Too Hot to Handle Read online

  Copyright © 2020 J.D. Light

  Edited by Ann Attwood Editing and Proofreading Services

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

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  Chapter One

  May

  "S top standing there watching my ass and help me get this da… darn seat unsnapped."

  Dawes chuckled from behind me where he might or might not have actually been staring at my ass, and I shivered in response, because I was a weak-ass human being, who apparently wasn't any smarter at twenty-four than I had been at sixteen, seventeen, eighteen… all the years of my life when it came to men.

  I was getting better and better at controlling my responses to Dawes. Hell, I'd only been practicing for nearly two years now, but even the strongest man had moments of weakness, and Dawes's laughter was mine.

  As was his smile… and eyes… and handsome face… and sandy-blond hair… and strong body.

  I'm fine. I am. I'm a strong, smart omega who is not ruled by my incessant need to make babies. I'm still young. I have years and years.

  "It's really not that hard," he rumbled, stepping up beside me and putting his hand on my hip… like an asshole. "I'm pretty sure if you asked Ricki to do it, he would."

  "Your dad's not that hard," I grumbled, rolling my eyes as he paused in pulling me out of the way to give me a smirk that told me he wasn't any more impressed with my middle school wit than I was.

  What do you want from me, Dawes? Stop fucking touching me all the damn time.

  "Do you think your Da is still mad about me not making it last weekend?" I asked, glaring at his hands as they easily popped the damn buckle on the car seat.

  I'd been working on that thing for nearly two minutes. I’d probably loosened it for him. Whatever, that was a thing.

  "Do you really have to ask that?" Dawes asked, still smirking as he glanced at me while placing a sleeping Ricki's head on his shoulder and rubbing the limp toddler’s back.

  "So glad you could make it," a creepy voice said an inch from my face, and I screamed and flailed, and my legs actually gave out, so I had to catch myself on the door of the car, which swung forward, and I ended up faceplanting Dawes's wide back.

  It was well executed and not at all embarrassing. Really.

  "Da," Dawes said, his tone exasperated.

  Mark was standing right where I'd left him with his arms crossed, and glaring as his son stepped away from the car, dragging me along with him, since I'd decided to attach myself to this back like a leech, peeking around his wide shoulders to look at his terrifying omega father.

  "Don't Da me with that tone, boy."

  "Then leave Kent alone."

  "It's one day a week." Mark dropped his arms at his side, giving me a sad look. "You can't spare one day a week for me?"

  This. This was what I'd been worried about. I could almost take his sneaky creepiness, absolute lack of spatial awareness, and complete disregard for boundaries… and possibly homicidal tendencies… all that over this. 'Twas the guilt that got me.

  I sighed, stepping out from behind Dawes to hug his Da. The man might be a bit on the unhinged side, and possibly have murderous tendencies––this was just a theory of mine. Nothing concrete––but the man gave amazing hugs, and the guilt was real.

  "I'm sorry, Mark––" He cut me off with a gasp, and I cringed, wondering if I should pry myself from his grasp and run, or beg for forgiveness. "I'm sorry, Da. I had other obligations, and it was impossible to reschedule."

  I gave an internal shrug. What am I going to do? I can't run all that fast, and I want to be able to see Dawes and Ricki. I wouldn’t put it past Mark Foster to hold them hostage somehow, just to get his way.

  "So, you should have told me beforehand," he said, pulling back to give me a soft smile. "I can reschedule these dinners."

  "You can?" Boyd asked from somewhere behind me, his usually deep voice going high and sounding shocked.

  Da glared at his other son, making Da's husband chuckle as he came up behind the irritated omega.

  Brave man. I didn't know that I'd ever sneak up on Mark Foster, and I sure as hell wouldn't purposely give him my back. But I would suppose that Devon was probably used to dealing with the sometimes over-the-top omega… plus I was pretty sure he too was a bit on the crazy side. Like maybe it had rubbed off on him in some way.

  "I'm not going to have you reschedule your entire family dinner for me, Ma… Da. It wouldn't be right." I gave him my best smile. The one that put old people and kids at ease, crossing my fingers that he would settle for an apology, and not expect me to explain why I couldn't make it last time.

