Page 32

CHAPTER 32

ELI

My absolute favorite way to wake up is on the rare occasions that Edin is pressed against my side, half sprawled across my chest. The only thing that would make this better is if we were naked. I love being skin on skin with him. I love how warm and intimate and… perfect it is.

However, the reason for making sure we’re dressed before we fall asleep for the night comes creeping through the bedroom door even as I’m thinking it. She’s always careful to push the door open just an inch or two so she can peek in, making sure she’s not interrupting us.

Not that we’ve ever left the door unlocked when I’m balls deep in this man. I’m not about traumatizing his child. Still, she’s always very careful about what she’s walking in on. When she sees we’re both still sleeping, she tiptoes in and climbs onto the bed to snuggle with us.

Edin sighs in his sleep as he shifts to make room for Mo. He rolls onto his back and then to his side again so he can wrap his daughter in his arms. I follow, spooning him, and cuddling Mo in with us.

“Happy Thanksgiving,” Mo whispers.

“Are you sure?” Edin asks sleepily. “I don’t think it’s Thanksgiving for another hour or so.”

She laughs. “Don’t be silly. All day is Thanksgiving. I can smell food already.”

“That means my sister is here,” I say. “Zeke’s forbidden anyone except Gracie from cooking today. The entire kitchen is hers to command, and she’s been given authority to put anyone to work to help her prepare our feast. She’s never cooked for this many people before.”

Gracie has cooked for six before. Max. Just our family. She’s got more than double that today. While most of the guys went home for Thanksgiving or made other plans, there are nine who stayed behind, including Mo’s favorite, Mario. Whom I think only stayed because Mo kept hinting—heavily—that she wanted him to.

Besides the nine who live here, there’s me, Zeke, Bea, and Gracie. Bea’s family is in Japan right now, though I’m not sure why. Even she was shocked when she told us.

“Can we get up now?” Mo asks.

Edin yawns. “Go ahead.”

“No. You need to come, too. It’s a day that we spend together.”

“You’re so bossy,” Edin complains. “Go ahead of us and we’ll be down in?—”

“Ten minutes,” Mo demands. “Or I’m coming up to get you out of bed. And I’m bringing reinforcements.”

“Fine. Ten minutes.” I bury my face in Edin’s hair to hide my laughter. “Put your slippers on.”

“Yes, Dad,” Mo says. I can hear the eye roll in her tone. You don’t need to always tell me, Dad.

Mo jumps out of bed and leaves the room, throwing the door wide open and giving us a pointed look. We’re clearly done hanging out in bed this morning. So says the eight-year-old.

“I swear, she runs this house,” Edin mutters. He rolls in bed and buries his face in my chest. “For the record, I’d really like to stay right here like this for a while, but I have a feeling we’re going to be carried downstairs if we don’t do as she says.”

I don’t doubt that either. Keeping an eye on the clock, I allow us seven minutes to cuddle before sighing and coaxing Edin up. He grumbles until I take his face in my hands and kiss him until he’s breathing heavily. “If it’s any consolation, I don’t plan to keep my hands off you at all today.”

He smiles, and I don’t miss the pink on his cheeks.

“Two minutes!” Mo hollers up the stairs.

Edin sighs.

Mo laid out her expectations last night. We were all staying in pajamas until after the parade, then we could get dressed. She expects us to be lounging around and playing all morning while we watch the parade and eat snacks. Little snacks, so we don’t ruin our appetite. Everyone is also required to help Gracie with at least one dish. She looked pointedly at Denton, who apparently hates cooking.

Denton only stayed here because Mo very casually asked him if he was staying for Thanksgiving at least a dozen times until she heard the answer she wanted. She would have been devastated that she was spending her first holiday here on campus and he wasn’t here.

We find Mo on the couch lying across Mario’s lap with Zeke’s head on her side—her hand moving lazily in his hair—and Mario’s arm draped over Zeke. Denton is lying on the floor, and Bea is sprawled sleepily across another couch. Everyone’s eyes are obediently trained on the parade.

