by J. D. Light
"At the time we thought it was really funny and kinda exciting since we were both a little early and had kinda thought that they'd end up being further apart when I went into labor, but then things started to get scary fast. His labor was completely different than mine, and he kept passing out. The nurses didn't seem all that concerned, except for one. She finally went over the head nurse's head and called the doctor in, even though he was only at a five, and he immediately ordered a C-section." He took a wobbly breath, pausing for a long moment and swallowing convulsively. "I didn't get to go back there with him. The last time I got to see him, he was a little out of it. I just keep hoping he didn't realize what was happening, and he wasn't scared."
Tears spilled over his lower lids and onto his cheeks, and I reached out, taking his hand without thought, and he squeezed my fingers hard. "Lee went into cardiac arrest on the table. They couldn’t bring him back. He never even got to see Arden. Turns out, that nurse had been right to be worried. He had an enlarged heart. You have so much extra blood to pump while your pregnant. They think he probably always had something that caused his heart to work harder than most, but during the pregnancy and then the excitement of me having my baby and him going into labor himself… It was all just too much."
More tears fell, and I couldn't handle just sitting over there in the driver's seat, not able to at least hug him. I wasn't always the most comforting person in the world, but this was different. This man had lost his best friend, and a day that marked the birth of one of his beautiful sons, also marked the day he lost someone incredibly important to him. I couldn’t imagine what that must be like.
I pulled over, and he must have realized what I was doing because he tried to dry himself up quickly and even opened his mouth to protest, but as soon as I put the car in park safely, I reached over and pulled him to me, bending awkwardly over the console.
"I'm so sorry, Jennings," I whispered into the side of his head.
He surprised me by relaxing against me and pressing his forehead to my neck while reaching up to wipe tears from his eyes.
After several moments, a few sobs and soft words, he took a deep breath. "Eve, Lee's mom comes to visit when she can, and she's mentioned moving to Salida several times, but I don't want her to move up here unless she actually wants to. She's really just starting to get to live her life. Lee was the oldest, and she had five others to raise after he left. Not that she didn't love it, but she was so young when she had Lee, and then just when she thinks she is about to have all her kids raised, her husband passed. I just want her to do things for her for a while."
"Is that why she didn't take Arden?"
He blinked up at me for a moment before smirking and shaking his head. "No. It was never the plan for her to take Arden if something happened to Lee. We had always planned to raise them together, both of them as our sons. When we both decided to get pregnant, we went and got married."
"Oh damn," I whispered, my heart squeezing for him all over again. "I didn't realize you guys had been in a romantic relationship."
He'd lost so fucking much.
He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "We weren't. We did it for legality purposes. We wanted to make sure that if anything happened to the other, the only thing we had to worry about was grieving and taking care of the kids. We both had life insurance and even the house was in both of our names. We really lived life like a married couple." He paused, wrinkling his nose. "Except for the sexual stuff. I've definitely been with both alphas and omegas, but Lee and I were strictly friends. We tried to be more once, and we both kinda freaked out. We were too much like siblings for that." He smiled softly. "Eve knew about our arrangement and agreed to it beforehand. She liked the idea of being grandma to both boys. So, we were both on both birth certificates, and nobody even tried to keep me from taking both boys home. Eve stayed with me for a couple of months after. We both needed each other to get through that time."
I let him talk, listening to the fondness in his voice and sensing that he felt lonely most of the time, or that he had to do everything on his own because he didn't have his family, and he didn't have Eve around as often as he would like. With every second that ticked by, I became more determined to make sure he never felt alone as long as I was blessed enough to have him in my life, and I was pretty sure he wasn't going to have a choice anyway since my Da had already claimed him.
"Wow, that got super sad," he said after a while, laughing at himself. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry. I have seven brothers that I might not be related to by birth, but it would kill me if something happened to any of them." I paused for an indecisive moment before shrugging my shoulders and pressing a kiss to his forehead, making him gasp, before turning and putting the car in drive and checking the road and pulling out. "I can't imagine how hard all of that must have been, especially raising two new babies by yourself. It takes a pretty special person to do what you've done."
He gasped when my lips touched his forehead, but I purposely avoided looking over at him until I was safely moving down the road.
"Well, fuck," he grumbled after a long moment. "You're making me feel like an even bigger ass. Not only did you find me two great babysitters, so I can go to work and not go completely broke, but you turn out to be really nice, while I've been a complete asshole this entire time."
"Now, Jen-Jen," I said, determined to steer us away from the emotional because I wasn't always the best at processing it. "I'm not completely nice. Can't have you getting all soft on me. It's too fucking sexy when you get all pissed off. Don't go ruining my fun by falling in love with me and getting all mushy."
I gave a faux shudder and he huffed out a laugh, rolling his eyes.
"Damn, that was a close one." He smirked at me as he pretended to wipe the sweat off of his brow. I almost fell right on your dick in appreciation. Good thing you stopped me."
Pulling into Slick's parking lot, I almost didn't get it all the way in park before I turned to look at him. "Wait. You can still fall on my dick. I'm really nice. I climbed a cat once and saved a tree from drowning in a baby. I'm a hero."