  "I want all my kids here," he said sweetly, but I could see the dare twinkling in those dark-brown depths, urging me to deny the fact that I was his kid and see what happened.

  Nah, I'm good. I like being alive.

  "You could even bring that grumpy old father of yours if you like," he said, releasing me, to bat his eyes sweetly. "The more the merrier."

  Devon's eyes widened, and he glanced at the back of his husband's head, cringing before leaning around him to whisper loudly. "But if you do decide to invite your dad, please let us know before-hand, because I do not want to hear about how embarrassing it was for him to not be prepared." He blinked hard, like he was trying to rid his mind of something horrific. "Seriously, it's painful to listen to."

  Da pursed his lips, smacking at Devon's arms where they secured around him… like restraints, but he still relaxed back against his alpha with a sigh. "I don't want anyone to feel like they aren't always welcome. They are. I just need to plan for them. Speaking of…" He turned his head quickly, to the man standing behind me, and I actually heard the alpha gasp. "Boyd, when you bringing that boyfriend? Do I need to call and invite him?"

  Boyd has a boyfriend? Since when?

  "No!" Boyd blurted loudly, making me jump, and I turned to glare at him, as Dawes chuckled quietly, probably at my expense. "No. I'll bring him. When he's ready."

  "What does that mean?" Da asked quietly, sounding dangerous.

  Boyd looked incredibly nervous, his eyes wide and shifting around, like he was waiting for someone to give him the answer. "Uh."

  Don't look at me, dude. I'm going to do my best to lay low from here on out… not draw attention to myself… possibly hide in the bathroom.

  "Why wouldn’t he be ready? What exactly is there to get ready for?" Da asked in that serial-killer voice that made it necessary to check your pants sometimes.

  I looked around, wondering who was going to be the one to tell him.

  "It's because you're fucking crazy," Riley said, walking up and hugging the omega with absolutely no fear. When he pulled back, he turned and glared at Cole. "People should be prepared in advance for this shit."

  Riley Hester was Cole's soon-to-be husband, and he was always pretty straightforward, and never tried to sugarcoat anything when it came to his dealings with Da. He insisted that it would take a lot more than one little high-strung omega to take him down, and at the time, I hadn't understood how it was possible to not be leery of Da, but then I'd had the pleasure of meeting one of his cousins, and was informed that the entire family was pretty much bat-shit, so I was pretty sure it was just a matter of knowing how to handle a certain kind of individual.

  "Da," Cole said, pulling his fiancé away quickly as Devon clamped down on his husband's arms, so he wouldn't reach for Riley and possibly maim him. "You know our family isn't the easiest to meet. We're big and loud––"

  "And you give off serial-killer vibes," Riley said, leaning around Cole to interrupt and getting a glare from his husband.
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  "What?" Da said, his jaw jutting forward indignantly. "I do not." He rolled his eyes like he was completely carefree, but I saw the way he eyed Riley when he didn't think anyone was looking. "We are a very welcoming family. Isn't that right, Kent?"

  "Yep," I said quickly, nodding my head. "Mmhmm. In fact, he was just telling me how I can bring my dad." I swept my hands through the air a little oddly. "Everyone is welcome."

  "But let us know first," Devon said, giving one hard nod.

  "Right."

  "That doesn't change the fact that you're fucking nuts," Riley said dryly.

  "Uh, Riley," Cole said, his wide eyes never leaving his Da as he slowly crowded his fiancé backwards.

  "What?" Riley shrugged. "He is. I know he loves me…" He trailed off, throwing a pointed finger at Da, narrowing his eyes. "At least he fucking better, since I don't have a fucking say-so in my wedding…" He trailed off, tilting his head like he was flipping a switch, and smiled. "But I still watch my back anytime he's near."

  Devon shrugged, pursing his lips. "That's fair.

  Da smacked his husband's arm, lifting his chin. "I let you pick the cake topper."

  "No, you took me with you, and I tried to pick one, but you smacked it out of my hand!"

