Ready or Knot (Operation Mate #1)

CHAPTER ONE

What luck, a parking spot right in front of his destination. After executing a passable parallel park between two cars, Will Dexter snapped a photo of his odometer to record his mileage later, then reached for his laptop bag. One last thing before leaving the car…

Will scooped out two blue pills from his cup holder and dry swallowed them.

Extra-strength suppressants. An Omega, he was nearing his heat cycle and as such tended to give off stronger scents close to his time.

His boss had advised him that one of the clients he’d meet today was an Alpha.

Nothing threatened a friendly business transaction more than sending a client into an accidental rut.

He’d arrived early for the eight o’clock appointment, well before the downtown parking fees went into effect, but he didn’t question working before Big Man Tech’s official hours of operation.

It wasn’t unusual in their industry, and Will guessed these clients wanted connectivity as soon as possible to allow for other pre-launch tasks to fall into place.

He looked forward to showing Phil and Gwen how to manage the multi-line phones and security system he would install today.

He also hoped to come away with his curiosity sated.

Greg Bigelow, his boss, had been cagey about what sort of business these people ran.

Hell, they didn’t have a name for the place yet.

“What is going on here?” A handwritten sign taped to the still-locked door read: Tech guy…

pls call b4 knocking. Will noticed activity deep within the office via the large storefront window.

A moving shadow streaked over the floor and shelving of the open back office.

The clients had asked for the early time slot, so what was the delay?

“Always do what a sign tells you,” he muttered, thumbing out the nine digits scratched out on the white paper. A deep, curt voice answered on the second ring, stroking hard down Will’s chest to his groin.

“Stallworth here,” the man said. Damn, so much sexy put into three syllables. This was the voice of a true Alpha. Thank all the gods for fast-acting suppressants, otherwise Will knew he’d become a puddle on the sidewalk.

Will held back his sigh and identified himself to Mr. Stallworth.

“Will, hey. You can call me Phil.” Phil’s voice turned friendlier. “I didn’t recognize the number, sorry about that. Are you on your way to the agency?”

Agency. Okay, a clue. Advertising, maybe, or local talent. “I’m actually…”

Phil cut in, “Of course you’re there. Duh. You saw the sign Gwen put up for me, right?” In the background a dog bayed and Phil excused himself for a second. “Now you know why I’m running late. That’s Radar. Pup’s got a bad earache, so I’m taking him to the vet.”

“Oh, poor guy. Sorry to hear it.” He supposed he could train Phil’s partner alone, but he preferred having all the players together at once.

“I assume we’re postponing. Would you be able to do this later in the morning?

I have no other clients scheduled until the afternoon, and I can hang around.

” He’d hole up in the coffee shop across the street and use his phone as a secure hotspot while he waited.

As Will said the words, though, he cringed.

Insensitive much? The man’s dog was sick.

Like Phillip Stallworth gave a flying fuck about learning how to check his doorbell camera from a remote app.

Fix this, his mind screamed, before Greg received feedback about his callousness. “Or I can come back another day.”

“It’s all good.” Phil kept a pleasant tone that washed away Will’s anxiety.

“The other reason I had you call was because Gwen decided to move up an interview with a prospective employee. She’s prepping the office for him now, which is why you’re talking to me.

You think you can start the training with her when she’s done, and I’ll pop in if I can and catch up?

Shouldn’t be more than thirty minutes, from what I got from her. ”

“Oh.” That explained the fast-moving shadows in the studio.

Will studied his reflection in the storefront window, noting how his red-blond hair frizzed.

He wore the length past his shoulders, and coupled with his sharp cheekbones and long eyelashes it contributed to his androgynous appearance.

Not a bad way for an available Omega to present, but he knew he looked a fright thanks to the early March wind gusting through him.

Will hurried up the call with Phil, agreeing to wait for a text to come in once somebody was free, and stepped out of the way of an oncoming pedestrian.

He had about half an hour before the street meters went into effect, and he made sure to bookmark the correct city department website on his phone so he could pay the fees online.

Across the street, The Daily Bean Cafe called to him with the soft glow of a neon demitasse cup hanging in its window. A second helping of coffee sounded good, and he’d skipped breakfast. Could he write off the meal as a business expense along with the parking?

Will sent a quick text to his boss to let him know the situation, and stepped into the short line queued at the brass-topped counter.

Scents of dark chocolate and roasted nuts tempted his olfactory sense, and the handsome barista flying solo at the register and espresso machines provided delicious eye candy.

His uniform of a dark blue polo and black full-body apron, matching his logoed visor, suited his lean frame, and when he turned to prepare a customer’s latte Will enjoyed the unobstructed view of his rounded ass filling the seat of his jeans.

Forget the muffins on display; Will salivated as he fantasized about face planting in that stack.

Fuck it all, he thought. I need to stop.

Will wasn’t actively looking for a mate, but his prolonged celibacy got on his nerves.

The horniness ramped up close to his heats, bringing with it all these unbidden thoughts.

Seemed every man he saw, or heard in Phillip Stallworth’s case, he assessed as a potential one-nighter.

He needed to get laid, if only to take the edge off.

Damn shame he lacked a steady friend with benefits to get him through his next heat.

When the last obstructing customer departed and cleared the path for Will, the glint of a gold ring with an Omega symbol on the barista’s pinky finger cooled his surging desires.

Well, damn. While no laws forbade two Omegas or Omegas and Betas from pursuing relationships or having a bit of fun with each other, this piece of jewelry had the look of commitment elsewhere.

