Forty minutes early. Sweet.

My fight landed early, so I go directly to the cab stand once my bags come off the carousel and wait for my turn. If I’m lucky, I can make it home before rush hour traffic begins. That could cut half an hour off the two-hour drive from the airport. It feels like forever on the drive, but when the car finally pulls up in front of my new complex, my anxiety level ratchets up ten notches.

I quickly grab my bags and run up the stairs to the apartment, taking them two at a time. After fumbling for a minute, I get the door unlocked and swing it open, instantly regretting my oafish behavior when I look straight ahead and see Colby sleeping on the baby monitor. He murmurs and shifts his weight but doesn’t wake up.

Thank god!

I carefully close the front door and slip out of my shoes so I can move quietly through the apartment. As I turn down the hall to go to the bathroom, Freddie walks out with just a towel wrapped around his waist. He flinches when he sees me, surprised by my presence, but then his lips pull up into a gorgeous smile.

“Welcome home,” he says quietly, waving me to follow him back into the living room. “You’re earlier than we expected.”

“Sorry for being so loud when I walked in. I hope I didn’t disturb Colby.”

Freddie glances at the baby monitor and his grin softens into a loving smile. “No worries. That kid can sleep through anything at this point. I’ve been intentionally turning the TV or music up loud so he gets used to background noise. I don’t know if that really works, but it’s better than having to tiptoe around the house for the next eighteen years.”

I chuckle and try to keep my eyes on Freddie’s, but they keep roaming down his body and to the open slit in the towel. I want to inspect every inch of him, but I’m careful not to stare as I pass over his nipples.

Freddie is slim, like he hasn’t spent a lot of time in the gym, but his rounded muscles accentuate his biceps and pecs in a way that makes me want to trace them with my tongue. A light dusting of dark hair starts just below his belly button and disappears underneath his towel, making me desperate to follow it for a prize.

We chat for a few minutes about my trip and the job he’s going to start in a few weeks, and then he brings up something that has me more embarrassed than I’ve felt in a long time.

“So…I was looking for the new swaddle blanket Frankie ordered, and I opened up some of your Amazon boxes on accident.”

My eyes immediately dart to the ground, unable to make contact with Freddie’s. “No problem. It’s not a big deal.”

“Good, because right after that, Andy told me not to touch any of your boxes so…”

The lilt in his voice is all the confirmation I need that Freddie found my new toys. Trying to lighten the moment, I decide to own my embarrassment instead of letting it hang between us. “Well, I said that more for his benefit than mine. My brother doesn’t need to know how lonely it gets on those trips.” I force out a smirk. “And I’m sure he doesn’t want to see the toys I use to help ease some of that loneliness.”

Freddie is now more embarrassed than I am, so I feel like my plan worked. “For what it’s worth, they look pretty fun. I’ve never used toys, but I have a feeling I’m going to become intimately familiar with them for, oh, you know, the rest of my life.”

His laugh also sounds forced, but the twinkle in his eye looks sincere—sincerely like desire.

Changing the subject to something that will allow my hardon to soften, I ask about Andy. “So, how’s my brother?” I watch Freddy’s face carefully for any indications of how he feels about him.

“He’s great. He’s been super helpful with Colby, and he started his new job a few days ago and really likes it. He’s in a good place.” Freddie seems as relived as I am to move on to a safer topic. “And the more you guys talk about college, the more relaxed he seems to be. I think falling behind his classmates was a big concern with going back to school. But now that he’s going to start looking for a program that will accept his previous transcripts with just the GED, I think he has a whole new lease on life. It’s great to see.”

“Awesome. I’ve been noticing the same thing when we talk, but it’s nice to have confirmation from someone so close to him.”

Freddie just nods his agreement, and before we can get any deeper into the conversation, Colby starts to make little mewling noises over the baby monitor. He’s loud but not angry…yet. They’re just sweet little waking up sounds.

“Ugh,” Freddie says as he uses both his palms to cover his chest. I better get dressed or I’m gonna leak all over this couch. I’ll be right back.”

Now that I have an excuse to stare, I do. I’m completely transfixed as the change in Freddie’s body is almost instantaneous. His nipples elongate and his pectorals seem to grow under my gaze as they fill with milk. When he reaches down with one hand to hold the knot on his towel, a drop of milky white fluid bubbles to the tip of his nipple before dripping down onto the floor.

“Shit. I’ll clean that up in a sec.” Freddie double times it back to his room just as Colby fully wakes up and starts to cry.

“I’m here, I’m here. Hold your horses, kiddo. Daddy needs some shorts before we get you fed.” Not more than a minute passes before Freddie is back with a small towel over one shoulder and Colby squirming in his arms, obviously anxious to feed. I don’t know what to say or how to help, so I just sit and stare dumbly, completely fascinated by the moment.

Freddie is now wearing a pair of loose basketball shorts as he settles into an armchair and moves Colby to his left nipple. The baby latches on instantly, sucking loudly as if he hasn’t eaten in days. “Geez, killer. Slow down there or you’re gonna puke.”

He taps Colby’s cheek and adjusts his position until the sucking is quieter, and he can finally relax. Freddie props his bare feet up on the edge of the coffee table and leans back, looking up at me with a sigh. “You’d think we starve him by the way he attacks me.”

“I don’t blame him,” I whisper, unable to censor my words before they leave my mouth.

Freddie catches the change in my tone and looks at me with curiosity. “Why is that?”

Oh shit. I was hoping he didn’t hear that. My eyes refuse to look away from the suckling baby for more than a few seconds, but when I catch Freddie’s heated gaze, I let it hold me—just as transfixed to this beautiful sight as the other.

“I just mean… Well, I get pretty desperate when I miss a meal too.” I force a smile and hope that doesn’t sound as lame to Freddie as it sounds to my own ears.

I don’t think he buys it, but he changes the subject anyway. There are some leftover meatballs in the fridge and a pot of spaghetti if you’re hungry. Andy has been teaching me to cook, but spaghetti and frozen meatballs is as fancy as I get when he’s not home.”

“Yeah, that sounds great.” Knowing I need to give them some space and take a little space of my own before I do or say something I’m going to regret, I plant my palms on my knees and push up off the couch. “Can I get you some water or something before I hop in the shower?”

“Actually, I put a cup of tea in the microwave earlier. It’s probably still warm if you wouldn’t mind grabbing it for me.”

“Of course.” I reheat Freddie’s tea for a few seconds then bring it and the remote to him, setting them both on the side table within his reach. Before I can walk away, he pulls Colby off one side and shifts his body so Colby can drink from the right side.

I have to shake my head to keep from standing there and staring like a weirdo. “Okay, yeah. I’ll be in the shower. Just holler if you need me.”

Freddie has a small smirk on his face as he nods. “We’ll be right here when you get out.”

I hope the groan that I am stifling on the inside doesn’t actually come out because I wouldn’t want Freddie to think he’s doing anything wrong by being here. It’s me and my damn libido that are the problem. I really need to get laid or else I’m going to scare this kid right back to the shelter.

The water isn’t even hot yet when I step under the stream and take my dick in my hand. My knot is already bulging, and I know this isn’t going to last long. I don’t even want it to. I only need a few strokes and an instant replay of everything I just witnessed to come hard and fast, shooting against the tile as my knot gives way to the pleasure of being so close to the sexy and unattached omega.