Page 111 of Knot That Serious

Jack glared at him over his menu. “I didn’t say that.”

“Didn’t have to,” Beckett responded.

With a frown, Jack sat his menu up higher, obscuring his date from view. Beckett was a little too good at reading Jack so early into their relationship. And maybe that was part of why Jack liked him so much. Also, he’d agreed to help Jack with this almost-probably-certainly-crazy plan, so he had to feel as strongly about the situation as Jack did.

A sigh came from across the table, and then two well-manicured fingers appeared at the top of his menu, tilting it until bright blue eyes peered at him.

“If this is supposed to be a casual accident, maybe you should try not to look so suspicious, hm?” Beckett said, releasing his menu to tap said fingers against the closed cover of his own menu.

“Okay,” Jack said, because the other alpha was right. Jack already knew what he wanted anyway. “You’re right.”

“Wow, it’s nice to hear that,” Beckett teased, a cute little smile curling his lips.

Jack rolled his eyes. “As if you don’t hear it enough.”

He shrugged, gaze falling to the wine glass he spun slowly between his fingertips. Jack’s attention trailed through the restaurant, drifting by patrons until he found the bubblegum-pink hair of Eli.

Just then, she tilted her head back, lips parted in a laugh at whatever Raj said. Raj smiled softly at her across the table, the fondness in his expression visible even from Jack’s carefully selected vantage point.

“He likes her,” Jack said softly, gut punched with the realization.

“How could he not?” Beckett asked, mirroring Jack’s own thoughts.

“Exactly.”

Eli smiled down at the table, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I think she likes him, too.”

“Again, I’m not very surprised.”

When he finally tore his gaze away, Beckett was smirking at him, and Jack leaned back in his seat. “What?” he asked gruffly.

“Nothing,” Beckett said innocently. “It’s just so obvious—I don’t know how it took you so long to realize.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jack lied, taking a drink of his wine.

When he lowered the glass, Beckett was staring at him. “Fine, fine. I know,” he said. “It just makes it… too real, if I say it out loud.”

“You should practice,” Beckett suggested with a smile.

“Practice?” Jack asked. Beckett wanted him to practice saying—

“I love you,” Beckett said, then sipped his wine. “See? Easy.”

Jack froze, fingers still wrapped around the stem of his glass, eyes locked on the alpha across from him.

Beckett was too busy rearranging his silverware to look at Jack.

“It’s not easy for you, either,” Jack noted.

Beckett finally looked up at him, as if caught, and lowered the fork he’d been trying to choose a place for.

With a sigh, Beckett planted his palms on the table and leaned forward, meeting Jack’s gaze as he neared. “I love you, Jack.”

The words were a lightning strike to the thunder of his pulse, heart skipping a beat as he realized Beckett was completely serious.

“You love me?” Jack asked, voice small.

---