Page 5 of Overeager
Fuck, that would be nice, if Eli was feeling it the way Noah was.
But Eli’s cuteness was also just … him. He’d been so adorable telling the story of his drive up here, exaggerating the way he’d feared for his life because of a little dusting of snow, or telling Noah about his beloved cat, who he’d named World’s Deadliest Assassin.
And now Noah was realizing how long the silence had been going on. It was his turn to flush. “Sorry,” he said with a sheepish grin. “You don’t have to answer that.”
“No.” Eli cleared his throat. “It’s fine. I’m an omega, yes. And you …” The pink in his cheeks deepened in color. “You’re an alpha?”
“Yeah.” Noah grinned for real now, loving the way Eli’s gaze dipped down to his mouth when he smiled. He knew his smile was one of his best assets, and he wasn’t afraid to flaunt it when needed. “I’m an alpha. How could you tell?”
Noah was almost positive Eli couldn’t smell his scent through the chlorine. Most people weren’t as sensitive as Noah was, and he was keeping a tight rein on his pheromones. Otherwise, he’d have been broadcasting “HORNY” all over the deck.
“Your, um … body? I mean—Jesus—” Eli gave an awkward laugh, clearly flustered. “I mean … Shoulders?” He did a weird gesture, as if encompassing the width of Noah’s shoulders. “No, um … build!” he cried out, like he’d just remembered. “That’sthe word. Your build.” He tried to take a gulp of his champagne, even though his cup was empty, his face red as a tomato now.
God, he was cute as hell. He’d said he was thirty-four, but he barely looked it. Maybe he was hiding some grays in that dark hair, but Noah couldn’t make any out.
Would he let Noah close enough to look?
He’d seen the way Eli had eyed him as he stepped into the tub, so it wasn’t like the omega was completely immune to him. Fingers fucking crossed.
“You like my shoulders?” Noah asked with a teasing lilt.
He was a virgin, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t a flirt. He’d just never had enough genuine interest to seal the deal with anyone. There was always something off about any interested partners … something that inner, instinctual part of him didn’t take to. His inner alpha, if he wanted to get all macho and claim it.
Eli narrowed his eyes at him, managing to look stern despite his ridiculous blush. “I’m just saying you’ve got the classic alpha’s build, okay?”
“Sorry.” Noah raised his hands in surrender. “I’m teasing. You’re cute when you blush, is all.”
“Don’t even,” Eli said with a laugh. “I hate how red my face gets.” He gave Noah an appraising glance. “For an alleged virgin, you’re kind of shameless, did you know that?”
“Is that your type?” Noah asked, not afraid to press his advantage. “Shameless?”
Eli stared at him for a moment, then laughed again, as if Noah were joking. “Oh, the confidence of youth.”
“I’m not that young.”
“Young enough.”
It was Noah’s turn to narrow his eyes as he sipped at the last of his beer. He was twenty-one. He could drink. He could vote. He could even register a mating bite.
Eli didn’t have one, Noah had already noted. His slender little neck was unblemished. Whoever had married him hadn’t taken that step.
Dumb bastard.
And that dumb bastard’s loss was Noah’s gain. Because Noah may have been picky, but he wasn’t afraid to go after what he wanted when he found it.
Eli was cute, and fun to talk to, and he smelled fucking amazing, even mixed up with the harsh scent of chlorine. He was apparently rocking it in his career and was bold enough to let a strange alpha into his hot tub.
Basically, he was a total fucking catch.
Noah had never considered his virginity something precious, but even if he had, this feltright. There was nothing about Eli that Noah’s instincts didn’t like.
His instincts liked Eli a whole lot, actually.
Noah’s parents had rented the cabin for a getaway, and then something had come up at his mom’s work, and they’d been unable to go. They’d offered it to Noah, and he’d jumped at the chance to escape the family home for the last bit of winter break. He loved his siblings, sure, but he’d gotten used to a certain amount of privacy at school. When his buddy Spencer had bailed, Noah had almost backed out too.
He was so fucking glad he hadn’t. There was something surreal about this moment. He was away from his family, his school, his friends. It was just him and this very cute omega, who Noah was quickly realizing he wanted to get to know much, much better.
He was honestly finding it hard to resist scenting Eli right there in the hot tub. Which would have been about ten steps beyond toeing the line, seeing as how he didn’t have Eli’s permission.
