Page 37 of Heat Me

"Yeah. It happened a year ago. I told him straight up that he needed to accept that I’m not like him if we were gonna betogether. I filled Tony in on the whole Alan situation, and things seemed fine. Until I hit what they call preheat. It lasted maybe an hour; some omegas get it a year or two before the real deal. Tony didn’t take it well—it freaked him out big time. I think that’s when reality smacked him in the face. Two months into dating, we called it quits. With none of them, nothing ever went beyond handies. They were both super insecure about sex with omega. That whole situation killed any hopes I had of being with a beta. Like, ever."

"Why didn’t you try a relationship with an alpha?"

He laughed bitterly. "It’s not that I didn’t try. There are maybe four alphas in my year, and they’re swarmed by other omegas! And I’m not very social, I don’t party, don’t go out with friends, so I didn’t have many opportunities to meet any other. Even if I sat next to one in the cafeteria, well, I’m not the most attractive omega to tempt them, that’s for sure," he said with a wry grin.

"They must have been blind because, to me, you’re very attractive. From the moment I saw your picture, I couldn’t stop staring at you," I said in a low voice.

His eyes met mine for a second, then he looked away. I saw a strange expression on his face, like he wanted to say something but bit his tongue at the last moment. Finally, he sighed and shrugged.

"What about you? Have you ever tried a relationship with a beta?"

"Not a relationship, but I, uh… did sleep with a few," I admitted, not wanting to dwell on it.

But he wasn’t letting it go. "And probably a lot of omegas?"

"I don’t know if it was a lot, but… there were a few, also."

"Double digits?"

I cursed under my breath. "Yep. You know, I’m a purple alpha—people sometimes get curious…" I cleared my throat.

Damien stared at me intently. "And alphas? Did you… also?"

I swallowed hard. "Yep, a few of those too."

He raised his eyebrows. "Really? So, the whole spectrum, all subgenders?"

"At the beginning, as an eighteen- or nineteen-year-old, I wasn’t picky, but that changed in my early twenties. I wanted more than just being a fetish. Then I met Tom, and for the whole two years, I’ve only been with him. And for the last six months, I wasn’t even trying to date. I was in a bad mood after my divorce."

Damien’s eyes were fixed on my face, and I sighed.

"But you’re my first rose omega, remember? I’ve never been with any other."

His cheeks reddened slightly, and he slowly nodded.

"I remember…"

For a moment, I stared at him, hesitating. Uh, what the hell, I decided to say it!

"You know what? Out of all the people I’ve been with, I love it with you… the most!" And I smiled sheepishly.

I wasn’t even lying—I didn’t need to. The chemistry we had was absolutely insane; I’d never had so many orgasms before, so that was saying something.

Damien stayed quiet, just staring at me, his eyes wide, his pupils dilated. I felt it building inside him, like a huge wave coming. Even though his cheeks hadn’t flushed yet with the typical redness of a heat wave, I knew it was very close.

That’s why I slowly stood up and approached him.

Damien tilted his head up so he could still meet my eyes. They seemed again trusting, vulnerable. I lifted my hand and ran it over his cheek slowly, sensually. I saw him tremble slightly and close his eyes. He stayed silent, letting me caress his skin where his birthmark was. And the wave kept building and building inside him…

"I want you so much, Damien," I whispered. "I’ve never wanted anyone like I want you. I’m a purple alpha. And you’re a rose omega. We complete each other."

I watched as his eyes snapped open, his pupils dilating until they almost eclipsed his graphite-sapphire irises.

He slowly raised his hand and placed it on my chest, whispering softly, "You’re so big, so much stronger than me."

"I’m like this to protect my omega."

"And I’m so small," he murmured, something flickering in his eyes—a bit playful, almost seductive.

---