a fickle creature. “And now we have a dog.”
“Two dogs.” He was watching the dogs play. They had met before, but seeing them interact nicely in the space that was once Sprinkle’s alone was comforting.
“Good thing your dad fenced in the back yard when I got pregnant.”
“He likes you, you know. The both do.” I did know, but it was still nice to hear.
“And I him. Both your parents.” They were a fun couple to watch. After all their years together, they still loved each other and enjoyed each other’s company in a very playful way. I wanted to be them in thirty years.
“I wish your parents were around to see you become a dad.” It was as if he knew what I was thinking. I wished they were too, but they had passed just before my relationship with my ex had ended. I refused to give him the respect of referring to him as my alpha, now. Now that Wyatt had shown me what a real alpha was.
“Me too, but sometimes life isn’t fair. You know this better than most.” And shit was getting too real on a day that should be all smiles.
“I do.”
His words brought me back to the razzing Sally had given us the day before. I loved her dearly, but she was a busy body to rival all busy bodies.
“I do. That has a nice ring to it,” I mimicked her taunt from the day before after she asked Wyatt if he had a pen.
“Hinting at something, omega mine?” My knees nearly buckled. I had the same reaction every time he used that phrase. Omega mine. The hottest two words ever said to me. And from the look on his face, he knew it.
“Maybe?”
He dropped to one knee, pulling a ring from his pocket. What twilight zone episode had I just walked into?
“This, maybe?”
“Holy cow.” Coherent words were not happening just then. “I was just messing with you after Sally gave you crap with the pen and the—”
“She was giving me crap because she wanted to see the ring she knew I bought.” He took my hand in his, sliding the ring on it. “The idiot jewelry store clerk left a message at my office instead of on my cell.”
“That makes that entire conversation far less creepy.” Why was I not answering him? The answer was yes. A thousand times yes, but I was babbling like a fool.
“Will you hush now, so I can do this right?”
I reached up, miming myself sealing and locking my lips with a wink.
“Thank you. Oliver Moore, would you do me –“
“Yes. All the yeses.” I fell to my knees in front of him, smothering his face with kisses.
“You’re not going to let me finish, are you?”
I answered him by taking advantage of his open mouth, by sealing mine to his and pouring in every emotion I had until our sweet baby boy decided to kick Wyatt through my belly.
“Looks like he is on with this plan.” I needled.
“I knew we would make smart babies.”
42
Wyatt
I was just washing up after surgery when Chloe came barreling into my legs. "Daddy! We have been trying to call you! Brother Alex is coming!"
My heart nearly stopped and I looked up to see Oliver slowly waddling in behind her, a slight strain on his face. "Chloe, he said, I called him once. Don't stress him out."
I hurriedly finished drying my hands and went to him. He'd been experiencing Braxton-Hicks contractions more often over the last few days, but they had been irregular and nothing to worry about. "Are you sure?"
His belly was as hard as a rock. "Really? It's time?"
"I think so," Oliver nodded.
"We need to get you to the birth center," I said, rushing out the door, making it ten steps down the hallway before I realized I had left Oliver behind. He was following slowly, Chloe bouncing happily next to him. "Chloe—I need to call Faith." I pulled out my phone as I ran back to Oliver, my fingers fumbling at the screen. "But the car, I need to get the car." I turned away and headed to the door again, but then spun around to Oliver. "Wait, do you need help? How are you feeling?"
Oliver shook his head with a wry smile. "I've already called Faith, and I think we have more than enough time to get to the hospital. My water broke about twenty minutes ago, and Tammy and Sally have been keeping me updated on your surgery. I just wanted to be the one to tell you. You should head over to get the car and the hospital bag. It's right inside the front door. Chloe and I will just sit out in the lobby, and Sally will watch Chloe until Faith arrives."
I swept him up in a kiss and Chloe giggled. "I love you," I said.
"I love you too. Now get a move on. We have time, but I would like to get to the hospital sooner rather than later. I still haven't decided whether I want pain medication or not, but I want the option of having it if I want it."
"Right." I spun away, pausing at the door to make sure he was really okay. He and Chloe took their time, turning toward the front of the building as Oliver flashed me an excited smile.
Within minutes I was screeching into the parking lot. There was a happy crowd hovering around Oliver, ready and willing to help him out to the car if he needed it, but he shooed them all away and easily made his way to the car on his own. I quickly buckled in and then stopped at the end of the driveway, waiting.
"Um, Wyatt? There aren't any cars? What are you waiting for?"
"Our escort," I said.
"What? Wyatt, no, you didn't—"
His words were cut off by the loud bleat of a fire truck as Dash and Rafe turned the corner, lights flashing. Dash's window was down and he leaned out to yell to us. "Let's get this show on the road! We have a baby to deliver!"
Oliver buried his face in his hands. "I hate you," he said as I pulled out after the fire truck, the sirens off, but the lights flashing. "I hate you so much."
"You love me."
"I can't believe you did this."
"It was Dash's idea!" I protested.
"What did you do when Chloe was born? A three-ring circus?"
