Chapter Sixteen
Jameson
“I figured out what I’m going to wear,” I announced, going out into the living room with only a pair of jeans on and sporting the biggest belly this side of the Mississippi.
“Oh?” Jameson said, spinning around with Ollie on his shoulders. “After trying on only a dozen shirts? That must be a record, huh, buddy? We saw daddy try on six dozen last week for the baby shower.”
Ollie laughed at his joke, but little did he know, it wasn’t over.
“If you two would hush, I was going to ask you to go into the garage and get me Ollie’s tent from his campout last week. That should fit just fine.” I fully intended my words to be funny, but instead, I started crying because all the hormones and pregnancy and tears all the time.
“Oh goodness.” Jameson put Ollie down, reassured him I was fine, and suggested he go out to play before gathering me in his arms and softly stroking my hair, the move he knew would calm me down and have my tears dried in seconds. “Russell, my sweet omega, you know you look perfect in anything you wear. Everything shows off your perfect belly where you keep our babe safe and warm. Come on. Let me help you find a shirt.”
He took my hand and led me to the bedroom ,and along the way my emotions ran in the opposite direction, hoping he would take off my clothes instead of adding more.
“We could just forget this whole dinner and stay in. You could make me feel better in other ways.”
Jameson riffled through the closet until he found a linen button-down shirt in baby blue that he seemed to love on me. He took it off the hanger and unbuttoned it slowly, his eyes on me the whole time. “You look really good in this color, my love.”
There was something about the way Jameson said “my love” with a deeper voice that made my cock strain against my jeans.
“So, no to undressing?” I pouted, bottom lip out.
“You know how important this dinner is, Russell. You have to make amends with your family.” He came behind me and slipped the shirt onto each arm and then up over my shoulders. He leaned forward, pressing his equally hard dick against my ass, and rocked forward once, making sure I knew.
“When we get home, I’ll show you with my mouth exactly how I can make you scream without even undressing you. Just the zipper.”
My hips bucked in reaction. He could make me come with that voice alone.
“Hurry up, then, so we can get home.”
He chuckled and bit my earlobe gently. “Such a willing and anxious omega. Always ready to have his cock deep in my throat. I love that. Finish up. We have to leave.” He slapped my ass hard before walking toward the door.
“I would finish if you’d help me out.” I reached down and stroked my erection, licking my lips.
“Behave. Later.”
I swallowed, imagining the later events, and buttoned the shirt, checking myself in the mirror. I guessed he was right about the blue
We got to the family dinner right on time, and Ollie was excited about playing with his cousins. As I watched him run off with them, I realized that coming to Distance was the best decision I could’ve made for him and me, even though it was almost forced on us.
“Russell, we are glad you could make it, you and Jameson. It’s nice that we’re all family now, isn’t that right, Travis?” My brother didn’t look half as pleased as my mother, but he was coming around.
The dinner went well, my parents kept the conversation centered around Ollie and the newest addition to the family still in my belly. After dessert, we all scattered to different parts of the house. I went to my parents’ library, my favorite place as a child.
“I knew I’d find you here,” Travis said, scaring the living daylights out of me. I held my belly as if my babe was scared, too, and needed a snuggle.
“You remembered.”
He nodded and came to stand next to me. It might’ve been the closest we’d been to each other in years.
“I’ve been told that I’m a little cold and maybe a bit of an asshole. I wanted to clear that up.”
I chuckled, harder than I should’ve, and nodded. “They would be right, whoever had the balls to tell you that.”
“It was your mate.” He smiled and looked down at the plate of peach cobbler he’d brought in with him.
“That makes sense. Jameson is not really good at bullshitting.”
He nodded. “I thought I’d take this time to make things clear.”
My heart fell to my stomach. I wasn’t ready for another rejection from my brother. His opinion of me meant more than my parents.
He continued, “I never meant to hurt you. I didn’t want you to leave when we found out, but Father took me aside and made me, as the future alpha, promise to back him up. I missed you every day and now that you’re back, I hope that one day we can go back to being best friends. I mean, I know I’m the alpha and stubborn.”
“And a hardass,” I added, pretending to read the spine of a book.
“And that. But I love you and Ollie. He’s so smart and strong. You did a really good job with him. You have my blessing as a full member of this pack, Russell. And as your brother, I’m here for you anytime you need me. I’d—I’d do anything for you.”
He choked up on the last sentence, and I did, too. He opened his arms and then hesitated. I was having none of that. I wrapped my arms around him and gave him the strongest hug I could with my belly between us.
“I know you did what you had to, Travis. I love you, too. For the record, you deserve a mate who can love you as much as you deserve.”
“I don’t know. I feel like ice that can’t ever thaw.”
I scrunched my nose. “You need something hot and willing in your bed. Instant ice melter.”
“Oh wow. When did you get pervy?” Travis slapped my arm playfully.
“Since always. So, is that for me? Because it’s not really fair to bring peach cobbler in here without giving me some.”
He looked down at the plate like he forgot he brought it in. “Oh yeah, this was supposed to sweeten you up first. Another tip from your mate.”
I took it from him and shoved a bite into my mouth. The peaches were still warm.
“There’s more. Better feed that future pack mate of ours.”
He was back to alpha tone.
I nodded, and he kissed me on the temple, leaving me to my books.