Of course they do. I was made to fit with her.
Slow. Soft. Gentle. I pull back even though I want to stay right there. Kenny’s eyes are wide as she brushes a finger over her mouth. Her cheeks turn rosy.
“No thank yous,” I say gruffly. “Never to me, Ken.”
***
She hovers uncertainly in the doorway.
My hand brushes down her back. “It’s all right, Ken.”
“I’ve never had a nest before.” She whispers it, her feet edging inside. “What if I do it wrong?”
“You couldn’t do it wrong if you tried,” Oscar says. We’re all gathered, watching her. “Want us to give you some space?”
But she shakes her head. I watch as she takes a deep breath and steps completely over the doorway.
Theo reaches down for the switch, flicking it on. Rows of lights switch on above our heads, warm amber balls that light up the silky sheets that fall from the ceiling in carefully pinned waves.
She stops. “You… you made me a tent.”
“We can change it—,”
“No.” She cuts me off, turning slowly. She takes in the shelving, filled with candles and lotions. A ridiculous amount of fluffy socks. The fridge, built into the wall. The piles of bedding, blankets. All of it, for her.
And her voice shakes. “Come inside.”
It feels… momentous. The four of us spread out, waiting for her. Kenny kneels down at the edge of the bedding and shuffles forward, burying herself into it.
Her voice sounds muffled. “You can lie down.”
It takes us a few seconds to work out. Oz shifts back when we make space for him, shaking his head. He points to the edge, closest to the door. Theo silently claims the other side. So Max and I are the lucky fuckers who get to crawl in first, settling her in between us. Her fingers curl into mine as we stare up at the ceiling. “Thank—,”
“Don’t say it.” A chorus cuts her off.
And there’s a smile in her voice when she speaks again. “I don’t have to thank you.”
“No.” I press her fingers to mine. “Not ever.”
Kenny
“Kenny.”
When I twist, Max has paused. He folds his arms. “This isn’t a good idea. Theo will be furious.”
“With me?”
“No.” His jaw tightens. “With me. And I’ll deserve it.”
Doubt curls around my chest. “But you said Charles has gone. Disappeared.”
He nods. “Looks like he’s left town. But Theo’s mom – there’s a lot going on with May. And he wouldn’t want you exposed to that.”
“Well, this isn’t about me. It’s about him.”
Max swears behind me, his feet eating up the space as I turn and march up the driveway. “Damn it, Kenny.”
“You want a submissive omega, you can go find one,” I shoot back.
