Callum gave him a stern look. “You are not immune to skin cancer, Vanabelle, and you’re the least melanated of all of us. Tomorrow, we’re slathering you down at the top of every hour like the overgrown toddler you are.”
Daniel laughed again but obediently grabbed the soap and began to lather up. “BB is rubbing off on you, babe. That was a mighty impressive verbal beatdown.”
“She’s certainly taught me a thing or two.” Callum agreed with a smirk. He took the soap, rubbing it between his palms and then running his soapy hands over Daniel’s torso. “I was lucky to meet her when I did. I don’t know what I would’ve done without her these few past months. I damn sure didn’t expect my return to the city to go this well.”
Daniel sighed contentedly, enjoying Callum’s touch, even on his burned chest. “She was lucky to meet you too, you know that, right? She needs you more than you realize. We all do.”
Callum inhaled sharply, looking up through his wet lashes. That frisson of electricity passed between them again. There was understanding in the omega’s beautiful amber eyes, alongside hope, and a little bit offear. It took everything in Daniel not to confess his feelings right then and say the thing Pack King had brought them here to say.
Instead, he took the soap and used it to lather Callum’s torso. They took turns washing body parts until they were both clean, then Daniel let him rub aloe-infused lotion over his burns. By the time they’d dressed and returned to the kitchen, the condo was full of delicious smells.
“Taste the macaroni and tell me if it’s right,” King said, coming back inside from tending to the grill. “Van, cut up the rest of those vegetables for me, please.”
“Aye aye, captain!” Daniel gave King a salute and got to work, keeping his eyes on Callum as he did so.
King was watching him too. He wanted to please their omega as much as Daniel did. Anticipation pulsed through their bond. They knew Callum would appreciate the effort, and they wanted to relish every moment of his pleasure.
He lifted the lid from the casserole dish on the counter and gasped, then put a hand over his mouth and turned his shining eyes back to the two alphas. For a moment he couldn’t manage a response.
“You made kimchi mac!” he exclaimed finally, his voice hoarse with emotion. He leaned down to smell the dish, closing his eyes and doing a little happy dance as he inhaled. “That smells like home.”
King nodded, satisfaction rumbling in his chest. “Dante asked Chloë about your favorite foods, and she put us in touch with a very nice lady named Irene who was extremely happy to share her recipe.”
“You talked to Irene?” Callum’s mouth dropped open as he spun to face King, nearly dropping the spoon he’d been about to use to taste the macaroni. “I can’t believe she kept the secret, that little minx! She loves surprises so much but she’s terrible at keeping them a surprise.”
“Well, she said you’ve been keeping secrets so she could too,” Daniel recalled, unable to help the grin spreading across his face. “Apparently you have been skimping on the juicy deets.”
Callum’s golden-brown skin darkened in a blush. “She and Aunt Dolly are spoiled. They’re used to me sharing all the sordid details of my little flings. This feels…different, but I didn’t want to get their hopes up by talking about you too much.”
“Impossible,” Daniel said, wanting nothing more than to tell him to yeet their hopes into the stratosphere. This was way more than a fling, and Irene knew it.
When they’d called the sweet old beta, she’d made it very clear that she was well aware something was going on between her boy and Pack King. According to her, he’d been noticeably happier lately, and she’d suspected his new “friends” were major contributors to that happiness. Pack King had seemingly confirmed her suspicions and hopes by reaching out to her. She’d kept them on the phone far longer than necessary, but the conversation had left Daniel feeling warm and fuzzy. It was nice talking to someone who so obviously loved Callum.
Just as Daniel did.
Before Daniel could blurt out something foolish, King said just the right thing, as always. “We want to make sure you know this trip is for you too, Trouble. We like having you around just as much as Countess. Don’t ever doubt that.”
Callum swallowed hard, blinking rapidly as he turned back to the dish. He scooped out a spoonful and blew on it impatiently before putting it in his mouth. The little moan he let out with his pretty lips wrapped around the spoon made Daniel’s cock throb.
“It’s perfect!” Callum declared, twirling happily across the kitchen to kiss each of their cheeks. “Everything is just perfect.”
And it was.
Soon the chicken and vegetables had come off the grill, and the rest of the meal was ready to eat, and they were carrying steaming serving dishes outside. Though it didn’t have direct beach access, the condo did have an amazing view, so they’d decided to have dinner on the large deck. After Daniel laid a tablecloth with citronella candles, Callum set the table, arranging the place settings so that everyone would be seated on one side, and thereby able to enjoy the sunset on the water. Daniel sighed contentedly as they settled into their places with glasses of wine.
Dante and Bianca joined them moments later, looking refreshed. Daniel was pleased to see that she hadn’t lost the relaxed energy she’d discovered in the ocean. The loose t-shirt and lounge shorts she wore added to the laidback vibe, especially since Daniel didn’t even know she owned those kinds of clothes. Aside from her fancy silk pajama sets, he’d never seen her in anything more casual than designer workout gear. She was the type of person who wore dresses around the house and considered them loungewear because they were cotton, even though they still made her look prepared for an impromptu brunch or unexpected photo shoot.
“Looks like you made quick work of the wash and go,” King commented as Dante and Bianca sat down. “I can already tell that when you untwist it tomorrow it’s going to be fly as hell.”
Bianca touched her hair self-consciously, but Callum caught her hand and kissed it, before lowering their joined hands to the table. The blush that spread across her cheeks made her look younger, especially with her wet hair styled into a dozen or so two-strand twists. She’d tied them out of her face with a satin scarf instead of putting on the bonnet they’d brought for her, which made Daniel chuckle. He guessed that wearing her bonnet to dinner was a step too far out of her comfort zone.
Amelia and Maude had gotten the right products from Bianca’s stylist and sent Pack King several instructional videos that Teresa had let them practice on her whenever Bianca wasn’t around. The results had been mixed. Daniel was fairly hopeless at both twisting and braiding, while King was pretty good but slow as molasses. Dante was the best at it, which is why he’d had the privilege of helping Bianca that evening.
“It wasn’t as difficult as I thought it would be.” Bianca gave them a wry smile. “Astrid behaved as if managing my hair was a Sisyphean task.”
Callum clucked sympathetically, lifting his wine glass. “To overcoming the bullshit our parents put on us.”
“Cheers to that!” Daniel enthusiastically tapped his glass against theirs, tamping down his anger at the shitty parents who’d made his omegas feel like burdens when they were obviously fucking gifts. “To recognizing your parents’ bullshit is not your responsibility and living for yourself.”
