He really was messing this up at every single stage, wasn’t he?
Jack and Beckett both broke away at the same exact moment and looked down at Arden.
Clearly horrified at having caught their attention, he whimpered uncertainly and covered his face with his hands, even as his hips arched in demand under Beckett.
Jack sat on the side of the mattress and allowed himself one quick glance at where Beckett and Arden were joined, before he leaned down and brushed Arden’s hair back, tucking it behind a small ear. “Hello, darling,” he said.
Arden shook his head, still hiding.
“No?” Jack stroked a gentle line between Arden’s drawn brows. “No hello for your husband?”
One of Arden’s arms shot out and he moved his hand over the mattress frantically. Beckett reached over, causing both of them to grunt softly as he shifted inside Arden, and snagged the lone pillow. He tossed it onto Arden’s face and a startled Jack was about to snatch it off before he realised Beckett was giving him what he wanted, not being cruel.
Arden grabbed it and clamped it to his face.
Jack waited. He’d have to come out to breathe fresh air in a moment.
When the moment dragged on, he smiled and rubbed soothingly at Arden’s chest. “You come out when you’re ready,” he said. The pillow rustled. He rather thought that was Arden nodding.
Beckett was kneeling, still inside Arden, and he began to tremble. He was glaring at the pillow as if he wanted to bore holes in it.
“I’m sorry,” Jack said to him. “This isn’t what I wanted.”
Arden wailed behind the pillow.
“No, no, no,” Jack said, sliding his hand up to grip Arden’s throat lightly. If he’d been stupid enough to try something like that on Beckett, he’d fight like an alpha possessed, but he knew that it soothed Arden. He kept his hold gentle. “I meant that I’m sorry I wasn’t here, and couldn’t talk to you both about it. I’m sorry I was late. I’m sorry I didn’t see this coming, and I’m sorry this is difficult, darling. You haven’t done anything wrong. Neither of you have. I promise.”
Arden released the pillow to flail one of his arms around in the air. Jack caught it, kissed his palm, and set it on Beckett’s damp abs. Beckett flexed into it with one of those beautiful, supple rolls. Arden’s fingers spasmed then slipped to curl around his side and pull urgently.
He wanted to talk, no doubt, to fret and worry and have Jack soothe him. He was such a little worrier. He’d been that way ever since they were children, so long ago now. His body had other priorities, and it was beginning to override everything else.
Before it was too late, Jack tugged on the pillow. “Will you come out for me, sweetheart?” he asked. “I have missed your lovely face.”
Beckett’s breathing was rough, edged with a subvocal growl.
After a less subvocal growl and a demanding pitch of Beckett’s hips, Arden came out from under the pillow.
“Oh,” Jack said, and touched his cheek. “Look at you.”
CHAPTER 5
JACK
Jack leaned down to kiss him.
There was nothing subvocal about Beckett’s growl this time. There was nothing subtle about the way his big hand closed on Jack’s shoulder, either. Jack stiffened before he allowed Beckett to draw him up and away from Arden.
Beckett didn’t seem to know what to do once he’d got Jack’s attention. He settled for pointedly flexing his hips into Jack’s husband, making Jack smile.
“Is it that you don’t want me kissing your omega?” Jack said. “Or is it that you want me to kiss only you?”
Beckett scowled. “He’s notmyomega.”
“No?” Jack looked down at where Beckett glided in and out of Arden, who was watching them both. His pretty grey eyes were hazy with desire and need.
Beckett tipped his head to one side and added a little extra power to the thrust. It made the side of his beautiful arse dimple deeply.
“At this moment, my love,” Jack said, “he most certainly is yours.”
