Page 11 of Curtis & Jae (Mate Match #1)

Eleven

Jae

After our amazing movie date, there wasn’t much of a chance for us to spend any time together in person.

I had a long list of things to catch up with at home and he was starting a job with a new client.

The work needed was pretty involved, so Curtis was finishing work, eating something quickly, showering and going to bed.

The poor guy didn’t even have time to have the dinner he promised with his sister and her family.

He spared enough time during the day to reply to my texts, often asking me if I’d taken a break or eaten, which was just adorable.

Curtis was a dream of a boyfriend that way.

He also spared some time to talk on the phone with me at night while he lay in bed.

Being made a priority in someone’s life was strange for me.

Again, I could only compare Curtis to Hwan, which was hardly a fair comparison.

Hwan hadn’t been a bad guy, cheating aside, he just had different goals than me.

He wanted a social media perfect life with the stay at home omega who cooked and cleaned.

I wanted a partner who would share child rearing and chores while letting me have a life of my own.

Working, maintaining friendships, being someone other than the mate at home, these were important things to me.

A major part of why my prior relationship had failed was because I was fiercely independent. I believed in partnership, not ownership.

“So you said Marty is a single dad and that he leads a team for you? How does that work?” I asked Curtis one night during our late phone calls.

I was interested to see how Curtis helped his friend to work and be a parent.

It was a sort of test to see how he would be with me, if that’s where our relationship went.

The longer I spent talking to Curtis, the more I wanted that.

I could see a place for him in my future.

Any time I visualized it, Curtis was the alpha next to me.

“Well, the first couple of years were hard on him. His alpha didn’t stick around. Marty left trade school until Maddy was about two. He worked to pay the bills in a grocery store. Me and my dad helped him out with childcare.”

“Oh, so you have baby experience?” I could imagine him changing diapers and burping babies. Maybe I’d developed a competence kink, because just picturing it was getting me hot for him.

Curtis laughed. “Yeah. I’m an uncle, too.

Plenty of baby experience here. Marty was getting sick of working at the grocery store, so I encouraged him to go back to school with the promise of a job with me after he completed his certificates.

To save money on bills, he moved in with my dad for a while.

I know Dad misses the company now that they have their own place.

They needed something of their own, though.

Marty works hard to provide for his family. ”

“I’m glad you could help Marty out. You said Grace is an omega too?”

“Yeah. She and her husband just announced that they are pregnant! I’m so excited for them. They’ve been trying for a while now.”

“That’s fantastic news! Pass on my congratulations, please.” Curtis agreed he would. He sounded so happy for his employee. “Won’t that suck when she leaves?”

“Grace is one of my best employees, which is why I’m glad she’s decided she’ll be coming back to work after her leave.

Maybe on reduced hours until the baby is a little older.

We dunno yet. I’m willing to be flexible about it.

I’m gonna be lost without her while she’s out, but happy for her at the same time.

We were just talking about it the other day, actually.

I guess she and her husband were crunching the numbers and realized she earns more than him.

It makes sense for her to return to work. ”

I didn’t know how to word the next question. Curtis appeared to be everything I wanted in both personality and values. After Hwan, I was more cautious. “What if he was earning more? Would you think she should stay home then?”

“Hmm, well, no.” He paused. “I think it’s important for both parents to have something for themselves, though it’s usually the omega who stays home. I don’t think that it’s a healthy dynamic to have one partner relying on the other for everything.”

“You don’t?”

“Yeah, unfortunately, I’ve seen this kind of situation play out a few times.

An omega gives up work to look after the kids, and their work in the home is suddenly devalued.

The alpha believes they are putting more in just because they provide the money, forgetting that childcare is expensive and difficult.

Eventually, their alpha leaves them and they have nothing.

They’ve been out of the workforce for so long it’s hard for them to find something that pays well. ”

Unsurprisingly, since he would have been questioned on his values too, Curtis echoed many of the feelings I had about relationships. He had a lot of sympathy for these omegas. I could tell it was important that he not be like those alphas. He nailed my fears, too.

“I think if I was to have a stay at home partner, I’d make them a part of the business or pay them a salary.

Money just for them. To be honest, there’s a lot of pressure on an alpha to provide, mostly from other alphas, to be fair.

So I think I’d prefer to have both partners work and figure out childcare around their schedules. ”

“Curtis, I think you might be a unicorn.” Either that or Mate Match was just that good.

His laugh was so rich and warm. “Because I believe in equality? Honey, it’s only right to make things a partnership. My parents were like that. I want what they had.”

His calling me honey gave me a full body shiver. It had been over a week since I’d last seen him. Far too long.

“Let me make you dinner,” I offered. “I want to see you. Our date feels like ages ago.”

“I’d love that. Listen, if I move things about, I can make my day a bit shorter tomorrow. Is that too soon?”

“No. That works for me. Is six alright? I know you get up early.”

“Yeah, six is good. Need me to bring anything?”

“Just your appetite.”

Dinner with Curtis was easy. We caught up on our days while we ate the Japchae I’d prepared for us.

The noodles were made with sweet potato.

The beef strips I’d picked up earlier in the day, along with the carrots and spinach.

As meals went, it was filling and fairly quick to make.

It had been a long time since I’d made the dish with my mom, but it came back to me fast.

Seeing Curtis eating it with enthusiasm warmed my heart.

What was even better was Percy sitting on Curtis’ lap hoping for scraps of beef.

I swear I saw Curtis feed Percy from his hand, something my cat rarely did.

They were already fast friends, which told me everything I needed to know. Hwan had never bonded with Percy.

