Page 151 of Slick Handling

We’ve already been in the shower for longer than we should have been. My fingers are pruning.

I reach around to shut off the water, letting Apollo lead her out and start fretting over drying her off. I need to head to my room to grab some clothes to wear that aren’t sticky with precum.

“Can I have a hoodie?” Clover asks in a rush, “I mean you don’t have to get me a hoodie but, I like wearing hoodies from the pack. You’re all so big and it’s so comfortable. Plus smelling like any of you is a bonus. I like your scent. Christmas eggnog. All the spices. It’s like a snapshot of what I want life to be.”

My heart is in my throat as she babbles. It’s so fucking cute how she can’t stop herself from oversharing and I feel myself leaning in to steal a kiss from her.

“You can have all my hoodies. You already have my heart.”

Stick a fork in me, I’m done.

Clover’s scent is still strong, even after her shower. She’s definitely going into heat. I could feel the way her skin was heated and how aroused she was getting from the smallest of touches.

I’ve been terrified thinking of her heat.

Most people would think that this is where all my years as a fuck boy come into play. All the times I’ve shared with other people haven't prepared me for this moment. How could they?

I’m inlovewith Clover.

She doesn’t deserve my fuck boy ways. She deserves to be cherished and taken care of. Which is why I can’t be the first one to knot her. I’m too afraid to fuck it up.

I love her too much to ruin her first knot. Sure, I will gladly offer myself for sacrifice for the entire heat after that. I will literally be her favorite ride for however long this heat is going to last. I’ll probably even join her in the madness and rut her as we both get lost in instinct.

Her first time with a knot should be Apollo or Vaughn. Vaughn has all the control with things, but I think that Apollo would be able to be more gentle with her. It would build their connection even more. Having them share that experience will cement everything.

Maybe after her heat we can plan a bonding ceremony. I know my pack and they’re all going to be all about that big ceremony. Usually, I’d say it’s a waste. Bites are meant for the bedroom. For Clover? She deserves all the flowers and celebration.

I want to show her off at a party and mark her as ours. I want it to be official and special. The idea of us having ceremony photos hanging in our house as we grow old together does something to my heart. Tugging at me in a new way.

Maybe I ate something bad.

Or maybe I’m softening for an Omega.

Clover is in one of my hoodies and a pair of socks that cover her knees and squeeze around her thighs. For some reason, I’m obsessed with these socks and have already ordered enough pairs that Apollo got a fraud notification from the bank.

Worth it.

She’s eating a grilled-cheese sandwich, one of the smorgasbord of options that were ordered through a delivery app by McKinley. He set everything up in our living room so we had enough room to be comfortable and to talk things through.

Since Clover is so close to being in a heat we have to talk about not only how that will go, but what just happened, and plans of the future.

No pressure. It’s just our entire lives.

Vaughn sips his water, his eyes tracking the way she lets her foot swing as she eats. Happily munching away before we rock her world with the conversation.

“Hey baby, have some water.” Vaughn hands her a tumbler filled up with ice water, watching as she sips it without complaint.

Good girl.

Humming happily, she sets down her sandwich, wiping her hands and nipping at that lip of hers.

“We’re going to talk. I just want to say I’m sorry for running off. I felt like after I gave myself to everyone the night before, everyone woke up and forgot about me. I get everyone was so concerned with Marcus and I felt like you got what you wanted and that was it. That you just cared about an Omega and not who the Omega was.”

Her foot comes up on the couch, adjusting it so it’s underneath her. I miss the way it was swinging like a pendulum.

“I know that it was stupid. I just felt used and hurt. When Apollo said Marcus was all set and asked Mickey to come to the pack meeting, it felt like I wasn’t welcome. I felt vulnerable and like I was being discarded. So I ran. I just wanted some time to process everything that was changing. When I was in the library they took me.” A shudder runs through her and I see Apollo hesitate before he wraps an arm around her.

Clover melts into his side, but Apollo needs more.

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