by Aiden Bates
He'd gotten into the car with every intention of giving the properties a chance, but the longer he drove, the more he worried. Would Luke even want to come so far out of town to see them? Would he want to be so far from the gallery and his studio? Even if he eventually put a studio in the house, it was going to be at least a year before he had the time and energy to start a project that involved .
In what little sleep he had managed last night, he'd had a nightmare about the baby getting into his paint thinner, and now he wasn't sure he wanted to have a studio in the house after all .
He was stuck in traffic on the highway when his phone chimed, and he grabbed it eagerly. It wasn't Luke, and his heart sank .
"Don't buy anything that's been remodeled just to be sold. They always cut corners, and you'll have to tear it all up to check the electrical and plumbing anyway. —Teddy "
"I didn't see anything I liked. —Jay "
"You're done already? —Marcus "
"Are you coming to dinner then? —Kurt "
"Pick up some rolls, would you? Teddy forgot them. —Cody "
Laughing a little tearily, Jay tried to keep his grip on his phone as it went crazy. His emotions had been out of control all day, and he felt like he was constantly on the edge of a breakdown .
"Nikolai got in, finally. He brought vodka. —Kurt "
"Do you mind if I sit you next to Cody? He just tried to dislocate Nikolai's arm. —Marcus "
"Also, butter. Luke used it all. —Cody "
"He's been baking all day. I don't think there's an empty Tupperware in a five-mile radius. —Cody "
"He made these new cookies I've never had before. Chocolate mint. They're delicious. —Cody "
He stared at the phone so long that his vision blurred, slamming his elbow on the steering wheel when someone honked. Traffic was moving again, so he tossed the phone onto the passenger seat and scrubbed at his eyes. He didn't look at it again until he was walking into a grocery store, and when he did, he laughed so loud a little girl riding in the back of one of the carts shushed him .
"How long do you think you'll be? —Marcus "
"I forgot you can't have any drinks. Sorry. —Kurt "
"Can you grab a bottle of Ranch dressing while you're out? Teddy dropped the one we have, and it exploded. —Marcus "
"What are the odds that Nikolai is actually related to Russian mafia? Asking for a friend. —Cody "
"Didn't Greg say that his old landlady was ex-KGB? I don't think you should risk it. —Jay "
He tapped out his reply with one hand, grabbing bread and dressing with the other as he sped through the shelves .
"I was only going to hurt him a little. He keeps tripping and landing in my lap. —Cody "
"Did you ask him to stop. —Jay "
The longer he went without a reply, the funnier it got, and Jay found himself laughing under his breath as he handed his card over to the cashier. From the looks she was giving him, he probably wasn't as quiet as he thought .
"Ranch, rolls, and butter acquired. If you need anything else, say so now, ‘cause I'm on my way out of the store. —Jay "
"I think that's everything. What did you say to Cody? He's blushing bright red. —Marcus "
"I'll tell you later. —Jay "
Tucking his phone into his pocket, he tried to ignore the fact that he still hadn't heard from Luke. He hadn't called Harry yet, either, the dread that surrounded that whole conversation making it hard to even think about it. In fact, if the rest of the guys hadn't made it so clear that he was expected, he'd have gone back to his apartment and hidden from the Carter men for the rest of the week .
The door was open when he got to Luke's condo, and he slipped inside without drawing attention to himself. Teddy was the only one who noticed, smiling at him vaguely as he pointed toward the kitchen. Ignoring Cody and Nikolai's bickering and Marcus' desperate attempts at refereeing, he slipped around the corner .
The kitchen looked like something had exploded. There was still dressing spattered halfway up the walls, and he could see some on the ceiling. Flour dusted every surface, something he'd noticed was pretty standard in Luke's kitchen, but there were also puddles of water or oil here and there. The sink was piled with more dishes than Jay had realized Luke owned, and the whole room was hot and sticky with steam .
"I'm telling you, man, just ask... add another mutual fund to your portfolio," Kurt said, his eyes widening as he caught sight of Jay. "But we can talk about that another time. I'm going to go see if Cody has managed to kill Nikolai yet ."
It was almost comical, watching him scoot out of the kitchen at top speed, a smear of flour on his shiny black shoes. Luke, on the other hand, barely moved .
"You made it," he said quietly, wiping at the counter and knocking all the flour onto the floor .
"Yeah, the viewing didn't take as long as I expected. I brought dressing." Jay held up the bottle, trying to figure out where he could put it without getting the bottle filthy .
"Sorry about the mess. Teddy tried to help me by putting everything away." He glanced up briefly, those gorgeous green eyes jolting like an electric shock down Jay's spine. "I'll put those on the dining table," he said, stepping carefully through the mess. He was barefoot, chocolate smeared across his big toe, and it was hopelessly endearing .
"I've got it," Jay said, going to his toes for a kiss .
He'd meant it to be quick and sweet, a hello to reassure himself that everything was still solid. It didn't end up quite as he planned. Luke's hand landed on the curve of his lower back, his fingers digging into the top of his ass and dragging him close. His startled gasp gave the alpha the opening he needed to deepen the kiss, his tongue teasing all the sensitive spots in Jay's mouth until they were both groaning. He tasted like vodka and chocolate, and the mix went straight to Jay's head .
