Page 75 of Slow Heat
Urho snorted. “You would be with all your liberal ideals.”
“Some of us want to build a better world, my friend,” Vale said, but the endearment held a bite to it. “Alas, you’re too old-fashioned and uptight to understand.”
“Old-fashioned,” Urho repeated, stabbing his fork into his bird. Jason wasn’t sure why that was the bigger insult of the two. Personally, he’d rather be old-fashioned than uptight.
Zephyr purred and settled more deeply into Jason’s lap, giving up her cleaning. Jason ran a hand over her back, and this time she allowed it. His heart plucked a happy chord.
Urho’s gaze fell to Zephyr with a frown. After a long moment, he nodded. “Fine. I’ll show you old-fashioned.” He sat up straighter. “I’ll deal with the boy’s heat then.”
Jason blinked in shock and Vale’s smile nearly blinded him. Rosen winked at Jason and nodded. Yosef applauded as though he was at a dinner theater show.
“Bravo. Delightful joust. I’ve rarely seen Urho concede so quickly.”
Vale’s cheeks flushed as he smiled at Jason. “Me, either.”
“Sometimes even old-fashioned assholes can see when they’ve been bested.” Urho shrugged. “And as much as I hate to admit it, maybe the boy is right. It would be easy enough for me to deal with Zim’s brother’s heat, pleasurable even. Assuming they take me up on the offer and the boy isn’t utterly repulsive in some way. And then I’ll have my gardener back working with Riki’s roses where I need him.”
Jason stroked Zephyr’s head and down her back. She purred, a warm, furry weight in his lap. He’d barely touched his dinner during his argument with Urho, and so he started in again, surprised it was still warm.
Zephyr tried to swipe the duck off his fork, and he laughed. “Hungry?”
“She’s had plenty of food,” Vale disagreed, waving at the cat. “Shoo, off! Unhand him, Zephyr. He’s mine.”
Jason’s heart clenched and released, blood rushing through him in a dizzy whoosh. But Zephyr ignored him. He fed her a piece of duck, and she ate it like she was starving before settling back down into his lap. Her paws, kneading and grabbing at his thigh, were ruining the wool of his pants, but he didn’t care at all.
“Zephyr likes Jason,” Yosef said with a laugh of surprise. “And with her deciding vote being cast, I think we should move away from this topic and onto something less exciting. Like the weather. Or winter holiday plans.” Vale caught Jason’s eye and held his gaze as Yosef went on, “Rosen and I are considering the seaside. Has anyone been at winter holiday before? Any advice for what to pack?”
“Jason, stay behinda moment, if you please.”
Urho paused in slipping on his coat and gave Vale a sharp look. “Is that wise?”
Rosen and Yosef had left fifteen minutes earlier in a taxi, burdened with the serving dishes, cutlery, and cookware Rosen had used. Either Vale didn’t own any of his own or what he had didn’t meet Rosen’s requirements. Regardless, once they’d loaded in the bags of kitchen items, there hadn’t been room in the taxi for Urho, too.
Jason leaned back against the wall, rolling his shoulder blades flat so that he didn’t slouch, but still trying to give a loose, casual impression. Calculated, sure, but he wanted Vale to feel safe and if he stiffened up, he’d be sent out into the cold with Urho for sure. The alpha quell was waning, and he felt the tug of the imprint stronger than he had in days.
Vale glanced his way and smiled with that secret warmth Jason had seen in his eyes ever since he’d bested Urho at dinner. “Your taxi is waiting, Urho.”
One of Urho’s dark brows lifted and his strong jaw clenched. “I’ve been charged with delivering him to his parents safely.”
“His parents never asked you to provide that chivalry.”
“No, you did.”
“And I’ve changed my mind. Just call me an indecisive omega.”
Urho’s eyes widened. Jason almost felt sorry for him. But then he remembered that Urho’d had his cock up Vale’s delicious ass, and he hated him all over again. But he refused to let that show. Vale needed him to be an adult, someone who got along with his friends, and that’s the person he was determined to become. Jealousy was instinctual in an alpha, sure, but his intellect was too strong to allow his most base nature to rule him.
“Don’t forget your hat,” Vale said, plopping the black, pompous-looking beret on Urho’s head with a smirk. Urho hadn’t been forgiven for his remarks over dinner yet. Vale was going to make him work for it, and Jason was okay with that.
“I think you should reconsider, Vale. This isn’t a joke and it—”
“It isn’t your concern unless I make it your concern.” He tilted his head, pale neck gleaming in the low light of the hallway lamps. Jason wanted to lick it. “I’ll see you soon, Urho. Thank you for coming to dinner.”
“Thank you for having me,” Urho murmured, voice tight, and his expression tangled.
Jason worked to keep his own face neutral. He fought the urge to sneer, all smarmy and mocking. Yes, no matter what Urho wanted, it wasn’t his call. Jason would stay here and speak alone with Vale. It was his right as Vale’s alpha. His right to be with him and to touch him—
No.
