Page 14 of Sizzling for His Omega

“I am,” he said. His tone was thoughtful as though he were still getting used to the idea. We both slathered our pancakes with butter and syrup and dug in. He added enough cream to make his coffee a caramel color but no sugar. I supposed there was enough sugar in our breakfast to make up the difference.

“What’s the verdict?” I asked once we were done and he sat back, patting his belly.

“They were delicious, of course.”

I chuckled. “I meant, which was your favorite. I’m making mental lists here.”

“Oh!” His eyebrows rose. “They were all incredible. But…I have a confession.”

“What is it?”

“Chocolate is not my favorite. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t eat it. It was delicious with the banana but, in general, I’m not a chocolate guy.”

I’d never heard of someone not liking chocolate. I leaned forward and touched his thigh. “Tell me all the things you like and dislike. I want to know everything.”

A scarlet hue rushed to his cheeks as he pursed his lips, trying and failing not to smile. “I hate eggs in the morning. I like them for lunch or dinner. I never use my top sheet. And lately, I really, really like jackals.”

“Jackals?” I asked, inching my fingers higher on his thigh. “Plural?”

He chuckled deeply and moved my hand to cover his groin. “No. Singular. One jackal named Leon. Do you know him?”

Gods, how I loved his playfulness. “I do. He has a beautiful mate. A bear.”

Chapter Fourteen

Tobias

We were together more nights than not, now that we were mated, although we both had our own homes. But I was never happy when we were apart. I did all right while I was at the restaurant, but if he stopped by for a minute, a quick kiss, a piece of baklava…my whole day brightened. Breakfast together had become our thing, and I worked hard to come up with new ideas to wow my alpha.

Not that he asked me to or ever implied I should do more than I already was. In fact, one morning he asked if cereal was an option. I now had six unopened boxes of cereal on my pantry shelf. I just liked cooking for and with my alpha too much.

Until one day when I woke from yet another vivid dream. I never, on the average, remembered anything about my dreams, but lately that had changed. Color…did everyone dream in color? Had I before? I honestly had no idea. And they weren’t nightmares or about any particular topic. Just…bright. Flowers and plants and animals and people. Going about their ordinary lives but as if someone amped up the hues by about 50 percent, so it kind of hurt my dreaming eyes.

I wasn’t too worried about it, though, not enough to mention it. Maybe it was something that happened to the newly mated? I climbed out of bed and stretched. I’d have to ask Leon if he also was dreaming like this. Could also be omegas. I didn’t know. Everything was kind of crazy at work—the cooler weather had not lessened our customers, my sous chef was still missing work because of his little girl, and I was just feeling overtired and hassled in general. Wasn’t busy good for a restaurant? I should be happy, right? Instead, I complained. I stepped into my boxers and padded into the kitchen, ready to clear my head by makingmy alpha eggs and bacon. He planned to relax today, so he got up a little later than usual and came into the kitchen to find the cereal lined up on the counter, along with milk, bowls, and spoons.

“Finally. I was wondering when you’d let me have at all these,” he said, and I froze.

“You don’t like the breakfasts I’ve been cooking?” Sweating over, trying to make better, seeking to chef while half awake…

“I love what you make.” He held out his arms and pulled me into them. “You make the best food all the time. I just don’t want you to have to work so hard all the time for me.”

I sniffed. “Well, I guess…okay.” I would have cooked a full breakfast if the bacon hadn’t smelled off to me. It currently resided in the kitchen wastebasket. Something I’d explain except I was too cranky. “I’m going to go to work.”

“Isn’t it early for that?”

“Shorthanded again. But don’t hurry. Enjoy your cereal. I’m just going to have coffee.”

“I’ll see you tonight though?” He picked up a box of oat clusters. “I’m making dinner.”

I mustered a smile for him, reaching for the milk. Pouring it in my coffee, I wrinkled my nose. “I think this is off. Smell it?”

Leon sniffed the milk. “I think it’s fine.” He filled his bowl with cereal and poured on the milk, took a bite. “Perfect.”

“Must be me. I’m gonna get a shower.”

“About dinner? Would you rather I cooked over here instead of my place?”

“I think here is good.” I stretched my back. “I am going to try to come home early and get a nap. I don’t know why I’m so tired.”

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