Mo looks in our direction when we stop in the doorway and gives us an approving smile before her attention is back on the television. Zeke meets my eyes then, and he smiles. Almost shyly. It’s not hard to see that he’s much more comfortable in the Omega house than he is at DIK. This is where he fits in.

Edin takes my hand and leads me into the kitchen. Zeke stayed up last night to let Gracie in. I’m not sure where she slept, but since more than three-quarters of the residents went home yesterday, I’m guessing she might have just chosen a bed in the least offensive smelling room. I get it. Guys can be gross. Especially teenagers to young twenty-year-olds who are just experiencing true freedom for the first time in their lives.

My room wasn’t any different the first year or two that I was on campus. It was disgusting. In fact, I was convinced my original room would always have a residual odor after my second year. So the following semester, I asked for a swap to a room that was being vacated by a brother who’d graduated.

I’m not going to tell them, but my parents were right. A clean room is far more comfortable to be in.

Edin sits on a stool, and I stand behind him, wrapping my arms around his waist and sinking a hand into his pants. His body jolts as he looks at me out of the corner of his eye. I grin, kissing his jaw while playing with his hardening dick.

“You’re not going to introduce me to your boyfriend, Elijah?” Gracie says.

My hand, like my heart, stops at her words. Edin smirks, giving me an amused look. But there’s apparently no reaction from him to her calling him my boyfriend. I remind myself that he called me his boyfriend to his mother just a couple weeks ago.

His mother, who has apparently given up. Just that easily. I want to believe it, but I can’t convince myself that she’s truly gone. She’s going to show up again. As soon as Edin feels comfortable.

“Sorry,” I say. “Edin, my sister Gracie. Gracie is a pain in the ass, but we love her anyway. Gracie, this is Edin. Did you meet Mo?”

Gracie grins, not even arguing against my allegation of her being a pain in the ass. “Yes, I did. She’s perfection.” She gives us a chef’s kiss.

Relaxed now that we’re back to a comfortable silence, I resume playing with Edin’s dick. Regardless of who comes into the kitchen, my hand remains in his pants. I especially love the way he catches his breath when I reach further between his legs to massage his balls.

His cheeks are so pink, I can feel the heat.

When Gracie sets breakfast on the counter in front of us—elevated cinnamon rolls—and calls everyone to the counter to eat, I finally pull my hand from his pants. Not because of the other adults, but because of Mo.

Edin takes a deep breath to settle his arousal. I don’t move from behind him and share his plate of cinnamon rolls. Mo entertains us all by telling us what kind of float she’d design. When she’s done eating, she hops down from her stool. “Mario, will you help me bring my beads down, please? We’re going to make bracelets while we watch the parade.”

Without comment, Mario sets his fork down and follows, leaving his breakfast behind.

“For the record, everyone is wrapped around her little finger,” Zeke says. He takes over loading the dishwasher from breakfast. I keep my hand out of Edin’s pants until Mo is back in the living room.

We remain in the kitchen keeping Gracie company for a couple hours. Edin stays seated at the counter and helps prepare vegetables. I watch as his hands shake, which makes him take his time. All the while, I stroke his dick and play with his balls.

Right until the point where he’s about ready to come undone. He excuses himself to take a shower, keeping his voice low so Mo doesn’t know he’s sneaking up early. Gracie gives me a look as he runs off, trying to hide his erection as he goes.

“You know there’s a kid in the house, right?” she asks.

“I stopped touching him when she was in the room,” I say, shrugging.

Denton is giving me a curious look until I meet his eyes and lick my fingers. He flushes bright red and turns away.

I follow Edin upstairs a minute later, making sure the bathroom door is locked. Edin’s already getting down to business to take care of the hard-on I nursed all morning.

“Uh-uh. Hands off.”

He glares at me, but drops his dick. A dick that springs up against his stomach again. I grin as I step into the shower with him and shove him against the cold tile wall.

