his own words fell on his fragile heart. Micah was a gift. One Travis wasn’t sure he’d be able to return.
“I’ve never felt as safe as I do with you.”
Travis wanted to say thank you, to admit to some of his own feelings, but he couldn’t speak. He kissed Micah’s neck instead, closing his eyes. Micah clenched his internal muscles, and Travis knew it was intentional, a wordless reply to his soft words and a reminder of how good they were together, how well they fit.
This isn’t just the heat, is it? I’ve had heat sex before. But nothing like this.
Travis pressed another soft kiss under Micah’s ear. He slowly moved them, not thrusting in and out, just rocking Micah to sleep. Micah’s insides cramped up a few more times, tightening around the hardness filling him, but he only sighed with pleasure when it happened. Travis rejoiced in the simmering need he felt in Micah’s slick warmth, surrounded by the strong scent. Only when Micah was sleeping deeply did he pull out, hard and wanting. He held Micah tight and tried to calm down enough to fall asleep as well.
Six
Micah
“I can’t. It’s not possible.”
Micah stirred. The sheets slid against his skin, and he took a moment to remember where he was and why. At home, he never slept naked. Registering Travis’s voice coming from somewhere in the house, he frowned. Travis sounded annoyed.
“No. Not until next Wednesday.”
Parched, Micah sat up and grabbed the glass of water Travis had left for him on the nightstand.
“Jared, I need you to trust me when I say that this is more important. I won’t be available at all this week. It’s personal and my absolute priority. No meetings. I won’t be taking any phone calls. Email me, and I’ll answer or call back when I find the time.”
A pause.
“I’m not discussing this further,” Travis said sharply in a deep commanding voice Micah had never heard him use before. “You can manage very well without me.”
It seemed Travis was on the top of the stairs now because the next sentence sounded louder.
“I have to go. I’ll be in touch when I can.”
Micah found his sweats and a T-shirt and dressed quietly. For some reason, the clothes felt itchy. He would have preferred to be naked.
As his brain slowly woke up, he became more and more uneasy. Travis was stressed. He was fielding work calls, rescheduling meetings, arguing with colleagues, all because of Micah. He was supposed to be working, not caring for Micah twenty-four seven.
Gnawing on his lip, Micah ventured out of the bedroom. He would have hidden for longer, but he needed to use the bathroom and shower. He felt jittery, on edge. The fourth day. Needy, even clingy, he wanted to bury himself in Travis’s massive embrace and gulp in his scent. What if Travis was angry with him, though? He kept his eyes down, even when Travis walked through the hallway, straight toward him.
“Micah!”
Lifting his gaze, he prepared himself to see a scowl. His father had always been irritable when business didn’t go as planned, and he used to take it out on the kids. Micah, the only omega of three children, had had to bear most of the aggression.
However, Travis’s face lit up with an unaffected smile when their eyes met.
“Hi, sleepyhead. I was just coming to check on you. How do you feel?”
A dimple, shining eyes, a rough palm cupping Micah’s cheek gently. The man was way too good to be real.
“I’m okay. I just need to go to the bathroom.”
“I’ll make you something to eat. The roads are passable again, and the delivery came while you were sleeping. We have fresh scones from the Birdsview bakery.”
Food. Yeah. He needed food.
Travis pressed a kiss to his forehead and headed downstairs.
“Hurry. I’m making coffee.”
“Thank you!” Micah called after him.
He’s amazing.
Grinning, Micah walked to the bathroom, a little lightheaded. His muscles were loose to the point he felt like he couldn’t quite control them. He tried to hurry, insecure without Travis in the room. When he showered, soaping up his naked body, he noticed how oversensitive his skin was everywhere. Barely brushing his palms over his nipples made him gasp. He imagined Travis’s hands on him while he was this receptive, and he shuddered with anticipation. Washing between his ass cheeks, he felt carefully around his pucker. He knew he didn’t have to clean up inside while in heat—the slick took care of everything. And thank goodness for that. Just the tickle