𝐃𝐞́𝐟𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐮𝐫 || 𝐒𝐞𝐨𝐤𝐒𝐨𝐨

Chapter 9

Seokmin drove them back to Joshua’s apartment after their meal. It was a nice neighborhood, not particularly upmarket, but not sketchy either.

As Joshua showed them upstairs, Duke hesitated at the door. “Is there a shifting space nearby?”

“Sure,” Joshua said. “There’s an open space on the roof you can use, or an enclosed area in the basement. If you need more space, there’s a private shifter park a block away. We passed it on the way here. Let me get you the guest pass.”

Joshua took a few steps inside and rummaged in the drawer of a small cabinet, pulling out two plastic cards. “This’ll get you into all three of them.”

“I think I’ll head out to the park,” Duke decided. “It should be quiet enough at this time of night.”

“It’s adults-only after seven p.m.,” Joshua said. “Do you want to go too?” he added, holding out the second pass to Seokmin.

“I’m good, thanks,” Seokmin said quickly.

Shifting in public was far too dangerous for him these days. He got an odd look from Duke, which he ignored, as the alpha turned and headed back to the stairs. Later, he could play it off as wanting to spend some time alone with Joshua. It wasn’t a lie, just not the full truth.

“Thank again for taking us in,” he told Joshua as he followed the omega through the open-plan apartment. The narrow hallway opened up into a living and dining room with an attached kitchen.

“It’s no trouble,” Joshua said, avoiding Seokmin’s eyes as he set his bag down on the table. “I’m just going to grab a shower. Help yourself to drinks. There’s coffee if you want it.”

Joshua seemed a little distant, and Seokmin guessed he was to blame. He shouldn’t have been so short with him at the restaurant. Joshua hadn’t meant any harm, but Seokmin was worried the clever omega might guess at their secret. Who knew what he’d do with that information?

The omega padded away, closing the door behind him. Minutes later, while Seokmin was taking in the view from the window, he heard the shower switch on. He turned toward the kitchen, wondering how he could make it up to Joshua. Not being an irritable, short-tempered asshole would probably be a good start. But you couldn’t go wrong with coffee.

When Joshua emerged from the bathroom, dressed in sweats and a baggy T-shirt, his hair damp, Seokmin had dessert and coffee ready and waiting on the little dining table. He saw the omega hesitate before moving to join him, sliding into the seat across from him.

“I was really impressed by how you handled yourself in court this afternoon. That judge reminds me of some of our drill instructors, but you didn’t hesitate for a second when he challenged you.”

From his time in the army, Seokmin was used to omegas taking the initiative. But the only omegas allowed on active duty were Anchors. Their focus was on balancing alpha-led teams. He’d never seen an omega take on an alpha like Joshua had taken on that judge.

Joshua didn’t seem particularly moved by his praise as he picked up his fork and neatly sliced off a small piece of cake.

“It’s my job. If I wasn’t competent at it, I wouldn’t be doing it.”

Seokmin was developing a talent for putting his foot in his mouth where Joshua was concerned. And all he’d been trying to do was pay him a compliment.

He got to his feet, making his way around the table until he stood behind Joshua. The omega stilled, his fork hovering just above his plate, making no move to eat. Seokmin leaned forward, running his fingers along the edge of the table next to Joshua, close to but not touching him.

“I’ve never seen anything like it: the way you faced down that judge, fighting for Duke.”

Joshua turned his head, and their eyes met.

“I don’t back down from a fight,” the omega teased softly as Seokmin deliberately let his eyes wander.

The urge to touch Joshua was overwhelming, and he finally gave in to it, nudging the omega’s hand. Joshua responded, tangling their fingers together on the tabletop. Seokmin let his free hand brush the back of Joshua’s wrist, watching closely as the omega leaned into the touch. He trailed his fingers slowly up Joshua’s arm, loving the slight hitch of the omega’s breath at the caress. He reached Joshua’s shoulder, stroking along the soft material of his T-shirt until his fingers found the back of Joshua’s neck. He kept his movements light and teasing, not crowding Joshua as his thumb drew circles across the nape of the omega’s neck.

Joshua, who’d been still and silent from the first touch, shuddered suddenly, a low moan escaping his throat.

“You like that, huh?” Seokmin murmured, and was rewarded by a little hum of agreement from Joshua.

Abruptly, the omega leaned forward out of reach as he lifted his fork to his mouth.

“Almost as much as I like this cake,” he told Seokmin. “Almost.”

Seokmin laughed, well aware he was being teased. But he wasn’t so easily deterred.

Reaching down, he dragged Joshua’s chair around so they were face to face. The omega slowly tugged the fork from between his lips, leaving a smudge of chocolate on them.

“If you’re not interested, just say so,” he told Joshua.

“In you or the cake?” the omega teased, twisting around to get another forkful and holding it out to him. Seokmin parted his lips and took the cake into his mouth, loving the taste of the rich dark chocolate as it slid across his tongue.

He stole the fork from Joshua, their fingers touching, and fed him another piece, smudging even more chocolate frosting across his lips in the process. It gave Seokmin the perfect excuse to lean in and kiss him.

The cake forgotten, he tasted chocolate on his tongue and a sweetness beneath it that was all Joshua. He tipped the omega’s head up, deepening the kiss, nudging Joshua’s lips apart as his fingers slid through the omega’s curly hair.

Just when it was getting good, his tongue teasing Joshua’s, tasting him, the omega pulled back, breaking the kiss. He pushed off the chair he was sitting on and took a few steps away before pivoting to face Seokmin.

“Was I moving too fast?” Seokmin asked as Joshua wiped the back of his hand across his mouth.

“It’s not that,” Joshua told him, a little off-balance, as if he hadn’t quite caught his breath. “It’s just… I don’t mix my work and my personal life. Ever. Not like that. You’re my client.”

“Duke is your client, not me,” Seokmin argued.

“You called in your favor, that’s why we’re all here. You’re just as much my client as Duke is.”

Seokmin moved toward him but paused when Joshua took another step back. He knew better than to chase a reluctant omega.

“You’re quite the tease, aren’t you?” he joked, trying to lighten the mood.

It was clearly the wrong thing to say, as Joshua’s expression shuttered, his face going blank.

“The media would have you believe we’re all shameless teases,” he said offhandedly, almost wearily, as he pointed to a newspaper folded on the counter.

Confused, Seokmin glanced at it and read yet another salacious headline about a wayward omega leading another straitlaced, upstanding alpha politician astray.

“Goodnight, Seokmin,” Joshua said, and Seokmin looked up to find the omega had taken advantage of his distraction to slip from the room.

“Goodnight,” he called after him, pushing the newspaper away and going back to stand by the window.

He’d messed that up, somehow. But at least he’d gotten an answer to his question. He and Joshua were definitely compatible, there was no doubt about it. The sweet taste of Joshua’s lips was a heady reminder of how much he missed the company of an omega.