18. Ben
Ben
I was going to die.
I didn’t know who I’d pissed off in a former life, but this was my torture. Maybe I didn’t pet enough kittens or save enough orphans from burning buildings.
Either way, Ember kept perfuming around me and gave me no sign that she wanted me to do anything about it. She laughed off any mention I made about a date.
I could pick up signals. I was blind, not dense. But I was in the area for a meeting. Okay, it was on the outskirts of San Francisco, but still. I wanted to see her.
I didn’t expect to get jealous when I scented another alpha on her. She was allowed to date whomever she chose, but I wanted to be on the list. I wanted to be one of the alphas vying for her attention, and I wasn’t sure how much longer I was going to be able to play it casual.
I’d have to work on Rian some more, make him see that just because Ember had another omega didn’t mean they wouldn’t want him.
Until then, I suffered. Ember’s lemon cake scent was strong in the car, enough that I almost rolled a window down.
I also considered telling her to pull over by the side of the road so I could fuck her, but something told me that would be the wrong direction, even if she wanted me as much as I wanted her.
Something was holding her back, keeping her aloof, and I didn’t think it was only Rian’s grumpy attitude. Until I figured out what that was, I couldn’t take any steps forward.
She deserved to be courted, not just overwhelmed by sexual chemistry. Our scents being compatible was a great indication that we would do well together, but I was also old enough to know she deserved more than a fuck by the side of the road.
No matter how good it would feel.
“Where are we going?” I pulled out my phone, getting ready to pull the menu up.
“What do you like?” She fiddled with the dial. She had music playing, and the song flipped over to classic rock and roll.
I would have been a goner based on how amazing she smelled and her energetic personality, but she had excellent taste in music. I was ready for her and West to move in.
Maybe that was the next step. She wouldn’t want to move too quickly without getting her omega partner on board. Judging by his milk and honey scent on her, it wouldn’t be a problem for me, but better to reassure both omegas.
All the omegas. I frowned. Rian would need to meet him too.
“I like lots of stuff. Thai food. Italian. Chinese. Steak.” I shrugged. “I’m not picky.”
“There’s a French bistro called Pascal’s,” she said. “It’s got, like, fancy sandwiches and really good fries. Brunch food too. It’s sort of upscale but they’re not going to judge us for wearing jeans.”
“Sounds delicious.” I pulled the menu up on my phone and listened to the voice-to-text read it out loud.
“Mmm, hearing the food is making me hungry.” She shifted in her seat, and I heard cars passing by.
The music flipped to a heavy techno beat and I beamed. Her taste in music grew better and better the more I listened to her playlists. “You like EDM?”
“I wasn’t kidding when I said I liked all sorts of music.” Ember’s voice lit up like it had when we were talking about Evermore West.
“We listened to all the Evermore West albums, by the way.” I was glad my brain finally used enough juice to give me smart things to say that weren’t “how soon can you strip so we can do naked things together?”
“What do you think?” She sounded hopeful. “I’m not a snob, by the way. You don’t have to love it just because I do.”
“I do love it,” I said. “It was a really good blend of sounds. I also enjoyed how different the two albums were. Love it when a band feels free to experiment.”
“Right?” Ember shifted in her seat again, sending more sweet lemon cake my way. I adored how she never seemed to sit still. “Like Moon and Magnolias. She still sounds like herself, but each new album is her exploring more pieces.”
“Exactly.” The techno song repeated the beat, and I tapped my fingers in time. “I like EDM a lot. Those weird mixes you find on YouTube and SoundCloud where it’s just a few dubs looped over and over?” I grinned. The guilty pleasure of the EDM world. “It’s good music.”
“My biggest concern is when I find those amazing mixes, but since they’re not official, you can’t buy them.” Ember sounded like she was pouting. “What happens if they get taken down? What will I do then?”
“They will live on in your heart?” I asked with a smirk.
“I’ll die if I can’t listen to my favorite songs over and over.”
“And what are those?” I prized how much she loved music. I didn’t expect talking to her to be so easy, but it was.
“It changes based on my mood, but right now we’ve looped back into my weepy teen years. Lots of Evermore West, Burns, and some operatic metal like Shadowlore.”
“Gotta love the weepy teen years,” I said, almost giving Rian away.
Rian felt guilty whenever he met a fan, like he was personally responsible for them being sad he hadn’t made another album. I held my tongue, and we spent the rest of the drive talking about music. It was over way too fast.
