Page 9 of Such a Tempting Omega

I waited in the car for a couple of minutes after the omega got out, thinking he might be right back. After all, how long did it take to buy things at a convenience store? But, to my surprise, I could see through the plate glass windows as the guy behind the counter came out and accompanied Hirsch through the employees-only door at the rear of the shop. He hadn’t mentioned being on his way to work. Hopefully he wasn’t embarrassed by it—honest labor was never something to be ashamed of.

But, for now, sitting out here would only make me look like a stalker. Maybe even be one. I put the car in gear again and drove out of the parking lot. Always allowing a little extra time for appointments, my detour with Hirsch would put me just on time.

I parked in the employee lot in the rear as directed and entered Cuffed through the back entrance, which led through the kitchen. Even at this time of day, with hours to go before any self-respecting nightclub would open its doors, there were cooks bustling around preparing delicious-smelling food. A couple of workers sat at a round table in the corner with thick roast beef sandwiches and fresh-cooked potato chips in front of them. My mouth watered, and I regretted skipping lunch.

One of the chefs looked up from some salmon he was slicing paper thin and arched a brow in my direction. “Are you lost?”

“Maybe so. I have a meeting with Andreas, and while he told me to use this entrance, that’s as far as it got—or maybe that I remember.”

“Let me have one of the dishwashers take you to his office,” he said, looking around.

“No need.” Andreas entered the kitchen at that moment. “Cliff, could you please send some lunch to the conference room.” He waved at the employees in the corner. “Whatever they have is fine.”

It looked better than fine to me. It looked amazing.

“This way.” Andreas led me through a club that appeared very different in the daytime without all the subtle lighting and soft music. And people. The St. Andrew’s cross, spiderweb, spanking benches…all of it waiting for the night’s influx. “I’m excited to hear what you have in mind for us.”

We settled at one end of a big table in the conference room, and I pulled out my laptop, noticing a screen suspended over the other end. “Mind if I cast my notes on there?”

“Not at all. Let me see who else is around, if you don’t mind?”

“That would be great. I’m very interested in getting input on what I have so far as well as learning how I can gear my approach to best suit your needs.” I grinned as a white-coated cook came in with a platter of sandwiches, followed by two others with pitchers of iced tea and water, plates, a large bowl of the chips, cookies… A lot for two people. Had the chef realized it would be more than two, since we were using this room?

Two more owners came in and sat down, and when I offered to begin my presentation while they ate, they refused, insisting I enjoy my lunch first. It was great from sandwiches to chips to cookies and fruit, and I ate more than my share before pushing my plate away with a groan. “The kink clubs I’ve been to in the past didn’t have anything like this to eat. Usually drinks and perhaps bar snacks.”

“Our members expect the best of everything, and that’s what we give them,” Bronson said. “Which is where you come in.Andreas is working on the building, but he says you’re the best to make our outdoor spaces just right.”

“You make him sound like Goldilocks,” Samuel, the other owner chided. “Sorry. We’re used to speaking frankly around one another.”

“I like that.” I opened my laptop and, with two more cookies on a napkin beside it, cast my presentation onto the screen. “If you ever have an opening for more investment, please keep me in mind.” The words tumbled out from a place in my mind where I’d only half formed the idea, but I meant them, even if my timing was not perhaps ideal. “So, let’s begin.”

At this preliminary stage, I wanted to show the clients the basic outline of their space and a variety of plantings and hardscapes they could choose from. Usually, I included some examples of my work, but in this instance, I did not. I used my time to share my ideas, some that might be too out there even for this case. When I finished, I sat back and waited for their comments.

Instead, I got applause.

“Does that mean you’d like me to proceed?” I asked, when the three owners settled down. “Because I’m more excited about this project than any I’ve done before.”

The three exchanged a glance and then Samuel said, “We will need the final specs, and cost, of course, but I feel good about giving you the go-ahead to do those things, and we will need to know when you can start. Most of the external work that would affect you will be done within the month.”

“I’ll get started and have finals to you by week’s end,” I said, “And I will see how I can rearrange my schedule to begin as soon as you’re ready for me.” It was going to take some major rearranging and hiring of additional staff, but they didn’t need to know that. Closing my laptop I stood up. “Thank you for your time, gentlemen, and for lunch.”

Our lunch had been late, verging onto teatime if we’d been in another country, and while we discussed my plans, the sun had set outside, and I was glad I hadn’t made any other appointments for the afternoon.

“Do you have to leave?” Andreas asked. “I was going into the club to hang out for a while, if you’re free.”

I waved at my pale-blue button-down and gray slacks. Not exactly club wear. “I should probably go home and change…”

“No need. You probably didn’t notice, but people wear all kinds of things.” Bronson stood as well and came around to shake my hand. “We’ll need to schedule another meeting soon.”

“Of course, as soon as I get everything ready, I—”

“No. I mean about your investment. With the expansion, we have been talking about taking on another party, and Andreas has already vouched for you.”

He hadn’t even been able to get me to join, and he’d anticipated my interest in investing. I tried to remember if I’d said anything to give him that impression—had I called it “interesting”? No matter. “Let me know when it’s convenient, and if you have any paperwork I can show my lawyer and accountant, that would be a good start. Do you need me to sign an NDA?”

After a bit more back-and-forth, I accompanied Andreas to the main floor where we sat and had drinks and spoke with various members—and I kept an eagle eye out for a certain omega who was probably still at work at a convenience store. How could he afford membership here if he had a minimum wage job? Was there an alpha in the picture, a better earner? My wolf’s and my interest had not, somehow, led me to find out if he was single.

Chapter Ten

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