The Omega's Sun-Kissed Valentine: An Alpha/Omega Mpreg Romance Read online

  That’s a lot of words from someone so small. Though Rob was uncomfortable at Noah’s failure to clear up the misunderstanding, he had a smidgen of sympathy for him after witnessing Nat’s incessant chatter.

  Dan cleared his throat and took his mate’s arm. “I think they want to be alone. We’ll come back in the morning.”

  Rob exhaled, thinking the encounter was almost over. But as Nat pouted and Dan led her away, the unmistakable sound of a baby crying drifted through the still night air.

  Could things get any more complicated?

  Nat froze and shook off her mate’s hand. “Is that a… baby… inside your villa?”

  A horror-struck expression covered Noah’s face, and he dropped the chocolates and flowers. His voice was hardly more than a squeak as he replied, “Baby?”

  His sister narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, you know. A tiny person.” She put her hands together and parted them to indicate something small.

  “Ummm…”

  The alpha glowered at Rob who leaned against the doorway and pursed his lips. This is the most fun I’ve had in ages.

  “Baby?”

  Nat elbowed her brother. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  Rob raised a brow. “Yes, Noah. What did you leave out when you told them about me?”

  The alpha gulped and glanced from his sister to Rob. “Well…”

  “Shame on you Noah for keeping your sister in the dark.” Rob enjoyed witnessing the alpha squirm, though a voice in the back of his head whispered he was only digging himself in deeper with a bunch of crazy strangers.

  The alpha let out a jittery laugh and slapped his thigh. “It’s a long story, Nat. One I can explain in the morning.”

  Rob tucked his arm into Nat’s. “You need to tell her, Noah.”

  “Tell me what?” The tiny omega glanced from her brother to Rob. “Spit it out.”

  “Well…” Noah gave Rob what the omega assumed was a ‘What the fuck are you thinking?’ look. He nibbled a nail but as he hesitated, the door behind Rob opened further.

  There’s no going back now.

  “Da Da.”

  “Hi, sweetheart.” The omega took the plump 18-month-old baby from the beta’s arms. “Are you hungry?” He rested his chin on his son’s head and breathed in the delicious scent. My heart.

  “No. He needed a diaper change, and then he heard your voice.”

  “Go back to bed, Annie. I’ve got this.”

  As the nanny yawned and stumbled inside, Rob nuzzled the baby and faced his guests. More like intruders. Three pairs of wide eyes and three drooping mouths met his gaze.

  “Da Da?” Nat turned to Noah. “You have a son and didn’t tell us?” She pummeled her brother’s arm.

  “Shame on you, Noah!” I’m enjoying this way too much. Rob kissed the wispy blonde hair on his son’s head as the baby clutched his favorite soft toy, a pink pig they’d named Snort.

  Noah had a deer in the headlights expression on his pale face. “It’s not my baby,” he blurted out.

  “What?” Nat stood in front of her brother with hands on her hips. “Whose baby is it? Did you borrow one for the day?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “If this is one of your stupid jokes, I’m going to whip your ass, Noah.”

  Rob needed no convincing that the little omega was capable of beating up her sibling. And her brother seemingly agreed as he took a step back.

  I can’t stand this any longer. “The baby’s mine. This is Joey.”

  “A perfectly reasonable explanation, Nat. It’s…”

  He doesn’t know my name. This is glorious but also exquisitely painful.

  “It’s what?”

  Noah stroked the baby’s cheek, but Joey opened his mouth and clamped his lips over the alpha’s finger. “Sh…”

  “Shoot is what you meant to say.” Rob enticed his son to let go of the alpha, and Joey let out a howl. The omega swayed back and forth and soothed his son as Noah snatched his hand away and sucked his finger.

  This is not going well.

  “He’s got quite a grip.”

  “Joey doesn’t seem to like you.” Nat rubbed her forehead. “I’m confused, if this baby is…” She placed a hand on Rob’s arm. “Sorry, I don’t even know your name?”

  “Rob.”

  “Rob!” The alpha’s strangled voice echoed off the villa walls, and Joey glared at him.

  “You’re tired, aren’t you, little man?” Noah gave the baby a wan smile.

