“Do you want me to make you one?” he asks with his mouth full, and the sentiment causes me to laugh.
“No, you’re good. I’m going to order some food, I think. Maybe… pizza?”
Sam and Opal both look at me and ask, “Prosciutto?”
The former looks over at our new roommate, his eyes bugging out of his head as he realizes what she said. My amusement bursts out of me, and Thatcher just shakes his head, obviously disgusted.
“Fifty percent of the people in this house liking that absurd pizza has to be the creepiest thing I’ve ever heard,” Thatcher mumbles, and although I couldn’t agree more, there’s something so perfect about it. Something fated.
TWENTY-THREE
“Come on, Jemma. I know you want the fancy biscuits. Just do the trick for me.”
I stop short at the statement, my body just barely out of frame as I see Kit sitting on his knees, waving tiny beige treats in front of Jemma’s face. She gives him a bored meow, knowing she’s going to get those treats whether she does the trick or not. I swallow down the laugh in my throat and watch as Kit gets more frustrated.
“See, just like this.” He lies down completely and rolls all the way over, mimicking what he wants her to do. He does it again, all while keeping eye contact with her, and she just watches with indifference. He sighs heavily and sits back up.
“Okay, one more time.” He takes one of the treats and puts it in front of her nose. Her expression doesn’t change as he pulls the treat to the floor to get her to lie down. She doesn’t take the bait, however, and starts to lick her paw in an act of defiance. Or boredom, I can’t tell which one it is.
Patience flies out of his body so fast. “Fine! Be that way. I’ll eat the treats myself then.”
I accidentally let out my amusement, a laugh tumbling free at Kit’s statement. His head whips to me, but instead of annoyance, he gives me a bashful smile.
“Don’t sneak up on me,” he says, but there’s no actual malice in it. His scent blooms, and I make note of his flushing cheeks, wondering how I caused such a pretty color to grow on his skin. Something deep below likes the rosiness of it, but I cough to clear my thoughts.
“I wasn’t aware I was sneaking. My body isn’t made for tip-toeing.”
He tuts at me sarcastically. “Yeah, you really‘fee-fi-fo-fum’all over the place, don’t you?”
My laugh is sincere and he smiles widely at that. I think he likes hearing me laugh almost as much as I like seeing him flustered.
“You’re not really going to eat those, are you?” I ask, pointing at the cat treats.
He looks confused, but then remembers what he said and shakes his head in mortification. “Oh my god, no! Not at all. But, these treats were expensive, so I need to figure out how to get her to do the trick, or they’ll be a waste.”
“I’m pretty sure you’re going to end up giving them to her anyway,” I joke.
“Shut up, I will not,” he says, crossing his arms. “I am a disciplinary cat dad. I amnota pushover.”
Jemma walks into his line of sight then and gives the cutest meow. Kit stays firm, giving her a look that means ‘no,’ but then she plops down on her side and puts her paws up like she’s begging for the treats.
Kit’s eyes light up. “Oh my god! Look, Thatch, she’strying,” he says. He coos at her as he’s taken over by her cuteness. “That’s definitely worth a treat. Look how good that was!”
I playfully roll my eyes as he gives her one of the biscuits.Jemma picks it up in her mouth and saunters away with extra attitude in her step. I give Kit a teasing look, but he doesn’t take the bait. He just smiles like he’s won the lottery.
I can’t even tease him about it anymore. He looks so happy.
“You’re right, she at leasttried,” I lie. “You should try to get our new roommate to teach her. Jemma seems to like her a lot.”
Kit considers that, nodding his head, then he looks up at me from his spot on the floor. “Doyoulike Opal?”
The question surprises me. “What?”
“Like… do you see yourself liking her? She’s beautiful, smart. She’s gentle.” He shrugs. “And she’s an omega. If you don’t want to be with me, I’d still like you to be with someone who can make you happy, and maybe she can make you happy.”
The sentiment hits me like an arrow, pain soaring through my chest. I never considered how my confusion could cause Kit to hurt, but I see it as clear as day now. Hedoesmake me happy, the happiest I have ever been, but I haven’t been the best at expressing that. I don’t think I’ve even tried.
“I do like her. She’s amazing, andmaybeshe could make me happy,” I say sincerely, crossing my arms as I feel a need to protect my center. I watch him carefully, but there isn’t any notion that he’s being ingenuous or that he hates the idea of me being with Opal. That makes me arch a brow before I continue. “But—” The word is a garbled mess, but I shake it off and continue. “You do make me happy. You’re my omega.”
