“Patience,” he chuckled as he broke the kiss, leaving me breathless.
“You stole it all,” I whined.
“So you want my knot.” It wasn’t a question, and I could feel the heat of his body so close, yet so far from mine.
“Very much so.” I pushed back a tiny bit, and instead of continuing his game of “torment the omega,” his fingers danced around my hole, already so slick for him.
“Then have it you shall.” His fingers left my ass, working their way around to my front, giving my cock a bit of attention as he lined his up against my waiting hole. “You sure?”
Fine. Torture time was still on.
Instead of answering with words, I pushed back, earning me both a chuckle and his cock. He entered me in one fell swoop, filling me the way I needed him to.
“I wasn’t joking about holding on. We can all be sweet and romantic like—later,” I bit out.
I grabbed on to the closest piece of furniture as he began to pump into me, his fingers tight around my hips. I tried to meet him move for move, but he held me still as he brought me closer and closer to orgasm. Not that it was going to take much. Just being around him, enveloped by his scent, had me ready to go. Adding his cock made it nearly impossible to hold back.
It couldn’t be any more than a minute and I was shooting out my cum, Kayson following behind in moments, his knot instantly filling me, sating me.
Saying goodbye was going to suck monkey balls.
Chapter Sixteen
Kayson
I primped and fluffed every arrangement in the church until I almost messed one up. The entire time, I watched the door to the church like I was about to get married and Reid was my groom.
If only.
“He’s outside, love. Talking on the phone. Doesn’t sound good, whatever it is. But he’s here. Always good for a couple to go on a date to a wedding, I think. It’s like peering into the future.”
My aunt’s voice rolled over my tense emotions and settled them down. He was here. We were here. This was happening.
“Thanks, Aunt Viv. Henry?” She shrugged but looked at the door in that same hopeful way I had been most of the afternoon. “Aunt Viv?”
When she turned back to me, tiny tears were taking shape in the corners of her eyes. I pulled her close to me, and she rested her head on my shoulder. “What is it?”
She let out a sob while frantically pulling a silk scarf from her bag. A giggle burst from her mouth at how much fight that little hankie was giving her. “I think I’ve gone and done it, Kayson.”
“What? Did he break up with you? I’ll maul him.”
“No, you won’t. And no, he didn’t. I think...oh, it makes me a fool. But I think I love this one. He treats me like James once did. And there’s something in his eyes. You know what I’m talking about?”
I kissed her temple. “Like they’re breaking down all the layers with just one look.”
She nodded and dabbed the scarf on her eyes, making sure her mascara didn’t run.
“I got the cradle back, you know, in case you want to know where it is.”
The door to the church opened, and we turned to see who was coming in just as she mentioned the cradle. Reid stood in the entryway, looking around. My heart thumped once, loud and proud, knowing that, for me, Reid was it. If there was going to be a need for our family cradle, Reid would be the bearer of that fruit.
No one else would do.
“I knew he had you that first day he walked into the flower shop.”
Aunt Viv and I both watched Reid while we spoke.
“He had me at the coffee shop. But he hasn’t mentioned staying. He hasn’t said anything about living here or anything permanent. I think, after tonight, he’s going back home.”
Aunt Viv’s shoulders straightened. “I didn’t raise a quitter, Kayson Morris. Don’t let this one go. I know a keeper when I see one, and Reid is your omega, true as this church I’m standing in.”
Reid had seen us and smiled as he approached, looking better than the groomsmen, better than anyone had ever made a suit look in the history of suits.
“He’s coming. Hush, you.”
She laughed and squeezed me in a hug. “Don’t worry. He’s only got one thing on his mind. A smile like that? If he’s leaving, you’re getting one hell of a send-off. Hello, Reid.”
Aunt Viv changed tones and acted as though we were talking about sliced bread instead of my future with the man in front of me.
“Aunt Vivian, good to see you again. But without a date? I’m shocked.”
