“Mom, Omega and I are about to leave.”
When she looks back at me, there’re tears in her eyes. “Astalia, I’m truly sorry for making you feel like you’re not beautiful.”
I take a seat beside her, cradling her hand in mine. “Mom, you don’t have to keep apologizing. I forgive you. We can just move forward from here. I will be honest with you and let you know how I really feel, and as long as you are mindful of my feelings, we will be fine.”
“I love you, my only daughter. I have always and will always love you. Maybe I have loved you too hard, and now I will treat your heart gentler. You have a good spirit and have always brought a smile to my face, and I owe that much to you in return.”
Hearing my mother say those words almost makes me break down. She reaches for me with both arms. I fall into them, inhaling her essence and cherishing God’s gift to me. What I have never failed to always love and honor; my mother.
“I love you too, Mom.”
When I go back out to the living room, Omega and I leave. He’s unusually quiet. For some odd reason, it feels like what brought us together is coming to an end. If we are spending our last moments together as we ride to his house, I need to know. What happened at my mother’s is enough to make anyone change their mind about joining my family in anyway. When we pull into his apartment complex, I can’t help but ask, “Now that we have made our commitments of spending Christmas together, what are we going to do now?”
He puts the gear in park, turning to me in his seat. “You know, I thought with this short time we’ve known each other that it wasn’t appropriate to tell you that I love you, but if this isn’t love I feel, I don’t know what love is. I love you, Astalia Morgan.” His confession takes my breath and ability to move away. He leans across his seat and kisses me deeply, allowing his emotion to flow from his soul to mine in that kiss. “And what we’re going to do is stay together. We’re going to create propositions like the one that brought us together, and take it one day at a time.”
Hell yes.
I smile. “More propositions, huh? I got a little worried that since we’d honored the one that brought us together, that my family had run you off.”
His grin stretches from ear to ear. “Yeah, more propositions, and it’ll take a lot more than a dysfunctional family to tear me away from you. Thick and thin, baby.”
Tipping my forehead to his, I breathe him in. “You’re always saying the things I need to hear, and I have a proposition this time.”
“Just ask, and it’s yours.”
“I propose we spend every night until the New Year at a secluded cabin in Tennessee without family.”
“Oh, sounds like heaven,” Omega says, smiling even harder.
I get a little thrill from putting that look on his face, making him happy because that’s what we are supposed to do for the people we love. “It’ll be deliciously painful for me, but we will enjoy every minute.”
Snickering, he rubs the tip of his nose across mine in the most adorable show of affection. “You are so funny, Astalia. I promise to go easy on you.”
I peck him softly on the mouth. “See, that’s just it. I don’t want you to. I love you just the way you are—hard, rough, and rugged.”
He returns the peck, causing desire to ignite low in my belly. “Don’t forget ‘pretty boy’ is glad to know that you love him too, finally.”
“Yeah, you’re my pretty alpha, who finally found me, and I’m not letting you go.”
Omega marks that with a searing kiss, setting my soul on fire as only he can do.’
THE END