Karter

KARTER

PUNCHING IN THE code to unlock the door to my penthouse, I heard the familiar click of the lock disengaging. Pushing through the door, I loosened my tie before slipping it through my collar. It was Friday afternoon, and I wanted to change before picking Cameron up for our date. It was not going to be a date in the traditional sense, but I hoped he would enjoy himself anyway. If he didn't, then my plan was a complete bust and I'd have to start all over again convincing him some other way.

The social worker had come to his apartment on Tuesday, and he'd been at maximum stress levels since, scrambling to find another apartment that was close to his work, close to Ty's school, and that he could actually afford. Affording the monthly payments was only one problem. No one would take them unless he could come up with first and last month's rent, as well as proving that his income was at least triple what they were asking.

Not that any of that would have been a problem if he would let me pay for it. At this point, I knew he would eventually give in on that front. After all, he wouldn't let Ty be homeless for anything. But I was past that plan now. I didn't have any intention of helping him move into some other run-down apartment in the middle of who knows where.

Sailing through my entrance area, I started unbuttoning my shirt as I headed in the direction of my bedroom.

"Well, aren't you a difficult man to get ahold of these days?"

Choking on my spit, I nearly jumped out of my skin at the sound of a voice in what should have been my empty living room. With my chest pounding, I whirled around a corner to see my mother in a relaxed position on my leather sectional. There were half-eaten snacks from my pantry and a can of beer from my fridge sitting on the low table before her. And she wasn't using a coaster.

Heaving to catch my breath, I tried not to make it obvious that I was possibly having a heart attack.

"I gave you my door code in case of emergencies," I pointed out, a bit sourly. I hadn't spoken to her since the other day on the phone.

"This is an emergency," she informed me. "You haven't answered your phone. How was I supposed to know if you were even alive?"

"We work in the same building," I said flatly. "You have access to my office any and all hours of the day."

"And the emails you send to your team," she said. "That's how I knew you were leaving work early today and decided to meet you here."

"Is there an issue with that? I'm sure you know my team exceeds productivity expectations every single week."

"I know all that," she said, waving off my bitter tone. "I don't care when you come in or when you leave, as long as you do your job. Which you always do."

I didn't have anything to say to that. That was about as much acknowledgment or recognition as I could expect from her.

"I noticed your office is empty." She jerked her chin over towards what was now an empty room, formerly my home office. I'd had movers come in just the day before, transporting everything from that room into my bedroom. There was enough room in there for a decent desk setup anyway. And it was imperative to my plan that the room be empty. "You expecting a roommate?" She asked. Her tone had a mocking inflection of curiosity, like she felt as though she'd caught me doing something wrong.

"I'm getting into feng shui," I responded in the most deadpan tone I could manage. "It's important not to let the harmonies stagnate."

She scoffed, giving me a withering look as she shook her head. "Your mom and I are just concerned about you."

"Why?" I asked. I did feel a twinge of guilt for worrying my omega mom. She was more sensitive, and didn't ride my ass constantly for every perceived misstep.

"You've been acting weird, Karter. You know it, and I know it. I've known you for 33 years, son."

"I have a life," I said in defense. Which led me to realizing that before Cameron, I hadn't had much of one. I'd worked because that was what was expected of me. I'd socialized, occasionally, for the same reason. But until him there hadn't been much I'd felt genuinely drawn to or protective over or motivated by. My priorities had majorly shifted, in barely any time at all.

"Is that so?" She responded, giving me an all-too-knowing look. "This wouldn't have anything to do with some omega, would it?"

Crafting my face into a neutral expression, I made sure my voice didn't sound too agitated as I answered. "Is that all you can think of that I could possibly be invested in?"

She stood and took a few steps toward me, looking deeply into my eyes. She'd done this since I was a little kid. It was her way of telling if I was lying or not. Unfortunately for me, the accuracy rating of this silly little trick was unreasonably high.

"So are you talking to someone or not?" She asked. There was no point in me lying or trying to avoid the question, because they would all lead her to the same conclusion. But yet, my instincts still led me to do so.

"I was under the impression that adults who live in their own house didn't need permission from their parents to date anymore."

"So there is someone," she determined, poking her finger lightly into my chest. "Well, tell me about him."

"No, no, no. Absolutely not." I shook my head, taking a few steps back from her. "I'm not getting into this with you. It's too soon and you'll only nag me to death over it."

"Is this about Lucas?"

My eyes narrowed as my stomach turned at the sound of his name. "Don't bring him up to me ever again. I already made it clear how I feel. Whether you believe me or not is your prerogative, but I'm done discussing it."

Sighing lightly, she gave me an exasperated look. "So you're not talking to Lucas in that way?"

