8. Alejandro
Alejandro
I t took everything in my being not to drag Ember off to the supply closet. It was the only place I could think of that we’d have some semblance of privacy.
But there was a wary look on her face, breaking through her delight, and that gave me pause.
Ten months ago, I’d caught her scent on Sunshine, and I was a goner.
I’d gone home to my little apartment and fought not to go into a rut. I’d jerked off so many times I’d felt raw, but nothing quenched the need for her.
But I had a front-row seat to Logan’s courtship of Sunshine. I gathered the tragedy of losing their parents left its mark on them.
I also knew I was hardly the best catch. I wasn’t ugly, and omegas seemed to like my scent, but I worked thirteen-hour days, six days a week. I could hardly court her properly. Then I found out she had a male omega partner. She smelled amazing, but she didn’t have an alpha.
That meant the other alphas were fucking up. Royally. They had to be complete idiots to not be worshiping the ground the two omegas walked on.
I promised myself then and there I would court Ember and West, but slowly.
I didn’t mean to make it six months of slowly wooing her the best way I knew how: food.
But Sunshine mentioned on occasion that she would have to get Ember to come over.
When that never happened, I took that as a sign that Ember wasn’t ready.
The omega knew where I worked, and when she was ready, she’d come see me.
Now that that day had finally come, I realized my hubris.
I did not have a next step in my brilliant Woo the Omegas plan.
Feed them, yes. Flirt, also that. Her lemon pound cake scent was making my mouth water, and fantasies of picking her up and eating her out right on the counter played out in my mind.
I pushed my thoughts out of the gutter. Cooking with a hard-on wasn’t on my top ten list of most comfortable activities. “What would you like for lunch? It’s nice to be able to ask for your opinions.”
She smiled, her big blue eyes watching my every move with hunger that had nothing to do with food. “I’ve loved everything you made.”
That made my alpha preen. She liked it all.
“And West?” I raised an eyebrow. “It’s okay to have cravings.”
“We’re both happy to have a delicious meal. Much better than ramen or peanut butter and jelly. Or cereal.”
I made a pained noise. “No, mama, we’re not doing that again.”
This woman was going to drive me nuts. Cereal for dinner? Hell no. Not on my watch.
I pulled some steaks out, a half-baked idea forming in my head. I glanced at Joey and Brianna. They had the service in hand, but I wanted to make sure before I completely went off on my own cooking.
A quick glance at Logan and Sunshine showed the two of them looking pleased with themselves. Matchmaking jerks. I supposed, given where Sunshine worked, it was only a matter of time.
“What do you like to do?” Ember leaned against the counter.
“I basically live here.” I chuckled. “I’m boring when I get home. I play video games or watch movies and then go to bed and come here. Sometimes I experiment with food.”
She gestured at the steaks. “Are you going to eat lunch with me?”
“If I’m invited.” I sent her a sly look. She looked intrigued, but her shoulders were still stiff, like she was ready to bolt.
I could wait. I’d spent six months with her scent haunting me. Although now that I met her, my control was about to be severely tested.
“Of course you’re invited. Sunshine says there’s a little chef table around here?”
“Sure is.” I gestured in front of us, to the side of the serving window.
It was a tiny two-seater table we used for breaks, or when significant others came to visit.
Joey’s pack stopped by to see him from time to time, and Logan was cool about letting us have visits with our loved ones.
He knew better than most of us how grueling the chef’s life could be on your personal life.
Most of us chose not to have a personal life, but I was starting to see why Logan pulled back from working so much. We’d been in a kitchen together for almost ten years, and that man was like a brother I never had.
“That sounds fun.” She perked up. “It’s cute.”
“It is. Louise, Brianna’s alpha, likes to bring flowers in.”
“I can do that.” Ember’s face lit up, and it felt like I’d been punched. “My cousin Luna grows beautiful flowers. You should come see them.”
“I should. Only the best flowers for our chef’s table.”
“Exactly.” Ember eyed what I was doing on the stovetop.
I added some eggs.
“Where did you learn how to cook?”
“Hawaii.” A small pang of homesickness hit me.
I loved California, loved being closer to my dad’s side of the family, but I missed the island life too.
At least I still had the ocean. “My dad was in the Air Force, one of the first Mexican American pilots there. Met Mom, who’s Hawaiian, while he was there and fell in love.
I grew up there but traveled a lot to Mexico or California.
I went to culinary school in Honolulu, and then Logan took a chance on a punk kid fresh out of school for his new restaurant. ”
“Don’t let him lie like that,” Logan hollered across the restaurant. “He pulled my ass out of the fire.”
“Ooooh, give me the details.” Ember’s eyes gleamed.