He was getting ahead of himself, though. He’d come here for a drink and space to work. Time to tone down the other thirst.

Will smiled at the barista and ordered a hot hazelnut latte with, “... are these croissants filled?” he asked, and flicked his gaze to the man’s shiny nametag. Gabriel.

“Sure are. We have chocolate and almond today.”

Will ordered the chocolate one, warmed up, and paid for his order while Gabriel pointed out the silverware and napkins.

He found a table near an outlet and set up his remote office, first checking his email for any support tickets.

All clear in the realm of Big Man Tech’s clients, thank the deities, but one subject header inspired a roiling in his gut.

RE: Application for UX/UI Developer at The Bankhead Group

Ominous. Will tapped his finger on the laptop’s touchpad.

Much as he enjoyed working for Greg, the man ran a small operation.

He employed one other part-timer, and couldn’t yet offer insurance or retirement account options.

Will performed the occasional side hustle to make ends meet, but the prospect of a full-time job with benefits tugged at him.

Until he decided to seek a mate in earnest, he had to eat. The Bankhead Group, one of the largest marketing and consulting firms in the region, offered an amazing package and tuition reimbursement if Will decided to go to grad school.

Yet these perks, as evidenced from the message, were not available to Will.

He skimmed the contents of the email… we appreciate your interest…

many qualified candidates… will keep your information on file…

before trashing it. Blah blah blah. Will forgot for a moment that he sat in a public place, and cursed under his breath after slamming his fist on the round table.

“Well, that couldn’t have been good news.”

Will looked up with a start at Gabriel’s concerned expression. The barista held out his pastry order and a ceramic mug. “Sorry about that,” he said as he made room for his second breakfast. “Never fun to read a ‘thanks but no thanks’ mail.”

“Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, then became my own boss. Though there are times I question that last decision.” Gabriel gestured to the free chair as if to ask, May I?

Will looked around the cafe and realized all the other customers had cleared out.

He nodded and took Gabriel’s hand when extended.

“Gabe Ortiz, owner, chief barista, and vice-president in charge of everything.”

“Will Dexter, starving artist and digital maverick. Well, I was starving,” he said before a healthy bite of the croissant.

He studied Gabe’s chestnut brown hair, from the swept-back bangs to the short length behind his ears.

The color nicely complemented his gray eyes and skin tone, and even the slight red forehead blemishes added to his endearing appearance.

Gabe twined his fingers, resting them on the table by Will’s mug. The gesture put forward his Omega ring, quelling Will’s instinct to flirt.

“Hope you like it,” Gabe said. “Those came from Thyme And Again Bakery down the block. I usually bake cinnamon rolls and cookies in-store, but being short of staff has forced me to cut a few corners. Speaking of which, are you looking for work?”

“I’m never not looking.” He summarized his part-time situation and the multiple hats he wore around that job. “I don’t know that I’d excel as a barista, though, or a pastry chef,” he added, glancing at the espresso machine behind the counter. “I’m adept at a different type of hardware.”

Gabe laughed. “It’s not so intimidating if you’re properly trained.

You called yourself a starving artist. I’m still trying to perfect latte foam art.

” Case in point, he gestured to the lopsided white heart fading on the surface of Will’s mug.

“One day I’ll set out to draw a kitten and it’ll turn out like a giant wiener with whiskers. ”

“Hey, stuff like that goes viral on social. Sometimes it nets you a bit of business,” Will said, and his awareness of the cafe’s quiet status closed in on him. He reached for his back pocket where he kept a few business cards. “Are you, uh… is business slow lately?”

“It’s not bad, but you know what they say.

Always room for improvement. It hasn’t helped me that a number of local companies have moved employees to remote work, so fewer people come downtown during the week.

Oh.” Gabe blinked at the proffered card with Will’s name and personal number.

Thanking him, he held the small rectangle by the edges.

“I appreciate this, but I’m set up for Internet and I do have a website.

It’s one of those ‘freemium’ deals, bare bones hosting, nothing fancy. ”

Will searched for The Daily Bean on his laptop and picked up the site.

Simple template with stock photos, but not unattractive.

“Well, if ever you’re looking for functionality like online ordering,” he said because he couldn’t find it anywhere, “or search engine optimization so people searching for cafes will find you, I freelance. My rates are good.”

“Thanks for offering.” Gabe gave a grim smile.

“Maybe when I can spare the budget for marketing, unless you’ll work for free lattes?

” He stood, sighing, and quickly rejoined with, “No, you deserve to be paid. Anyway, there’s talk of bringing back the First Friday block parties in the summer, so maybe… ”

He paused, his attention on a figure across the street. Will followed Gabe’s gaze and understood the other man’s loss of concentration. He suffered it himself, seeing the very tall, broad-shouldered blond catching his breath while doubled over at the front door of Phillip Stallworth’s office.

Hello, Alpha, he thought, his gaze fixed on the tight rear-end of the man’s khakis.

This, he presumed, was the interview preceding his appointment.

Nice. He wouldn’t mind an interview of a different sort.

He had to laugh at himself, how his disappointment at losing a job to keep his independence faded at the sight of a potential mate.

Ugh. Stop it. This next heat needed to hurry up and pass like a bullet train so Will could focus. Chill, he admonished his raging Omega. Work first and play later, if at all.

Gabe, eyeing the man with a sparkle in his expression that spoke of Omega longing, leaned in to Will. “Nice view, huh?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Get you anything else?” he asked. “Glass of ice water?”

What perfect timing. “Please.”