Chapter Forty
Kari
Kari eyed the man opposite him, tapping away on the iPad on his lap. Since the day they’d worked from home, Bowie’s behavior was… off? Different?
Kari couldn’t decide. He had run through all the possibilities and didn’t think it had anything to do with Rue and Monty’s mating with Kendrick.
He had considered it might be because of Bowie worrying how the announcement might affect him.
It was understandable after the way he’d reacted last time. But that didn’t feel right either.
He had a stab of jealousy at the announcement, he could admit.
Only it wasn’t as strong, and his life was pretty great despite it.
They hadn’t talked about their situation in months, and Kari’s happiness wasn’t tied to everyone knowing.
Kari’s long-term plan was to propose. He wanted that acknowledgement that they were a couple to the world, but he could wait.
“Have we had confirmation from Carrington about the date for the Christmas advertisement campaign?” asked Bowie, his attention on Kari. A frown pinched his brow, and his head was tilted to the side.
“Yes, they should have everything to us by Monday. They had originally said today, but what they sent over needed a few tweaks. I called them this morning, and as it’s Friday, I suggested Monday.”
Bowie nodded, lowering his head, back to tapping, his shoulders hunching.
Had Bowie noticed his preoccupation?
When Kari had attempted to question him about whatever was going on in his head, he’d used sex to distract Kari.
He couldn’t say he found fault with Bowie’s method, not when he was bolder in asking for what he wanted, so it never took much effort to divert Kari from his mission of discovering what was going on.
His wolf assured him it was nothing to be concerned about.
Bowie and his wolf side had an affinity that differed from Kari’s human side.
One or two evenings a week, Kari would shift, and Bowie and his wolf would spend time together.
Sometimes they played. Other times they lounged on the carpet, Bowie stretched out on top of him watching a movie while he rubbed at the spots that made his wolf whimper in pleasure.
Bowie used his wolf much the same as Roarer.
Kari was highly amused by how much his wolf side got excited by this and pressed for its time if Kari showed no signs of offering to shift when Bowie tugged Roarer into the middle of the floor.
Kari couldn’t recall a time when he’d spent so much time in his wolf form.
All that aside, none of that helped to figure out why Bowie oscillated between nervousness and euphoria.
“Come in,” he called, after a tap at his office door, drawing a glance from Bowie.
“Shit, I didn’t realise you were still in a meeting,” Silas said, glancing between Kari and Bowie.
“We’re just finishing off. Is it urgent? I was hoping to actually leave on time as it’s Friday.” Kari had plans that included lots of hot, sweaty sex. It had been a grueling week with the hype up to Christmas starting.
Silas came striding deeper into the room, pushing at his rolled-up sleeves. “Are you heading straight home?”
He continued to do the occasional evening at home, usually when Bowie went to Lennon’s or Isley’s.
With them being aware of the situation, they were easier to be around.
The pretense was piss poor but still, he got to see Dad and Popi.
The house was usually quiet with the exception of Emmy, who liked to make her presence known.
Bowie, who had gone back to tapping at his iPad, was very obviously not working with how a second later his hands hovered over the iPad.
“Wasn’t planning on it, why?” Kari rubbed at his jaw. “Do you need me to drop something home?”
Silas shook his head before he’d finished speaking. “Nope. Ziggy has plans with all the PAs for this evening and I’ve already dropped by Booker and Taylin to see if they wanna grab a beer and burger, you in? I’m gonna see if anyone else is around.”
Kari didn’t look at Bowie, but he sensed the increasing tension in the room. His wolf was pacing in his mind. Was this the reason for the behavior? Bowie had plans and wasn’t sure how to tell him? Although that made little sense when Bowie had specifically asked if they were staying in tonight.
He kept his expression neutral, hiding his confusion over what was actually going on. “I’ll need to check something first. Can I message you to let you know?”
His brother shrugged. “Yep, whatever works. Plan is to meet around six at Ren’s. If you’re coming, and aren’t going home, grab a cab. It’s been a while since we all cut loose.”