  "It looked like Ricki made it!" Da yelled, before reaching out and rubbing Ricki's back, while the boy slowly blinked himself awake, probably because it was starting to sound like two grown men were about to throw-down over wedding décor. "No offense sweet boy. You are absolutely perfect, but you won't be making any cake toppers in one of my weddings."

  "You remember a week ago when you were telling me how great my Da was?" Cole asked Riley, making the omega roll his eyes as Da preened.

  "I'm allowed to change my mind, and if he doesn't let me have a single fucking say-so in my wedding, I might not be marrying you!" Riley stomped off toward the house, and we all watched him before turning back to the stone-cold face of Mark Foster.

  "Are you okay?" his husband asked, cringing slightly.

  "What?" Da said with a small laugh, probably meant to sound dismissive, but came out a little forced. "Of course I am. He's right. I'm probably being a little too overbearing." He licked his teeth, and his nostrils flared. He did not look alright.

  "Mark, honey," Devon said, keeping one arm securely wrapped around his husband, while the other one went to prying something out of the man's hand. "Can I have the knife?"

  "Hmm?" Da asked, blinking out of his possible murder haze and glancing down at the… was that a switchblade? "Oh, silly me. I didn't even realize I had it."

  Devon finally managed to get the knife from him, before turning and walking his husband toward the house, keeping his arm tight around Da."

  "Shit," Cole groaned, letting his head fall back on his shoulders. "Now I have to keep an eye on my fiancé, so my Da doesn't murder him… or vice versa. Dad, I'm going to need some backup," he yelled, following behind them.

  "I only have one way to distract your Da when he gets like this, son, and you all made me promise not to talk about it anymore."

  ***

  "If I'm right, the next time Da starts lecturing you on something, you have to scream you're not the boss of me at him," Dawes said quietly, leaning in close.

  "Oh, fuck no," I whispered, shaking my head and turning to look at him. "No deal."

  He chuckled, trying to look innocent. "What? He's not your boss. He's not even your dad."

  I raised my eyebrows, giving him a disbelieving look. "Tell him that, I dare you. And he is the boss of me, because I have a pretty face, and I don't want it all cut up by that crazy-ass micromanager. He's the boss of everyone. Plus, I'm like ninety-nine percent sure that Boyd doesn't actually have a boyfriend."

  I was sitting in the middle of the loveseat in his parents' living room with Dawes practically plastered to my side, watching Cashin and Grant glare at each other over the Monopoly board, while Wagoner and Lawton kept stealing money out of their piles, because they were too pre-occupied to notice.

  Cole was looking uncomfortable sitting between Riley and Da, since they were both leaning around him to argue about wedding arrangements.

  Devon was sitting in the recliner with Ricki in his lap, and they both looked like they were about five seconds away from passing out, even with all the noise in the room.

  "I'll find out. I know how to get him to fess up." Dawes glanced over in Boyd's direction, where he was sitting at the puzzle table, frowning down at his phone, a small crease between his brows.

  I wasn't sure what was going on there, but it didn't look like it was something happy. Boyd was a giant teddy bear, quiet and shy. Dawes had told me once that when his parents first adopted Boyd, he was fourteen years old, and had just presented as alpha. His foster family had been worried about him being in the same house with their omega son without them there, so they'd asked to have him placed somewhere else.

  He'd barely been able to read, and apologized constantly, even when it wasn't his fault. He watched his feet when he walked, and the first time Da hugged him, he'd started crying and held on to the man for dear life.

  He still hung on extra tight when anyone hugged him, and even though he laughed at his crazy family's antics, he didn't usually get in the middle of everything unless someone dragged him in.

  "Not in front of your Da," I whispered, leaning even closer.

  He smelled so damn good. Just like always. It was so easy to get drawn into his bubble, to want to lean further into him, even though we were practically smashed together from shoulder to thigh. That had been all him. I'd been there first, and he'd practically sat on my lap to get as close as possible. There was plenty of space for him to scoot over and make a little room… Of course, there was also plenty of space for me to do the same, but like I said, I was here first.

