Chapter Ten #2
I put the puck on the table and turned it on, which made the plastic puck float. Taking one of the paddles, I smacked the puck towards Kai. She immediately flicked it back with a force I wasn’t expecting for an omega.
It was only a matter of moves before Kai scored. I tried again, watching the concentration on Kai’s face.
Played a little in middle school, my ass. There was probably one of these in the dorm lounge or something.
Kai scored again. I smacked the puck, determined to score. The puck went back-and-forth fiercely, both of us trying to keep the puck out of our goals. I bounced it off the side and it slid into the goal.
“Score.” I added a little dance.
Kai was determined to win. I almost celebrated a second too long, but I practically threw myself on the table and managed to deflect it. “You hit hard.”
“I have a brother and alpha cousins.” She smacked it back at me.
“Do you have one of these at your dorm?” I joked.
“In the lounge.” Kai smacked it back at me and I deflected it again.
Called it.
“Did your ex play air hockey?” I smacked it back again.
“Pool. He thought air hockey was silly.” She smacked it hard and it slid in the goal.
Of course he did.
“We’ll play all the air hockey you want,” I replied, angry that she didn’t get to play because her ex-boyfriend was a pretentious toad.
Kai won.
“That was a good game.” I knew she’d win, but I did like to think I’d made her work for it. I only scored once, but it wasn’t a short game.
I handed Ashton the paddle and gave him a little kiss. “Your turn, Honey.”
“Let’s go,” he told Kai, putting his game face on.
I wasn’t sure if Ashton was any better than me at air hockey, but he did take it very seriously. As Kai and I played, I could tell he was watching us intently, studying our movements so he could better understand how to play against us.
The two of them went fast and furious. Kai won again, but Ashton scored twice.
“Good game. That was really fun.” Kai beamed.
We played a few more games. Ashton won once. Otherwise, it was all Kai.
“Do you wanna play foosball? Promise I haven't actually played it in a long time. But first, I’m going to use the bathroom.” Kai grabbed her backpack and left, leaving me alone with Ashton.
“You’re having fun.” I was relieved, considering we should be preparing for finals or something. I wasn’t really sure given I’ve never gotten this far, but I did feel like there were other things we should probably be doing besides having fun.
I’d rather have fun.
“I’m having a good time. We probably shouldn’t stay out too late though.” He checked the time.
“Absolutely. I… I don’t know how you feel, but if, at some point she wants to… you know, with us, would you? I feel like there might be something?” I said slowly.
Oh, she would be absolutely beautiful between the two of us.
“I think I’d like that. If that’s something they want at some point.” Ashton nodded.
I kissed him. Yes, that would be something.
Kai came back out. “Let’s play some foosball!”
We exchanged the air hockey equipment for the ball for the foosball. Kai was right. She wasn’t nearly as good at foosball as with air hockey, but it was still fun. We took turns playing each other.
Honestly, I haven’t had this much fun in a while. Also watching Ashton with her was interesting. He didn’t let her win, but he also didn’t play as hard as he did with me. Softie.
I’d just finished playing when Ashton handed us each glass of water.
“Thank you.” Kai sipped the water through a straw.
Heat rushed my pants as I imagined those lips wrapped around my cock.
Yeah, I was a horny alpha. I was definitely going to need some action from my man tonight.
“Thank you, Honey.” I gave Ashton a kiss and leaned into him, inhaling his woodsy scent.
A wistful look crossed Kai’s face. I didn’t want to make her sad.
“If you need a hug, just ask. We’re all friends now and friends give each other hugs when they need them,” I told her.
“I miss hugs and cuddles.” Kai’s lower lip quivered.
“Come here.” Ashton’s voice was serious and not quite full of alpha command but definitely letting Kai know that it was fine.
Kai came over and cuddled in between us.
“We’ve got you while you’re here in Nashville. If you need hugs we’ll make sure you get them. Ours are probably different from any of the aunties,” I said.
“Yeah.” Her voice went a little rough.
The music changed to a country song and the three of us started swaying to the music, not really dancing, but just kind of moving, holding each other.
Kai was in the middle. But that’s where she belonged. Kai was an omega–a smart, funny omega, who belonged with alphas who appreciated her. Not some asshole who took her money and went on vacation with his sidepiece.
It was nice dancing with her. I held my breath, hoping maybe she’d kiss me or Ashton, but she made no move.
But I shouldn’t push it. Just because I kissed people I wanted to casually fuck didn’t mean that she did.
