Pip squeaked in happy surprise.“Hi, Tiloro.”
Pip wasn’t happy enough to release Ford, but let Xavier smother him in kisses and answered when asked if he was okay.Everyone was on edge about his well-being, now the revocation was official, but he was coping better than expected.
Lucky stood in the doorway, shaking his head.“Come inside.We’re unpacking the kitchen and I can finally find the coffee.”
Wynna stepped inside, chatting with Xavier while Lucky swapped places to greet Pip with smiles and kisses.He had no idea how fucking sexy he was when he got domestic.
After Lucky headed inside, Ford lowered Pip to his feet and crouched beside him.“You need to say anything before we go inside?”
Pip shook his head and gripped his T-shirt, not ready to let go.He and Lucky had talked about that, worried he would become dependent if they didn’t face the problem soon.They’d batted around the idea of therapy, but Pip swore that he’d always be honest, telling Ford or Lucky his secrets.Unless that changed, they’d wait to bring Dr.Kai in for a consultation.
Ford kissed his fingers and crossed to the truck to remove a box they’d left for this moment.He held out the box for Pip, whose eyes widened.“Can you carry this inside for me?”
Pip took the light box and waited as Ford grabbed a far heavier box.Since the railing of clothes and the table had been removed while he wasn’t paying attention, Ford rolled down the van shutter and signalled for Pip to follow him inside.
Once Pip was in the hallway, Ford kicked the front door shut and led him into the living room, where Jonah and Xavier occupied the two-seater.Lucky was unpacking the kitchen, while Wynna stood in the archway between the two rooms, inspecting a painting Phoenix had gifted them as a house-warming present.Grant and Neko were picking up Kain, Caroline and Phoenix on the way, for tonight’s house-warming party, while Jesi and Sykes had to wait until they finished work before stopping by, with a few other ORT.
Ford set his box on the wall-to-wall storage in the living room and took a single step back when he heard a door shut.Chase walked in the back door, brushing dust from his shoulders.Lucky’s laughter was full of warmth, as he shook his hand through Chase’s hair, dislodging more dust.
They exchanged a few words, quiet and barely a step apart.Whatever Chase said had Lucky blushing, no doubt teasing him for his antics that morning, when he’d kept them in bed for two hours, despite his heat ending three days ago.Their bed being a mattress on the floor, for one night, hadn’t stopped him from getting creative.Ford was tempted to go through and find out what they were talking about, but Chase nibbled on Lucky’s ear and his eyes darted up.Ford winked to acknowledge their flirting.
As Lucky’s true mate, Chase was twice as susceptible to the heat hormones.Whereas Lucky’s heat made Ford horny as hell, Chase had been insatiable for the entire four days, and he was pleasantly exhausted from catering to their needs.
A tug on his T-shirt had Ford looking down to find Pip holding his box.“Where would you like me to put this, Tauri?”
Ford evaluated the wall of bookcases and folded his arms.“That shelf.Can you unpack the box for me, as well?”
Pip beamed, like he’d been given an important task, and placed the box on the lower shelf.With gentle hands, he unfolded the box they’d cut the tape from, and removed thin paperback books.He placed them into a pile on the shelf and frowned, unaware everyone’s eyes were on him.
Xavier whispered to Wynna, while Jonah covered his mouth with a hand, no one wanting to ruin the surprise, even when Pip scratched his head.
Pretending to unpack the other box of books he’d brought in, Ford waited for Pip to speak.
“Why d’you have picture books?”
“This’ll be our home.We gotta make sure everyone’s got what they’re needin’, and kids need books, right?”
Pip touched the books tentatively and rubbed his eye.“Is Imse having a baby?”
Chase choked on his sip of coffee as he walked into the room.“I fucking hope not,” he muttered, not quiet enough to avoid being heard.
Lucky folded his arms with an unimpressed raised eyebrow.“What a shocking way to talk about your future child,” he complained, which made Chase turn to Ford in panic.“I’m not pregnant.”He rolled his eyes and left the kitchen to cross to Pip, where he sank to his knees beside him.“But wearebringing a baby into the house.”
Pip rubbed his eye harder, until Ford worried he would hurt himself.
Lucky took his hand and held eye contact.“You.”He patiently waited for Pip to look up, the tears he’d been hiding finally falling.“You’re ours, aren’t you?”
“I’m not a baby,” Pip said, sounding lost and broken.
Brushing aside a strand of hair from his eyelashes, Lucky sounded like he wasn’t far from crying.“You’ll bemybaby.My first baby.”
Ford crouched beside Pip and rubbed his back as the tears flooded, a perfectly natural response.Lucky was the first person outside of his family to want him, love him and claim him, without condition.Lucky had promised that, no matter what children they had, Pip would always be their first child, even if he wasn’t of their bond.
He wished to fuck his heart didn’t bleed emotion to the point he could barely hold back.
Pip leaned against his side and allowed Ford to comfort him.“S’ppose.”
“You’ll like the books.”Lucky leaned in close.“They belonged to Ford, when he was little.”