Aunt Viv flipped her hair. “Please, darling. As if. He’s meeting me here in case I find someone better. Oh...speaking of…”
She kissed us both on the cheek and shot me a wink before walking over to Henry, who had the same smile Reid wore when he came in.
“The flowers look gorgeous.” Reid stood too far away from me.
“Thanks. They turned out okay. Not what I would have at my wedding, but to each their own. You look incredible, by the way. Oh, and here, I got this for you. It is Valentine’s Day after all.”
I’d fretted over what card to buy for almost an hour before deciding on one with a classic rose on the front.
He blushed a little. I blushed a lot.
“Thanks. This pinstripe look really works for you.”
It was my best suit. Truth be told, if the possibility of Reid being here wasn’t great, this suit would still be hanging in the closet.
“Thanks. Should we sit?”
We chose a pew in the back of the church. His head rose, and I watched him as he followed Knox’s movements at the altar.
“You miss him?” Stupid question to ask. Everyone misses something about one of their exes, no matter the circumstances.
“Not as much as I thought I would. He’s just someone I used to know, which is strange. I thought coming here would be cathartic. Turns out, I’m simply indifferent.”
Indifferent and Reid didn’t exist together in my mind.
Chapter Seventeen
Reid
The stupid management company called me just as I was about to walk into the church to see my man. Freaking, of course. The last thing I wanted was to be dressed to the nines, putting my sexiest foot forward with a frazzled glare in my eye, but that was exactly how it was going to go down.
Turned out they needed me out two days earlier than they had initially quoted. I was losing an entire week of rent or a full deposit. Both sucked, and both meant that my morning musings of changing my flight to spend just a few more days with Kayson were shot to shit. Although their demands were in violation of both my lease and state law, I needed to get home and threaten them with legal action in person, so they knew I was serious.
It didn’t take me long to find Kayson. His scent hit me the moment I made it over the threshold. He was talking to his aunt, and they looked a little too deep in conversation for me to interrupt, so I feigned not seeing them right away to give them time to finish. I failed miserably. Thirty seconds in, my feet were moving of their own accord.
All I wanted to do was push him against the wall and kiss him breathless, but we were in a church at a formal event, and it just wouldn’t be proper. Not to mention the very real possibility that Celeste would murder us where we stood for ruining her gaudy, I meant big, day.
We settled into a pew near the back. As much as Knox was a very big part of my college years, he felt a near stranger, as if I were crashing a wedding instead of being an invited guest. Kayson and I chitchatted a bit, probably more than we should, etiquette-wise, as Knox made his way up to the front of the church to signal that everyone should sit and stop their gabbing.
The wedding party, including couple after couple in a completely new arrangement from any tried the night before, walked down the aisle—or, in case of the ring bearer, ran straight to his grandmother. The wedding march began, and we all rose to watch as the beautiful, if not over-exuberant Celeste made her way down the aisle.
&
nbsp; “Excuse me,” a familiar and not-welcome voice said from the other side of Kayson. “I need to get to my seat.”
Leave it to Topher to think he could enter the church after the bride and demand any seat he wanted.
I grabbed Kayson’s hand, needing him to not leave my side and willing him to understand Topher was not welcomed here.
The bride reached the front just as he asked one more time, and I finally gained enough courage to look Kayson’s way as we sat down—me practically sitting on his lap. I needed to feel he was still beside me.
I met Topher’s eyes, which immediately went to my hand joined with Kayson’s, and I squirmed for a second, afraid he planned to try to sit between us. Instead, he sidled past us both and kissed my cheek as he sat on my other side, right up against me. Bastard knew exactly what he was doing. There was no way I could retaliate in any way, as the pastor was at the front of the room marrying two people. None.