When they finally broke apart to breath, Jay was smiling. "Wow," he said, pressing his lips to the 5 o'clock shadow on Luke's jaw. The scratch of hair made his lips tingle. "Hi ."
"I missed you," Luke said, his throat bobbing. His eyes were intense, almost glowing, and Jay vowed to one day capture their color on canvas. "I'm sorry about yesterday ."
Shrugging uncomfortably, Jay tried to keep the smile on his face. "Thanks, but you were right. This is your home, and I shouldn't have gone behind your back ."
"No, I wasn't right," Luke said, shaking his head. "I don't want this to be a case of mine and yours. That's how divorces and shitty relationships start. I want you to feel at home here, too, and that means I should have listened ."
"How long did it take Cody to get that through your head?" Jay joked, immediately regretting it. "Sorry, habit ."
Luke glanced off to the side, his throat clicking as he swallowed. "I did talk to Cody. He has good advice sometimes, and he likes putting that psychology degree to use ."
"He's a smart guy," he agreed, leaning into Luke's chest. "So does that mean I don't have to call your dad? Because let me tell you, I've been dreading it all day. I kept coming up with these elaborate plans for how to let him know, including sending him a certified letter." He shuddered and tucked his head under Luke's chin. "My last resort option was asking Robert to do it, but that seemed like a cop-out ."
"Move in with me ."
Jay closed his mouth so fast he bit his tongue. Luke was glaring at the doorway to the living room, his lips pursed like he was trying to prevent any more words from escaping. Jay opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out, and he was left with his mouth hanging open in shock .
"Before you argue with me," Luke said after a moment, "I
just want to point out that this isn't a sudden idea. This isn't me asking you to marry me all over again. Teddy had a really good idea last week, and I've been thinking about it ever since." He set Jay on his feet, pacing the two strides to the other side of the kitchen, and then turning around and coming back. "I don't like coming home to a house without you in it .
"I hate that you're looking for a house in the suburbs. I don't want to drive all the way out there and have nightmares about you taking off for Taos every time I try to sleep. I want to see you every day, make too many cookies for you while you're pregnant, and listen to you complain about all the weight you're putting on. We don't even have to share a room, I just want you nearby ."
"Okay."
"I know this isn't what you wanted, but... What ?"
Jay cleared his throat. "Okay," he said slowly as if he was savoring the sounds .
"Are you serious?" Luke was staring at him, tension thrumming in the line of his shoulders until he looked like he was about to shatter apart .
"Yes? It might not be permanent, but there's no reason not to try. I was thinking about looking closer to downtown anyways. Traffic today was the worst." He startled as Luke whooped, grabbing him up in a bear hug that knocked the air out of him .
From the living room, Teddy's voice was raised high enough for them to hear. "I told you he'd say yes ."
Laughing, he braced himself on the alpha's big shoulders and kissed him. "I suppose we can't disappoint Teddy," he said .
"Wait till you hear what he's going to do to the place," Luke replied, spinning him around .
"I hope he's going to start with cleaning up this Ranch. I just got some in my hair ."
* * *
"M arcus wants to try ice skating again tomorrow," Cody said, yawning as he shuffled toward the door, the last of the group to leave .
Luke groaned, and Jay raised an eyebrow at the other omega .
"Try to picture Teddy on skates," Cody said, tucking his hands into his pockets and smiling when Jay burst out laughing .
"Marcus is almost as bad, and Kurt refuses to even try. And then there's Nikolai ..."
Cody rolled his eyes. "Fucking show off." He propped his shoulder against the doorway, leaning in conspiratorially. "He skates in circles around the others. Literally. Like a big, Russian asshole ."
"Sounds par for the course," Jay said, biting his lip to keep from laughing. His stomach was aching from all the stories that the brothers told over dinner, each trying to embarrass the others more .
"Hey, it's not like you're falling all over yourself, Mr. Military Black Ops," Luke said, shoving Cody out the door. "You don't get to complain if you don't bruise your ass ."
"I was just trying to warn you," he said, smirking, "but I'll take that rule under advisement ."
"I haven't been skating in years," Jay said, watching Luke lock up .
Freezing with one hand on the light switch, Luke shook his head. "Nope. Don't even think about it. I refuse to go out there and crack my tailbone again ."
"Aw," Jay said, pouting dramatically. "But I think it would be fun to watch you slip and slide all over the place ."
"Tough," Luke growled, grabbing him in for a kiss. "If I break my ass, you're going to be the one taking care of me ."
"Good point," Jay said, nipping his lips. "If anything, you're the one who's supposed to be pampering me ."
"Oh?" Luke's eyes darkened as he tipped his head to look down Jay's body, and Jay's heart sped up. "How about I run you a bath, and you can soak while I get your room ready ?"
For a moment, the words didn't compute. "You're not seriously going to make me sleep in the guest room, are you?" he asked, stepping back with his hands on his hips .
Luke held up his hands. "No, of course not. I just didn't want you to feel like you had to sleep in my room. I figured we'd set the guest room up as your space until the remodels are done, and then you can have the other master ."