"I may have rented an apartment across the street from the hospital two months before she was born..." he said. "But we had a lot more appointments with Chloe."
Oliver's face fell for a second, but then his eyes squinted shut as he focused through the contraction. "They're getting stronger," he said.
I beeped my horn to encourage Dash and Rafe to step it up a bit, and they did. We only lived fifteen minutes from the birthing center, but we made it in ten. And then Dash and Rafe were driving away as I hovered uselessly as Oliver waddled into the building and the nurses guided us to his room. Thank goodness we had pre-registered. They already had all his personal and insurance information, and all we needed to do was give his name, and then we were settled.
"Are you ready for this?" I asked Oliver.
"I've never been more ready for anything in my life," he said.
"I was so not ready," Oliver said tiredly, his eyes full of adoration as he watched the fragile bundle in his arms.
"I can't believe you went through the whole thing without pain medication."
"I think I hit a point of crazy with you yelling at the doctors to give it to me, and I was just so tired of everyone telling me what to do."
"You were a little fierce," I agreed. In fact, when I had shouted for the doctor to give him medicine, he'd grabbed my by the neck of my shirt and growled, "I don't want fucking pain medication, I want my fucking baby." And that had been the end of that. He hadn't cussed me out or sworn off sex like the woman in the room next to us, just that one comment and a lot of intense glares. He had been so focused on bringing our son into the world.
I pulled the blanket back from Alex's face. My parents had texted when they'd arrived at our house last evening to take over from Faith, and in a few short hours, Chloe would meet her baby brother. He looked so different from Chloe when she was born. She had alrea
dy had a head full of dark hair, while Alex had the lightest bit of peach fuzz.
"It's hard to believe that I can love him any more than I do right now," Oliver said.
I snuggled against him as best I could without actually climbing into his bed. "But you will. Every day you'll love him more. Just like I love Chloe more every day. Just like I love you more every day."
Oliver looked up at me, his eyes brimming with tears.
"Happy tears?" I asked, chuckling.
"Happy tears," he agreed with a nod that made them tip over and run down his cheeks.
43
Oliver
“You’re not supposed to be in here,” I scolded as I pulled back the covers on Wyatt’s side of the bed. “You’re not supposed to see me a full twenty-four hours before the wedding.” His mom had done her best to convince me to spend the night in their hotel, and when that had failed, had threatened Wyatt within an inch of his life, going so far as to move his pajamas, not that he wore them to bed often, and a change of clothes into my old room that we had converted to Alex’s room.
He climbed in and I settled into the crux of his shoulder. “You want to sleep alone?”
I wrapped my arm around his middle, holding him in place. The pretense of kicking him out long gone. I needed him here, with me. Stupid traditions could stay where they belonged… at someone else’s wedding.
“Like that happens anymore.”
His chest vibrated as he chuckled. Alex was an awesome baby. He was happy, ate well, and slept well. At least until two am. That was his witching hour. He thought it was time to get up and play, and nine times out of ten he ended up in our bed with me singing every lullaby I ever heard until exhaustion took over and sleep time began again.
“Alex slept a full six hours last night before ending up in our bed.” He kissed the top of my head before inhaling deeply. We both knew what he was doing. After tomorrow, our scents would blend. This was the last time he could scent me like this. It was a good thing. An amazing thing. But it was a change and I could sense his nostalgia taking over.
“True.” The six hours had still ended at two am, but baby steps. “Much better than the hour and a half we got when he was first born.”
Those first weeks had been tough on both of us sleep-wise, but were sheer and utter perfection in all other ways. Wyatt had pulled back from work with the exception of things his techs simply couldn’t handle. He spent two hours a day at the office on average and the rest with us. He was the epitome of a doting father and husband and tomorrow he would become my husband for real. Real being legally.
“He’s asleep now.” There was no hiding his intent, not with his cock tenting the blanket.
“You want to risk bad luck on our wedding day for snuggle time.” I snuggled in closer, throwing my leg over him, needing to have more of our skin touching.
“It would be more than worth it.” He shrugged, my head nestling in further at the motion.
“It so would.”
“Are you sure you’re ready for this?” Wyatt’s body tensed slightly at the question. Was he really afraid I would change my mind? It had been him and only him since before our first kiss. Nothing would change that. Nothing. “We can wait. There’s no pressure.”
“You think I have cold feet?” I dared not utter what my real fears were, that he was afraid I would run. It was a mistake I’d never make again, but the scar was still there. He must’ve sensed my brain traveling down a not so happy lane and stopped me dead in my tracks with his freaking arctic feet. “Crap, you’re the one with cold feet.”
“All of me is cold.” He trailed a finger down my side, sending shivers up my spine. “I think you should warm me up.”
“I can do that.” I pulled him to his side, his length now pressed against mine and leaned in for a kiss, a kiss that landed on his cheek after he turned his head.
“After you tell me you are sure.” Cock blocker. Sweet, adorable, sexy as sin, insecure cock blocker.
“You are such a silly alpha. We have been living together for over a year, have been engaged for most of a year, have two children, and two dogs. I think it’s safe to say I’m already in.”
