28. Adam
TWENTY-EIGHT
Adam
Adam
Over a month had passed since I returned home.
Leaving Casey behind was the hardest thing I had ever done.
Every day, he lingered in my thoughts, in my body, inside my very soul.
I ached for him, for my omega. I’d replayed every moment we shared just to keep myself sane.
Every gasp from his lips, every shudder from his body.
The memories kept me warm as I lay awake at night.
I spent five weeks in his arms, finally living for the first time in twenty years.
At first, it was easy to pretend this wasn’t serious, that I could go back home and never think about Casey again.
It was a lie I told myself, anything to not feel guilty for taking what I wanted.
Slowly, over every day that passed, it became clear that letting Casey go wasn’t an option.
He crept inside my heart like a string of ivy.
When I left Hanford, I didn’t think it would be for this long.
I could’ve used work as an excuse, and did, but the real reason was Casey.
He wanted to end things with Marshall first. The more time that passed, the more I knew his hesitation had nothing to do with hurting my son, and everything to do with him.
The only step forward was together, and I knew with Casey’s past that this wasn’t an easy choice for him to make. He could take all the time he needed.
We texted every day. The messages betrayed his loneliness, an ache I shared. It took all my strength and willpower not to drive all the way to Hanford and bring him back with me before he was ready. He had to be ready, because when I saw him again, I was never letting him go, damn the consequences.
I would risk everything for another moment with Casey.
My phone lit up my dark bedroom, buzzing twice with a notification.
It was nine in the morning, at least three hours after I usually woke up.
It was difficult to get out of bed now. The pillow beside me felt empty.
It had always been empty, but I’d never noticed before now.
Now all I could picture was Casey lying there, his eyes still closed in sleep, with a soft smile on his face as he dreamed.
Wanting him was selfish. But that didn’t stop me from needing Casey in my arms.
I took my phone from the nightstand. A new text from Casey. He always texted first thing in the morning.
Casey
Good morning. <3 :)
I chuckled at the emojis after his greeting. He always used them when he was feeling sad, as if a smiley face could convince both of us that he was fine. The effort was cute, even if I knew he was suffering.
Adam
I miss you.
It was the same every day. I miss you. I need you. Have you eaten? Did you sleep well? The longer I said those things to him through my phone, the more I wanted to say them in person.
Casey
I can’t smell you anymore.
He missed me too.
Your scent was all over my sweater.
It’s gone now.
Fuck. He was going to make me cry before I even got out of bed. This was agony. And yet, it felt familiar. It felt like all those years alone with no one by my side. A familiar, yet aching pain.
My eyes closed, and I didn’t realize I’d drifted off again until there was a sharp knock at the door.
Fuck, I’d slept for hours. It was past noon.
The knock was probably Lane, ready to pepper me with questions about being late.
I got up and found a pair of pants so I wasn’t fully naked when I answered the door.
He knocked again before I made it down the stairs.
“I’m coming, calm down,” I barked. I opened the front door to see… that wasn’t Lane. Casey and Marshall stood on my porch. Seeing my omega after so long apart made my mind go blank. “Uhh… son. What’s…”
“Surprise!” Marshall cheered quietly. He eagerly came into the house with their suitcases in hand. “I had another weekend off, so Casey asked if we could come visit. I think you spoiled him with the house and everything.”
Yes, that was it. Obviously.
Marshall carried their bags upstairs, giving me just enough time to pull Casey into the kitchen.
A sigh left my lips before I’d even taken him in my arms. There.
His scent in my nose. His body against mine.
I’d missed this more than I could ever say.
His head dipped to my chest, and his entire body relaxed against me.
“Sorry,” he said, his voice muffled by my torso. “I wanted to tell you we were coming, but he insisted on it being a surprise.” He paused, his voice breaking with every word. “I’m sorry I took so long.”
Tilting his chin, I stared down at his beautiful face. My omega. My Casey. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his skin had a sickly pallor. He used to glow before, as if sunlight had kissed his body. Was he sleeping at all? Had he been eating enough?
I brushed his cheeks and his lips with my fingertips, reveling in his soft skin. His eyes dipped closed for a second as I teased the hair on his forehead. Weeks of loneliness drifted away, as if it had never happened. “I don’t care. I’m just happy to see you.”
I forgot to be cautious. Marshall was upstairs and would be back at any second.
It wasn’t a thought in either of our heads as our lips met after so long apart.
It was like coming home after a long day.
A hot shower when you’re covered in grime.
A pair of cozy slippers when it’s freezing cold outside.
A soft pet sitting on your lap as its warmth slowly lulls you to sleep.
We kissed until I forgot where I was, forgot everything except the feel of my omega’s body against mine.