After ending the call, Morgan set the phone on the nightstand and twisted his torso so he faced the beautiful man cradling his son. “Are you doing okay?” he asked, cupping Ricky’s cheek.
“Uh-huh.” Ricky’s gaze was locked on his eyes, his lips were red and parted, and his breath came out in rapid gasps.
“Not scared?” He slid his left palm across Ricky’s other cheek and ran his fingers over his neck as he lowered his face.
Ricky moved his head slowly from side to side.
“That’s good.” Morgan closed the space between them and brushed his lips over Ricky’s. “Such a good Omega,” he whispered and then pressed their mouths together more firmly. “Perfect for your Alpha.” He flicked his tongue along the seam of Ricky’s lips and then slid it into his mouth. The scent and taste of his mate nearly overwhelmed Morgan, and Ricky’s aroused whimpers indicated he was in the same condition. If they had been alone, he would have kept going until they were naked in the bed, but their son was with them, so Morgan forced himself to pull back. His forehead pressed to Ricky’s, he rasped, “I want you.”
“Yes,” Ricky breathed more than spoke. “Please.”
“Tonight?” Morgan suggested. “When Alex is asleep?”
Ricky tipped his head and rested his cheek against Morgan’s shoulder, his heavy breaths eventually slowing. “It’s a date.”
Thinking about the limited time he had spent with his mate, Morgan flinched. “No.”
“No?” Ricky’s eyebrows scrunched together.
“Not no to tonight. We are definitely on for tonight.” Maybe they were taking things too quickly, but Morgan didn’t care. This was his mate, the father of his son, and they had been apart long enough. He wouldn’t waste another moment with space between them, be it physical or emotional. “I mean, no, going to bed won’t be our date. You deserve romance and I’ll give you that.”
A laugh burst from Ricky. “That kiss was pretty romantic just now.”
“Yeah?” Morgan smiled. “I’m glad. But you deserve a more traditional date. A dinner or a movie or…” Taking over the pack at age sixteen and being focused on finding his mate meant Morgan didn’t have much experience when it came to dating, so he quickly ran out of ideas. “…something else like that.”
“That sounds nice.” Ricky’s eyes sparkled with mischief and Morgan’s attraction to him somehow grew even stronger. “Just as long as there’s a limit to this traditional dating thing and we don’t have to wait three dates before putting out.”
Playing along, Morgan said, “I already knocked you up once. Probably doesn't make any sense to be such sticklers for rules at this point.”
“Glad we’re on the same page, but maybe don’t use that exact phrasing in front of my parents.”
Morgan laughed, overjoyed at the easy banter. “I promise.” Unable to help himself, he dipped down and kissed Ricky again. “Now let’s feed our son before even his good nature reaches an ending point.” He stood and then held Ricky’s elbow to help him up.
“Okay.” Ricky rose and then gazed up at him. “Morgan?” he said, his voice quieter and his expression more serious.
“Yes?”
“I'm glad I came here.” He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them again. “I'm sorry it took me so long.”
“I’m glad you’re here too.” Morgan combed his fingers through the back of Ricky’s hair. “No more apologies. I learned from a young age that regretting what we’ve done or haven’t done doesn’t change anything. We can drown in the past or appreciate the life we have and focus on the future.” He gripped Ricky’s nape with one palm and pressed the other to Alex’s back. “You make me look forward to that future for the first time in a very, very long time.”
***
As promised, Baxter and Betty came to Golden Valley that night. Their love for their son was palpable as they rushed to embrace Ricky and hugged him tightly. The Marxes’ reaction to Morgan was considerably more reserved, but he understood that gaining their trust would take time, so he didn’t mind. What mattered to him was that Ricky would have their support and that Alex would have the benefit of an extended family. When Betty burst into tears at the sight of the baby and Baxter trembled as he held him for the first time, Morgan immediately adored them.
“Do you want to go for a run?” Ricky whispered. They were sitting on the sofa in one of the living rooms, Ricky tucked into Morgan’s side, while the Marxes sat on a blanket with Alex and a bagful of toys they had brought for him. “We can count it as a date.”
“I’d love to run with you.” The thought of taking his wolf form with his mate filled Morgan with longing. “I can give you a tour of our pack lands. We built a beautiful library last year. And a recreation center with a huge pool.”