Page 19 of Love in Excess

I twist my head to see Hunter reaching over Celeste to wipe off my cock and then stick it back in my shorts, my cheeks flaming with embarrassment. I hadn’t even noticed it was still bobbing out of my shorts, too wrecked to realize just about anything. He uses another warm cloth to wipe my stomach before pressing a kiss to Celeste’s cheek.

“Lincoln?”

I clear my throat and manage a smile, unsure of how to answer. Letting Hunter in on my insecurities so early in the game seems like a trap. It also feels like if I don’t let him know, he might trample right over them without ever realizing it.

Hunter chuckles as he makes a place to sit on the edge of the coffee table. “Let’s try something else. You stop me when I’m wrong, okay?” I nod, tugging Celeste a little closer, her little snores easing the knot in my chest. “This isn’t your first relationship, not even your first pack and the hurt in your eyes tells me that you’ve been let down more than once. The concern lingering in your expression every time you asked about Jasmine has me thinking that some of those partners were not receptive of someone who means a lot to you. On the right track?”

I hate how easy it is for him to read me. My own work partner wouldn’t be able to pick up any of those things if he tried. He has never met any of my pack partners, nor has he ever asked. “Yeah.” My voice comes out a little shakier than I expect, my body still coming down from the high of two orgasms.

I’m still worried that Hunter didn’t mean it—that he actually did expect something in return or that I stole a moment from his Omega when she should have been on the receiving end.

“Nope, don’t do that, Doc. Look at me. I absolutelylovedwhat happened this evening and watching you hold Celeste is everything. Eventually you’ll see that she’s yours too. Until then, I want you to know something. I want you.”

I blink at his words, trying to wrap my head around them. No Alpha has ever told me that. I’ve had a few ‘I love you’s, a few ‘I cherish you’s butI want you?

“And I need you.”

My heart jumps into my throat, a filthy sound falling from my lips as Celeste starts sucking on my throat. “You don’t even know me.”

“That doesn’t change how I feel.” He stands and moves closer, his hand cupping my cheek. “I feel like people haven’t told you how important you are to them. How much they want you, love you, need you. The surprise in your expression even just this evening hurts my heart.”

My breathing kicks up a little. “What are you talking about?”

“I’m saying that I think you’ve been set aside and that pisses me off. Lincoln, you might think you’ve only been doing your duty but in a day, you’ve defended Celesteandpatched me up. No questions asked. Nothing required in return. Tell me, why?”

I don’t want to answer that. I don’t want to tell Hunter that the way he’s currently caressing my face feels like home. I don’t want to tell him that the way they made me feel felt like home, a future, apack.I don’t want to tell him that I’ve missed this feeling and have only been able to avoid thinking about it because I’ve worked myself into the ground.

Hunter just smiles and presses a kiss to my forehead before dipping to the bridge of my nose and then hovering over my lips. It’s a silent question, one I answer by lifting slightly off the couch to close the distance. I can still taste myself on his lips, the way his kisses overwhelm me all at once. When he pulls back, it’slike I’ve been accepted into this family of his without even doing anything.

His hand moves to brush the hair from my forehead, his eyes softer than I’ve ever seen. “I think you know the ‘why’, Lincoln. Stay as long as you want to and before you ask, Jasmine is always welcome in my house.”

“Are you going somewhere?”

“It’s a pretty heavy case so some of us are putting in a bit extra. I’ll be in the office if you need me.” He goes to reach for Celeste, something in my chest wanting to hold her a little longer. After all, they’ve both admitted that they want me here and I’ve never been able to hold my Omega partner.

It was always over after the heat or after whatever they needed.

“Can I…” I cut myself off, not even sure how to ask for what I want.

Hunter catches on, though. “Good night, Lincoln.”

He straightens up and gathers the washcloths to deposit in the laundry. It’s such an easy, domestic response, Celeste curling tighter into me like she’s trying to crawl into my skin. My thoughts settle, only one, very inappropriate question on my tongue.

“Were you serious about… about me fucking you? Most Alphas would never admit something like that.” Who am I kidding? No Alpha I’ve ever met would admit to something like that.

Hunter drops the cloths in a basket and heads back over, his lips suddenly beside my ear. “When something feels good, why is it wrong? And yes, Lincoln, I wasveryserious. Especially if it makes it more comfortable.”

“So this is just…”

“There is nojust. I would be honored to have you stuff that fat cock inside my ass, Doc. And Celeste would love to watch or maybe we’d invite her to play.” He sucks the bottom lobe of myear between his lips, tugging slightly before releasing me and disappearing down the hall.

And now… I’m hard all over again.

Lovely.

CELESTE

I wake up, my cheek pressed against a warm, clothed chest that’s definitely not Hunter’s. My eyes flutter open to a beautiful expanse of pale muscles coated in Lincoln’s scent.Oh, right.His chest rises and falls with his steady breathing as I sit up, a damp spot darkened from where my face was.

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