Page 32 of Knot That Serious

Totally succeeding so far, right?

“Promise you’ll tell me if she gets uncomfortable, okay? Heat cycles are sensitive and can be brutal.”

Jack’s heart softened, melted, and dripped over his ribs under the warmth of Beckett’s concern for Jack’s best friend.

“I will, don’t worry. Eli says anything, you’re gone. Sorry about it,” he teased.

But Beckett seemed to relax at the jibe, and nodded. “Alright then, I’ll text you when I’m off work. If she changes her mind between now and then—”

“I’ll let you know,” Jack promised.

Having Beckett in their home was… different. And somehow so right.

Jack opened the door to let him in, the fresh, earthy green scent preceding him. He had to resist leaning in to get a fresh hit, right from his neck.

Instead he stepped back, and eyed the plastic white bag Beckett was carrying opposite the overnight one on his shoulder.

“Dinner,” Beckett explained, lifting it up. “I thought it was the least I could do.”

Jack closed the door behind Beckett, took the food bag from him, and waved his other hand at the living area. “Put your bag, just, anywhere. I’ll give you the tour after dinner.”

Beckett sat his bag down behind the couch, out of the way, and joined Jack at the table. He didn’t have the same reservations Jack had, and nuzzled into his neck, an arm circling his waist.

Jack purred happily and stood up straight, catching Beckett’s lips in a familiar kiss.

“Ground rule number one,” Eli’s voice cut through the moment. “No necking in shared living spaces. I don’t need to see all that,” Eli drawled.

Beckett leaned away smoothly, and turned to face the omega while Jack’s cheeks flamed. He swallowed and turned to greet his roommate, who hadn’t made an appearance until now. Did she just wake up?

“Hello again, Eli,” Beckett said softly.

“What’d you bring for dinner?” she asked, nodding her head in Jack’s direction.

Jack watched the two of them face off before revealing the Styrofoam containers. “Indian,” Jack announced, and Eli hummed her approval before she glided closer to the table, then around the corner of the bar to retrieve bowls.

“Good choice,” Eli offered. “Smells nice. Where from?”

While Eli and Beckett dissolved into small talk, Jack took a deep breath. Great. This wasn’t going terribly so far.

Maybe this would work out.

After Beckett pointed to each curry and named them, he accepted a bowl from Eli and they took turns loading up with rice.

“Thanks again for letting me stay,” Beckett said, taking a seat at one of the chairs of the table. He’d left Jack and Eli’s favorite chairs free, as if he just knew. “But I know there are some extenuating circumstances.”

Oh no.

“I’ll leave at any time you need me to, so you two can ride out your heat together—”

Eli made a choking noise in her throat, her attempt at swallowing the surprise. Her chair scraped as she pulled it back. “Uh… What exactly did Jack tell you?” she asked.

Oh, god, did she think Jack had told Beckett—

Jack’s cheeks flushed red as he glanced between Beckett and Eli. “Uh, wrong idea, there, Beckett. I’m just… uh, taking her to the Omega Center.”

“Oh, sorry,” Beckett said, and shook his head, a frown playing along the edges of his lips. He glanced between Eli and Jack. “Really?” Then shook his head again. “No, sorry—none of my business.”

“Riiight,” Eli said, and finally sat down. “Well, I think I still have a few days of sanity left, even with you two around.”

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