Page 6 of For the First Time
Still, maybe I should take it back to the car?
I didn’t get the time.The door opened with a dramatic flair, a male, probably close to six feet tall glaring as he looked around before his gaze landed on me.His black hair had obviously had his fingers run through it quite a lot, the dark curls plastered in rivulets on his head where his fingers had created little valleys.His naturally brown skin had obviously seen time in the sun, showing off the redness of his cheeks and the darker tone around his fingers as he braced on the doorframe, half leaning out of his home.When he smiled, his cheeks dimpled on the sides, making him look years younger.And kinder.
“Well, is that for me, pet?”The twang in his voice was obviously played up.
I had no idea how to answer that.If this was a private home, then he was most likely part of Everett Wilder’s pack.Although I couldn’t be sure of that.I did know that this wasn’t Everett Wilder.
“You good?”he asked.
“Yes.Yes, sorry.Um, I’m here for an interview with Franklyn Oaks?”
“Is that a question?”
“No.I am here.I just hope I’m at the right spot.I didn’t check-in at the visitor’s center since I figured the position wasn’t for the ranch.”
“You’re in the right spot.You’re Ms.Tellus.”
“Eve, preferably.Yes.This is for your pack omega.”
Surprisingly, his smile shrank.He looked over the basket, as if deciding whether or not it was a courting gift.
“Sorry, this is probably inappropriate.Honestly, it’s something I used to do in my old job, and I didn’t truly think it through about stepping over boundaries or not.I can absolutely go put this in my car really quick, no hard feelings—”
“Where is your car?”He looked out to the dirt lot in front of us before his eyes got wide.“You could have parked inside.The gate is to keep out solicitors or guests who get lost, that’s all.”
I didn’t bother to tell him that my car was actually stuck.“I’ll make a note of that for next time.I am sorry if this is rude.”I had put as much effort into the basket as I could’ve in a short time, and I hated that it wasn’t bringing out positive emotions.This interview was already starting off poorly.
“Come on, pet, let’s get you out of the heat.”He took the basket from me and stepped aside, motioning for me to squeeze past him.
I did, not even making it fully over the threshold before I stopped, the scent of omega, of firewood, invading my nose.My jaw dropped as I simply stared at this male, this omega.Despite smelling like a ranch, like horse and sweat and heat and man, there was his underlying designation scent of firewood.I hadn’t noticed at first.Being this close to him, it almost made me want to reach out and touch him, to see if he’d be as hot as his scent implied.
That would have been ridiculous though.
More ridiculous than noticing his nostrils flare and his eyebrows lower as if he didn’t like my scent.Impossible, because I wasn’t wearing one.Technically, even betas had a natural scent, but ours were so limited, so mild, it only came out in moments of extreme emotion.So he couldn’t dislike mine.
I forced myself to enter the house, almost swaying back into the omega by the strong scents inside.It was typical of a pack house to have multiple scents saturated into the walls and furniture and clothes, only this house had my mouth literally watering.
Firewood, crackling and burning.Something sweet, like syrup, the pure artificial kind with loads of sugar rather than the true sap, bitter flavor from trees.Crackers, the type soaked in honey that I eat late at night and that I’m told go really well with marshmallows and chocolate.
It felt safe.The house.The scents.
They were distracting, so much so that I’d forgotten to keep walking in the house until I felt the warmth of a hand on my lower back.I jumped, moving away from the touch and finally entering the house properly.
They had an actual foyer with a rack for shoes, coats, and even one for hats.Both ten-gallon and baseball.A large rectangular rug was in the round space which might have looked weird except it seemed to direct you where to walk.Straight through to the back, I could make out a kitchen, and that’s where he led me.A quick glance down the halls as we passed showed a living room to the right and a formal dining space to the left.
Just like my apartment, albeit on a larger and nicer scale, the kitchen was mostly enclosed, even going so far that the entranceway with the foyer had a pocket door to completely close off the kitchen.The space was darker than I’d expected, not from the lack of windows, just in tone.With dark wood flooring, and the stones that make up the exterior of the house completely exposed, it made the space feel rustic.Still, I saw the modern amenities.The stove and burners were a brand I’d never heard of, so I knew they would be fancy.Pots and pans dangled from the ceiling and the cupboards didn’t have any knobs, most likely having an invisible, indented finger hold along the bottom and sides.
The kitchen felt like it was nearly the size of my apartment.I doubted that was literally true, but it felt large.
Off to the right was an open style pantry, showing off cans and boxes and spices and containers full of food to the point that there was an actual ladder attached to the shelves like a fancy library.
Was this kitchen heaven?
“You seem impressed,” the omega said.
I nodded.“I am.I can see a cook’s love in this design.”It almost made me wonder why the men didn’t hire a private chef rather than a home manager.
He laughed, the basket still in his hand.“I’m glad you like it.I can give you a tour of the rest of the house if you’d like?”
