Page 32 of Alpha & Omega

“I can delegate.”

Suddenly, he laughed and pulled on his jeans, leaving his shirt off.

“What’s funny?” I asked, smiling with him.

“I told Nacho the same thing you’re telling me. Pippin, his boyfriend, and former foster brother live together, and Nacho did everything for Pip. Pip has some… mental issues. Nacho had run himself ragged, taking care of him.”

“Well, perhaps it’s time you took your own advice.”

Kingston’s smile was crooked as he wrapped his arms around my waist. “Yeah? And who’s gonna take care of me? You?”

I smiled back. “Maybe. It could be.” I pulled away and winked. “But we’re still a bit early for that yet. Anyway, I’ve got to jam. Hudson’s waiting for me.”

We kissed for a while, and when it grew heated, I itched to stay with him. Maybe next time.

“See you next Wednesday again?”

I nodded. “Sounds good.”

“Night, Harl.”

“Night, King.”

WhenIwalkedintothe house, Hudson was still awake, talking to his friends onSnapchat, sitting on the couch. His long hair was pulled back into a ponytail, as usual, and he was wearing sweats and a T-shirt. He looked ready for bed.

“Waiting up for me?” I asked, bending over to kiss the top of his head.

He leaned his head back on the back of the sofa to look up at me, smirking. “Someone has to. Can’t have you breaking curfew.”

“You gaveme a curfew?”

“Yep.”

“In other words, you’re being a busybody and want to know how my date went.”

Hudson turned off his phone, set it on the coffee table, and turned to face me when I sat down next to him. “You caught me.”

“It’s nearly midnight, Hud.”

“I’ll be fine. It’s not like I don’t stay up ’til two in the morning playing games, anyway. Besides, it’s summer. Let me have my fun.” He grabbed a throw pillow and hugged it against him. “So, are you and Kingston still hitting it off? Are you two going to get serious?”

I chuckled. “It’s too early to tell, but I really like him. We’ve got a lot in common, and our dates have been very smooth.”

“What does he look like?”

“Well, he’s got dark blond hair, long on top and cropped on the sides and back. His eyes are… so blue, like Caribbean Ocean blue.”

Hudson snorted. “Youmustbe into him if you’re turning his eyes into metaphors.”

I smiled, letting him have his fun. “Theyarepretty. He has lots of tattoos and is just a couple of inches taller than me. What I like most about him, though, is his commitment to a bunch of young men and one young lady, taking them under his wing when they had no one else, giving them jobs, safety, and someone they can lean on and trust. They’re also all queer.”

Hudson picked at the pillow and didn’t look at me. I sensed a flash of insecurity, something he was good at dealing with, but once in a while, it surfaced, even with extensive therapy, no thanks to his mother. “Do you think he’ll… like me?”

I tugged on his hand and held it, making him look at me. “He’s going to love you. No doubt.”

He smiled shyly. “When do I get to meet this perfect man of yours?”

“Not sure yet. Give us some time to get to know each other better and see if we can establish something serious. I just want to make sure Kingston and I are on the same page before we get into attachments.”

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