Chapter Five
JULY
N ever had a shift been more… interesting than the shift that started with me getting out of Wagoner's car and walking into Slick with him right there by my side and ended with him walking me to the same car and opening the door for me to slide in like we were on some kind of date or something.
I still wasn't entirely certain how it had all gone down, but I knew by the time we pulled into my driveway at four in the morning, I was tired and desperate for a shower.
Mark and Devon were already up moving around when we got there, and I cringed, hoping the boys hadn't kept them up all night, but they assured me that everyone had gone to sleep at a decent hour, and that they were both fairly early risers, so that calmed my worry immensely.
They finished their coffee, and Devon went off to grab their bags, bringing the monitor into the kitchen, and sleep deprived me wrapped my arms first around Devon and then Mark thanking them profusely and from the bottom of my heart.
"Of course," Mark said, pulling back to watch my face for a long moment. "Don't forget dinner on Saturday."
Again, I found it incredibly funny to know that the man wasn't above guilting me just to get me to his house for dinner on Saturday. I couldn't help but wonder if the––and this is admitted truly grudgingly––sometimes charming way Wagoner guilted people into doing things they might not normally agree to was something he was aware he'd gotten from his omega father.
"You really want me to come to your family dinner?"
The man known as Da smiled, and I had to admit, there was a bit of a creep factor to that grin that made me question whether he was so desperate to get me there because he was planning on cooking me. "You're one of us now."
Wagoner curled his lip at his Da, shaking his head. "He doesn't mean that as creepily as it sounds."
"There is nothing creepy about love," Dev
on said in a deep voice that sounded more like a grunt and was a bit creepy itself.
There was another round of hugging after we walked them to the door, and I chuckled, shaking my head when the door shut behind them.
"Jeez. No wonder Kent is terrified of Da," Wagoner grumbled, frowning at the wood of the front door, or rather, the men who had just walked through it before turning to me with a roll of his eyes. "So, you'll go to sleep now, I assume. How long until the twins wake up?"
"They aren't twins, remember?" I asked, making my way back to the kitchen to grab the monitor, exhausted, but reluctant to let him leave just yet.
As it turned out, I was starting to like the man… a lot, and I really just wanted to spend more time with him.
He shrugged smiling brightly. "They might as well be. They even look alike."
"They are technically brothers. We wanted them to be related, so we asked to use the same donor." It had been important to both of us. "I know blood isn't everything, and I'm sure you can definitely attest to that, but it just felt right to give them that connection."
He reached out, cupping the back of my neck, and running his thumb over the sensitive skin just below my ear. "I think that's amazing. I agree, blood isn't everything, but even just that small connection will help them when they get older. I was around nonblood related families enough to know that sometimes, even as adults, people aren’t always content with not knowing who they are genetically. Some go out and hunt for their blood relatives. None of us did because our parents were always very open with us about what happened or didn't happen with our biological families and we all kind of knew what did or didn't wait for us out there was nothing compared to what we found with our family, but I saw it a lot in some of the older kids in those foster homes. You and Lee had the right idea there, I think. I'm glad you had that kind of friendship in your life. Those are really rare."
I swallowed a lump, not wanting to have another breakdown moment. "You're right they are."
"So, what time do the boys wake up?"
"They should be waking up around nine."
He frowned, pursing his lips. "That isn't going to give you much time to sleep."
I shrugged. "By the time I get showered and in bed, I'll get about four hours of sleep before they wake me up. I'll get a few more later in the afternoon if everything goes right. It's not a perfect system, but it's not too bad." I'd been living on that kind of sleep for over six months now. "I try to catch up on sleep during my time off, and if things get too dire, I lock us all in their room because I know it's safe and I sleep in front of the door so they can't escape. I'm a fairly light sleeper, so it works."
Chuckling, he shook his head. "What if I stay for a while and get up with them? Then you can get a bit more sleep," he said, raising a finger so I wouldn't interrupt him, probably knowing I was already planning to protest, but he'd just done so much for me already, and I really didn't deserve any of it. "You're never going to get rid of those bags under your eyes at this rate."
I closed my mouth, glaring. "You really have a way of making a nice gesture sound like I should punch you in the nuts."
Smirking, he stepped closer, invading my space. "And you have a way of making sex sound like you're threatening me."
I huffed, rolling my eyes and grabbing his wrist before dragging him down the hall toward my room. "Come on. I don't have anything that will fit you, really, but you are more than welcome to a really tight pair of shorts while I wash your clothes. You can grab a shower and sleep for a few hours, because I'm totally taking you up on your offer.
"For sex."
"For a sitter."
"It doesn’t have to be either-or."
I chuckled, reaching up to pinch his cheek… hard. "Just go take a fucking shower. I'll get you my tightest shorts."
"Or… I could sleep naked."
Grabbing his shoulders, I spun him, smacking him on the ass to get him moving in the direction of the shower.
No comment on just how hard and amazing his ass is.
