Nichkhun

I could tell from the odd way he was acting that Ewon had a lot of thinking to do, and that he didn't intend to do it in our home. I bit back a sigh as I escorted the stubborn omega abck to my car. I'd known going in that he and Sica weren't mine to keep, but damn if they didn't slot right into our home as if they belonged there.

That whole -ssi was really pissing me off, too. Plaus, it stung a little...okay, a lot. I didn't understand why Ewon was so afraid to let us love her and vice versa. He seemed determined to put up walls and boundaries. I got it, though. It had been the two of them against the world for so long, it was hard for him to accept that people wanted to be there for them with no expectation.

And was it really charity for us to have them as our guests? I didn't know. I could see his point. Maybe I was just so hungry for family that I was pushing to adopt them into our lives. That wasn't it though. Although it made no sense, I couldn't help but feel like they belonged with us. To me, they were already family. Whether they called me ing Nichkhun-SSI or whatever. I suppose it was better than being called alpha-douche or -face.

I chuckled to myself as I slid behind the steering whell, ignoring the quizzical look on Ewon's face. I turned to look at him before I backed out, my breath almost catching at how attractive his green eyes were right now. I blinked and looked down at the steering wheel, reminding myself that I was a married alpha who had no business admiring other men men. Especially a man that was about to be a surrogate for us. . Maybe this was why Ewon was trying to keep it proffessional. Was I getting too personal?

I glanced back at him when I felt those piercing green eyen oon me still. Nope. Not too personal. He was a friend. An attractive friend. But a friend.

"Are you okay, Nichkhun? First you're laughing to yourself, now you look like you're having an argument with yourself. Do you need a referee?" he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

"Funny. No, I just have a lot going on in my head." I tapped out a beat on the steering wheel "So. Should we stop by the Om for a coffee before we go get Sica, or was there anything else you'd like to do while we're out? We have  about an hour or so before we get her from Yoona-ssi, right?"

Ewon grinned "Honestly. You need a watch, man. Or you could utilize that fancy phone you don't seem to know how to use? We habe one hour and thirty two minutes before Yoona-ssi Is expecting us, and it will take us approximately twenty-three minutes to get there from here, barring traffic. And I really need to stop by my place on the way there to get my uniform shirt for work. Does that answer your question?"

I groaned "I feel like you and Taecyeon are a pair of cyborgs. How the hell do you guys always have your schedules down to the nanosecond like that?" I looked over at him with a wink "So does that mean no coffee and cookie today?"

"Not unless you're having them at home. I'm afraid."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I'll just pop a caramel macchiato pod in the Keurig when I get home. Sica girl can have a cocoa one. I ordered a variety pack of cocoa pods for her on my last delivery."

Ewon groaned as if he were in pain "Stop at Om. Seriously, you're killing me with those pods. That's just a crime against coffee. But I'm running in, and we're taking it to go."

I grinned "Do I get a cookie? I promise not to drop crumbs in the car."

", like I care? Not my car, not my problem." he grinned ver at me with a laugh "I'll just let you explane it to Taecyeon the next time he gets in here if you get food everywhere."

I was still chuckling a few minutes later when I pulled up in front of Cafe Om. True to his word, Ewon hopped out and leaned in to shake a warning finger at me "Stay put! I'll be right back." I tried to pass him a twenty thousand won, but he waved it off and rushed into the shop like a man on mission.

It was amusing to watch him through the glass. He bypassed the line completely. After stopping to hug an older Indian man, Ewon pushed his way behind the counter and efficiently put our drinks to gether himself. The older man stood there chatting with him as he pulled a large cookie out of the glass pastry display case with what looked like a long pair of tongs and slipped it into a paper bag.

The older man tried to wave him off, but he stood by the register with that defiant look on his until the man walked over and began hitting buttons. Ewon passed him some money, gave him another hug, and scooped up our two drinks and the cookie bag. He threw his head back with a laugh at something the man said as he made his way to the door.

He was enchanting to watch, especially seeing his lighthearted part of him that didn't come out to play. Usually he was too busy being responsible to let his hear down like that. It was good to see him in this light.

I leaned over and opened his door when he came up to the car, pushing it from inside as he caught t with his leg and kept it from clossing. He slid in neatly, passing me my yummies before setting his own cup in the holder and closing his door. I looked at my drink while he got settled and buckled up.

"Who was that older Indian fellow? It looke from here like you are friends?" I asked conversationally as I opened the wrapper to my straw.

"That's Abrar-ajeossi. He's more a friend than a boss. He and his wife immigrated here almost twenty years ago and when they opened Cafe Om, they did and keep doing a lot for the omegas in their employ. I think that's why his chain has grown so exponentially, because it's a coffee cafe with a heart."

I nodded and held up my cup "What is this?" I asked curiously, looking at the layered strations of my iced coffee drink. I cautiously took a sip, and was pleasantly surprised by the sweet coconut and chocolate flavor that combined with some sort of nutty wonderfulness.

"I call it the Almond Joy. You know, because sometimes you feel like a nut?" he grinned at the owlis