He’d been pretty sure that Thomas wanted this, too, but he’d still been hesitant because there was a chance that Thomas would reject him.He hadn’t.Instead, he was kissing him back.
“At work, Rowan?”Thomas murmured.
Rowan laughed and put a little more distance between them, but he didn’t let go of Thomas.“I know.I just couldn’t resist.You were too cute.”
Thomas’s cheeks flushed.“The only people who call me cute are my family.”
“Well, from now on, I will, too.”
Thomas’s smile softened.“From now on?”he asked.
Rowan nodded.“This is serious for me.I want to take you out on a date, Thomas.I’m not just planning on kissing you at work.I want to kiss you at the restaurant and at the movie theater.I want to kiss you in your car and in mine.I want to kiss you in front of your family and in front of your alpha.”
Thomas’s eyes had gone a little wide, and Rowan was aware that he was rushing forward, but he wanted Thomas to know that he was in this seriously.He knew that Thomas craved stability, and telling him what he wanted was the best way to give him that.Maybe they wouldn’t get to do all that Rowan had just said, but hopefully, they would, and he wanted Thomas to be prepared.
“I’d like that,” Thomas said softly.
“Good.”Rowan pulled Thomas close again, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.“Because I’d really like that, too.”
They stood there for another moment, wrapped in each other’s arms, before finally turning back toward the car.Rowan kept Thomas’s hand in his, and Thomas didn’t pull away.As they walked, Rowan couldn’t help but think about the rabbit they’d just released.It was healed and free, ready for a new beginning.
Maybe that’s what this was for both him and Thomas, too.
A new beginning.
Chapter Six
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THOMAS FELT LIKE HEwas about to throw up.Hell, maybe hewasabout to throw up.He was pretty sure that the only reason he hadn’t was that he hadn’t eaten breakfast this morning.Last night’s dinner might make an appearance, though, which wasn’t something Thomas wanted to deal with.He had an exam to pass.
He stared at the building in front of him.Whatever happened in there would decide his future.He was maybe being a little dramatic, but it felt like it.He’d studied for months for this.He’d exhausted himself.He needed it to go well, and he wasn’t quite sure how to make that happen.
He swallowed.He could do this.He knew he could, and when he was done, he could stop obsessing over books and math and start obsessing over Rowan.
That was something he was already doing, but it was a little hard to focus on his future and Rowan when he was consumed by thoughts of the exam.That was what he should focus on.Once he was done with it, he wouldn’t have to think about it again.That meant he needed to pass.He had better things to do than keep studying for weeks.
Thomas wasn’t sure if he and Rowan were together.Could what was going on between them be called a relationship?They worked together and were close, and obviously, they’d kissed and had agreed to date, but they hadn’t yet.They’d also agreed to wait until Thomas was done with his GED, and he almost was.That meant that once he was out of the building, he could tell Rowan that he was ready to date him, and that was enough to push him to unhook his seatbelt and leave the car.
That and the fact that if he didn’t, he was going to be late, and that was the last thing he wanted.
He grabbed his bag from the car, closed the door, and locked it.He took a deep breath, then another.When he heard a car park next to his, he turned toward it, relieved to see it was Rowan.They’d agreed to meet in front of the building so that Rowan could be there for moral support, but Thomas wasn’t sure it had been a good idea.The thought of Rowan being so close made him nervous, although in a different way.He was always nervous when he was around Rowan.It wasn’t a bad thing.It was just a thing, and he needed to learn to deal with it.He supposed that would change once they got more comfortable with each other, but that wasn’t going to happen now, and Thomas wasn’t sure he needed to be even more anxious.It was too late now, though.Rowan was getting out of his car, smiling and looking happy to see Thomas in a way that made Thomas want to kiss him.
“How are you feeling?”he asked.
“I’m pretty sure I’m going to throw up,” Thomas confessed.
Rowan shook his head.“No, you won’t.You’ll be fine.”
Thomas snorted.“How do you know?”
“You’re ready for this.You’ve been ready for weeks.I understand why you’re nervous, but you’re going to do just fine.Just think about how free you’ll feel once you leave that room.”He stepped closer.“We should go to the diner once this is over.We can celebrate.”
“Shouldn’t we wait to celebrate until I have the results?”
“We could, but I already know you’re going to pass.”
Thomas licked his lips.“What if I don’t?”he asked in a whisper.