“Will do,” he replied, grinning at Silas as he turned and left.
The smile disappeared when his gaze went to Bowie, waiting for the door to click shut. Bowie’s head slowly rose, and eyes that resembled a deer caught in headlights stared at him. “You have something you want to tell Daddy?”
The tip of a pink tongue ran over Bowie’s lower lip, and Kari couldn’t figure what was going through Bowie’s mind when he shook his head. “It’s a surprise.”
“So you don’t have plans with the PAs tonight?” questioned Kari, not at all sure what the heat in Bowie’s cheeks revealed when he shook his head. “You do?”
“Daddy, I said it’s a surprise.”
The put out tone was new, and Kari’s eyes widened, even as his lips twitched with amusement.
“Am I going to be staying in or going out?” he asked instead, intrigued.
“You’re staying in with me,” Bowie stated firmly, which suggested Kari not argue.
The flare of arousal at his boy’s confident demand left him reiterating to himself that they were at work, and anyone could come in and find them. He was not Silas. “I am?”
“Yes, so message Silas and tell him no.” Bowie returned to what he was doing, only Kari noted the excitement.
What was he up to?
Do you know what he’s up to? It felt stupid to ask his animal side, only Kari didn’t always stay cognizant when in his shifted form. His animal side preferred it that way.
He’s excited. What does it matter what he’s up to? He wants us there, so we’ll find out later, won’t we?
Seeing no way of finding an answer, Kari returned his attention back to work.
He hadn’t lied to Silas; he really wanted to leave on time.
It seldom happened, and the last few weekends he’d had to bring work home with him.
Bowie didn’t complain, and Kari had thoughts originally of naked rewards.
Now he wasn’t sure that would fit with whatever Bowie was up to.
Seeing he was going to keep circling back to what Bowie was planning, Kari forced his mind back to the computer.
“Did you ask Jupiter for the predicted sales forecast from Milan?”
Under Bowie’s watchful eye, Kari sent a message to Silas after they’d finished working, then Bowie had bustled off to get his things from his office. One sweep of his desk to see he’d left nothing lying around, Kari slipped on his suit jacket, grabbed his laptop bag and headed out of his office.
The corridor was empty, and he could hear the cleaning crew in one of the other offices. It was a little later than he’d planned to leave, closer to six, but the weekend stretched out in front of him with no work tucked into it.
He rode the elevator down, thinking about suggesting a trip to the toy store, maybe dinner out. The doors opened, and he strode out, grinning at Bowie who was wrapped up in a padded coat that made him look like an Inuit. He was standing by the exit, foot tapping impatiently.
“Come on, Daddy, we’re gonna be late.”
“Late for what, Babycakes?” Kari questioned, coming to a halt in front of Bowie, searching for any clues as to what he was up to.
“Didn’t I say it was a surprise?” he huffed, reaching to tug on Kari’s suit jacket.
“What if I don’t like surprises,” he teased back, letting Bowie rush him to the car. The wind was strong and caught his jacket, parting it and allowing in the wintery chill.
“Everyone likes surprises…”—a frown appeared—“the good kind.”
Chuckling at how cute Bowie was being, Kari stored his bag in the trunk, listening to Bowie encourage him to be quicker. The car journey home was pretty much the same, as Bowie moaned about all the slow drivers and the traffic signals on red while he fidgeted with his seatbelt.
“Should Daddy be worried?” asked Kari when he pulled into the parking space at the back of their apartment block.
“Worried?” Back was the frown that he could see in the car interior light when Bowie, who had opened the door, stopped to glance back at him. Impatience was written all over his face.
Fuck, he was adorable. “Yes, worried. You’re acting strangely and have been for days, and Daddy can’t figure out why.”
Bowie gave him a wide, toothy grin, upping the adorableness to a higher level, and tapped Kari’s knee.
“Don’t worry Daddy.” With that, he hopped out of the car and didn’t wait for Kari to follow.
