Chapter 166: Mashed Potatoes, Cheek Kisses, and Very Bad Promises
Kayden
I heaved a deep sigh as I stared blankly at the door, still trying to figure out what had just happened.
After a moment of silence, I finally spoke up. "Leo didn’t mean it that way... He’s just scared."
Rhys leaned against the wall, his arms crossed and his expression thoughtful. "Miller looked betrayed because he finds it hard to trust anyone. And trusting Leo... Only to find out he’s been keeping something this big from him? That must have hurt him."
I ran a hand through my hair, heaving another sigh as I felt frustrated and worried at the same time. "How do we even help them? They’re both so stubborn."
Rhys pushed off the wall and walked closer to me. "We’ll figure it out. Let them cool off and moreover they care about each other too much to let this destroy what they have."
Before I could say anything else, my stomach let out a loud embarrassing rumble.
Rhys raised an eyebrow, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Hungry?"
I nodded. "Starving, actually."
"I’ll go grab something from the cafeteria for you," he said, already turning toward the door.
"No," I quickly replied, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. "I have been staying on the bed for too long. I want to get out of this bed for a bit. Is that okay?"
Rhys hesitated, his eyes scanning me carefully. "You sure you are fine? Should you be moving?"
"I am already feeling better," I insisted. "I just need to move a little instead of staying on this bed."
Rhys didn’t argue further. Instead, he moved to my side, carefully helping me stand while making sure the IV pole rolled smoothly beside us. His arm stayed wrapped securely around my waist as we slowly made our way out of the room and down the quiet hospital hallway.
The walk to the elevator felt longer than it should have, but having Rhys so close made everything feel magical.
We stepped into the elevator, and a few moments later we were heading into the almost-empty cafeteria on the ground floor.
The cafeteria was pretty quiet this late in the evening. There were only two people in the whole place.
Rhys went through the buffet line with me, patiently adding whatever I pointed at onto the plate — some grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and a small bowl of soup.
Now that I was cleared to eat, I wanted to eat so much food.
Once Rhys was done serving the food, he carried the tray over to an empty table by the window and helped me sit down comfortably.
"Go ahead and start eating," he said, sliding the tray toward me.
I glanced at the food, then looked up at him with a little smile. "My hands feel kind of empty now... I think I can only eat if someone feeds me," I pouted.
Rhys let out a soft chuckle, his eyes warming instantly. "Gladly." He picked up the fork and speared a piece of chicken. "Feeding my boyfriend is honestly the best thing ever."
He brought the fork to my lips. I leaned forward and took the bite, holding his gaze the whole time.
When I swallowed, he smiled, that crooked smile that always made something flutter in my chest. "Good?" he asked, already preparing the next bite.
"Mhm, really good," I replied, smiling back.
He mixed some mashed potato with vegetables and offered it to me.
As I ate, he chuckled again, shaking his head lightly. "Look at you, letting me take care of you like this. I could definitely get used to this version of Kayden."
I laughed softly. "Don’t get too cocky, Captain."
"Too late," he teased, his voice low and warm. He reached over and gently wiped the corner of my mouth with his thumb, letting his touch linger for a second. "Feeding my omega, watching you enjoy it... yeah, this is quickly becoming my favorite thing."
I rolled my eyes, not because I was annoyed but because deep down, I enjoyed every moment with him.
Our eyes kept meeting between bites and every time he brought the fork to my lips, I held his gaze, and he gave me that soft affectionate look that made it seem as if we were the only ones in the world.
When I purposely let my lips brush his fingers, he let out another quiet chuckle.
"You’re dangerous when you’re like this," he murmured, the amusement clear in his voice. "One second I’m trying to feed you properly, and the next I just want to pull you into my lap and forget we’re in public."
I grinned and winked. "Then maybe you should feed me faster."
Rhys laughed and shook his head. He loaded another bite onto the fork and pointed it toward me. "Bossy little omega. Alright... open up."
"Yes, Ice Captain," I responded, placing my hand on his and caressing it gently.
Rhys chuckled but said nothing. He looked around the cafeteria quickly, checking if anyone was watching. When he saw that the two distant people were busy with their own meals and no one was paying attention to our corner, he leaned in closer. He pressed a soft, lingering kiss to my cheek, his warm breath brushing against my skin for a moment before he pulled back with a small, satisfied smirk.
I smiled shyly, heat rising to my cheeks, and whispered, "I would love to get it on my lips next time."
Rhys’s eyes darkened with clear hunger. He leaned in even closer, his voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper that sent shivers down my spine. "Once we get back to Oak City, I’m going to do a lot of bad things to you, baby. Very bad things."
My face turned red immediately as the heat rose to my cheeks and all I wanted in that moment was to jump on his lap and straddle him, but he had already promised. "I will be waiting," I muttered silently.