Page 129 of Their Knotty Pack
"Maybe we can take one in front of the new piano," he suggests lightly. "I can't wait to see Brody's face when he walks in. When are they supposed to be back?"
It's Saturday, which means we're all off work today. I convinced Brody that Miles needed to be taken to NestingCo. for some items for his impending heat, and oh, look at that, I don't feel well enough to join. Damien and Kieran, having never been to a nesting item store before, were curious and went with them.
Which just left Hunter and I to handle the piano delivery.
"Um…" I check my phone for the time. "Miles texted ten minutes ago that they were headed back so…like five minutes?"
He nods once, but his arm doesn't move from my shoulders, and we stand there for a moment, staring at the piano.
"Hunter?" My voice breaks the silence. There's something I've been meaning to ask him, ever since Miles' heat spike happened the other day.
"Hm?"
"What will happen…if Miles' heat comes, and you two aren'tthereyet?" I want to be sensitive to him, but also…Miles needs to know if Hunter doesn't plan on being there.
He lets out a sigh, running a hand through his hair. "Honestly, Bethany, I don't know. I'm so, so close to being there with both of you…I half wonder if the heat pheromones will do the rest of the work."
"So…" I bite my lip, turning to look at him.
He looksat me, tugging my bottom lip free. "I'll be there in whatever capacity I can. Whether that means I'm making sure everyone stays fed and hydrated—"
"Including Cal?" I have no idea why I ask that.
"Including Cal," he smiles, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, "So watering the plants, feeding the pack, providing a knot…" he swallows roughly, "I'll do whatever I'm capable of. Even though I did want our first time together to be…"
"Special?" I volunteer helpfully.
"Yes, special." He smiles softly at me, and damn, what I wouldn't do to bottle that smile up and keep it with me wherever I go.
"Anything with you will be special, Hunter," my voice is almost a whisper, "anything we—"
The sound of car doors shutting outside has my mouth snapping shut, and then I'm doing a last minute check of the piano, making sure the bow is properly in place. Should I sit on it? Do a pose of some kind? Fuck, should I be naked for this?
What? I shake my head, confused at the turn my thoughts just took. Of course I shouldn't be naked. I nervously grab Hunter's hand right as the front door is pushed open, and even though nobody appears in the doorway and we catch what appears to be the middle of an argument.
"Omegas first, sprite," I can hear Brody say, "it's literally my business name, just let me be a gentleman and have you go first."
"For fucks sake," Miles mutters. "Do we have to do this the hard way?"
There's a light scuffle and muffled laughter as Brody is finally pushed through the front door, by Miles, Kieran and Damien laughing behind them. "You think a single male omega on his own never took any sort of ass-kicking classes? I work out for a reason, hotshot."
Brody is so focused on roughhousing with Miles, that it's not until a giggle bursts out of me that his attention whips to Hunter and I, and then, finally, the piano. Hunter gently detangles his fingers from mine as he takes a step towards the couches, letting it be clear that this action…this gift, was my doing.
"I…" He swallows roughly, looking between me and the piano. "What is this?"
"Surprise!" I throw my hands up as he slowly walks up to the piano, like he can't quite believe his eyes. "It's not new, but it was my grandad's, and my parents had it for years, but nobody in my family knows how to play." Then I just keep on rambling as he stares at me, his eyes wide. "I mean, I can do like,Twinkle Twinkle Little StarandHot Cross Buns,which is hardly considered 'playing'—"
I'm cut off from my rambling with a hand in my hair and lips against mine. His other hand comes down to grip my waist as he pulls me closer to him. Soft lips move against mine, his tongue exploring my mouth as he full on dips me down low like we're in some kind of movie.
I'm vaguely aware of the way Miles and Damien are whistling, but it's all background noise until he pulls away, pressing one last, soft kiss to my lips and pressing his forehead against mine.
"You did this for me?" Brody asks, breathless.
I nod, still being held in a dip.
"You know," he chuckles, finally lifting me upright, "I'm supposed to be one courting you. Not the other way around."
"What can I say?" My chest heaves. "I'm a forward thinking omega."
