Chapter Thirteen
Blaze
Darsh came to pick me up, even though we were going to his place for dinner. I called him old-fashioned. He called it being a good alpha.
I hadn’t ever known a good alpha. Couldn’t say that anymore.
He even came to my door with flowers. Insisted I not bring anything but myself.
I dressed in my best jeans and a light sweater. I’d gotten my first paycheck and, while most of it was being saved for rent, I had a little left to buy meat on sale and the sweater I was wearing from the secondhand store.
“I hope you’re hungry,” he said. “I went a little nuts with the food.”
I patted my belly and chuckled. “I’m always hungry.”
On the way to his home, we talked about his day and how I was doing at work. He asked about what I was reading and if I’d gone to the library. He’d been on the lookout for that movie I really wanted to watch.
Darsh sincerely was interested in me.
When we arrived at his home, I instantly smelled something delicious. “I kept it simple,” he said, shrugging one shoulder. Abundant but simple.”
“What did you make?” I asked, walking behind him to enter the kitchen.
His place was neat and clean but clearly lived in.
I noticed a video game console near the TV and controllers charging on a stand.
I had seen a couple of memes that claimed a gamer and a reader were a match made in heaven.
We each had our own hobbies and could enjoy them in the same area, taking breaks to reconnect.
Darsh seemed to be perfect for me in every way.
“I made boneless pork ribs and a meatloaf, in case you don’t like one or the other. Mashed potatoes. Macaroni and cheese. Salad. Yeast rolls, but they were frozen. They had to rise and bake, but it’s kind of cheating. Then a store-bought chocolate pecan pie.”
“It’s not cheating. You put in the work. Thank you for going through all this trouble. I’m feeling uneasy that I didn’t contribute a single thing.”
“Of course you did.” He sauntered over with heat in his eyes. My skin broke out in goose bumps. His warm fingers grazed my arm. “You are here. That’s all I need tonight.”
Our eyes locked for a breath of a moment before his gaze slid to my lips. I’d never kissed an alpha. I’d never kissed anyone. Everyone in the pack kept their distance and I had no friends much less a lover.
“Omega, may I kiss you?”
I nodded. “Yes, please.”
He and I were the same height. He drifted forward as my stomach pulled taut in anticipation.
My head got fuzzy. I took a breath scared that I would pass out.
Then his soft lips touched mine, barely at first. He pulled back.
I whimpered. He answered my unspoken call for more, this time kissing me with a heightened fervor.
I turned my head, letting my body take the lead, deepening the kiss.
Darsh reached around my body and pressed me against him.
I broke the kiss, overwhelmed. “That was incredible,” I said, lightheaded. Heat surged through my body, and I wanted more. That scared me. Darsh was my mate, but he hadn’t brought it up. My naivete in mating and mates was an issue, I constantly questioned myself about.
“Yes, it was.”
“I probably wasn’t so good at it. I’ve never…”
Darsh’s eyes widened. “You’ve never what, omega?”
“I’ve never kissed anyone before,” I admitted, face burning. He’d probably kissed a lot of omegas.
“Hey,” he said, searching my eyes. “I don’t know what you were thinking but your tiger is uneasy. That was incredible, omega. I’m honored that you would share your first kiss with me.”
“You are?” I asked.
“Very much so. Should we eat? I’m starving and after dinner, I’ve got a surprise for you.”
Excitement zipped through me. I’d never received a surprise except surprise, you’re a tiger instead of a wolf. “You do?”
“I do. Now, let’s sit. Is there anything you don’t like?”
“No. I eat anything.”
My mate. My alpha nodded. “Sit down, please. Let me fill your plate.”
I felt my eyebrows bunch over my head in confusion. “Fill my plate?” Darsh was turning the tables on everything I thought I knew and had heard about alphas.
“My wolf would very much like to feed you, but I’ll settle for making you dinner. Allow me, please?”
Please. “Okay. Thank you.”
I sat down while he heaped two plates with food and I waited and watched as he placed a plate of streaming hot rolls at the center of the table along with three kinds of butter.
One garlic. One salted. One with honey. He explained them all to me.
My inner skeptic wondered if there was a catch but I had to put that aside.
Darsh had proven to be nothing but sincere, kind, and loving.
I had to believe that I deserved this kind of book-worthy man.
One bite of the meatloaf and I knew how good a cook my alpha was. The flavors exploded in my mouth and before I took a second bite, I looked at him. A new hunger blazed in his eyes, one that had nothing to do with food. “What?” I asked.
“I’m happy you like my food. It’s important to me.”
“It’s delicious, Darsh. It really is.”
We continued the meal at an easy pace until my phone rang. I groaned, looking at the number. “What is it?” Darsh asked.
“It’s work. I have to take it. If there’s extra shifts…”
“Go on. It’s fine.”
I took the call and, sure enough, someone had called in and they needed my help as soon as possible. More than anything, I wanted to stay here with my alpha, but life and rent would still be waiting once this night was over.
“I’m sorry,” I said, wiping my mouth. “I have to go. Someone called in sick.”
“I’m sorry too. I was hoping to have you here for the rest of the night. Wait, let me drive you back to your apartment and then to the club. I’ll get to spend some more time with you.”
I chuckled. “Are you sure? It’s not a long walk.”
“I’m sure. Hold on!” He rushed to the kitchen and put a large piece of the pie in a to-go container before grabbing a black gift bag. “Open this in the car. I’d hoped for it to be a romantic moment but it’s okay. It still can be. I don’t know. Let’s go.”
The alpha was more flustered than me.
He drove me back to my apartment, insisting I open the bag on the way.
Inside the bag were three books, two about vampires and one about a shifter, all romance.
They weren’t the regular copies either. They were embossed, and the edges of the pages had scenes on them.
One of the edges of the vampire novel was blood red.
I was so shocked and touched I could hardly speak.
“I thought you could start a collection. The library is great, but this could be the start of a home library of your own.” He immediately backtracked. “If you would prefer others, I have the receipt. I didn’t know…”
He stopped in front of my apartment, and I gathered my bravery and leaned across the car and kissed him. “They are perfect. Big points for buying me books, alpha.”
Then Darsh blushed and I melted. “I’m so glad.”
I rushed inside and changed into my work clothes and true to his word, he drove me to work and we kissed once more before I got out of his car, my pie in tow but he put the window down and called out to me.
I went back over, leaning in to hear what he had to say.
“Blaze, one more thing. Tomorrow night? On your day off? Would you join me at the club? As my guest? We can just explore. We don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with but I would love to discover what you like or what interests you. No pressure.”
“I’d love to.”
He let out a sigh, shaking his head. “Good. That’s so good.”
It had been a short date, but I was floating on air.