  Joey pitched Snort at him. But as the alpha caught the stuffed pig, the baby’s lower lip trembled.

  Shit! He’ll wake up the entire resort—if they’re not already on their phones complaining to the front desk. The omega held out his hand. “Snort.”

  The alpha hesitated and stared at the toy clutched in his fingers.

  “Snort, please.”

  Noah’s mouth gaped, and his eyes grew wide. He gulped, screwed up his face and an odd sound exploded from his mouth.

  “What are you doing?” Rob hissed.

  “God, you’re hopeless. That was a grunt.” Nat nudged her brother out of the way.

  “Okay, smartass, you do it.” The alpha elbowed the tiny omega.

  Nat snorted, and Noah copied her. The noise filtered through the surrounding palm trees, and even the waves crashing on the shore seemed to backtrack and run out to sea as the grotesque sounds punctuated the night air.

  Dear God. It’s a fucking circus. No. Make that a farmyard. Joey froze, and his huge blue eyes, which were mirror copies of his father’s, widened. His mouth fell open and revealed front and bottom teeth. Rob tensed waiting for an ear-splitting wail. But instead, the baby giggled.

  Noah’s eyes darted from Joey to the toy in his hands to the omega. “F…”

  “…finally.” Rob grabbed the toy from the alpha and waved it in front of the baby whose irrepressible giggle was so infectious Nat bent over and the pair chortled as she tickled his tummy. Laughter erupted from the alpha’s mouth, and Rob gave in and chuckled along with them. Even Dan couldn’t help but grin.

  Shit. That whole thing with Snort was my fault. But he deserved it.

  “Awww, Noah, that was so sweet.”

  Rob hugged his son close to his chest. “Baby laughter is a melody from heaven. There’s nothing better.”

  Nat kissed Joey’s cheek, and he kicked his legs and gave her a huge smile.

  The baby’s laugh curled itself around Rob’s heart giving him both pleasure and a hint of pain. I need to clear this up. “I adopted Joey.” Keep it short and to the point. “S-Sadly his parents were killed in a car accident not long after he was born. The alpha was my brother.” His voice caught. “My only sibling.”

  His statement was received with a collective gasp from the three adults. Nat put a hand over her mouth. “Rob, I’m so sorry.” She squeezed the omega’s hand, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “That must have been so hard for you. But you’re obviously an amazing parent, and you’ve found love with our Noah. I hope his affection and being part of our family will help ease your grief. And now I have a new brother and a nephew as well. Wait until our dads find out.”

  Oh yeah. Just wait. “Thanks. That’s really sweet. I appreciate it.”

  “Nat. Let’s go.” Dan guided his mate away from Rob and Joey.

  “I won’t be able to sleep, so we’ll be here for breakfast bright and early.” She leaned toward her brother and hissed, “Why didn’t you tell me about Rob’s family? We would have come earlier.”

  “I…” Noah’s pleading glance at Rob had the omega almost feeling sorry for him.

  “Don’t blame him, Nat. There’s still a lot I haven’t told him.” He glanced at Noah. “That’s fine for breakfast.” It struck him how truthful his response was. He wanted to spend more time with Nat and get to know her. “Joey wakes up very early.” Something made him grab the alpha’s arm. Though he disliked Noah’s deception, he wanted to make Nat happy. And being around her
and her magnetic personality, had him longing for a family other than just Joey and himself.

  “Okay. Night.” Nat raced back to Rob and gave him a huge kiss. She slapped her brother’s arm and allowed Dan to lead her away.

  Rob and Noah stood at the doorway waving while Joey was contentedly chewing on Noah’s shirt. The omega’s face hurt as he plastered a smile on his face, though he admitted, while the man beside him was an idiot, his sister was delightful and he looked forward to breakfast the following morning.

  But as the pair disappeared along a path, guilt overwhelmed the omega and he pushed Noah away and stepped inside the villa. “Thanks for that,” he snapped and pointed after the retreating mates. “Now look what you’ve done.”

  “I didn’t know she’d see me. I didn’t plan this, I promise.”

  “Are you serious?” Rob snarled over Joey’s head. “If you hadn’t come here, none of this would have happened.” His anger stemmed from not only being caught up in a lie, but also lying to Nat.

