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I poured for her from my favorite Italian coffeemaker. “Do you take milk?”
Tracy shook her head and reached for the mug. “This is fine.” She blew on it before taking a sip, and her eyes widened even more. “Wow. This is strong. Good, though. I like it.”
“I’m glad.” I took my coffee seriously.
She got her plate and went to sit in front of the fire, and we all followed her.
I felt a little more human after eating and having some caffeine. The night before had been endless. I’d hoped that Ben’s body heat would let me sleep, but that had been a disaster. I couldn’t help a quiet chuckle.
“What?” Tracy asked. She’d finished her food and was taking a sip of coffee.
“It turns out Ben and I aren’t good at spooning.”
She almost spit out her drink on a laugh.
“Trying to get warm?” She wiped her mouth. “I already told Griffin. We’re moving the mattresses out here tonight. We should do it now, then you guys can take a nap. Not to be insulting, but you all look like shit.”
“No insult taken. I feel like shit,” I said, raising my mug in a mock toast.
My response was easy, but then her words sank in. We were all going to be sleeping together, and no one was arguing that we shouldn’t anymore. It didn’t mean anything was necessarily going to happen, butthe possibility was a lot more real. If she wanted it. Tracy was going to have to make the first move.
Ben and Griff started clearing plates. It was the same at home. I cooked, and they did the dishes. The perfect arrangement, as far as I was concerned.
I got busy hauling mattresses into the living room. Tracy helped. I watched her for signs that being in the bedroom was bothering her, but she seemed fine. Together, we got the mattresses moved pretty fast.
The only way to fit all four by the fire was to arrange them side by side. Once we’d spread out the blankets and pillows, it looked like one huge master bed. The kind a pack with an omega would have.
My brain went into overdrive, mentally designing a master suite that Tracy would fall in love with. We’d need a separate room for a nest. Was it too soon to start planning?
I breathed in her lavender and honey scent and smiled. No. No, it was not. When I imagined my future, she was definitely in it.
She tossed a log on the fire and pointed at the gigantic super-bed. “Sleep. You’re drooping.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I toed off my boots and climbed onto the nearest mattress. “I don’t suppose you could tell me a story to help me fall asleep?”
What I really wanted was for her to be tucked in next to me. Asking for a story felt safer, though.
She snorted a laugh. “I don’t know many stories.”
As she said it, she knelt down on the floorby the mattress and sat back on her heels. I turned onto my side to face her, propping my head on my bent arm. I ached so much to pull her closer. It took real effort to keep myself still, to keep from reaching for her.
“How about you tell me more about you? I think I always wanted to be a chef. Did you always want to do this kind of job, working at the park?”
She was already nodding. “Always. My parents used to take me camping a lot. I love being surrounded by trees and nature all the time. Most days I can’t believe I’m so lucky.”
“Do you ever go into the city?”
Her brow furrowed. “Not much. My scent is light enough that people don’t often notice… But I like being off the grid.”
I took that all in and silently processed it. She didn’t want to be recognized as an omega. She didn’t feel safe.
Maybe she loved living in the forest, but she was also scared to leave. I wanted todosomething about it, smooth away that worried expression she had. But all I could do was talk.
We had things in common.
“I used to go through an adjustment period at the end of each fire season. Going back to civilization after a few months was always a culture shock. I grew up in the city, and suddenly it felt too crowded. But man, air conditioning and milkshakes made it worth it.”
I grinned with pleasure just thinking about it. Not that I wanted anything cold at the moment.
