Knot a Good Idea (Bittersweet Omegas #4)

Chapter 16

16

HUNTER

Donovan’s an idiot.

He’s my best friend and I’d take a bullet for him, but he’s still an idiot.

Yes, I started a tech company with him. Yes, he’s brilliant with computers and code.

And I may be a bit unhinged, but at least I have the sense to go after what I want.

It’s obvious Donovan wants April, but ever since the gala, he’s been pissy.

Him and the stupid contract and playing by the rules.

But whatever. He can be an antisocial hermit, but it doesn’t mean I will be.

I’m going after my girl.

Once Liam confided in me that he kissed her, I knew it would be my turn soon.

She likes us, and that’s all I need.

Because goddamn, do I like her .

I like her almost as much as I like the chocolate chip cookie that I’m stuffing my face with as I sit with April in her living room.

I keep my arm thrown lazily on the couch above her, keeping her caged in with me slightly. Her scent is vanilla and delicious, making my inner Alpha slowly rise from his slumber.

I haven’t knotted in so long, and apparently, my dick has decided it fully belongs to April.

And my taste buds belong to her, too.

“This is insane,” I mutter over a mouthful of cookie. “Better than those ten-dollar cookies at that fancy place near our house.”

Tammy sits on the opposite section of the couch, facing me with a smile. “Well, our café is known for its cookies.”

I liked Tammy immediately. I respect her for the way she keeps an eye on me, trying to read me with her brown eyes that look so much like her daughters.

I also notice the way she keeps glancing at April, cautious of the way she interacts with her boyfriend.

She’s a good mom.

She reminds me of mine, actually.

My mom would love April.

Maybe she wouldn’t like her as much right now though, with the way the gorgeous Omega is scowling at me as I finish the cookie.

“So, where are you staying while you’re here, Hunter?” Tammy continues, shooting April a quick glance before looking back at me.

Interesting.

I shrug. “Well,” I say, “April invited me to stay here, if that’s alright.”

April’s light brown eyes shoot up in surprise, but she quickly conceals it.

But the spicy scent of her rage permeates the room, and I can’t help but grin in delight.

She’s going to kill me for this later, but it’s fun to tease her.

“That’s fine with me,” Tammy says, smiling. But she gives her daughter another glance, as if daring her to say something. “We have a guest room you could stay in.”

I already booked a hotel a few miles down the road in case my bluff didn’t work.

And if April truly doesn’t want me here, I’ll leave, as much as it would hurt.

I flash Tammy a smile, then turn to April. “Sounds great. What do you think, babe?”

She wants to murder me, and it's adorable.

“Sounds great, babe ,” she quips in response, her eyes full of malice.

I grin in triumph, while she scowls.

Victory.

“Oh, speaking of,” Tammy adds, keeping her eyes on April. “I forget to tell you I’ll be out tonight. I won’t be back until very late.”

I can practically hear April grind her teeth. “Oh. Really?”

I’m dying of laughter inside.

“Your mom seems supportive,” I tell April as we sit on the couch. I helped myself to a handful of colorful cookies, much to Tammy’s delight, and the plate sits on the coffee table in front of us.

April says they’re macarons. It’s fancy, usually too fucking fancy for me, but I’m sure Donovan the snob loves them.

Despite April’s mouthwatering scent, her lips are set in a thin line, and she keeps looking toward the front room, waiting for her mom to leave.

Anxiety. I recognize the signs immediately, and it reminds me of Liam.

I know how much he goes through, and I don’t like that it’s happening to April right now.

“She doesn’t trust you,” she admits, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. I want to do that.

I frown. “She loves me.”

April turns to me incredulously. “Okay, first of all, love is a strong word. Don’t get ahead of yourself. Secondly, she’s smart. She thinks something’s up and she’s calling my bluff by encouraging you to stay and leaving us alone.”

I waggle my eyebrows at her and grin. “She does love me. And she gushed about you before you got home from work. Told me a bunch of stuff about you.”

I soaked up every bit of information Tammy would give me about her daughter. Her taste in music, her favorite foods, her exes…

Her exes that I want to kill slowly and methodically.

But April doesn’t look impressed. “Did she now,” she deadpans.

Her annoyance delights me. “Yup. Told me you’re too hard on yourself, and you’re more talented than you give yourself credit for. You’re basically the perfect daughter.”

At that, she laughs bitterly. “Hardly.”

“Close enough, at least.”

April stares at me for a moment, then angles her body slightly closer to mine on the couch. Her scent sweetens, and my cock twitches in anticipation.

I do my best to ignore it.

“Why me?” she murmurs. “You know you guys could have anyone you want, right? Why did you agree to this?” she asks softly.

Ah. I was anticipating this question.

“Okay, first of all, not anyone ,” I clarify. “Donovan is emotionally clueless, Liam is a nervous wreck, but I’ll admit, I’m the best,” I grin.

April rolls her eyes but her lip twitches in an almost-smile.

“Secondly,” I continue, “Donovan liked you immediately, and as much as he can be an ass, I trust his opinion. You’re entertaining as hell and smart as fuck, baby. Liam looks at you with heart eyes, you know that? He’s half in love with you already.”

