Chapter Seventeen
Levi
I waited for my men to get to the bedroom while I checked on Tobias. He wasn’t awake, but I needed to see that he was well and warm. I went into the nursery and peeked into his crib, content to find him wearing one of those one-piece pajama things that made sure his little toes were covered all through the night. His lips were pooched and sucking on something invisible.
“Daddy’s back home, little man. See you in the morning.”
I headed across the hall to see my men.
“Checked on our little man?” Ben whispered to me.
“Had to. He’s warm and safe.”
Ben nodded. My alpha soul demanded I make sure that all members of my family were taken care of even if my brain knew they were with Ben and Cory in charge.
Not a single muscle in my body didn’t ache from working. Even though I’d showered, I still smelled smoke and would continue to until more overpowering scents took over, which I hoped was soon.
With my belly full and my body freshly showered, I could’ve passed out right there at the kitchen table, but I dragged myself to the bedroom for one reason and one reason only.
Even though butterflies fluttered faintly in my belly, I had no patience or will to be strong and ease into things. I took off my pajama pants, leaving just my boxer briefs on and moaned, loud and long, after peeling back the comforter and crawling between my sheets. It didn’t matter if a hotel had eight-thousand-thread-count sheets, there was nothing in the world like crawling into my bed after a long span without it.
My eyes closed as soon as my head hit the pillow. I listened to my men make sounds, the shuffling of clothes, a quiet chuckle from Ben. Their scents grew stronger as they got into bed. I breathed out a sigh that expelled all the stress over work and the worry over our new omega. Having their scents envelope me made me know that everything would be okay.
“How does this work?” Cory asked. His deep chuckle made my groin tighten.
“I think we need you in the middle, right, Levi?”
I nodded, not having the energy to do anything else. I stretched my arm out, and my bicep burned while I did. “Come on, Cory. Stop thinking.”
I couldn’t quite get to sleep. Cory moved next to me and laid his head on my arm. But instead of it hurting, his warmth soothed the pain. His back snuggled into my chest, and his ass burrowed into my groin. I groaned and found the energy to pull him closer with my other hand around his waist and nuzzled my face into the curve between his shoulder blades.
“Ben?” I questioned, searching for my mate’s body.
“I’m here. I was just...enjoying the view.”
Ben’s arm rested on top of mine across Cory’s waist. I felt around to find Ben’s chest and rubbed the hard pecs I found there. My Ben smelled like oak and maple syrup, while Cory’s scent complemented them both. Our omega smelled like French toast and dark chocolate, and it warmed me from the inside out.
“This is good,” Cory blurted. “No, this is perfect. This takes it all away.”
“Takes what all away, love?” Ben asked.
A tinge of jealousy washed over me, but it was replaced quickly by adoration. Yes, I wasn’t Ben’s only love anymore, but we’d gained so much more in return.
“The awkwardness, the indecision, the tension. It’s all gone like this. I could stay here forever.”
I moved in closer to him, wanting him to know that here with both of them was the only place I wanted to be, or at least I hoped that’s what it told him. I reached out and pulled Ben closer.
We lay there for a while. I thought I fell asleep for a few minutes but woke shortly after. Just that short nap gave me some more strength. Maybe it was really being home with my new family that gave me the desire.
“So what’s all this I hear about kissing behind my back? Is this the kind of shenanigans I should expect while I’m gone?”
I made my voice low and growly on purpose. I had to razz Cory about it. If he was going to be in this family, it was something he would have to get used to.
“You said he wasn’t mad.”
Ben and I both had a laugh. “I’m not. I just need to know more. I mean, was there tongue? Pressing against each other? Rubbing? Give me some details, Omega.”
I cringed a little calling him by that name, but let it go. He had to know this whole arrangement was more than kissing or dating or even sex. The three of us were building a foundation. He was our omega, and one day I hoped one of us put a baby in his belly. A little brother or sister for Tobias.
“There was no tongue, but maybe a little groping. Right, Cory? Not that I wasn’t hoping for tongue. Damn, I’ve dreamed of...well, I’m sure you can imagine.”
“I missed groping. I’m out there fighting fires and risking my life, and you two are home playing ‘is that a pencil in your pocket or are you happy to see me.’ I see how it is.”
Cory mumbled, “More like is that a giant sausage in your pocket.”
Ben and I both cracked up. “Sweet omega, did you just say that Ben’s dick is huge?”
“Well, it’s true.” He joined us in laughing.
“Cory.” I stopped laughing and got serious. “You know this isn’t just casual, right? We don’t really want to date you or have this be short-term. We want you as our omega for a long time.”
Maybe I was tired or just tired of pretending that he was some guy we wanted to date. Either way, I’d poured my heart out, and there was no taking it back.
“Cory, it’s not a question you have to answer,” Ben murmured in a low, intimate voice. “My man is just letting you know how we feel. He’s the best at pillow talk in the bedroom.”
“I’m the best at more than pillow talk, for the record,” I said, getting groggy again.
“No doubt there.” Cory wiggled his ass against my ever-growing hard-on. Usually I just wanted to lie in bed and rest after a trip, but this time was different.
“Behave. Unless you like to be naughty and get punished. We can do that, too.”
Cory gasped. I loved to shock him. I would have to shock him more often.
“Once I was very naughty,” Ben said. “There was punishment. Wasn’t there, Levi?”
I remembered that occasion. Ben had been working a lot and had slept in his office one night. In my book, that was unacceptable.
“I bent Benjamin over his desk, facedown on top of all those numbers and figures he loves so much. I pulled down his pants and…” I paused to see if Cory was paying attention.
“And what?” He breathed out, shallow and raspy. Yeah, our boy was paying attention, all right.
“And then I spanked him until he said sorry. Then he showed me how very sorry he was.”
A long silence filled the air.
“Just so you two know, I’m in for all this—all of it. Even the spanking.” The remark from Cory was the last thing I heard before falling into a deep sleep.