Page 15 of Such a Shy Omega

He put his hand over mine and all thoughts fled. His palms were warm and all I wanted to do was find out if the rest of his body was as warm. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d been hugged or embraced. I bet he was the best cuddler. “I don’t mind going to the next city if that’s what you like.”

“The diner is fine. I could use an omelet.”

“Oh, that sounds amazing. And a stack of pancakes. Maybe we could share.”

I nodded as my face caught fire. I’d blushed more in his presence than ever. I wished it would go away, but Erik lifted his hand and graced the back of his fingers along my cheeks. “What a lovely blush, omega.”

“Thank you.”

“Let’s get going.”

Somewhere along the ride, he took my hand in his, and I didn’t pull away.

“Tell me about yourself,” Erik said after we arrived at the diner and were seated in a booth.

“What do you want to know?” I asked.

We ordered filled veggie omelets and another meaty one, along with blueberry-sour cream pancakes.

“I want to know everything, Heath. Have you lived in the city all your life?”

“No. I just moved here.”

Erik chuckled. “Good because I was kicking myself for not seeing you before. If I had, I would’ve hit on you way before tonight.”

“Why did you?” I asked.

“What? Why did I what?”

“Hit on me.”

Erik cocked his head to the side and furrowed his eyebrows. “How could I not? Look at you, omega. You’re beautiful, and everyone says you’ve learned the tech stuff so fast. Grant is able to be with his omega earlier because of you.”

“Oh.”

He took my hands across the table. “Don’t say no one has ever told you you’re beautiful, Heath.”

“I’ve been told I was hot and sexy and fuckable, but beautiful? No.”

“Tell me about your life before this. I want to know everything about you.”

“After we eat, okay? I don’t want to spoil my appetite.”

We shared the table full of food. The omelets were perfect, stuffed with succulent vegetables and savory, salty meats. The cheese pull was something out of a food video. Erik fed me bites of pancakes and then said he wanted to kiss the syrup from the corner of my mouth.

We clicked as though I’d known him forever. I’d never been comfortable around alphas. They always wanted you to do something for them or wanted you to give up part of yourself.

Erik wasn’t like that.

Being with him felt secure.

“Anything you say is safe with me,” he said when our hunger was somewhat sated.

Time to tell him the truth. “I came from a pack. My father was the alpha. Everything was fine when he was in charge. Life was good. Then his beta Ramsey challenged him and, in the process, killed my father. It was not a necessary kill. He chose to do it. Then he wanted to take me as his mate. As his second mate. He wanted to breed me and raise all the pups to be strong alphas. That was all he wanted me for. A breeder and a status symbol. Making me submit was part of his power play. So I ranfor my life one night with not much other than a backpack.” I sat up straighter after saying it all out loud. “Sorry. That was a lot.”

“You don’t talk to many people, do you?”

“I don’t. Omegas were taught to be seen and not heard. The less we spoke, the safer we were. But clearly, I can talk around you.”

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