Chapter 4
. . .
BEAU
A literal goddess greets me when I look up from my phone.
I forget how to breathe for a second. I think I’m smiling, but it’s hard to be aware of anything beyond my racing heart.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t her.
How could I have? My imagination isn’t good enough to conjure up an omega this stunning.
Her body is all softness and curves, her crimson dress clinging to her in a way that has my brain fuzzing and my blood sizzling.
There’s something sharp and vital in her dark eyes as our gazes meet.
If it weren’t so damn cliché, I’d say that it feels like I’ve been shot with Cupid’s arrow with how my chest aches.
Then I notice the displeasure in her expression before she can mask it.
Fuck.
This goddess is my date, and she doesn’t like what she sees.
She hesitates for a second, and I wonder if she was hoping to run away before I saw her.
My smile is weak as I force myself up from the barstool, my alpha retreating inside me to lick his wounds at immediately failing this omega. Most alphas would see it as a challenge, but I know when I’m outmatched.
We both take a step closer and her eyes widen a touch when my height becomes more apparent next to her much shorter frame.
She’s got heels on, but still only comes up to a little below my shoulder.
It makes a base part of me feel good, knowing I’m bigger.
Like that means I’d be able to protect her. Or toss her around in bed.
God, please don’t let her notice that my first thoughts are “me strong and big alpha who protect omega”. I know it’s hard-wired into my stupid lizard brain, but I don’t want to come off like some gross, posturing alpha douchebag.
“Ruby?” I ask, my voice an embarrassing hoarse croak.
She nods, giving me a pleasant, slightly flustered smile, like she’s having to force her brain to follow the script of meeting a blind date. “Hi! Yes, I’m Ruby. And I take it you’re Beau?”
Dammit, even her voice is sexy. Melodic and warm, like an intimate caress, even though I know she’s not trying to be seductive. It makes my brain short-circuit again, and I let out a low sound of affirmation, my throat still too goddamn dry to get my words to come out.
Her lips quirk into a lopsided smile. “Your parents did a good job naming you. Are you French?”
I blink at her, unable to tell from her playful tone if she’s joking or not. Did I misread her reaction to me? Does she think I’m handsome?
No, it has to be a joke. I’m decent looking, but she’s so far out of my league it’s comical.
I clear my throat, trying not to flush with embarrassment. “Uh, no. Not French. At least I don’t think so? I haven’t done one of those genealogy tests. I know I’m more Scandinavian than anything else.”
“I can totally see it. You’ve definitely got viking vibes.” Ruby laughs, low and with that slight teasing edge again, and the sound goes right to my dick.
Wait, does she think I’m attractive?
When I’m unable to say anything because I’m yelling at the blood in my body to stay up in my brain, Ruby’s smile falters.
We thankfully aren’t left to stand there basking in my awkwardness for very long. The host calls out for our party, and Ruby jolts, like she’d forgotten she had to sit at a table with me for the next hour or so.
“It’s not too late if you want to bail on me.” The self-deprecating words come out of me unbidden and I imagine Nadine bursting into the restaurant to flick me between the eyes for being so pathetic.
Ruby’s plush red lips droop into a slight frown.
Oh god, is she actually going to accept my offer? That would be a new low.
She lets out a heavy sigh and shrugs. “We’re already here, so we might as well?”
The question in her voice confuses me, and my brow furrows.
She steps up to the host and I follow, forcing myself to take some steadying breaths so I can try to get my shit together and maybe salvage this date from my terrible first impression.
I pointedly don’t let myself look at her ass or legs, even though my alpha is begging me to, because fuck, I bet they’re spectacular, but that will do the exact opposite of calming me down.
I’m so busy staring straight ahead that I almost knock right into an omega as he bends down from his chair to grab the napkin he dropped. I have to sidestep at the last second, and he gasps, eyes wide with alarm, like I’m some kind of giant who is about to crush him.
“Sorry!” I say with a grimace, before hurrying away to catch up with my date.
My brain is back online enough to pull her chair out for her, and she meets the gesture with a mildly surprised, “Oh, thank you.”
Then I go and ruin the effect of being smooth by bumping into the table with my hip as I sit down, knocking over one of the empty wine glasses. “Shit, sorry!”