"I never have and I never will."

Inhaling deeply, she gave a slow nod. "That's fine. I don't have a problem with that, you know. I just wish the two of you wouldn't fight like cats and dogs."

My jaw clenched. "It's very difficult for me to get along with someone who deliberately tries to sabotage me when he doesn't get his way."

"I'm sorry you feel that way."

"And I'm sorry you feel the way that you do too," I retorted. It was petty, but at times she brought out the worst in me.

"So when do your mom and I get to meet this omega that you've been spending all of your time with?"

"You can put it on the calendar for never."

She waggled a finger, shaking her head. "Now, now. You know that's not going to work. Are you serious about this person?" She asked, once again trying to come close to stare into my eyes.

Pivoting away from her gaze, I raised my palms up in defense. "I already said I don't want to talk about it."

"You are, aren't you? This one's different for you."

"Can you leave? I have something planned tonight and I'd like to get dressed."

"You're seeing him tonight, right? Are you bringing him back here?"

"I would strongly, strongly recommend you don't plan some clever little ambush to try and meet him tonight. I can guarantee you'll be walking in on some things you don't want to see."

Her expression immediately soured, and she made a sound of disgust.

"I can't believe you would talk to your mother that way."

"Only trying to spare us both the trauma." I wouldn't have been so blunt about it if I wasn't completely sure that ambushing us was something she most definitely would have planned.

She stuck around for a few more minutes, poking at me about this and that, but eventually left. Without cleaning up my table. Swiftly trashing her mess, I made quick work of changing into relaxed jeans and a short-sleeved Henley t-shirt, my version of casual wear.

Glancing at myself in my full-length mirror as I passed it, it occurred to me that he'd only seen me dressed for work. I wondered what delightfully tacky shirt I would be subjected to today, realizing with a little amusement that I was actually looking forward even to that small part. It seemed that everything about him, no matter how insignificant or silly, was precious to me. I'd never felt that way about anyone.

In the car, my nerves about his reaction to my plan mingled with the anticipation of seeing him and finally having alone time with him again. We hadn't had a chance to become physically reacquainted with each other since he'd been in heat. The thought of finally having him in my bed had my cock swelling to press into my zipper. But if he was unhappy with the suggestion that I planned on hitting him with, then there was a pretty high chance he wouldn't want to be in my bed regardless.

I parked in front of his apartment, letting him know in a text that I was there. Stepping out, I stretched my legs a bit and leaned back onto the car as I waited.

When he came out, the sight of him instantly smacked me with a wave of unfamiliar longing. My alpha instincts clicked into my awareness, intensifying as he got closer and I could see the dark circles under his eyes and general exhaustion radiating from him. My omega shouldn't be this stressed and sad and tired. It was my job to protect him from how cruel and dangerous this world could be, and I was not particularly flourishing in that position.

Despite the evidence that he had recently taken a rather severe metaphorical beating from life, his pretty hazel eyes sparkled with happiness to see me. Part of me felt unworthy of his admiration.

"Wow," he said, letting out a cute giggle as he very obviously appraised my appearance. "I never saw you without a suit on before. You look… Um, really good. Like, too good."

"How is that possible, exactly?" I wondered. I couldn't stop the smirk that rose to my face at the way his eyes devoured me, his pink tongue flitting out to lick his lips. I clearly wasn't the only one who was looking forward to some alone time. He rose up to his toes, flattening his palms on my chest as we kissed.

"I just mean… Next to you, I probably look like a hobo."

"You absolutely do not look like a hobo."

He looked youthful and lovely, even with the hardships. His skin was clear and pretty, blooming with warm tan, his dark bangs fluttering around his face with the light wind. His outfit was just another version of his standard. High top sneakers, tight and frayed jeans, with a colorful t-shirt. Today was various forms of ice cream including a rainbow popsicle and a banana split hovering over the suggestion to ‘Chill'.

"You said we're not going anywhere fancy, right?"

"I thought we could order food in and watch a movie. You said you'd like that, right?"

"Right," he confirmed. "So you want to just stay here?"

"I was hoping to take you to my apartment."

"Oh." He looked unreasonably surprised by the suggestion, but quickly recovered. "Well, okay. I guess there won't be a dress code or anything, then."

"I'd prefer if you weren't dressed at all, actually."

Pink rose to his cheeks as he laughed, covering his mouth with his fingers. "You aren't supposed to say that! We have to at least pretend it's a real date."

"It'll be a real date," I promised him. "We'll talk, we'll eat, we'll cuddle. That spells date where I'm from."

"That's all?" He asked, raising an eyebrow flirtatiously.

"No."

He laughed again, hurrying over to the passenger side of the car and strapping himself in.