Chapter Nine #2
Excitement zinged through my veins. I really wanted to see him again, making all my wariness from earlier disappear. It was hard to keep it all from my co-workers, especially when they asked why I was smiling so much since I returned from lunch.
***
After Desmond parked in the lot on the far side of Vista Park, we strolled along the north path.
Normally the walkways were lit up by lanterns all along the way, but with the holidays, the city added white lights strung through the trees to give the park a more festive feeling and to provide more light during the darkest time of the year.
The snow from earlier in the month was still around, but we hadn’t gotten any new snowfall since when I’d first met Desmond.
It was cold, though not enough that I wanted to go somewhere else.
I enjoyed walking with the alpha. Janice had said he was depressed earlier in the day, but I hadn’t seen anything but a smile on his face since he’d picked me up.
I probably wore the same expression, as butterflies fluttered through my stomach.
I didn’t know when an appropriate time would be to invite Desmond to my parents’ house for Christmas or even if it was a good idea.
Would he think I was moving too fast? I’d already met his grandparents.
Would he even want to? I’d asked my dad for permission on a whim after feeling sorry for the alpha, but that didn’t mean it was a good idea.
When Desmond reached for my gloved hand, I gasped and jumped.
“Sorry.” He moved his hands behind his back. “I thought…”
I reached for his closest hand. “It’s okay. I was just thinking, lost in my thoughts.”
“Good thoughts?” he asked, intertwining his fingers with mine.
“Yes. About you.” I leaned into his shoulder as my cheeks warmed. “I really enjoy your company.”
“After Saturday, I was worried I’d done something wrong.”
“No.” I squeezed his hand in both of mine, standing in front of him. “The party was overwhelming for me. A world of people I never expected to ever spend time with. I needed time and space to recover. I’m sorry if I made you believe anything else.”
“I get it.” He let go of my hand and rubbed his palms up and down my arms. “I still don’t feel like a part of that world after the decade and a bit since I learned my grandfather was the CEO of Adan Records. The naked omega and alpha in the hall was quite the shock for me, too.”
“But you work with these people. It’s not as if you were only invited because you were family.” I rested my hands on his hips, needing to touch him, too.
Leaning forward, he kissed the top of my toque. “It’s a little more complicated than that. I don’t work directly with any of the artists. Not when I still deal with the shame of what my father did.”
“Why?” I gripped his shoulders and stared into his eyes. “He obviously hurt you and your mom. And you weren’t involved in what he did.”
He glanced away. “But I’m only there because of what he did and who he hurt.”
I snuggled against his chest. “I doubt your grandfather would have hired you if he didn’t think you were qualified for the position. And both of your grandparents seemed very proud of you at the party.”
Wrapping his arms around me, Desmond released a heavy breath. “Sorry for dumping all my trauma on you. Let’s keep walking and decide what to eat.”
We held hands as we continued, passing the outdoor ice rink where many families, friend groups, and couples both young and old, skated with varying degrees of success.
“Do you skate?” Desmond asked.
“Oh no.” I shook my head. “Not since I was in elementary school, and I wasn’t that good then.”
He shrugged with a soft chuckle. “Good. That way, I don’t have to pretend to be any good on those things. It’s been just as long since I’ve been on a rink, too.”
We walked on and I felt the most comfortable I’d ever been around any alpha who wasn’t family. There was something about him that pulled me in, that felt right.
When we arrived at the food trucks, he looked at me. “You pick. Whatever you want.”
Even if this was a date, I’d fully expected to pay for my own meal. I hadn’t wanted to make any assumptions yet wouldn’t refuse Desmond’s offer. “I’ve heard the grilled cheese place is really good and has something for everyone.”
“You got it.” Desmond rested his hand on the small of my back as we headed toward a black food truck with Mac’s Gourmet Grilled Cheese in gold script on the side.
There were ten sandwiches to choose from on the menu, including predator and prey options.
I chose the Spinach Pesto Swiss Grilled Cheese, while Desmond picked one called ABC, which had apple butter, bacon, and cheddar cheese.
They were quick in getting our sandwiches to us and even provided little cups so we could get a selection of the dipping sauces from the pump bottles on a table beside the truck.
Desmond found an empty table, and we sat to eat. I had to take off my gloves, but the warm sandwich helped my fingers from getting too cold.
“So, are you off tomorrow?” Desmond asked after licking a string of cheese from his finger.
I shook my head and swallowed the food in my mouth. “No. I have to work in the morning. It’s the last day of handing out food and toys. Then I’m off until the new year. What about you?”
“I could go in, but there’s nothing to do unless there’s some unforeseen problem. No one is on tour right now. Not until mid-January. And everything for them has been arranged. Plus, all the holiday specials were pre-recorded. If I went in, I would likely be the only one.”
I nodded while finishing my sandwich, trying to find a way to lead into asking him about his plans for Christmas.
Desmond took our waste to the bins then returned to me and held out his hand. “Ready to walk some more?”
Smiling, I grabbed his hand. I didn’t see the patch of ice under my feet, and I started to fall.
Desmond pulled me into his chest and held me tight. “I’ve got you.”
My reindeer leapt with an excitement I hadn’t felt since my first shift.
There was something about Desmond that had both of us thrilled to be in his presence.
He loosened his hold on me and gazed into my eyes with an intensity that made my body simmer.
I rose up onto the tips of my toes, hoping he understood what I wanted.
When his lips met mine, it was pure magic.
All hesitation disappeared, and I felt his need as much as he fulfilled mine.
If anyone watched us, I didn’t care. Desmond captivated me in a world all our own, one I never wanted to leave.
When he slowly pulled away, I gasped at the return to reality and the need to breathe.
“You okay?” he asked, still holding me.
I chewed on my bottom lip and nodded. “Yeah, but I have a question for you. What are you doing for Christmas?”
Desire left his features as he furrowed his brows and tilted his head. “Um, nothing. I don’t really do Christmas.”
“Oh.” I took his hands in mine and gently squeezed them. “Janice told me you’d be alone for the holidays, and I didn’t want you to be, so I asked my parents if you could join me there for Christmas dinner. If you want to.”
He pursed his lips and wrinkled his nose but didn’t respond.
“If you want to. Don’t worry if it’s not your thing, or too soon. I know we only started dating. If we’re even dating. I’m not sure what to call us.”
Pulling me into his chest again, he kissed the top of my head. “I would love to.”
I thought I felt a sob wrack through his body as he sniffled. Reactions most alphas would never admit they experienced. I liked that Desmond felt comfortable enough to express his emotions around me, even if he wouldn’t let me look at him.
I rubbed his back. “Dinner is at six, but we open presents earlier for my niece and nephew.”
Relaxing, he held onto the backs of my arms. “You’re going to have to let me know who all is going to be there. I can’t come empty-handed.”
I pressed my palm to his chest. “You don’t need to bring anything. There will be plenty of food and I’m sure my family will love you.”
Love. An emotion I’d never experienced before for anyone other than family. I wondered if it was possible to love someone so soon after meeting them, because Desmond made my heart soar and my reindeer leap and prance.