“Yeah,” he replies, looking into my eyes with an almost vulnerable look. “It does.”
We stare at each other then, and my skin feels bare despite the many layers I have on. There’s something unspoken in his gaze, and it’s making me feel nervous in the best way.
“Thatcher… I love you,” he says, and my heart skips a beat. “I think I’ve loved you since we first met. But, these past few weeks, it’s grown into…more.”
“More,” I echo back at him, still mesmerized by the words coming out of his mouth.
“Yeah. Like a living thing inside of me. Every touch, every moment with you, has fed it and made it grow into this impatient, unbearable thing. Like it’s been waiting for me to express it.”
“And how do you feel now?” I ask.
“Well, I—” He swallows roughly. “I think it’s waiting for your response.”
My face softens, and I can’t help but let out a genuine smile at how cute he is.
I cradle his face gently. “I love you, too,” I tell him, and he exhales with relief. “I think I’ve been in love with you for just as long. It just took me some time to figure it out. You know why, now. I’m still confused by my emotions, but I’m not confused by you. Not anymore.”
My omega’s eyes shimmer. “It happened the way it was supposed to.”
“I know.” I wipe near his eye, moving away the moisture that wants to spill. “But I love yousomuch. I don’t want you to ever doubt that again.”
“I won’t,” he promises. “And I don’t want you to keep yourself from me again.”
I take his hand and place it over my thumping heart. “Neveragain.”
He kisses the tip of my nose, the sadness now gone as his gaze trails over my face lovingly. “Well,” Kit starts. “With our declaration of love now out of the way, we can get to the other stuff. So we can last until the end of our date…”
“Other stuff—” I start to ask, but then he’s crawling downwards, tugging my jeans off my hips with a wicked gleam in his eye. I love that freaking gleam, how it sparkles and strikes all at the same time. Love how his watermelon scent turns overly sweet when he’s aroused or excited. There was never a universe where this omega didn’t completely undo me, and now I’m ready to fully live in it.
When he takes me into his mouth, my world blurs and crackles into an endless nirvana.
THIRTY-NINE
Playing: “In Your World” by Hyooman
I sitin my car outside of McMillan’s firm, willing myself to go in and get on with my routine, but there’s a knot in my stomach. The offer from Alston takes up a lot of space in my mind, like a dream come true after a long, tiring bout through a violent sandstorm. That single thought alone tells me that the decision I am exhausted over has already been made.
Not only do I need this, but my pack needs this. They need me around more often; I know that now. Hiding in the shadows while they figure things out on their own is no longer acceptable, especially now that we have a new addition wiggling her way into our hearts. I need to take this offer, but it feels a little like failure. Like I can’t handle the schedule, or like I’m not built for a more cutthroat world.
Consciously, I know those insecurities are futile, but I can’t stop the feelings from flooding me in every way. Like I’m not worth it. Like I should have stayed in that group home all thoseyears ago to spare my pack and my grandma from the disappointment.
My phone is to my ear without another thought. It rings and rings, and for a moment I think she’s not going to pick up, but then the ringing stops.
“Sammy, my boy.” My grandma’s sweet voice appears. “This is a lovely surprise. I thought you’d be at work.”
“I’m supposed to, but—” I swallow roughly. “I think I need to leave my internship.”
The line is silent for a moment. “Okay. Tell me more.”
“It’s been tough. Well, that’s an understatement. My boss is more and more abrasive. Inappropriate. And I realize that I don’t actually enjoy it that much.”
“Law in general or the internship?”
“The internship. I got an offer to work for someone else, but I’m having a hard time accepting it.”
“Good. Because law is your passion, anyone can see it. Why are you hesitant to take this job?” she asks.
“I don’t know,” I answer honestly. “It’s a better offer, it’ll give me a lot of time with my pack and more time for school. But it feels too good to be true.”