Narrowing his eyes, Jay advanced on the alpha, stabbing him in the chest with his finger. "Or we could share a bedroom ."
"If you want," Luke said, swallowing hard as Jay kept going until they were chest to chest. "I just don't want you to feel pressured ."
"Great. No pressure," he said, leaning up until he could whisper right against Luke's lips. "I'm taking half your closet and half your bed. I like to sleep by the window ."
"Okay," Luke said, barely breathing. "I can do that. You can have more than half the closet; there's not much in there, and it's a big closet ."
Jay nipped his lip. "I don't have much stuff, but I will keep that in mind. How about you run me a bath in an hour or so?" He pulled back when Luke snorted .
"I think you vastly overestimate both my stamina and how much energy I have right now," he said, smiling sheepishly .
Considering this thoughtfully, one finger tapping his lip, Jay nodded. "You drive a hard bargain. I will accept a rain check as long as it's upgraded to a bubble bath ."
Luke laughed. "Deal." He pulled Jay in with tentative hands on his hips .
"Deal," Jay repeated, humming encouragingly as he was manhandled. "I believe I was promised a bed." He scraped his teeth up the tendon of Luke's neck, smiling against his skin when the alpha hissed and pulled him in tighter .
"Bed, right." Luke tried to shuffle them toward the bedroom, but their legs kept getting tangled. Staring dazedly into the distance to down the hallway, he grumbled under his breath. Without pausing, or any visible effort, he scooped Jay up in his arms until they were nose to nose .
Wrapping his arms and legs around whatever he could grab, Jay gasped. "That was the hottest thing I've ever seen," he murmured, pressing light kisses to Luke's face .
"I'll keep that in mind," Luke said, walking more confidently toward the bedroom .
Each step was torture and bliss, their bodies rubbing together until he was so hard the zipper of his jeans was painful. He was so lost in the delicious sensations that he didn't even realize they'd reached the bedroom until Luke pressed him back on the bed .
Squirming up the blanket until he could stretch out, Jay dragged the hem of his t-shirt up over his head. He was attacking the button on his jeans when he realized that Luke was still just standing there .
"Not a spectator sport," he growled, rolling up on his knees to drag the alpha in for a kiss .
"You look incredible," Luke said against his lips, his voice awed. One of his hands slid up the curve of Jay's hip, hovering inches from the spot where his stomach was just starting to press outward. It wasn't like Luke had never touched him there, but he always treated each time like a gift that might be taken away at any second .
"You can touch, you know," he said, dragging Luke's hand over to press against the bulge. It was tiny, barely a baby bump, but he'd already noticed how much it was throwing off his balance. Luke's hand was warm, almost hot, and it trembled slightly as he stroked the tight skin .
Luke leaned down and pressed a kiss to the high point of the mound, and Jay's heart thumped painfully in his chest. Leaning back on the bed, he settled more comfortably, content to let Luke look his fill. He was not expecting the other man to slide his hand down and cup the ridge of his erection .
"Fuck," he groaned, bucking into that warm hand. He reached down to unbutton his pants, but Luke knocked his hands away, stripping him with efficient movements. "You're overdressed," he said, tugging on Luke's t-shirt and trying to ignore the puff of flour that came off it .
"Enjoying the view," he said,
dragging his lips down the curve of Jay's neck .
"You can't enjoy the view naked?" He arched into the pressure as Luke sucked at the sensitive spot where his neck met his shoulder .
"I don't want to get distracted," Luke muttered, dragging his tongue down to trace circles around the tight points of Jay's nipples .
"If you're not dis... distracted," Jay gasped, "you're not doing it right. Fuck. Do that again." He pushed his back into the mattress as that wicked tongue traced a zig-zag path down his ribs .
He giggled when Luke blew lightly on the ticklish skin of his hip. It turned into a moan when he licked across the inside of his thigh. Letting his leg fall open, he put the matter of clothing out of his mind .
Luke worshiped the little bump of his stomach, peppering it with kisses as he slid his hands down Jay's legs, spreading him wide so that he could settle in between his thighs. "You're so fucking beautiful," he said into the tender skin there. "Both of you ."
Reaching down to lace their fingers together, Jay groaned when Luke's tongue flickered across the head of his cock, making it slap against his stomach. Luke's hands were suddenly everywhere, stroking his belly, digging into the globes of his ass, pinching his nipples with the perfect pressure. All he could do was writhe, every touch better than the last .
Slick fingers slid along the soft skin of his balls, and he arched, trying to get them where he wanted them. He whined in his throat when Luke stroked a single finger up the underside of his cock, ready for more than teasing .
The press of that first finger, sinking all the way to the second knuckle, was electric. Rocking back on it, he groaned, panting against Luke's mouth when the alpha surged up for a kiss. The second finger was even better, and he muffled a shout against the back of his hand as shocks of pleasure raced up and down his spine .
He lost track of anything but the bursts of pleasure behind his eyelids as Luke played him like a master. "Now," he groaned, reaching for Luke and catching a handful of hair. The alpha laughed as he yanked .
