“Just let me know, I guess.” I push off the closet and chew my lip, debating whether or not I can handle the idea of him becoming a human Charlie horse on that booth again. “Good night.”
“Good night,Olive.”
He grins as I roll my eyes. “See you in the morning,Nikolai.”
After stepping into the bedroom and closing the door, I immediately start pacing at the end of the queen-size bed.
This is a predicament I wasn’t anticipating. Not yet, anyway. I knew at some point I’d feel guilty enough about where he’s sleeping to make him take the bedroom but I didn’t expect it five nights into a trip he wasn’t supposed to come on. I also didn’t expect part of the dilemma to be because I want him to sleep in herewith meinstead of just giving up the room to him.
I’ve always been weird about my nest. Since that’s what the bedroom has become, it’s not unexpected for me to be weird about that, either. This, however, is a different kind of weird.
Having a nest was always such a sore spot.
At home, back in Skaneateles, I wasn’t allowed to have one. I presented extremely early—we all do on my mother’s side—and that’s why I was separated from her at such a young age. My time spent under my father’s roof as an omega was so brief there was hardly a need for a nest at the house, but I knew I couldn’t have one, anyway. There couldn’t be any sign of my designation whether I was living with him or not. I didn't have one when he sent me away, either. Not even when I had my first heat.
No meds, no help, no nest.
It’s amazing I survived, and as soon as I recovered, I left.
Living with Hayk, my nest wasn’t actually mine. Hell, it wasn’t even really an omega’s nest for that matter, either.
I had one, I was able to give a little input into what was in it, but one entire wall was a two-way mirror. One alphas could watch me through, or watch themselves depending on which side they paid for. Either way, I was only allowed to use it when I went into heat, and I never had anyone in it that I invited myself.
I was just grateful that eventually when someone paid to watch from the outside, Emery, Dante and Jay were the ones who came in. I didn’t invite them but at least I knew I would be safe with them.
That carried over into our time as a pack, though.
In between the various circles of hell and bouts in purgatory I experienced, my nest was thrown together crudely, it was temporary, and it was disposable. So when we bought our house, I built my first real one, spent way too much time in there alone, and my mates were only allowed inside when I was in heat.
I don’t put the same importance on having a nest that I’m sure other omegas do, and my natural instinct to build one is the only reason I’ve had one in some cases.
Like now.
The bedroom of the RV has slowly turned into a nest of sorts and I’m sure the longer I’m living here the more will be added, I just didn’t think I’d want to add a whole ass person to it.
But I do.
Ireallywant Niko in here with me. I want to share my space with him, I want his scent mixed up with mine and I’m kidding myself if I think I can pass off that desire as agood deedso he doesn’t end up paralyzed from sleeping at the kitchen table.
I’m way too crotchety for something like that, which means everything going on inside my head about that gorgeous man is so much more than I knew it to be.
“Fuck.”
I pause mid-step as I hear him cuss, waiting a few seconds before it’s followed by two quick thuds and something in Russian. I listen a little longer as I creep toward the door and as soon as it sounds like Niko is about to break something, I whip open the accordion slats because I’ve officially had enough.
“Get in there,” I say as I step in front of the closet and point into the bedroom.
Niko smacks his head on the table as he jumps, the giant omega somehowunderneathit. “What?”
“In there. Now.”
“Was I bothering you?” He crawls out slowly, careful to avoid hitting any more body parts on the furniture before he kneels at my feet. “I wasn’t trying to.”
Oh dear.
This is not good. Not good at all. Especially if he actually agrees to start sharing the bedroom with me.
Niko on his knees in nothing but his underwear, looking up at me with big, brown, sad puppy-dog eyes and an expression to match, is officially my weakness. A weakness that makes me want to hold him until he doesn’t think he did something wrong anymore, and kiss the shit out of him because his vulnerability is sexy as hell.
