Page 61 of Bitter Heat
But now wasn’t the time for such thoughts. They had a babe to care for and becoming distracted by the memory of how sweet Kerry’s milk tasted would not be helpful to anyone.
Janus took the spot on the sofa next to Kerry and then patted his lap.
“What?”
“Put your feet here.”
Kerry looked at him a bit suspiciously but then shifted so that his back was on the arm of the couch. He clutched the still eating Ellis against his chest to keep him from falling. Janus took Kerry’s socked feet in hand and began to rub. The wool of his socks itched against Janus’s palms, and so, without asking, he stripped them off, baring Kerry’s fine arches and well-made toes to his examination.
“Wolf-god, what are you doing?” Kerry asked, barely restraining a giggle when Janus lifted his right foot while simultaneously bending low to sniff it.
Janus shrugged and scented the left foot, too, for good measure. Satisfied that Kerry smelled as delicious there as he did everywhere else, Janus began a tentative massage of Kerry’s feet.
“Harder,” Kerry said, trying not to laugh and disturb the baby. “I’m ticklish. You have to do it harder, or I’ll kick you in the face.”
Janus chuckled. “Is that a threat?”
“It’s a warning.”
Janus dug his fingers in harder, and Kerry relaxed, no longer twitching with suppressed laughter. Ellis continued to feed, his long lashes sweeping down over his too thin cheeks. The scent of the child rose up into the room, distracting from Kerry’s usual scent. Still, the baby-smell was every human’s favorite. It was like the best dessert and sweetest wine all rolled into one. Janus remembered liking the way Xan’s insufferable friends’ child had smelled, too. The Sabel boy. What had they named him? Virona, or Viro for short, he thought.
Remembering his time in Virona brought Janus’s thoughts around to how long it had been since he’d heard from Caleb. He wondered what was keeping him from replying and hoped it wasn’t a problem with the pregnancy or his health. He had to believe that Caleb was safe. At least Janus knew he could count on Xan and Urho to watch over Caleb and provide him with all the best, most advanced care. Not every omega was so lucky.
“Charlie should have come to us sooner,” Janus said, massaging Kerry’s arches firmly.
“I know.”
“Why didn’t he?” Janus asked, his throat tight. “This baby needs him. Dax adores him. Why would they go to the lake instead? That old omega’s tale…”
“The lake is healing,” Kerry insisted. “But some things it can’t repair. Some illnesses need medicine. I’ve heard rumors about the two of them. Dax is possessive. He doesn’t like anyone touching Charlie. I’m not surprised it took him so long to bring him to you.”
Janus snorted, rolling his eyes. “Alphas.”
Kerry smiled tenderly. He looked like he wanted to reach out and ruffle Janus’s hair but didn’t want to disturb Ellis. “Érosgápeis more like it. The bond makes them too possessive sometimes.”
“No, it’s always the alphas,” Janus protested. “You don’t see omegas refusing to let doctors touch their alphas.”
“An alpha with another alpha isn’t a risk. There’s no attraction.”
“You’d be surprised,” Janus muttered. “Still, it doesn’t matter. It’s down to alpha pride. We’re possessive assholes.”
“I can’t dispute that,” Kerry said with a wry smile. “And it makes sense that you’d see that side of alphas more often as a doctor treating their omegas.”
“I feel it, too,” Janus said irritably. “As an alpha myself.”
Kerry tilted his head. “What do you mean?”
“I wouldn’t want Dr. Crescent touching you,” Janus said quietly, feeling heat rise in his cheeks. He wasn’t sure he should be admitting to that, but it was something he’d known was true as soon as Kerry called Dax possessive. He hated the idea of Dr. Crescent touching Kerry in any way. And they weren’t even contracted or bonded. “Not that I wouldn’t take you to him if I couldn’t treat you myself. I’d override my instincts. For you.” But if they wereÉrosgápe, he knew it would be even harder to push back his need to be his omega’s everything, even possibly to his detriment and danger.
“Dax thought he could treat Charlie himself,” Kerry said. “With the lake and his medicine cabinet at home, I’m sure.”
“I know. That’s what I mean,” Janus huffed. “Alphas. We’re assholes.”
“I don’t know. You’ve been pretty sweet to me.” Then Kerry stiffened strangely, his feet tensing under Janus’s hands.
“What? Ticklish again?”
Kerry shook his head and removed his feet from Janus’s lap before carefully rising with Ellis in his arms. His long hair was down, and it cascaded over his shoulders, clinging to the soft, brown paternity-style shirt he wore.