When I too was showered, dried and dressed in my underwear and a pair of shorts, I entered my room to find Wagoner sitting on the edge of my bed looking nervous.
And delicious. All I could think about as I looked him over with all of that olive skin on display for me, was that I'd put my mouth on so much of that. His taste would be milder after his shower, and there would be hints of my scent mixing with his because of my shampoo and body wash. I wanted to explore again and find out.
"Okay, I know I joke with you a lot, but sleeping in the same bed with not much on might turn out to be a problem," he said nervously.
"Are you saying you won't be able to keep your hands off of me, Wagoner?"
He nodded. "Yes. I'm pretty sure that is going to be a problem. I can sleep in the room Dad and Da slept in."
Oh. Wow. That's… I really want you to accidentally fondle me in my sleep. I would actually really appreciate that.
Was he really worried he couldn't keep his hands to himself, or was there something else there?
I tilted my head, watching his face. "Are you worried about something else, or is it really just because you're worried about us touching inappropriately while we sleep?"
"I'm not worried about anything, but I just don't want you to get uncomfortable. Things got a little out of control the other day."
"In that case, suck it up." I climbed up on the bed, reaching out to make sure the monitor was on and setting it back on the nightstand. "I don't like the idea of not being able to hear the boys… not that I don't trust you, but we don't know if you'll hear them or not, and I'm used to waking up at the smallest sound. We both need to be in here if you really are planning on getting up with them."
It probably had nothing to do with loving the idea of him being in my bed. Probably.
"I'm a pretty light sleeper, but okay. Just don't say I didn't warn you if you wake up with your dick in my mouth. At that point, it becomes your problem."
I spluttered out a surprised laugh, and he grinned, giving me a little wink before sliding into the bed and under the blankets, the shorts I'd loaned him––which were pretty loose on me––molding to the lower half of his body beautifully.
"I don't think we define problem the same way."
He laughed, waiting for me to slide under the covers before sliding closer and tucking his body along mine from behind, wrapping his arm around my waist.
I blinked in surprise at the wall as I faced away from him, settling my hand over his. Being in his arms was everything I'd ever hoped it would be, and I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt that safe and secure.
"Thank you," I said after a long moment, when my eyes started getting heavy. "I really do feel like an asshole. You're being really nice to me, and I don't deserve it."
"I just want in your pants. Now, go to sleep." His voice sounded sleepy too, and I felt my body respond.
I chuckled softly. "Technically, you are already in my pants, and they look uncomfortable as hell."
He pressed his smiling mouth against the back of my neck, grunting and affirmative while his body went heavy and lax against me.
I have a feeling I'm going to be begging you to get in my pants before long. Oh well. My celibacy had a good run.
***
I was vaguely aware of the heavy breathing right before something wet was strung across my forehead, and the distinct feel of an uncoordinated hand––also wet––found my eyelid. I groaned because I know the routine. One of the boys––Arden most likely––is in full on concentration mode as he tried to decide the best way to get my eyes to go from closed to open. Hence, the heavy breathing and the drool.
I wondered vaguely how he'd managed to get out of his crib and out of his room without me hearing him on the monitor when the bed jostled and suddenly, the wet paw that had been moments away from prying my eyelid open with sharp baby claws, was gone.
"Arden, you little turd," I heard Wagoner whisper along with an excited sque
al that was cut off into a muffled giggle.
Wagoner? Fuck!
I swiped at the baby drool, sitting up quickly to find Wagoner standing in the middle of my bedroom, fully dressed back in his own clothes––boo––and holding a giggling and wiggling Arden securely in one arm.
He froze, eyes going wide as he saw me, and I swear even Arden froze, like they'd both been caught doing something they shouldn't.
I raised an eyebrow at the two, frowning slightly. "Why is your hand over my son's mouth?"
"It's not over his nose. He can still breathe." He jostled Arden slightly, and the little cutie giggled, proving he could in fact breathe, and I yawned, looking around for my phone.
Calen giggled from the door at the sight the two were making, and my lips twitched.
"What time is it?" I asked, swiping at the phone, and just pushing it a little further away when I did.
"Almost two."
"What?" I squeaked loudly, whipping my head around in his direction before turning back to the nightstand to reach out a little further, finally managing to finger the damn phone a little closer then jerk it toward me.
Only that wasn't how things went. I gave a jerk, and the phone caught on the charger, jerking it out of my hand where it bounced on the edge of the bed. I dove, trying to grab it before it fell, only to topple sideways, my head nearly pulling me over the side of the bed.
Thankfully, Wagoner seemed to be a multitasker, because he moved quickly, managing to catch my hip, pinning me to the bed by pressing against it hard, so that I was actually hanging upside down, with my ass pointing straight up in the air along with my legs.
I pressed my hands against the floor, walking them up the side of my nightstand while I kicked my legs for leverage, probably looking like a flopping fish. He chuckled, giving me a boost and the leverage I needed to roll back onto the bed correctly.
"Jeez," I grumbled, when I was finally where I was supposed to be with my ass safely on the bed and my head above my feet. "I can't believe it's already two. Why didn't you wake me up? You have to be exhausted."