Ruby rights her glass. “At least it didn’t have anything in it.”
“True.” I smile back at her as best I can, hating how my cheeks burn. At least my beard should hide some of the flush.
The host abandons us to our fate, telling us the waiter will be with us in a moment.
Ruby shrugs off her fuzzy jacket and I pray that the waiter comes soon because my throat feels like the desert.
Don’t look at her breasts.
My gaze drops despite my mental efforts, and I yank it away as fast as I can before she notices.
Fucking hell, she has perfect tits. Was that a tattoo?
Don’t look at them again!
“Welcome to Parlor!”
The waiter’s deep voice startles me out of my plight, and I look up from where I absolutely was looking at Ruby’s cleavage again to see a reedy, handsome beta smiling at us.
“My name is Jay, and I’ll be your server tonight. Have you dined with us before?”
Ruby smiles politely back at him, shaking her head. “No, but I’ve heard great things.”
The waiter glances at me for a split second before rightfully turning his focus back to the gorgeous omega across from me, and I mumble a gravelly “same.”
“You picked a perfect night to come. We have some really great Valentine’s Day specials. Are we celebrating something tonight?”
Tension suffuses my body at the innocuous question. Should I tell him it’s a blind date? Say that we’re a scent match, but I don’t think I’ll get another date because I’m a sweaty, mute mess.
“Delicious food, I hope,” Ruby replies with another one of her teasing, sexy laughs.
The waiter’s attention shifts even more to my date now that he knows I’m no one special to her. “I’m sure we can do that,” he says with a wink.
My alpha has the sudden urge to strangle him for flirting, but all I do is clear my throat. He doesn’t pay me any mind, rattling off an interminable list of specials and pointing out their extensive wine selection.
Ruby orders a glass of merlot, giving me a questioning look. “Unless you want to split a bottle of something?”
“No.” The word comes out harsh and awkward and I clear my throat again. “Sorry, thank you for asking, but I’m good with water.”
“Then just the glass,” Ruby says brightly to the waiter, who heads off to get our drinks.
“It’s not because I’m cheap,” I blurt.
Ruby blinks at me, her dark eyelashes distracting me as they brush against her cheeks. “What?”
“I didn’t want to split a bottle because I’m sober. Not because it’s too expensive and I’m trying to be stingy. Please get whatever you want.”
“Oh!” Understanding washes over her face. “I didn’t think that. But that’s good to know.”
She glances at the wine glass I knocked over earlier, then back up to me. “Would you prefer I didn’t drink? Because I’m going to be honest with you, I had a horrible experience on the walk here and I’d really like something to take the edge off so I don’t ruin our date.”
My alpha goes on high alert at the mention of her being distressed. “Of course, it won’t bother me at all. Are you alright?” An idiotic part of me wants to get out of my chair and go over to check her to make sure she’s not injured. I settle for a frown.
“Yeah.” She pauses, then reconsiders, shaking her head. “Actually, not really. But I’m not going to let it ruin things. It’s not your fault that some alphas are real pieces of shit.”
“What did they do?” My voice has a touch of a growl, my alpha rising further.
Ruby sighs, brushing one of the pink waves framing her face off of her shoulder. “Oh, you know, typical alpha stuff. Catcalling me because I’m in a tight dress and I was alone. Acting like they’re entitled to my attention and insulting me when I didn’t respond.”
I have to grip the napkin in my lap in a fist to keep from actually growling this time. “That’s horrible. No wonder you’re upset. Fuck, Ruby, that’s inexcusable. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to…”
I trail off, realizing I’m letting my alpha get too protective of a woman I don’t even know.
She raises her eyebrow. “Go on. What would you have done?”
Shit. No matter what I say, I’m going to look bad.
“Clearly, you handled it yourself,” I say, hedging, but stop when she starts to frown. “Honestly? I would’ve made them shut their mouths. Preferably by calling their shit out, but if that didn’t work, I would’ve done it with my fists.”
“Hmm.” Her expression is inscrutable.
“I know that makes me sound like some caveman alpha. I’m not a violent person. But if you threaten and harass someone, you don’t deserve courtesy.”
Her mouth twitches up at the corner. “Is it terrible if I say I agree? I would’ve really liked to punch them, but I just did my nails.” She holds her hand out for me to see her pink and white manicure.