  “It’s not my fault my sister is ace at stalking.”

  As Rob made to close the door, his son wailed as the alpha’s shirt was pulled out of his grasp.

  “Joey likes me.”

  “He’s a baby. He loves banging saucepan lids, eating dirt and playing with dead bugs he finds on the floor. I’m not sure he’s the best judge of character.” The memory of the alpha grunting had the omega pause. I need to come clean. “Ummm… the pig’s name is Snort.”

  Noah frowned, but as realization dawned, the tips of his ears turned pink. “Snort! Gotcha.” He hid his face in his hands.

  That’s stupid, but also adorable. But the omega mentally slapped himself as the thought popped into his head. No, he’s not. Rob eyed the pink skin on the alpha’s cheeks. “For someone in the diving business, you should really use sunscreen. Your face is burnt and will probably peel.”

  The alpha shuffled his feet. “I prefer sun-kissed to sunburnt.”

  You would. “Okay, the rom-com—or should I say tragedy—is over. Go.”

  “I can’t.” Noah peered over his shoulder at the hibiscus bushes in full bloom. “You don’t know my sister. She’s probably hiding in the shrubbery and at first light will be knocking on the door.”

  Rob threw his head back and stared at the twinkling stars. “What did I do to deserve this?”

  The alpha shrugged and looked shamefaced.

  “Get inside.” The omega picked up the flowers and chocolates.

  “I thought you hated commercialized crap associated with Valentine’s Day.”

  “After the night I’ve had, these gifts are the least I deserve.” He strode into the main room, which was furnished with comfortable sofas, brightly colored cushions, potted plants and large artwork adorning the white walls. He pointed along a passageway to a closed door. “You can sleep in there. It has a bathroom attached and there are toiletries and towels on a shelf beside the sink.”

  “Thanks.”

  “But first thing tomorrow, you clear this up. Now I’ve met Nat, I feel bad that I played any part in duping her.”

  “Be honest, you’d love to see her punch me in the nose.”

  “Definitely.” The omega chuckled as he pictured Nat attacking Noah.

  Joey reached out and grabbed a hunk of the alpha’s messy hair.

  “Hey buddy. I’ll see you in the morning.”

  But the little one held out both arms, while still clutching Snort in one hand. He leaned toward the alpha who caught Rob’s eye and then took him from his dad. Noah cradled Joey against his chest as the baby stuffed one of Snort’s ears in his mouth.

  “He likes you. No idea why.” Rob’s eyes narrowed as he contemplated his guest hugging Joey. “I guess you rate better than dirt and bits of fluff.

  “I’m honored.”

  Noah balanced Joey on his hip and wiped drool from the baby’s mouth, and didn’t so much as flinch about getting baby slobber on his fingers.

  “He’s so beautiful.”

  Rob wiped away a tear and sniffed as his son snuggled against the alpha. “That’s the first thing you’ve said I agree with.”

  Two

  Noah

  It was three in the morning, and Noah was having a hard time sleeping. After saying goodnight to Rob, he’d showered and climbed naked between crisp cotton sheets. Everything about the villa shouted luxury, and he wondered how the omega could afford it. Either he had a great job or rich parents. Unless he was his brother’s beneficiary. Oh, shit!

  His phone had beeped numerous times and even without checking, he was certain it was Nat bugging him about Rob, Joey and the car accident that claimed the lives of the baby’s birth parents. He finally muted it, unable to answer her questions.

  As he tossed and turned, Rob and Joey bounded through his dreams with Nat at their heels yelling, “But I don’t understand.” He’d woken with a start as a nightmarish screeching of metal slamming, crunching and curling in on itself in a tangled mess had him sitting up, gulping mouthfuls of air. I’m never getting back to sleep.

  The alpha rubbed the weariness from his face as he lay staring at a ceiling fan while it twirled soundlessly through the heavy humid air. He hated air conditioning and preferred to sleep with the doors and windows open, though the cicadas chirping their shrill nighttime song in the garden outside had him rethinking that.

  Trying to get comfortable, Noah flicked on a bedside lamp and grabbed piles of fluffy pillows he’d discarded earlier and shoved them behind his head. He gazed outside at a brilliant moon standing out in a cloudless sky and reflecting in the pool villa, while in the distance, waves lapped lazily against the shore.

