Four months of Brad, and he still hadn’t had enough.
While Gwen had been recovering from her surgery, Brad and Ian had packed up the things in Ian’s apartment, and moved them into Brad’s place. They’d set Gwen up in her own room, moving her sticker wall sheets next to her bed. Then they’d bought new bookshelves and a closet for her, and Gwen had been delighted when she was discharged from the hospital.
She was recovering well. Over the last two months, she’d gone from lying in bed to peeking in the fridge, looking for things to eat.
Some days, Ian couldn’t believe he was now sharing a place with Brad. Living with his alpha, waking up to Brad, making dinner for all of them.
They’d settled into a routine. Brad worked a full shift at the station, and Ian wouldn’t see him for twenty-four hours. Then Brad would return home, sleep off his exhaustion, and he’d pick Gwen up from school. He’d help her with her homework while Ian wasn’t around, and he’d be home when Ian got off work, playing his violin, or reading his textbooks.
Sometimes, Ian would come home to find Gwen riding on Brad’s back, Brad crawling around the apartment like a horse. Sometimes, he’d find Gwen with one of Brad’s violins cradled under her chin, Brad teaching her the chords.
Brad was turning out to be the perfect father. Sometimes, Ian regretted not telling him about Gwen earlier. Then he’d remember that Brad had been insisting on paying Ian’s bills, to the detriment of his own bank account. And Ian would feel torn, all over again.
“I’ve been keeping up with the coursework—you know that,” Brad said, kissing him. “I’m gonna get good at this, Ian. I want you to know I’m getting my Master’s not because you’re my omega, but because I actually put in the hard work.”
Ian chuckled. “You’ve been putting in some... hard work, too.”
Brad laughed and kissed him again, grinding their hips together. “Gonna get you all hot and bothered when we get home. Give you my knot.”
Ian groaned, but he couldn’t resist the way Brad kissed down his neck, his breath warm on Ian’s skin. “The walls aren’t thick enough. Gwen asked me why I was yelling at you last night. Then she asked what ‘fuck’ meant. Oh, gods.”
He covered his face, his skin prickling with embarrassment.
Brad coughed. “What did you tell her?”
“That—that it was a terrible word that adults say to each other. And then she wanted to know why I was saying it to you.”
Brad laughed, low and rumbling, the sound slipping down Ian’s spine. “You tell her I was plowing inside you?”
“No!” Ian smacked Brad’s arm. “I told her you did something terrible.”
Brad rolled his eyes. “Yeah, and you came three times. You were shaking by the end of it.”
Ian blushed, his hole squeezing at the memory. That was one of the best things about living with Brad—waking up horny in the middle of the night, touching Brad, kissing him awake so Brad could slide into him.
Sometimes, they fell asleep while they were still knotted together, and it had become... something normal. As though it was something Ian deserved to get used to.
“Well, I need to go to class,” Ian said. “And I need you to leave the office first so we aren’t walking out together.”
“You say that like people can’t smell me on you,” Brad rumbled. He stroked his wrists down Ian’s cheek, leaving a trace of walnut on Ian’s skin. “Mine. Can’t wait to have you in bed later. Make you come.”
“Say that any more, and I’ll start to think you’re in this for the sex.”
Brad chuckled. “Not true. You know that.”
Ian kind of knew it, too. And he couldn’t believe how fortunate he’d been, finding an alpha like Brad. “Get going. You’re going to make my head swell.”
“Which head?” Brad cupped Ian between the legs. “I’m really good at making this one get big.”
Ian squawked, his face burning. “Brad!”
Brad squeezed Ian’s cock, then released him, a smug grin playing on his lips. “I know all the ways to make you come, Ian McMillan.”
Ian eased out from between Brad and the door, his ears burning. “Well, don’t tell everyone.”
“Nope. Gonna keep it a secret.”
Ian tidied the papers on his desk. Brad stepped up behind him. He kissed Ian on the neck, where his bonding mark was.
“I love you,” Brad whispered. Then he slipped out of the office, the door closing with a soft click.
Ian blushed. He touched the healed scar, remembering the sight of it in his mirror, silvery lines in the shape of Brad’s teeth.
Ian had thought about returning the marking. He wasn’t sure if he really wanted to, though. Placing a bonding mark on Brad... that felt like he would be chaining Brad down.
Someone knocked on the door, three sharp taps. Ian jumped, his pulse skittering. Was it Harold? “Come on in.”
June poked her head into the office, and Ian relaxed a little.
“Thought I might find you here,” June said. “I saw Brad leaving when I turned the corner.”
She raised a knowing eyebrow, and Ian gulped. It wasn’t like they’d been fucking. Brad had a decent sense of restraint. At least, he did now that they were sleeping together regularly.
“Is something the matter?” Ian asked.
“Nah. Gwen’s asleep. I was wondering if you needed me to refresh the scent marking.”
Ian sighed. It was kind of her to volunteer—the chemistry department had been unforgiving with him lately, and Ian had seen the other professors eyeing his bonding mark. “That’d be helpful. I’d almost forgotten.”
June snorted, closing the door behind her. “Why am I not surprised?”
Ian blushed.
“Harold contacted me this morning, by the way,” June said, stopping in front of Ian. “He asked if I wanted to take over the lab.”
Ian’s stomach clenched. “The—the lab?”
What about me? I’m in charge of the lab. Not June.
“Yeah.” June winced. “He didn’t speak with you?”
“He didn’t.” Ian held his
