Page 68 of Knot That Serious

She shooed him out of the shower so she could have a moment alone, and Jack listened dutifully. He dressed and found Beckett in the kitchen, staring down at the stove.

As Jack rounded the breakfast bar and stepped onto the basic beige tile, Beckett lifted his head and grinned.

“How is she?” Beckett asked.

Jack shrugged. “She’s Eli. Which means she’s already thinking about what she’ll do at the bakery tomorrow.”

Beckett frowned. “But she—”

“I know, that’s what I said,” Jack interrupted. “I convinced her to stay home another day and relax. D’you wanna stay, too? So she’s not alone.”

“Of course, whatever she needs,” Beckett agreed.

Jack smiled and was overcome with affection so grand he couldn’t hold it inside. So he reached out and framed Beckett’s face with his hands before turning the alpha for a kiss.

“D’you tell her how you felt, in the shower?” he mumbled against Jack’s lips.

With a sigh, Jack pulled back and shoved Beckett away playfully.

“No. Stop asking; it’s not going to happen.”

Beckett’s gaze was pointed, and Jack rolled his eyes, staring down at the spatula Beckett stirred the food with.

“It could happen, though, is what I’m saying,” Beckett retorted.

“I’m not even entertaining this,” Jack responded. And then asked, voice lower, “What if she doesn’t feel the same way?”

“Just… do you trust me?” Beckett asked.

Jack had been placing his trust in Beckett this entire week, and Beckett had done nothing but prove he was worth it. Jack nodded.

“Then trust me!” Beckett said, nudging Jack’s shoulder. “She is battling the same emotions you are, and you need to address it. Before it’s too late.”

For a split second, Jack engaged with the idea. And then immediately shook his head. “Absolutely not. There’s no way.” Jack said vehemently. He couldn’t just… “What if it’s not what we think, and it ruins everything? I don’t want that.”

“If you just—”

“No, Beckett,” Jack said finally, an edge to his tone. “I don’t want anything to change. I like things just how they are.”

Beckett’s expression tilted into one of sympathy, and he seemed a little bit hurt, but ultimately he shrugged and turned his attention back to the food.

“Something smells nice,” Eli said softly.

Jack straightened up, hoping to whatever holy figure existed that she hadn’t overheard them.

She crossed her arms on the breakfast bar and tried to peer over. Covering her frame was a fresh, huge tee shirt of Jack’s.

His heart gave a fatal thump.

“Oh, good, I’m going to shower,” Beckett announced. “Food’s almost done, just give it about five more minutes.”

Beckett pinched Jack’s side gently as he passed, and Jack caught his hand, giving it a squeeze. Things were fine; he could apologize for snapping later.

Jack cleared his throat and turned to face Eli. Beckett passed her, smiling softly, and—

Bending to give her a kiss on the head?

He froze halfway through the motion, as if only just realizing he’d done it, but pecked her on the head all the same before walking away. Jack caught his eye over Eli’s head, and Beckett lifted his hands.

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