  "Why?" Dawes asked, widening his eyes. "If his attention is on Boyd, it won't be on us."

  "But Boyd is so sweet and innocent. He doesn't deserve that kind of thing. If it turns out he lied to get your Da to leave him alone about getting a boyfriend, then I don't want to expose him. The poor guy hates being the center of attention."

  "You got a crush on my brother?" Dawes asked, narrowing his eyes on me and leaning a little closer.

  I rolled my eyes, reaching up to flick the man's nose. "Boyd is great…" He frowned harder, pursing his lips and looking like a petulant child. "Don't look at me like that. I wasn't finished. He's great, but he isn't my type."

  I liked my men obnoxious and the father of my brother's child. I'm so fucking pathetic.

  "What is your type?"

  You. It was right on the tip of my tongue, and I actually made an aborted noise that ended with me blowing out a breath and rolling my eyes. "The ones that would rather have my brother usually."

  "Ew." Dawes curled his lip, looking thoroughly disgusted. "Wait. Is that your way of saying you have a crush on your brother's boyfriend?"

  I reached out and smacked him on the arm. "Don't be gross. No. Dean is probably the first guy my brother's dated that I didn't show an interest in first." Dawes raised his eyebrows in question, probably realizing there was more to the story. "I don't date anymore. Every single boyfriend I've had, or any guy that might have been interested in me, lost interest fast when they met Kade." I shrugged, but I didn't feel nearly as nonchalant about it as I pretended. "Even with my brother happier than I've ever seen him, I'm still leery to date anyone. If I wanted a boyfriend, I'd have to never, ever let them around my brother, and as crazy as Kade is, I love him. I don't want to have to avoid him, and I want to be able to see Ricki all the time like I do now. It's just not worth it to me."

  "Did Kade ever date these guys?" he asked indignantly.

  "A few."

  "Even knowing that you liked them?"

  "Some."

  "What a dick."

  I laughed softly, nodding. My brother really could be a dick. Mostly, he'd always been unconsciously selfish, and a tad self-absorbed. I didn't t
hink he had done those things with the purpose of showing me he could take any man from me that he wanted, but in the end, that was exactly what he did.

  It was just like when we were kids and Dad would take us out to dinner. He'd order something and then when our food arrived, he'd look over at mine and decide he'd rather have what I had. I'd always just given him part of what was on my plate to shut him up, and my dad would grumble about me making him worse by spoiling him, but for the most part let us settle things for ourselves, only really stepping in when Kade got too demanding, and I wasn't in the mood to budge.

  Dawes was still scowling, and I smiled bumping him with my shoulder.

  "I was there the night you guys met," I said quietly, watching him out of the corner of my eye.

  Dawes stiffened, and his eyes focused in on mine, slightly narrowed and clearly shocked. "What?"

  I nodded, giving a little laugh I didn't necessarily feel. "I was actually the one that pointed you out. Well, sorta. He caught me checking you out. I think he unconsciously can't help but want what I want." Realizing how that sounded, I shook my head. "Not that it was the only reason he went after you."

  "My feelings aren't hurt, trust me," he murmured, watching my face. "You were there? And you were checking me out?" He smirked, leaning into my space.

  I laughed, palming his face and pushed him away. "I left when I saw Kade head your way. I wasn't about to sit around and watch him make his move. If I'd been smart, I would have pointed someone else out, but I never learn."

  I blinked hard, suddenly aware of how much I'd just said, and cringed. That was a hell of an admission, Kent. Good one.

  "Hmm," he said, shaking his head and giving me a crooked smile that made him look entirely too appealing. "I can't believe you were interested in me."

  I raised my eyebrows, giving him a dry, unimpressed look. "Well, don't get all bigheaded about it. Now I know what a big dork you are, so…" I shrugged.

  He pursed his lips ridiculously. "Doesn't matter. If you thought I was hot that night, you can think it again."

  "Mmmhmm. You think any amount of hotness on your part is going to make up for the lack of brains up here?" I flicked him in the forehead, but he just swatted at my hand.