Edin doesn’t notice the cold. He grips my hair and pulls my mouth to his, kissing me hotly. There was a time when he’d barely touch me. But now, his hands move all over. Touching and scratching and tugging at my nipples. His hunger for me is addicting.

However, I know we don’t have a lot of time before a spunky little girl realizes we’ve snuck off, so I drop to my knees and take him into my mouth. Edin’s hands tangle in my hair and he groans, his grip already tight as I get down to business.

“When you said you weren’t going to keep your hands off me all day, that’s not what I thought you had in mind,” he says and then inhales sharply as a burst of pre-cum coats my tongue. I drop one of my hands between my legs and stroke my cock in time with how I’m sucking him. I’d love to draw this out, but I really don’t think we have time for that.

Looking up at him through the spray of water, his head is back against the tile. His jaw clenched, eyes tightly shut. His hips give a sudden jerk in my direction.

The low, sexy groan that fills the shower has heat flooding my body.

I glide his dick to the back of my mouth, then pull off and suck like a vacuum as I slide his dick out of my mouth. His hands tighten painfully in my hair. His hips buck toward me.

It’s almost as if I can feel the echo of his arousal throughout my body. When his hips move, a flare of heat streaks through me. When he groans, my balls tingle. My dick leaks when he tugs on my hair.

It’s only minutes before he’s coming down my throat. I take it all, using his orgasm to drive my own.

When I stumble back to my feet, words nearly come spilling out of me. “I—” I have the sense to seal my mouth over his as I bring our wet bodies together. No saying those words, Eli! I’m not fucking this up. I won’t let this man push me out of his life by saying things he’s not ready for.

We spend much of the day with Mo orchestrating activities for us. She’s very watchful of who’s been helping Gracie and making sure everyone does. Even her. She helps make the cookies.

Around the table for an early dinner at three, she says, “At school, my teacher says that before we eat today, we should all say something we’re thankful for.” She looks at Mario. “You start.”

Obediently, Mario answers. “I’m thankful I have understanding and supportive parents who weren’t upset that I let you decide where I’m having dinner today.”

Mo bats her eyelashes at him. Denton says he’s thankful for hockey, to which Mo gives him a very dissatisfied expression but allows it.

“I’m thankful I have so many people who support my crazy and love me despite it,” Gracie says.

“Aw. You know that we’re just giving you a hard time, right?” Zeke says. “We don’t really think you’re crazy.”

“Oh no. I’m absolutely neurotic. You’ve been right for my entire life.”

Zeke laughs. His laughter dies down when Mo looks at him expectantly, signaling that it’s his turn. “I’m thankful for being so accepted by the Omegas,” he answers, his eyes flickering up to Mario. “And the friendships I’ve formed here.”

Mario gives him a shy smile and drops his eyes to his plate.

“Eli?” Mo prompts.

“That’s easy,” I say, tugging on her hair. “I’m thankful for you keeping everyone on track. It’s been a wonderful day so far and I can’t think of a better way to spend it.”

Mo is very pleased with this answer. She turns to her dad.

“I’m thankful for second chances and endless support,” he says. “And like Eli said, I’m especially thankful for you.”

Mo beams. Then she looks at everyone sitting at the table. “I’m thankful for moving here. This is the best family ever. Okay, now we can eat.”

Noise and chatter surround us as we fill up our plates. Once everyone begins eating and conversation is constant, Edin leans into me, his lips pressed to my ear, and whispers, “What I’m really thankful for, but not brave enough to say in front of everyone, is that I’m thankful for you. That you came into my life and refused to leave. You can keep refusing to leave if you want.”

I turn my face into his and press my mouth to his lips. Gripping the back of his hair, I kiss him, forcing the words from my head that are screaming, ‘ I LOVE YOU ’ into my kiss so he can taste them.

“Ew, stop kissing,” Mo says. “We’re eating, Dad and Eli.”

“I’m with the kid,” Gracie agrees. “No kissing at the table.”