We ended our date with a make-out session followed by some frotting when I climbed into his lap. Just like all our times together, we had such great chemistry. Nothing was awkward, and he knew what got me off.

The kisses! Oh, the kisses! Curtis was affectionate. Always pressing kisses to my head, nose, cheek. He was happy to sit and just kiss me for such a long time. If that was all I wanted at the end of our dates, then that’s all that happened.

Over the course of the next few weeks, there were endless dates.

We hiked. Went to the movies. Curtis took me to the arcade.

I took him to an art gallery, and he loved it.

We spent all our free time on calls or just hanging out.

We had dinner at each other’s homes so much his neighbors learned my name!

It was fast. I knew that. I just couldn’t help it. Curtis had my heart. I loved him.

“Is it easier if I stay at your place? Save the back and forth,” Curtis asked one morning as he got up for work. I’d spent the night at his house and he’d given me two orgasms before he knotted me, earning me my third.

I stretched as I got out of bed. The world lurched a bit. A queasy feeling formed in my stomach. Curtis was going to drop me home so I could feed Percy. Then I was planning on coming back to his house to get some work done without my cat climbing all over me.

“The light is better here. That bedroom you use as an office is the perfect drawing room. Are you sure it’s okay I work in there while you’re out for the day? I just got the best vibes in there.”

My stomach settled. Probably just low blood sugar. I’d make sure to grab a banana before I left Curtis’ house.

“Wouldn’t have said so if I didn’t want you here.” He paused putting on his shirt. “Actually, why don’t you bring a couple days’ things and bring Percy over? He’d like it here, wouldn’t he?”

“He’d love having so much space to explore.”

“Great, then we can go out for dinner tonight and you won’t have to go home to feed him in the morning. I know you feel guilty about leaving him alone so much.”

“Really? You don’t mind having him here?”

“Sure. To tell you the truth, I’m just dating you for your cat. Me and Percy have a love connection. He’s my soul animal.” His eyes glittered with humor.

I laughed because, really; they adored each other. When Curtis was around, Percy wanted nothing to do with me. It was low key rude.

“That would be great. Thank you!”

“Honey, there’s no need to thank me. I only want you to be comfortable.”

Percy would be much too curious about the house to pester me. Besides, I could close him in the kitchen or shut the office door if I had to. I knew he would be sleeping on Curtis’ bed, surrounded by the big alpha’s scent in no time.

By the time we were both showered, fed with some of Curtis’ trademark oatmeal he insisted on making for us both, I felt a lot better.

The journey across the city to my place took about thirty minutes, depending on the traffic.

It felt longer for some reason. My nausea returned when we were almost there.

Curtis kept looking at me on the drive. I could feel his worry growing the closer we got to my apartment.

“What?” I asked, just as we were pulling up to my building.

“Are you okay? You look pale.”

“Not sure. Just really tired all of a sudden.” I yawned wide, my eyes watering.

“Why don’t you have a nap and I can come get your things at lunchtime if you’re up to it?” He wiped away the tears with the pad of his thumbs. “Be easier than taking the bus or a cab with Percy and your stuff.”

“Are you sure? Don’t you have a lot going on today?” I didn’t want to be a burden.

“The crew can cover for me so I can check on you. If you’d rather stay home, let me know. I’ll bring you some soup.”

This. Exactly this was the reason that I loved him. He showed his care for me in everything he did and always made me a priority. I leaned over to give him a kiss. “Thanks. I’ll maybe have a nap and see how I feel.”

A nap didn’t help. I woke up queasy and rushed to the bathroom to vomit up breakfast. Percy stood on the edge of the sink looking down at me.

“Shit! Can’t believe I’m sick.” There wasn’t anything I’d eaten the night before that made me think it was responsible for how I felt. Curtis was a truly excellent cook. I’d gained a couple pounds because he liked to feed me.

A thought wormed its way into my brain. It had been a month since my heat.

I couldn’t be, could I? We’d used the contraception. There was only a tiny chance of it happening. Still, the longer I thought about it, the more I couldn’t get the idea out of my head.

There was a drugstore down the street from my apartment. I went there and picked up a test along with some stuff to settle my stomach. It was nearing lunchtime, so I looked for a text from Curtis. Sure enough, he’d messaged.

Curtis

Are you okay? Need me to come by?

How was I going to handle this? If I wasn’t pregnant, then he could maybe get sick, too. Though we had been around each other for the night, so it was possible he could get sick regardless. I wanted a minute to figure out how I was feeling.

Jae

I’m sick. Maybe you should stay away just in case.

He didn’t reply, which was odd. My brain was all foggy from the nausea and still feeling bone tired.

I thought back, and I had been feeling tired more often the last week.

Smells were stronger. Overall, I just felt off.

Alarm bells rung in my mind. Those were all symptoms I should have been paying closer attention to.

Back home, I peed on the stick and waited the two minutes for the test. My timer on my phone ticked down while I bit at my thumbnail nervously. I didn’t know what to think or feel about this. All I wanted was my alpha. Why had I said he should stay away?

Before I could look at the result. The doorbell rang. I rushed to answer it, throwing open the door with more force than necessary. On the other side, Curtis, the big alpha, stared at me. His concerned face scrunched into a frown. In his arms he had a bag with delicious smelling chicken soup.

The scent of it made my mouth water. My stomach gurgled, then it cramped. I ran to the bathroom and barely made it to the toilet before I threw up bile.

“Fuck! Jae, are you alright?” Curtis followed me. Kneeling beside me, he rubbed my back. The motion paused. I heard him pick up the test and confirm what I already knew.

“We’re pregnant!”