  The alpha grabbed the TV remote, but just as his finger pressed the on/off button, he changed his mind as the noise might wake Joey. He listened to his favorite playlist instead, while he pondered how his many missteps had led him to the villa.

  The previous afternoon, he’d been sitting by the hotel pool drinking a soda as he hid from his sister. The whole misunderstanding had blown up in his face, and he was a coward for not fessing up, but as he paid for his drink and wandered past the open-air bar, he’d caught sight of an omega sitting by himself.

  He was struck by the man’s weary eyes, which were the lightest blue he’d ever seen, and the dark brown hair that flipped over one eye. The guy, who Noah guessed was in his late twenties, was ignoring everyone else around him and his mind seemed to be elsewhere as he yawned, sipped wine and tapped his phone.

  Noah eyed younger alphas and omegas splashing water on their friends, sipping drinks with colorful umbrellas, and flirting with potential mates. Their antics and laughter swirled around the man at the bar who was oblivious. While he argued with himself about approaching the omega, the alpha scanned the crowd for Nat, who he’d seen headed for a massage with her mate an hour earlier, but she wasn’t in sight. Thank goodness. A few more minutes of freedom.

  His attention was once again drawn to the stranger. An invisible force lassoed him and was urging him forward. But though part of him resisted and his head screamed, “No!” emotion took over from reason, and his feet edged toward the omega. What the hell am I doing? I’m got a confrontation looming with my sister and now I want to complicate my life further? He had no idea what he was going to say to the guy but a primeval longing took hold of him and he not only couldn’t resist, but he gave in to an overpowering desire and allowed himself to be drawn closer to the man.

  But as the alpha inched forward, he was hit by an enticing aroma that smacked his senses and had his head spinning. Jesus! What was that? He reared away while the fragrance taunted and tickled his nostrils and had every nerve ending standing at attention. He clenched his fists as the scent crept over him, seeping into his pores and driving him forward.

  But as he hovered behind the omega, who hunched over his drink, befuddled ideas raced through Noah’s head and clashed with rational thoughts, while he opened and closed his mouth and shifted his weight from one foot to the othe
r. I can’t give in to this. It’s insane. The guy could be a serial killer.

  Over the heads of the noisy holiday makers, he made out his sister’s voice. It drowned out the babble, laughter and clinking of glasses, leaving only dread at the looming showdown with Nat, along with a sizzling electricity pulsing through his body. Sidling up to the omega, he blurted out, “Will you be my Valentine?” Christ, what have I done? I’m a fucking idiot.

  Despite the omega’s negative reaction, Noah concentrated on the way his hair curled at the back. He stifled the urge to run his fingers over the strong jaw with a hint of a five o’clock shadow. But the dark smudges under the guy’s eyes aroused the alpha’s curiosity. Why isn’t he sleeping?

  When the omega stormed out, Noah’s first instinct was to follow him. He knew nothing about him—not even his name—but the bar tender muttered, “I wouldn’t if I were you.”

  Noah bared his teeth, and a growl rumbled up his throat. Who is he to tell me what to do? But he’d peered at the tab the omega had signed before the beta snatched it away. He couldn’t make out the name from the scrawled signature, but the room number was unmistakable.

  The alpha stumbled back to his office further along the beach. He remembered little about the walk and was consumed with thoughts of the stranger. He’d spent the rest of the evening staring at his computer screen as the guy’s face floated in front of him. Sniffing his shirt, he’d been struck by a whiff of the omega’s sharp, spicy scent, and he swore he’d never wash it again. I’m thirty-five and acting like a pubescent pup.

  But it wasn’t only the man’s physical appearance that charmed Noah. His teasing humor, stinging sarcasm and refusal to allow an alpha to steamroll him had captivated the alpha. He wasn’t sure what it all meant, but he was determined to engineer another meeting with the omega. Am I insane or what?

  Another ping on his phone brought Noah back to the present as the cicadas continued their never-ending twittering. Nat! Does the woman never sleep? Ignoring it, he flung off the sheet and putting on his boxers, wandered toward the kitchen. He’d had clients stay in the hotel villas, so he was familiar with the basic layout.