Instead, I did what any self-respecting man would do, I nudged Kayson over, trying to get him to move so I could get away from Topher. Kayson’s body was stiff as a board, and I looked his way to see him scowling—not at me, but at Topher. Not that I could blame him. I just hoped the wedding didn’t end with me standing in the church alone, or, worse, with Topher.
I snuggled into Kayson, his hand dropping mine to wrap his arm around my shoulder just as some awful soloist began singing something about love being the way.
“What the fuck?” Topher whispered. “You invite me to a wedding and then get a side piece when I’m delayed?”
Because he gave zero fucks about anyone else, much less the strangers in the church wanting to see their loved ones married. He was a selfish prick if I ever saw one.
A low growl built in Kayson’s chest, but he kept his mouth snapped shut because, unlike Topher, Kayson had class.
Twenty grueling minutes later, we were on our feet again watching the happy couple exit the chapel. As the crowd followed them out and the photographer began setting up new lights for what I was sure would be an insanely over-the-top photography session, I just sat there, nestled into Kayson’s side, willing it all to be a bad dream.
It wasn’t.
“Explain,” Topher seethed. Did he really not understand we had broken up? He had done the breaking up for fuck’s sake.
“You dumped me. I moved on. The real question is, why are you here?” It was official. I hated Topher. What kind of an asshole did things like this? Not only did he use the flight I might have been able to transfer to another if he had let it go as promised, but he was ruining my time with Kayson, my limited time at that.
“You invited me.” He grabbed my hand, which I yanked away with so much force I unintentionally pushed into Kayson enough he had to catch himself with his hand.
“Before we broke up and you said you were not attending.” Not that he didn’t know that. The jerk.
“Couple’s spat.” He shrugged. “You asked for my help just a couple of days ago.”
Huge mistake.
“Legal help,” I spat. “You’re a lawyer. I regretted it the second you responded with your snippety bullshit.”
He wrapped his hand around my arm, attempting to free me from Kayson’s embrace.
“Get your hands off my mate.” Kayson’s words were clipped and definitive. Holy cow. He considered me his mate.
“What?” Topher snarled.
“What?” I asked hopefully.
Never had one word sounded so different.
“You heard me.” Kayson directed his fury at Topher as he shimmied me behind him, protectively. Good alpha. “You aren’t welcome here. If you need help out, I’m sure it can be arranged.”
“Come with me, Reid.” Topher’s pride must’ve taken over his self-preservation as he held out his hand for me as if I were going to go with him. “Let’s get back home and get you settled into my place—our place.”
He was certifiable. As if offering me a place to sleep made all the rest of it hunky-dory.
“Not. Going. To. Happen.” I was still half behind Kayson, but he could hear every word I spoke.
“I think you heard the fella.” Aunt Vivian stood in the pew in front of us, far closer to Topher than I would’ve liked.
“Who are you to tell me what to do, old lady?”
“Did you just insult my woman?” Henry stood behind Topher, who pivoted his body in that direction. “You heard her—leave. We don’t want no trouble here.”
Too late.
“Then don’t make any.” How could Topher not see he’d lost this one? He was a prominent lawyer, so it wasn’t a lack of intelligence. Not that anyone witnessing this would’ve accused him of being smart.
“Viv?” Henry asked with a hidden meaning I couldn’t quite figure out.
“If you must.” She sighed, rolling her eyes a bit, which, in any other circumstances, would’ve been hilarious.
“As sheriff, I am asking you to leave nicely. The last thing I want is to miss a date with my lady here, but if you don’t leave now, as young Reid here requested, I will be forced to take you downtown.” He held out his badge.
“On what charges?” Because just leaving would’ve been too freaking easy.
“On assault.” Henry spoke as if Topher were the dumbest man on the planet. Which, to be fair, he was acting like.
“It will never hold up in court.”
“It doesn’t need to.” Henry winked at me for I didn’t even know what reason. “It’ll serve the purpose and keep you from manhandling a wedding guest.”
“Fine. You aren’t worth the time it took me to get here.” And, with that, he stomped out like a petulant child. Thank freaking goodness.
