I prowl further into the small bedroom. It’s as forgettable as most things are in this town, which is why it’s perfect for Bird and me to hide in.
The walls are painted an earthy brown, which matches the oak bed with its ivory linens. An oak wardrobe leans against the wall that leads to the tiny ensuite.
“Somebody said that they wanted to try the local cider.” I throw myself down on the bed. “And somebody said?—”
“That I like all the other shit on this list…?” Bird grins. “No one has bought me my favorite things before, and it’s been years since I’ve eaten them. As a Hotel Omega, I ate with the rest of the staff, and our food was more like porridge. We werealways hungry. This is amazing. You’re the best Alpha provider of treats.”
“You say that as banter, but I am the best.” I blink when Bird throws himself onto an olive, woolen blanket from the bed, which he must have draped on the floor. I peer down at him. “What are you doing?”
Bird makes himself more comfortable on the blanket, which I realize now is also stacked with the bed’s pillows. He starts pulling the food out of the bag and arranging the treats onto the blanket.
He glances at me now with an edge of shyness. “In summer, some of the guest packs would excitedly take their bonded Omegas for picnics in the beautiful forests around my town. They weren’t allowed to take me with them, although a few ones did try and ask if they could. I always wondered what it would be like. I thought it’d be nice to experience that, you know?”
I smile, sliding off the bed to sit cross-legged next to Bird.
I shrug off my coat and throw it over the pillows. “I’ve never been on a picnic either. I read about them though in a book my brother wrote. This dashing Alpha took his Omega on one in Central Park. They had their first kiss under the azure sky. To me, a kiss likethatgives off spectator-sport levels of PDA. Even the park bench would have been blushing. But Mars insists that it would have made the readers swoon.”
“Not you?”
“I don’t know. Was taking his Omega on a simple picnic enough to earn his love?”
“You don’t need toearnlove.” When Bird holds up a pear to my mouth, I take a crisp bite, which is loud in the quiet of the room. “It’s just something someone feels for you.”
I chew the sweet pear thoughtfully. “What do they feel? How do they know?”
Bird ducks his head, and his cheeks flush. “It’s…I mean…you just know.”
I cock my head. “Like we know that we’re scent matched?”
Bird takes a hurried bite of the pear, and I watch as he slowly chews and swallows. “It’s different for everyone, Ro. For some people, they’re all in. They see their Alpha…their scent match…and they justknow. And other people need to experience this deep emotional connection before they’re ready for love. Others, can take pleasure out of sex and love but don’t need any of the romantic shit.” My ears perk up at that. Huh, maybe that’s me. “And some people are sort of the opposite. They don’t need the sex beyond the ruts and heats, but they’re all in on the romance. I saw every variation when I worked at the hotel.”
I pull my legs up to my chin and hug my arms around them.
Worry tugs at me.
“Am I not romantic enough for you?” I blurt.
Bird’s head shoots up. “You’re perfect. Also, you show your love for me in a hundred ways every day. Look at this feast. You remembered every food that I like and you bought it for me. You’ve treasured me more than anyone has.”
My shoulders relax.
I sprawl out on the blanket. “Is that why you built this…?”
“Blanket nest.” Bird nods.
“Here.” I pick up a cracker and hold it out to him. “We seem to have got this the wrong way around. I’m meant to be handfeeding you.”
“Hmm.” Bird’s eyes twinkle. “I like it both ways.”
So do I.
I narrow my eyes. “Here, Little Bird.”
Bird pushes himself up onto his knees in front of me.
When I reach out with my free hand to stroke his cheek, he pushes into my touch like he always does, as if he doesn’t know that my hands have been soaked in blood.
His deep, rumbling purr vibrates through the bedroom.
