Page 72 of Overeager
Eli glanced around the nest, wrinkling his nose at the mess they’d made of it. And themselves. It was to be expected, of course, but still—thefluids. “Shower first, I think. Then we can toss all this in the washer.”
He thankfully received no argument from Noah, and they took a luxurious shower together. They kept things chaste, neither of them attempting anything they couldn’t finish. They soaped each other up but didn’t linger anywhere salacious, taking turns washing each other’s hair instead, Noah leaning down awkwardly so Eli could reach. They exchanged tender,exhausted kisses that didn’t go any further. Both their bodies needed some recovery time.
Recovery time and a mountain of food.
There was a beautiful intimacy to it all, and Eli hated that there was a teeny, tiny part of himself waiting for the other shoe to drop. It wasthispart of heat that had always been a bit … fraught in Eli’s marriage. Richard had hated the recovery phase, when he’d been too drained to work or socialize, and Eli had always been racked with guilt for having been so needy that he’d put them both there.
Eli knew better at this point than to compare Noah to Richard. But some emotional reactions were ingrained after years of habit. The fear of disappointing and being disappointed in turn. The hesitance after asking for so much.
But Noah seemed happy to be here with Eli, even weak and exhausted like this. A little worried about Eli, maybe—he’d mentioned breakfast five times in the shower already, as if convinced Eli was still going to refuse food—but certainly not resentful, even with the week of exams he’d had to miss.
After they’d each carefully toweled the other off—Noah adorably taking the time to make sure each of Eli’s toes was perfectly dry—Eli led them to the kitchen. Noah was clearly going to freak out for real if he didn’t get some food in Eli soon.
With the early heat, Eli hadn’t had a chance to stock his fridge properly for postheat recovery, but he had eggs and bacon and plenty of coffee. Noah sliced more of the fruit he’d brought, while Eli whisked the eggs, and he even found a loaf of bread in the freezer Eli had forgotten about.
What they lacked in variety of ingredients, they made up for in quantity.
So. Much. Food.
When it was all done, they sat at the kitchen table. Or, more accurately, Noah sat at the kitchen table and then promptly pulled Eli into his lap.
So Noah clearly wasn’t sick of touching him, was he? There was no hint of resentment over taking care of him.
Eli finally released the last of his lingering worry in a slow breath.Time to let go. There was no other shoe dropping anywhere. This was just the way Noah was. Thoughtful. Caring.
Loving.
Eli relished the delicious relief flooding through him, sinking back against Noah’s broad chest.
Noah placed a kiss on the top of his head. “Can I— Will you still let me feed you?” he asked, almost shy.
Eli tilted his head back to gaze at him. “You want to?”
“Yeah.” Noah’s grin was embarrassed, his cheeks lightly pink. “I think it’ll help me feel better.”
“Okay. But you too.” Eli tapped his finger against Noah’s lower lip. “A bite for a bite.”
“Yeah?” Noah’s eyes darkened, as if Eli was talking about a different kind of bite. The claiming kind. “Okay, then. A bite for a bite.”
He immediately held up a slice of bacon, and Eli bit off a piece, still locked in Noah’s gaze as he chewed and swallowed. Noah kissed him after, as if to seal the deal.
They took turns feeding each other. Noah seemed reluctant to use the fork more than necessary, giving Eli all the bacon and toast and even some of the eggs by hand, with Eli licking the extra salt off Noah’s fingers each time.
When they’d finished everything on both plates, Eli let out a relieved sigh, patting the expanded pooch of his stomach. “That’s better.”
“Much better,” Noah agreed. But he was still … tense.
Tenser than before, even. Eli leaned back to study him. Maybe now that Eli was fed, Noah needed some space after all. Eli wouldn’t begrudge him that. An omega’s heat was overwhelming, and this was Noah’s first time participating in one.
Noah shifted Eli forward on his lap, toward his knees, leaving enough space for them to meet each other’s eyes. “Eli,” he said somberly. “I need to tell you something.”
That was … ominous. But Eli only cocked his head, refusing to let any sort of dread seep into his calm state. “Anything.”
“Do you remember the very beginning of your heat?” Noah asked. “Someone at the door?”
Eli hadn’t, but he did now. “Yes.” He nodded slowly. “You left and …” Eli’s gaze drifted down to Noah’s hand. “Your knuckles.”
They were healed now, but Eli remembered how they’d looked battered and bruised when Noah had returned to the nest.