“I’m going to park in the parking garage,” Ember said, sounding distracted. The same way Rian sounded when he was driving in the city. “Between you and me, I suck at parking on the street.”
“Oh, me too,” I replied. “Parallel parking is the worst.”
“You’re joking, but you’d probably do a better job than me,” Ember said. The car bumped over a little rise I associated with parking garages. The echo of the tires on pavement changed as we entered the covered building, and she parked a minute later. “It’s a short walk to Pascal’s.”
I got out of the car and snapped my cane open. I tapped in front of me, trying to figure out how close the next car was, but found empty space next to us.
Ember’s voice came closer. “I made sure you had room on your side, that no one was parked there.” She sounded uncertain, but it was a thoughtful gesture.
Something that didn’t make me feel like she questioned my ability to dress myself, but helpful.
“Thank you.” I tapped the cane around, getting a feel for her car on my left and the empty parking space to the right. The sound of the cane echoed, so we were definitely in a covered parking garage.
“I’m sorry if I ask dumb questions…” She trailed off, her voice softer.
“You can’t ask me dumb questions.” I would have moved forward, but even though she sounded like she was standing close by, I didn’t want to hit her shoe with my cane. “You already gave yourself the primer, so anything else is just…clarifying? Right?”
I couldn’t explain to her how much of a difference it made that she did some basic research. I didn’t expect sighted people to know everything about being visually impaired. Just knowing she wasn’t going to offer to pray for me or ask why I didn’t get LASIK was a relief.
“Yes,” she said, sounding a little bit more confident. “I haven’t trained how to be a sighted guide, but do you want me to? Or would using your cane be easier? I’m okay with either. I’m not ashamed of your cane or anything.”
By the end she was rushing through her words, and I laughed. “I’m going to use my cane either way, but if you want to offer your elbow, I won’t say no to the excuse to touch you.”
“Okay.” Her voice was back to sounding amused. “What should I do?”
“First you ask if the visually impaired person prefers right or left,” I said. “Hold your arm close to your body, at a right angle. It’s easier to go up and down stairs that way.”
“Do you prefer right or left?” she said, her voice taking on a lighter tone.
“Since we’re walking on the sidewalk, being on your left will be easier. I’m right-handed, but I can use my cane in either hand.”
“Okay.” I felt her hand on my forearm, and the urge to slide my hand up her body was overwhelming.
I moved my right hand down to her elbow, on her left side. I hooked my cane in my arm and touched her shoulder with my left hand. “Check our alignment, making sure I’m facing the same way you are.”
“Take your time.” Her scent got stronger, her voice husky.
I almost muttered about taking my time but restrained myself. Woo the omega , I told myself. You’re not a horny teenager anymore. You only have one chance to get this right .
The thought calmed some of my baser hormones, and I slid my hand down her arm.
It was the first time I was allowed to touch her, and I was hungry for each bit of knowledge of her body. I wanted to map her as thoroughly as I’d mapped Rian. My omega had a mole right above his left butt cheek, and I could have talked about where it was the same as any sighted person.
Her scent grew stronger, and I moved my left hand down her sleeve, seeking bare skin. Stupid winter months. If we were doing this in the spring, she wouldn’t be wearing a jacket.
I reached her wrist, and I brushed my thumb against her skin. Our sides were touching, so I felt her slight intake of breath. I moved my thumb up a little bit, puzzled when I hit a rough bump.
Maybe a scar? It was a thick band of tissue that ran into her sleeve. I started to follow it; most people’s wrists were smooth just above their hand. She flinched and stepped to the side.
“Sorry, sorry.” Her scent turned burnt in an instant and I cursed myself for being an insensitive idiot. “That was rude. I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay.” She sounded shaky. “It’s a scar. It’s not like it’s a secret.”
“I shouldn’t have touched you like that.” I wondered what sort of injury would leave behind a thick band of scar tissue on her arm. “I’m an idiot.”
“It’s okay. What do I do next?” She stepped closer to me again, so we were lined up like before, with her shoulder in line with my opposite shoulder.
I tapped my cane around a little bit, just to get her used to having it at her side.
“Now you can walk normally.”
She started moving, still hesitantly, like she was afraid she’d lose me. It was adorable, and I wanted to pull her into a hug.