Shit, did my dick just perk up at the idea of her handing some rude alphas their asses?
“Not terrible. I think you made the right call.” I reach over to inspect her nails. “They don’t sound worth ruining your acrylics.”
She chuckles, and there’s a frisson of awareness as her fingertips brush against mine.
Of course, that’s when the waiter returns, and she pulls away.
He pours Ruby’s wine, then fills our water glasses. “Ready to order?”
Crap, I didn’t even look at the menu. “Uhhh…”
Ruby laughs and picks hers up, scanning it quickly before shooting me a cheeky smile over the top of the menu that makes my stomach flutter. “Yes, I’d like the surf and turf, and can I get that with a side of the truffle mac and cheese?”
A grunt of laughter escapes me, and Ruby’s eyes sparkle even more.
She’s so fucking charming.
“Perfect, we can absolutely do that. And for you, sir?”
“Uh, I guess I’ll get that goat cheese and arugula salad special you mentioned, with…chicken?” It’s the only thing I remember him listing.
Ruby’s smile falls, and she scoffs softly.
“Got it.” The waiter taps his pad of paper with his pen. “I’ll get these put in with the kitchen.”
“Was that the wrong choice?” I ask, trying to assess what just happened.
She shakes her head, seeming to realize that her reaction was odd. “No, it’s fine. If that’s what you want, that’s great. Shit, sorry, I’m being such a hypocrite.”
“You are?”
“Yes. I’m judging your food choices. Which is the exact opposite of what someone should do on a date. Or ever. I guess between the whole sober thing and the salad, it made me worry you’re some kind of health nut.”
I look down at myself, and my padded, thick torso as she takes a sip of her wine. “Uh, no, definitely not a health nut. Maybe a mental health nut?” Wow, dude, way to be cringe.
“Oh really? How so?”
“Most of my life choices are made to help manage my, uh…my depression.”
Why did I say that? Mentioning you’re a recovering alcoholic with clinical depression is not first date material. I haven’t even found out anything about her family, or if she has pets, or her favorite color, or…anything normal!
For some odd reason, my answer makes her laugh. “But getting an overpriced salad is pretty fucking depressing, isn’t it?” She snorts at her own joke, eyes widening. “Sorry, that’s not funny.”
I grin back at her, feeling some of the tension ease out of my shoulders. “Yes, it is. And yeah, you’re right, but I panicked because I hadn’t looked at the menu and I didn’t want to copy you.”
“Why not? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Besides, you’re paying, Mr. ‘I’m not cheap’.”
My heart leaps as she leans forward to touch my arm playfully. I fail to avoid looking at her chest as she does, the neckline of her dress falling enough so that I can see that, yes, it is totally a tattoo peeking out of her cleavage.
An oddly familiar tattoo of a gray-scale dagger hilt.
Weird. Where do I recognize that from?
“Well, I’ll just have to get something less depressing the next time we have dinner.” It’s my pathetic attempt at flirting, but things could be going a lot worse, so it feels silly not to show her I’m interested.
“Definitely.”
Wait, really?
Ruby giggles and I realize I didn’t keep my surprise off my face at her easy acceptance of another date.
“Though to be honest, I don’t think there’s a chance I’ll be able to put away even half of what I ordered, so if you’re not opposed to sharing…”
I chuckle. “Not at all.”
“Do you like sharing?” She arches a brow at me, the innuendo clear.
I sputter. Not because of the flirtation. Well, yes, partially because of it, but also because hearing her speak in that intimate tone reminds me exactly why her tattoo is familiar.
A dagger-pierced heart resting between two full teardrop breasts that sway in time with her thrusts as she fills the moaning omega beneath her, the camera angle cutting off to conceal her face.
Holy shit. There’s no fucking way.
Ruby’s flirty demeanor fades a bit.
“Was that too forward?”
I shake my head, struggling to unstick my tongue and say something coherent. “No, uh, I don’t mind.”
“Forward omegas? Or sharing?”
“B-both.” If she only knew how much I don’t mind both, she’d probably bail on this date. Sweat beads on my brow as I struggle to act casual.
What the fuck do I do?
My date is NestConfessions. My scent match is the omega I’ve been jerking off to and trying not to become obsessed with for years.