Page 124 of Knot That Serious

Raj shook his head at the sarcasm, standing with the four of them in front of the television screen as it loaded their scores.

“It usually takes a minute,” the beta said. Eli was rocking on her heels in anticipation and Raj curled an arm around her waist, tucking her into his side. He just wanted to pick her up and squeeze her.

“You’re a pro,” he told her.

“Here it goes!” the beta said excitedly. “It looks like purple team prevailed, taking out the blue base twice. And the most points go to…”

“Beckett?!” Eli cried. “What?!”

“Should I be offended?” Beckett asked.

Raj snorted a laugh at Eli’s outrage, watching the numbers click across the screen.

“He got the blue base once, and it looks like he got everyone else at least twice,” the beta reported.

“You shot Jack?” Raj asked, turning to the alpha, amusement curling his lips.

“Yes, he fucking did! Betrayal,” Jack muttered.

Eli was in second, then Jack, then Raj. But he was okay with that, because Eli was still smiling.

“Oh, I’ll make it up to you somehow,” Beckett said, curling his hands around Jack’s waist and resting his head on his shoulder. A replay of the match was showing in the lower right-hand corner of the screen, but Eli was watching the pair of them.

Her head was tilted to the side, and slowly, the smile softened to something sweeter, almost remorseful. But then she yawned, and the moment was broken. She glanced up at him. “I think I’m ready for bed.”

Raj nodded. “Alright, let’s get this princess home before she turns into a pumpkin.”

Eli rolled her eyes, a smile twitching her lips, and they bid the beta goodnight before leaving the lobby. Even though the sun had set, it was still warm outside, and Raj tied his hair up with the band around his wrist.

When the silence dawned on him, he found three pairs of eyes glued to his movements and slowly lowered his arms. Heat rushed to his cheeks.

“So…” Eli said, turning to the other pair. “I guess we’ll see you—” She cleared her throat. “—at the apartments?”

Jack and Beckett were standing opposite them, and they shared a glance and nodded. Beckett spoke first. “Uh… yeah. See you there.”

They turned and left and then Jack was nudging Beckett, whispering, “Does that mean she’s coming home tonight or not?”

Eli’s cheeks flushed and she turned to him, clapping her hands together softly. “Alright, then, home?”

Raj smiled, wishing they could see what he did. “Home it is.”

He opened the car door for her, and he could tell she still didn’t know quite what to do with herself while he did it, but… she’d just have to get used to it.

Then he waited until he’d started the car and pulled out of the parking lot to speak. “That went so much better than I thought it would,” he said, letting relief fill his voice.

Eli grinned, turning in her seat to face him. “Oh my god, I know, right? It wasn’t even that awkward! You were right; inviting them to join was the right move.”

Raj shrugged. “Do you think they’ll be there on our next date?”

“Already planning another?”

“Something like that,” he teased. “Maybe I should go ahead and reserve a table for four.”

Eli laughed. “No, no, don’t. I just won’t tell Jack what we’re doing this time.”

Raj cocked his head to the side without taking his eyes off the road. “So that’s how they knew,” he mused.

“Maybe,” Eli said, dragging the word out.

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