“Logan’s chef partner pulled out at the last minute—a week before opening—and left. I stepped in to help.”
It had been a chaotic time. Logan was a world-renowned chef, and I was fresh out of culinary school.
I was certain I was going to royally screw up and let Logan down.
Somehow, I didn’t. I made mistakes, of course, but the real work was just being there sometimes seven days a week for weeks at a time.
“Boy, did I learn a lot.” I chuckled.
“I bet you did.” Ember gave me an appreciative look, watching me move around the stove. Years of muscle memory kicked in and I didn’t have to pay strict attention to what I was doing. The steaks were browning nicely. I basted them with herbs and butter.
“What do these guys know about you from working with you that most people won’t?” Ember gestured at the room at large. She seemed curious but her posture was still stiff, and I wondered if she would have relaxed better if we’d been alone.
Of course, it would have been much harder to keep my hands to myself if we were alone.
I thought about it. Some piece of information people who worked with me would know wasn’t immediately obvious. “I’m a neat freak but in oddly specific ways.”
“Yeah, you are,” Joey said, shaking his head. He was bald with many tattoos, looked more like a biker than chef. “Like, the man organizes his eggs in a certain way.”
I blushed, but only a little. “It makes sense to rotate the fresh eggs from the older ones.”
“Like the eggs actually sit there long enough to get less fresh than a few hours.” Joey shook his head.
Ember looked pleased with this sort of information. She looked less guarded, and her beauty was more radiant. It stole my breath.
“I also rotate my wardrobe by day of the week. It’s all clean, but I have stripes or checks, and I switch them out.”
“That’s adorable. I bet you also want the dishwasher loaded a certain way.”
“Guilty, carina. It gets the plates cleaner.” I flipped our steaks.
“He takes every dish personally.” Joey leaned against the countertop. “Like, every chef make food for passion, right? But Al here acts like the Queen of England is going to eat off every plate he puts up.”
“Awwww.” Ember melted. “I love that you love what you’re doing.”
“Have to,” I said, suddenly embarrassed. “It’s long work otherwise.” Joey was helping me out, but also damn, the guy went straight for the jugular. I plated our food and sat with Ember at the chef’s table.
I asked her about work, and she told me about her clients. No names, of course, but she talked about the process.
She took a bite of food and groaned. “This is perfect. How do you always know what I want?”
I gave her my best winsome smile. “I aim to please, mi vida.” I’d watched my father woo my mother, even after years of marriage, and it was through worshiping the ground she walked on.
I could do that, especially for this omega.
“So have you considered signing up for Cosmic Bonds?” She smirked, like this was a test of some sort.
“Is your profile in there?” I looked hopeful. “Because I’m not out here dating just anyone.”
“My profile isn’t live,” she said. “I’m there to help clients, not date them.”
“Guess I’m glad I’m not a client then,” I said.
She smiled, her shoulders relaxing, and it felt like I’d passed. Maybe. I didn’t know why she was skittish, but that was okay. I could work with wary, especially when she smiled at me like that.
We finished our food, and then the kitchen got slammed again.
“I have to go, carina, my apologies.” I glanced at the tickets coming in.
“It’s fine.” She patted the to-go box I’d made for West. “I have to head down to San Francisco anyway, so I’ll deliver this.”
“Very kind.” I stuffed my hands in my pockets. It was that or pull her into a kiss, the audience be damned.
She lingered, looking between me and the door, like she was waiting for something.
“Will I see you again? Are you coming back?” I could ask for her number, but that felt too forward, almost too on the nose.
“I can. I could give you my number so you can ask direct questions about cravings and stuff.” Her cheeks grew red. “If you want. I mean, you don’t have to.”
“I’d love to,” I said, feeling like I’d successfully navigated the awkwardness of finally meeting the omega whose scent had me out of my mind.
I pulled out a Post-it note I’d written some meat temps on, and wrote my number. “That’s me, if you want to reach out.”
Ember put it into her phone right away, and texted me, “This is Ember.”
I pulled my phone out, showing her the text. “Got it.”
Ember gestured at the line. “Thanks for letting me crash your morning.”
“Any time.” I winked. “Sundays are extra slow in the morning. We do inventory.”
“Good to know.”
She headed out and the rest of the kitchen held their breath. I hopped into my station, and even Logan was grinning.
“All right, you busybodies.” I huffed. “Get back to work.”
“Yes, chef,” Logan said with a smirk. Sunshine’s innocent look was too practiced.
Now to figure out when I should text Ember without making her feel pressured.
It was clear I’d have to move slowly, but that was okay. I had all the time in the world, especially for what mattered.