“I just want to be sure.”
“I love you more and more each day. There is no place I would rather be than by your side,” His insecurity was breaking me, but he settled at my word. I kissed his nose before settling back into snuggle mode. “You just wanted an excuse to come to bed.”
“That too.” I reached down to stroke his length at his admission. “But no nookie for you.”
“Tease.”
“Maybe. But no worries, I plan to snuggle the crap outta you, but no nookie until tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait.” Mr. and Mr. Wyatt Gates. Just saying the names in my mind made me giddy. I was going to be Oliver Gates. Wyatt’s husband. His mate.
“For nookie?”
“No, well yes, but I can’t wait until you mate me.” I stopped speaking long enough to organize my thoughts. I wanted him to see how very much I was ready. “The wedding will be grand and all. Sharing our love and commitment with everyone is always special. But the mating, that is the magic. That is when not only our minds but also our bodies say I do. Forever.”
“You’ll smell like me,” he mused.
“And you like me.” I was practically bursting with excitement just at the thought of it. Lavender, honey, cedar, coffee all blended together for all to scent, to know that he was mine and I was his.
“You sure know how to bring on the sexy.” My cock responded eagerly to my thoughts and was poking him in the side. “Still not going to work, though.”
As promised, he snuggled the hell out of me, both of us basking in what tomorrow would bring. What the rest of our lives would bring.
44
Wyatt
I was lucky enough in my life to have a lot of "best" days, each better than the last. Graduating college. Meeting Jen. Earning my doctorate. Marrying Jen. Chloe's birth. The first night with Oliver after telling Chloe. Alex's birth. But today was my new best day: marrying Oliver.
For such a small ceremony, it had taken a long time to plan. Or maybe it had just felt that way. There really hadn't been much to plan, but we wanted to wait until Alex was old enough to leave for a week. I wanted Oliver to have it all, the big wedding, the cake, the dances, the honeymoon. He had felt differently though. The honeymoon was important, he agreed with a glint in his eye, but when it came to the wedding, all we needed were the people who mattered most in our lives. My family, Oliver's friends from Omega House, everyone from the clinic, Rafe, Dash, Marcus and a few other close friends from town. Helen even came up from Florida.
My mom had whisked Oliver away early in the morning. She had tried to convince us to spend the night apart because it was bad luck to see each other before the wedding, but there was no way I would voluntarily give up a night with Oliver in my bed. In just a few short moments, he would return. We'd chosen to get married in our backyard and Oliver and his team of helpers had transformed it into a garden wonderland. It was perfect.
And there he was, looking amazing in his gray suit. He paused for a moment to let my mother pin a white boutonniere she had almost forgotten to his pocket, but his eyes were locked on mine. "I love you," I mouthed.
"I love you too," he returned.
Then his hands were in mine, we pledged our vows, and I claimed him with a kiss, a shadow of the claim that was to come.
The reception was lasting too long. I was impatient to steal my mate away to begin our honeymoon, but every time I turned around, there was someone new offering congratulations. Oliver was in the middle of it all, and I had retreated to the edge of the yard with Dash, basking in the joy of both my children's laughter, Chloe as she chased Sprinkles and Sky and Alex as Jen's dad tickled him. Dash, normally chatty, was brooding and I followed his glare to where Marcus was flirting outrageously with Rafe. To my eye, Rafe didn't look particularly impressed, but that didn't seem to stop M
arcus. I looked back to Dash and recalled a strikingly similar look on Oliver's face the first time he'd taken me to Cafe Om while Marcus had been working. I opened my mouth to say something, but snapped it shut just as fast. If there was something there, it wouldn't do them any good for me to stick my foot into it.
Besides, I had an omega to mate.
I pushed my way through the crowd to reclaim Oliver. "Thank you, everyone, for coming, but it's time for us to go!"
Oliver blushed under the avalanche of good natured cat calls, and someone must have been prepared for this moment because suddenly we were walking through a tunnel of sparklers around the side of the house to the front where I had a surprise waiting.
Oliver burst out laughing when he saw the unicorn driven carriage waiting for us.
"Not too over the top?" I asked. "It was Chloe's idea."
"Chloe's idea, sure." He was grinning from ear to ear, and I lifted him up in before jumping up myself. I slid my arm around him and pulled him close as we waved goodbye to the party. I hadn't been sure how Jen's parents would take me getting remated, but they had been ecstatic, and when they found out that Oliver was pregnant, they had practically adopted him, and started hinting that we should work on providing them more grandbabies, that two was a good start, but...
We weren't going far for our wedding night. Tomorrow we would be driving out to the mountains to a secluded cabin in the middle of the woods. It had been Oliver's find, and it seemed perfect. But tonight I had rented a tiny cottage just outside of Old Town with a Jacuzzi and the cutest breakfast cafe right across the street.
The carriage dropped us off at the house where my car and our luggage for the trip was already waiting.
I couldn't wait to get Oliver inside and all to myself, and I couldn't keep my hands off him. I bent and swung his legs up, carrying him across the threshold of the house.
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