Page 29 of Overeager
Noah grabbed Eli’s hand, unable to keep his thumb from sliding over his scent gland. He nodded at the two women, not even trying to contain his shit-eating grin. “Nice meeting you both.”
And then he dragged Eli away.
Noah led him out back, where there was a small break area hidden from the alley by a half wall. It held a dingy metal table with a half-full ashtray and two matching, uncomfortable metal chairs. It wasn’t the most romantic spot Noah could have taken Eli, but at least it was mostly private.
“I’m never going to hear the end of that,” Eli muttered once they’d closed the door to the din of the bar.
“End of what?” Noah asked innocently.
“Oh, please.” Eli narrowed his eyes at him. “As if you don’t know. An absurdly hot alpha whisking me away at the bar? That’s older sister catnip.”
Noah focused on what was important in that statement. “You think I’m absurdly hot?”
Eli glared. “Noah.”
“You like to repeat someone’s name when you’re irritated, did you know that?”
“We can’t—”
Noah pulled out one of the metal chairs, gesturing to it. “Sit.”
Despite his protest, Eli took a seat immediately, as if unable to help himself, and Noah sat in the adjacent chair, scooting closer until their arms and legs were touching.
Something tense and irritable in him finally relaxed for the first time that week.
This was better. Much better.
“It’s good to see you,” Noah said softly, fighting the urge to rub his face in Eli’s hair like a maniac. “You look good.”
He did. It was Noah’s first time seeing Eli in regular clothes, and he looked wonderfully unpretentious in a worn sweatshirt and equally worn jeans, his dark hair messy and falling into his eyes.
Eli looked down at what he was wearing. “I don’t though.” Before Noah could protest, he cocked his head, taking in Noah’s scanter outfit. “Aren’t you cold?”
Noah shrugged. “A little.” It was deep enough winter that even the Arizona nights were chilly, but he hadn’t grabbed his jacket before coming out here. Mostly because his work tee was tight as hell, and he’d seen the way Eli had eyed his shoulders at the bar. He wasn’t going to waste an opportunity to remind his omega of their mutual attraction.
He nudged Eli’s knee with his own. “You want to warm me up?”
“Noah.”
Noah felt like he was in grade school again, trying to tug an omega’s pigtails just so they’d look at him. Not that he’d ever done that, but apparently he was making up for lost time. “Can I scent mark you?” he asked eagerly.
“You already did,” Eli scolded. Clearly he hadn’t missed Noah’s little move inside. But he still held out his wrist for another round.
Fuck that though. They weren’t at school now, and Noah didn’t have to hold back.
He ducked his head and rubbed his face against the crook of Eli’s neck, where the skin of his scent gland was bared by his sweatshirt’s loose collar.
Eli sucked in a sharp breath. “Oh.”
Ohwas right. Noah could have crowed when Eli didn’t pull away.
“So I’ve been thinking …,” he began, taking full advantage and running his nose along Eli’s shoulder, inhaling deeply as he went.
“You have?” Eli asked, his voice wonderfully breathy.
“Mm-hmm. I’ve been thinking a lot, actually. About your TAs.”
“My—” Eli shook his head, as if to clear some fog. “What?”
