Chapter Fifteen
Eryx
I had brand new seats in the theaters. Custom upholstered seats that were a work of art on their own. Walls, other than the mural, were painted. New sconces had been installed on the walls. New flooring.
But all I could do was stare at the mural. I was dead on my feet. The week in the city and dealing with my father had taken it out of me, mentally, and sometimes that was more tiring than physical work.
If I hadn’t been resolved in sticking with the dream of opening the theater before, I was now.
My dad proved to me that I had no place in the city or in that law firm.
Truly, unless he apologized or changed his ways, he had no place in my life anymore.
I would always love him, but there were new people in my life who had my best interests in heart.
Like Joaquin.
I grabbed a step stool one of the workers had left behind, intending to return tomorrow, put it in front of the mural, and took a seat.
Staring at the masterpiece, I tried to take it in slowly, wondering what parts he did and which ones others worked on.
Goddess, it must’ve taken hours. Days. Did they get started as soon as I left?
I stood, even though everything in my body was begging me to rest, and examined it closely.
The big blockbuster movies were well-represented but, in between, painted between big names and faces and characters were more little-known movie titles.
Musicals and black and white stars had even made their splash on the life-size tribute to movies across history.
If I had commissioned this piece, it would’ve taken months to finish, thousands of dollars, but wouldn’t have meant as much to me as this one.
The fact that my omega’s hands had been here. He’d sunk his heart and soul into making my theater a place that would brand memories for all of those who came in, meant everything.
He’d done this for me. Created priceless artwork. For me.
“Eryx?” A hand landed on my shoulder as I stood inches from the beautiful wall, and I jumped a thousand feet in the air.
“Joaquin?” I yelled, pressing my hand flat to the center of my chest. “You scared me.”
“I did call out. You were…focused.” He stood so close. His smell enveloped me. The place held the scents of all the work being done. Fabric and paint and flooring and all the chemicals and work done to install those things, but above it was him.
My mate smelled like home. And of popcorn, caramel, and salt.
“I was entranced. Mesmerized. I can’t take my eyes off of…” I turned my head to look at him and was captivated by something ten times more beautiful than his art. “Goddess, you’re beautiful.”
Instant blush. “So are you, alpha.”
Hearing him call me that…the words darted straight down to my cock. “You came back.” It came out as a whisper. This moment was important. My wolf and I both felt the weight of it.
“I did. I forgot something.”
“What is it?” I looked around, wanting to help him.
Joaquin let out a laugh, more of a giggle. “I can’t remember now.”
“Oh. Can I walk you home? No. Scratch that. I don’t want to walk you home.”
He stepped forward and surprised the hell out of me by grabbing my shirt in both hands and tugged me against him. “What do you want, Eryx? Tell me what you want, alpha.”
I’d never been so turned on in my life. “I want to kiss you.”
“I’ve wanted to kiss you for days. I missed you while you were gone, which was crazy because we didn’t know each other and you turned me and my popcorn down flat.”
“Not you,” I whispered, cupping his face in my hands, rubbing his skin with my thumbs. “Not you, omega.”
He snorted. “Just my popcorn.”
“It was business, baby. But it all turned out well, right?”
His eyes searched mine for something. We weren’t saying the thing out loud. From his scent and my wolf’s instincts, we were on the same page.
“It did, but I need something from you, Eryx.”
My voice dropped an octave from the thickness of lust. “What do you need, omega? Tell me. All of it.”
“I have a confession first.”
I growled, low and deep. “Go on.”
“When they installed the seats, all I could think about was me and you making out in the back of the theater like a couple of teenagers on a date.”
I grabbed his hand. “Then let’s make that happen.”
“Wha…Eryx. We can’t.”
“Why not? It’s my theater. I’ll make out with my omega if I want to. Anytime I want to.”
He stopped and let go of my hand. “Say it again.”
“It’s my theater.” I knew good and well what he wanted to hear, but he was so easy to tease.
“You know what I mean.” A slight whimper in his voice broke me. Guilt flooded me. Teasing my omega was not nice.
“I’ll make out with my omega in my theater anytime I want to.”
“Yours?” he asked.
“Is that okay?”
He let out a long sigh. “It’s very good since you’re my mate. I’m sure of it.”
We didn’t make it to the theater but I promised to make it up to him. I kissed him there, pressed up against the concessions counter. He tasted like he smelled. Like caramel popcorn and salt and all the things I loved about movies and life.
“Alpha,” he said, breaking away breathlessly. “Take me somewhere. Your house. My house. Somewhere.”
“Which one?” I asked, running my hand across his hardness.
“Whichever is closest and has a bed.”