Chapter Eight

Vince

"Have you decided to stay in Mystic Beach or return to the city?" Val sat next to me on the couch and flipped through the options on the streaming service. "You are more than welcome to stay here indefinitely. And there may be a little omega who wouldn't mind you sticking around."

"I haven't decided yet." I grabbed my soda off the end table and took a sip. "But it is a tempting option."

"What is holding you back?" Val paused in his search for the right movie to watch. "Tell me what you need, and I will help youwith it."

"I think I just need to convince myself it's okay to give up on my city-living dreams and forge a new path somewhere else." I shook my head as if that would help clear the path. "I see the possibilities in staying here. But I worked hard to get what I have there."

"Too hard," Val said. "You can change up that future you were setting up. And you can do your job from anywhere. Have you reached out to any clients?"

"I have, and I have a few signed up freelance." I took another sip of my glass. "I will need to return to the city for at least a bit and pack everything up."

"And I will help you when the time comes." Val nudged me in the side. "So, does that mean you are moving here?"

"Not yet." I sighed. "Give me a few more days. But yeah, probably."

"Good." Val smiled. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." I gestured toward the television. "Now, pick a movie, and let's get this vegging-out night started."

***

"Hey." I snuck up on Rayan as he closed down business for the day. "Are you free to grab some dinner?"

"Hey, yourself." Rayan stopped packing up and kissed me hello. "And I am starved. Where are you taking me?"

Chuckling, I started helping him with the nightly cleanup. "I have no clue. You pick the place, and I'll pay the bill. Sound good?"

"I guess I can handle that." Rayan put the last item in the case. "Let's lock up, drop these items off at my place, and head to Hamburger Haven."

"They're good?" I waited for him to lock up and grabbed some boxes from him. "I've been past there a few times since I arrived but never stopped in."

"They serve the best hamburgers I've ever tasted." Rayan led me to his car and piled the boxes into his back seat. "And their milkshakes are amazing. They have chocolate, peanut butter, and banana for which I would sell my firstborn."

"That's going a bit overboard for a milkshake, don't you think?" I couldn't quite imagine what such a dessert would taste like.

"You haven't tried it yet. Just wait." Rayan got into the driver's seat and started the car as I got situated on the passenger side. "If it's not fantastic, I'll owe you a blowjob after dinner."

"What if I lie to get the prize?" I grew harder at just the thought of those beautiful lips wrapped around my dick.

"We both know you are getting some regardless," Rayan said. "But, trust me, the shake is that good."

"Show me this tasty shake you are so confident of." I gestured toward the road. "Let's fill our desires for food."

"And then our yearning for other things." Rayan leaned over and gave me a brief but sizzling kiss. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." It may have been only two days since our last date, but I couldn't get enough of this omega.

"So, how many more days are you staying in Mystic Beach?" Rayan glanced at me as we stopped at an intersection. "You need to return to the city soon, right?"

"Trying to get rid of me already?" I poked his arms. "I thought you missed me."

"I did, and I will." Rayan rolled his eyes. "But you have a life in the city, and I will not ignore that fact. I just wanted to know how much longer I get you."

"Val and I were talking about this last night." I ran my hands up and down my legs, a habit since childhood when discussing something important. "He is trying to convince me to move here permanently."

"Are you considering that?" I may have imagined the hint of excitement in Rayan's voice as his face remained as neutral as when we first started the conversation. "Would you want to stay here?"

"I have been considering it," I admitted. "There are many reasons why the city no longer holds my future. I don't have a job tying me to that location, and my lease will be up soon. I have a few clients lined up for freelance work. I could move in with Val and start a new life."

"I sense something is holding you back from committing to that change though." Rayan knew me well for the short time we had been together.

"Change is hard for me," I admitted. "I always thought I would live in the city and be separate from Val. Growing up, we were always together, so I wanted to be separate from him."

"Do you still feel that need?" Rayan turned into the parking lot of his apartment complex. "Do you need to be the city boy because he is the beach town dweller?"

"Honestly? No. I actually miss him. A lot. This vacation has shown me that a part of me needs my twin closer to me. I feel more whole when he's around."

"It sounds like you have your answer." Rayan parked and turned off the car. "You already know you want to move and be close to your brother. Why haven't you pulled the plug yet?"

"I'm scared to give up on what I thought I wanted." I grabbed a few boxes from the back seat and followed Rayan up the stairs to his apartment. "What if I hate it and then regret giving up on the city?"

"What if you go back and regret not moving here?" Rayan unlocked his door and placed his boxes on the floor by the couch. "The thing is that no matter which you choose, you run a risk of regret. But, in the end, the city or Mystic Beach will always be there to return to if you decide the other one is not the option for you. Right now, you have a chance to take the route you hadn't planned on. You need to ask yourself what's holding you back from making the decision. If it's only fear, you already know the answer. You gave me reasons for moving here. But only fear and a dream you once had were the reasons for staying in the city. That doesn't sound like a strong enough reason to dismiss the pull to stay here. But that's just my unsolicited opinion. Sorry."

"No." I kissed Rayan and wrapped him in my arms. "I needed another person to point it out. I think I want to stay in Mystic Beach. I missed Val. But I also would miss you if I left."

"Don't make me the reason you stay though." Rayan kissed me.

"You aren't the only reason," I said. "But you are one of them."

Something in Rayan's eyes made me think he wanted to say more, but he remained silent. We stared into each other's eyes a moment longer before he cut the connection.

"Let's go get those milkshakes." Rayan headed toward the door.

"They'd better be as good as you promised." I followed him out.

"They are." Rayan smiled and locked his door. "But, either way, you still get a blowjob later, so I would say that's a win."

"It's definitely a win." I laughed and made my way back to his car.

As we drove to Hamburger Haven, I had one thing on my mind. What was Rayan holding back from me? And how could I get him to tell me?