Chapter Eighteen
Kayson
The first thing Reid did when he entered the reception hall was to head straight to the open bar and order a vodka rocks.
Another thing I knew about him.
When the word mate came from my mouth, it wasn’t a mistake. I didn’t regret saying it, either.
Reid is my mate.
From the door, I watched him down another glass of the clear drink before turning to look at me. His cheeks reddened more and more by the second.
And then Reid, my mate, the omega I’d been waiting for, winked at me. Not a quick one, either, a slow, sexy wink that beckoned me in seconds.
I took off my jacket while I walked toward him. All of a sudden, the room was too hot.
“Eat or dance,” I said when I reached him.
“The food isn’t out yet,” he said, looking around.
“Dance, it is.” I took his jacket from him and placed both of ours on the back of my designated seat.
I needed to savor every last second with Reid.
Drink him up.
Let his touch burn me over and over.
We let one song end and then, at the beginning of the second, I turned to him, not wanting him to think that I’d forgotten my manners even for a fraction of a second. “Reid, may I have this dance?” My hand shook as I held it out to him.
“You may.” He loosened his tie before accepting my hand.
There could’ve been a thousand other people in the room, but I saw only him.
I put one hand on his slim waist and the other met his in the air, and I leaned in.
“I meant what I said, Reid. I meant it with every breath in me. There isn’t anyone else in this life who is my omega.”
“It’s a lot to take in.” He breathed the words into my neck, and I shuddered. At least he’d said something.
“It is. I’m sorry it’s a lot for you. But I’m not sorry it’s happening. What can I do to ease you?”
A million ideas swirled through my mind. Okay, not a million, just a few, and they all ended the same way.
“May I cut in?” The male voice broke me from our bubble. It was Knox, and his eyes were firmly trained on Reid.
What kind of jerk dances with his ex at his wedding.
“Um, sure,” Reid said, but
not looking as sure as his voice suggested.
“You positive?” I asked.
Knox laughed and held his belly. “Don’t worry. I’m a taken man, and it looks like Reid is a taken man, too. Just a dance with an old friend. Don’t worry, Kayson.”
“Fine. I’m gonna be at the bar if you need me.”
The bartender must’ve seen my face because he already had a glass ready when I arrived. “What’ll it be?”
“Rusty Nail.” I only drank two alcoholic drinks. When I was upset or stressed, a Rusty Nail. When I was trying to have a good time, a whiskey sour.
“You got it.”
In seconds, the drink begged me to take it in, feel better in the time it would take for Knox to get done with my man.
I downed the drink in one swallow and tipped my chin at the bartender for another.
Reid and I might only have this one night.
Turning around to watch him, I grabbed the second drink, this time letting it swish around in my mouth, sip by sip while I watched them sway together. Reid looked relaxed, and Knox looked impatient. Knox’s eyes were on his bride, and Reid’s eyes were on me.
Maybe this was their goodbye.
I wondered if ours would look the same.
The song ended, and I left my drink to take my place with Reid again. The Righteous Brothers belted through the speakers. If we had a song, “Unchained Melody” would be it.
It had to be that song.
“I love this song. I love dancing to this song with you,” Reid said halfway through it.
“I do, too. There’s a lot of things I love about this moment, including you.”
He pulled back abruptly, looking at me, testing the truth in my words and whether or not it reflected in my stare. I hoped to God it did because I meant those words with every cell in my body. Our forms brushed together with the rhythm of the song, my cock growing harder by the second. I needed to be inside him.
“Let me show you.” I grabbed his hand, leading him off the dance floor. There was absolutely nothing appropriate about what I had in mind.
“Where are we going?” Reid finally spoke after we had left the room where the reception was being held and headed down a staff-only hallway. One of the benefits of setting up for events here was learning all the secret nooks and crannies.
Roses for His Omega Page 7