I lean away from him, though it’s fucking difficult not to pull him from the table because I need to say a whole fucking lot. Like I’m never leaving him. Ever. Like I love him so fucking much. Like I want forever with him and Mo.

Instead, I dutifully sit in my chair with my hand on Edin’s leg—where it doesn’t move throughout the entire meal because I need to be touching him right now—and eat.

“Can I say goodnight to Eli?” Mo asks.

Edin bends down to kiss her forehead. “Of course.”

“In private,” she clarifies. “I have a secret I want to tell him.”

Edin gives her a warning look before standing. “You understand that some secrets can’t be secrets, right? If he thinks you’re hurt or?—”

“Not that kind of secret, Dad. It’s a good secret.”

He nods. “Okay. I’ll wait in the hall.”

“You can wait in your room if you want,” she suggests. I cover my mouth with my hand to hide my amusement.

Edin shakes his head. “I swear, sometimes I’m not sure who the parent is.” He kisses her forehead again.

“You are, Daddy.” Mo’s voice is dripping in innocence as she looks at him with wide eyes.

“Right. Goodnight, sunshine.”

He stands and faces me, giving me a look that I can’t help but smile at. I kiss his cheek on the way by, and he shuts the door behind him. Crossing the room, I kneel beside Mo’s bed, crossing my arms on the edge and leaning over. “What’s up, beautiful?”

“Do you love my daddy?” she asks.

I nearly have a fucking heart attack as I stare at this child. How old is she again? But the way she’s looking at me, there’s truly only one answer. The truth. “More than anything,” I confide. “You have to keep that a secret, though, okay? I don’t think Daddy’s ready for me to tell him that.”

She frowns, but nods. “I wanted to tell you that what I’m most thankful for is that you’re here with me and Daddy. My dad laughs and smiles and talks and is happy because of you. I’ve never seen my dad like that before, and I want him to stay like that. So I’m really thankful you’re here with us.”

There’s nothing like a freaking child to bring tears to your eyes and pierce your heart. I lean forward and press my head to hers. “Thank you for telling me that. You know what I’m truly thankful for?”

Mo shakes her head.

“For meeting you and realizing how long I’ve waited for a sweet man who’s been waiting to be loved and his most perfect daughter to accept me into their lives. I don’t ever want to be without either of you. You know that, right?”

“You love me too, Eli?”

“Very, very much. I didn’t know I could love a child so much.”

Mo sits up and throws her arms around me. There’s so much strength in her hug. I feel her little jaw tremble and a tear lands on my neck. “I love you too, Eli.”

I hold her for a few minutes then tuck her back into her blankets and I wipe away the moisture on her cheek. She grins and does the same to me. “You know what I think?” she asks, her voice almost a whisper.

“What?”

“I think you’re going to be my daddy too someday.”

Laughing, I bow my head. “Do not say that to your dad.”

“I won’t. Dad doesn’t like people to be close, the way Uncle Dak and Uncle Sparrow are, so I won’t tell.”

Sometimes, I wonder if Edin knows how clearly Mo sees everything. She might not fully understand, but she knows for the same reasons I do that we’re not going to tell Edin I love him and Mo and Mo’s not going to share her prediction that I’m never, ever leaving them.

“Goodnight, Mo,” I say and kiss her forehead. “Sweet dreams.”

Mo smiles and closes her eyes. She gives a sniff. I slowly walk toward the door, making sure any evidence that this kid made me teary is gone.

Edin’s waiting in his doorway. As soon as Mo’s door is mostly closed, he says, “Technically, I’m in my room as instructed.”

I smile as I walk straight into him. His arms wrap around my neck and our mouths lock together. I shut the door behind us, as quietly as I can manage, and throw the lock. We fall on the bed together, tugging at each other’s clothing, laughing as we struggle with them.

Getting inside him isn’t important right now. It’s just about being as close as I can possibly get to him. Feeling as much of him as I can. We curl up on the bed, naked, tangled together as we kiss.

I’m thankful for this moment, all the ones we’ve already shared, and the ones still to come.