Page 66 of Unexpected Delivery

“Are you doing okay down there?” he asks, pulling me to him with a hand on my ass. My fingers dig into the soft material of his T-shirt, and I ache to wrap my arms around him, so I can snuggle under his open jacket.

“I’ve never been in a store like this,” I admit.

“That makes two of us.” He smiles. “We can snag one of the brochures and browse whatever rooms tickle your fancy.”

It kills me that it took me so long to recognize reality. Even in the very beginning, Adam never courted me. He treated me like any of his past beta girlfriends. Sure, he took me out for dinner and to the movies, but he never even brought up courting.

Then I was staying at his place more than my apartment, and… None of it even matters.

Adam has a trust fund. He could have taken me places like this without batting an eye, but he never put in a single ounce of effort.

Morris works hard for his money. I’ve seen how tired he is after a busy day at the shop, and he still wants to buy me a treat that he knows will soothe my instincts. It makes the gift seem a thousand times more meaningful, simply because he works his ass off to earn a living.

The giant alpha bends down, marking my cheeks with his scent one by one. “If you’re overwhelmed, we can?—”

“I’d rather have you than everything in this entire store,” I tell him truthfully. “But this is an awesome date, and while we’re here, it couldn’t hurt to browse.” I shrug, fluttering my lashes and smiling up at him.

A devastatingly handsome smile breaks out on his face, and my knees get all wobbly.

“All right, pretty girl. Let’s see what they’ve got.”

Each separate area is set up like an individual nest. There are sample cards on the wall to test the fabrics, so an omega doesn’t saturate the room with their scent. If you like the sample, you bring the barcode with you to the checkout desk. If you don’t, you toss it in the trash before heading to the next area to prevent scent cross-contamination.

I’ve picked up a super soft pajama dress and a card for a throw blanket, but I’m doing my best to be mindful of the total. My instincts want me to go crazy, which is silly because I have everything I need. I figure if we leave this store spending less than two hundred dollars, that will be a win. It still qualifies as what I would consider an exorbitant courting gift, but it’s not so extravagant that I’m too worried.

At least, I think that’s a fair price.

I don’t know.

I want to make Morris happy, and it’s clear to me that he wants me to get things I like, but I grew up lower middle class. I’m fully aware there are wants and needs in life.

A want would be the cologne the sales associate is trying to talk me into for Morris.

A need is keeping that massive alpha indefinitely.

See, I’m rational enough to make that distinction. Although, damn, she’s right. The added pheromone enhancers in the cologne really do bring out the notes of his scent without overpowering it.

“Just these, please,” I say, smiling tightly at the woman behind the counter.

No way do we need a bottle of that stuff. I’ll be tackling the guys left and right if they wear it regularly.

My head tilts, and I’m sure I’m staring up at him with hearts in my eyes. I wonder if he’d let me lick him… Not where he applied the cologne, of course.

Morris chuckles, wrapping his arm around my lower back. “We’ll take the medium bottle, please.”

Oh, hell.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Arbor

Morris helps me into the truck, pecks a kiss on my temple, and heads around to his side of the vehicle. My seat jostles as he climbs inside, starting the engine and bumping up the heat.

The radio clicks on, playing some older rock song that I don’t know the name for. He grabs the bags he dropped on the middle seat when he got into the vehicle and puts them in the back. Once he’s settled in, he stretches out his hands, holding them in front of the vents. It seems like he’s testing how long it’ll take to get warm, but all I can focus on are the thick veins poking out on the backs of his hands.

This was the best date I’ve ever been on…by a longshot.

Morris is great company, and even in the lulls in conversation while we waited for our food, it was never uncomfortable or awkward. Shopping was fun and low stress, and I just really fucking like him.

---