I’d casually fuck her if she wanted.
I’d uncasually fuck her if she wanted.
We surrendered the foosball table to somebody else and Ashton excused himself to go to the bathroom.
She full-on cuddled herself into me and I wrapped my arms around her as we continued to sway to the music. I tried to determine if she wanted a kiss, but she rested her head on my chest, like she was trying to steal all of my cuddles and put them in a reservoir to keep them for later.
I’d let her.
“He was a dick and you’re worth so much more than that,” I assured. “At some point, you'll find a couple of alphas who absolutely deserve you, because I feel like you need a couple of alphas.” Yeah, he was selfish to not share her.
“He said we’d find a pack later, maybe pick someone up in our respective doctoral programs.” She looked up at me.
“His mom keeps finding ways to message me. She claims he was lying about staying on the island and that he was returning to the East Coast. She also sent me a bunch of things indicating that he was actually getting back together with his old prep school girlfriend, an omega from one of those families that just sounds rich. Apparently, I was just a placeholder.” She looked down. “And I was all wrong for him.”
I tipped her chin up. “Yeah, he’s a massive dick. That also means that little sidepiece is even less than a placeholder,” I replied, not sure if that would actually make Kai feel any better.
“You’re right. It doesn’t really hurt anymore. I just feel stupid that I believed him when he said we were forever.” Kai sniffed. “I wasted so much time and effort on him.”
I hugged Kai to me. “You’re not stupid. You’re human. You’ve got time, you’ll eventually find the right people.”
“Why don’t you and Ash have an omega? Or are you content to just be the two of you?” she asked.
“When we were rookies, we were kind of used by an omega. We thought it was love, she was trying to steal information from the team with her actual boyfriend. We’ve been a little wounded.
We’re about ready to get back into the game.
We’ll just have to be picky. Someone who wants us for us and not our careers.
It was really hard for Ashton. He was head over heels for her,” I explained.
“I’m so sorry that happened. And I understand.
Everything was fine when we were just dating and he didn’t talk to his family much.
But he reconciled with them over the summer.
After we moved in together in the fall semester, Logan's mom was completely convinced that I was after his money, even though I paid for him a lot and he never got me expensive things,” she confessed.
“It was hurtful, and then him doing what he did to me, which seemed to come out of nowhere, but there were signs, wounded me, too. Do you date at all?”
“We’ve hooked up a few times, but it never meant anything and it wasn’t generally as fun as we thought it would be. Well, maybe it was fun at the moment… I don’t know if I’m explaining myself right,” I replied.
“You don’t have to. I was just being nosy.” Kai shrugged.
Ashton came back out and saw that we were right where he left us. He wrapped his arms around both of us. “Maybe tomorrow after the zoo we can watch a movie? It’s getting a little late. Don’t want the aunties hunting you down.”
“Yeah, I don’t want the aunties to be mad at me. But we’ll absolutely snuggle you if you need it.” I grinned.
“I like options,” she replied with a smile.
We went to Ashton’s truck and drove Kai back to the hotel.
“Wear comfortable shoes again. I’ll text you with the exact time and any other plans I make, or options we might have, so you can dress accordingly,” I told her, not wanting to stress her out.
“Thanks. I’m looking forward to it.”
“Me too,” Ashton said quietly, music playing in the background.
We pulled up in front of the hotel. As soon as we stopped, I hopped out and went around to the door to open it for her, taking her small hand in my large one.
I gave her a big hug. “See you tomorrow.”
“I can’t wait.” Kai grinned at me.
Ashton got out of the truck and came to give her a hug too. “I had fun.”
His fingers traced the necklace around her neck, then he booped her on the nose and both of them started laughing hysterically. I had no idea if that was some inside joke or if that was just a random moment.
But I was here for it.
Kai gave us a wave as she entered the hotel. I climbed back into the truck.
“I can’t wait for tomorrow,” I told Ashton. Yeah, we had the finals in a couple of days, and I was excited about that. But I was also excited about seeing Kai again.
“We can’t get distracted, but it’s the zoo. Maybe a bar and a movie after?” Ashton sounded like he was trying to convince himself.
“This isn’t a distraction at all. We’re just having a little fun. It’s no different than if we went out to Slapshots or a party. We’re also doing exactly what Marilyn asked us,” I replied.
Yeah, I was looking forward to tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe, she’d come home with us. Even if all we did was watch a movie on the couch.