She lets out an exhale and stares at her hands. Instinctively, I reach out and grab one, engulfing her palm with mine. She’s warm and soft, and at my touch, she visibly relaxes.

Score one for me.

“Donovan doesn’t like anyone,” I continue. “Our pack hasn’t been with anyone in ten years. ”

April’s eyes widen and her mouth falls open. “Seriously?”

I nod. “You’re special. Even if it’s not exactly real to you, I want you to reconsider.”

She begins to shake her head. “Hunter?—”

“Just give me a chance. Give us a chance.”

“There are things you don’t know about me.”

“Then let me learn.”

“I—” She swallows. “It’s not that simple.”

“Simple isn’t fun. Simple is boring .”

She groans in exasperation. “What am I going to do with you?” she mutters.

“Anything you want, baby. I’m game.”

She opens her pretty mouth to retort, but Tammy enters the room. “Okay kids,” she says. “I’m off.”

I grin widely and wave at her. “Bye, Tammy. It was great to meet you finally.”

April shoots me daggers.

As soon as we hear the front door close, April turns to me. “So, you’re on a first name basis with my mother now?”

“We’re best friends. Like I said, she loves me.”

“You—” She sighs and stands up. “I need some water.”

She hurries past me, giving me a quick, glorious view of her backside.

Fuck, she’s gorgeous.

Is it bad that even if she turns me down, I plan on staying near her until she finally says yes?

That’s weird, right?

Donovan would call it stalking, but whatever.

Just because he won’t admit to himself how great she is, doesn’t mean I won’t.

I go after what I want. I fight for what I want.

“You know I have work tomorrow, right?” she asks, her voice carrying from the kitchen. “So, you’re going to be by yourself. There’s no point in staying.”

“I booked a hotel nearby. It’s fine. I’ll do some work there.”

She cocks an eyebrow. “Really. You came all this way to work?”

“I came for you, silly.”

She runs a hand through her hair. “Hunter, I can’t…I can’t be your real girlfriend,” she sighs.

Not yet, I think to myself.

It stings a little, but I’ve noticed the obvious signs of attraction from her. Goosebumps cover her skin when she’s near us, and her scent sweetens slightly when we’re close to her.

But I also sense her anxiety, and I don’t like that at all.

“Do you want me to leave?” I ask, leaning over the back of the couch. “I can go to the hotel now, if you want. Your mom’s gone; you don’t have to pretend right now.”

I won’t really leave, but that’s fine. I’ll just be a street away.

I slept in my car years ago while we were creating Axton in Donovan’s storage unit.

We’ve come a long fucking way since then, but I’m happy to slum it again for the Omega in front of me.

She makes a face and sets her glass down on the kitchen counter. “No,” she admits in defeat. “No, you don’t have to go.”

Victory.

I smirk at her. “Then what do you want to do, doll?”

Her face flushes a brilliant pink, and it makes me want to tease her more.

She likes me, even if she’s not ready to admit it.

“I don’t suppose you brought any games with you, did you?” she asks hesitantly.

If I wasn’t in love with her before, I am now.

“You know,” I say as I match a calico cat tile to another one. “I’m usually an asshole. Not as bad as Donovan, but asshole-y enough.”

April sits across the kitchen table from me. She moved the bouquet I brought Tammy, and now the surface is covered in complicated maps of cat trees and kitten cards.

So what if I like cat strategy games?

It’s fun.

April places a Siamese cat card down next to my tabby card. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Just letting you know how much of an impact you’ve made on us so far, baby.”

I catch her shudder at the name baby. “Is this your way of trying to get into my pants?”

“Is it working?”

She bursts out laughing, the sound music to my ears. “No, it’s not,” she says. “Don’t press your luck.”

“Damn.”

I place a black and white cat card down, the name Wilson printed on top. “Twenty points. Now you have to draw a litterbox card.”

She looks at me with a puzzled expression. “Why? I’m ahead!”

“Wilson is a wild card. His negative effect is filling up litterboxes too quickly.”

“This is…a bizarre game,” she mutters.

“It’s Liam’s favorite. I bought it for him to help with his anxiety.”

April places her cards down. “That was really kind of you,” she says quietly.

I shrug. “He’s had anxiety since we were kids, and when we became successful, it got worse, instead of better. Board games help ground him, so I started playing with him.”

“What made you want to bring it here?” she asks.

“I noticed little things about you at the gala.”

“Wait, you did?” She tilts her head curiously, and vanilla and brown sugary essence fill the room.

“I did. When you thought no one was watching, you looked around a lot and dropped your smile. And when you were speaking with people, it didn’t exactly reach your eyes. Your real smile is fucking beautiful, and you didn’t show it at the gala.”

She huffs. “Yeah, well that could have just been normal nerves.” She raises an eyebrow, as if daring me to argue with her.

“It could have, but you startle at little things that other people don’t. And your scent changes.”

Her eyes widen. “I see.”

“I told you, I’m observant as fuck and anxiety’s a bitch.”

“I…” She hesitates and looks down at her cards. “Thank you. For noticing, I guess. Or at least trying to understand.”

“Anytime, babe. Now draw the damn litterbox card.”

She laughs and gives me one of her genuine smiles.

Fuck, I love her.