Kari got out slower, perplexed but laughing at Bowie’s antics despite that. By the time he got to the apartment, there was no sign of Bowie, just the sounds of the shower running. Bowie always waited for him… always.
Placing his laptop back into the closet, Kari stripped off his suit to head into the bathroom, thoughts of sharing a shower dashed when Bowie was already out, towel wrapped around his waist. The same toothy grin was in place as he sailed past Kari who gave him a bemused look.
What the heck is he up to?
The tangible excitement was the only reason Kari didn’t chase after him and went into the still running shower, his mind unable to come up with what was with Bowie.
Out and dried, he retrieved a pair of old sweats and a T-shirt that had a frayed collar, both of which were Bowie’s favorites.
He was tactile and said they were as soft as butter when he rubbed his cheek against the fabric.
Forgoing underwear, Kari also didn’t bother with brushing his hair, heading in search of Bowie who he could hear clattering around in the kitchen.
Kari caught a whiff of the taco filling he had made the night before as he wandered barefoot through the apartment.
He came to a halt at the sight of Bowie busily preparing dinner.
He glowed brightly. There was a light of happiness beaming out of him.
There was no mistaking it, and Kari found himself leaning against the doorframe, appreciating how lucky he was to have this man in his life.
To experience waking up with him wrapped in his arms. The pleasure of seeing the shy smile that seemed just for him.
The contagious giggles. The exuberance when he played and wanted Kari to join in.
His need to snuggle right in until he was lying fully on him, making Kari’s heart feel full.
It was these simple things that Kari loved.
“Daddy, what are you doing all the way over there? Can you help me,”—Bowie glanced at the kitchen clock—“we’re running out of time.”
Kari shifted off the door frame and strolled to Bowie, his brow furrowing. “Are you sure you aren’t going out? Or is this part of the surprise?”
“Daddy, I’m not telling you.” He pointed to the cupboard. “Can you grab what we need, please. Oh, will you make a jug of the margaritas too, there’s supposed to be cocktails.” Bowie bit his lip straight after his request and dropped his gaze to the salad bits he was prepping for the tacos.
He wore a guilty look, but Kari gave up trying to guess why when evidently Bowie wanted to tell him in his own sweet time. “Cocktails it is.”
Kari busied himself setting the table, then making a pitcher of margaritas, grabbing the sugar for the rim rather than salt, which Bowie didn’t like. They didn’t often drink at home, where Bowie slipped more easily into being Little, so that excluded that from tonight’s plans.
By the time they sat at the table to eat, Bowie acted as if on a sugar high, one that wasn’t possible when they hadn’t sipped at the drinks Kari had poured. The food was consumed so fast that Kari worried Bowie would get indigestion. “Slow down, Babycakes, we’ve got all evening—”
“No, we don’t, Daddy. Hurry and eat up.” Back to looking at the clock on the wall, he rammed the last bit of taco into his mouth, munching and swallowing quickly. Sauce smeared his lips but went unnoticed as he rose, taking his empty plate to the sink.
Kari’s bemusement increased as he munched slowly on his taco, watching Bowie with interest as he flapped—it was the only word that fit—around the kitchen, then around the living area.
Seconds later, his plate was whipped away, and all Kari did was shake his head, except Bowie never noticed. Glass of cocktail in hand, he rushed over to the couch, a furrow between his brows, eyeing the coffee table they had pushed to the side to make floor space for Bowie.
Bottom lip between his teeth, he returned to the big table, placed his glass down and went to drag the table back in front of the couch.
Kari watched in fascination. Bowie returned and got his glass, placing it on the newly moved table, grinning.
“That’s better,” he mumbled, his head tilting as he examined the space thoughtfully.
His fingers clicked, and he was off and running out of the room, shaking his head. Kari got up, swallowing the last mouthful of food, and picked up his glass. Halfway to the couch Bowie reappeared. With one look at Kari, he was shaking his head.