Page 33 of Omega's Reluctant Mate
Nate retrieved his hand, and I fought back the urge to grab it and set it on my leg again. I craved his touch however I could get it.
A few minutes later I pulled into the Mitchell’s parking lot, which was already getting full for the lunch rush.
“They look busy,” Nate observed.
I smiled. “Probably have a great lunch special. They’re always sorta-busy, but they got a new daytime chef a few months back and she’s got people flocking for the new offerings.”
“I see.”
I glanced over at him. Nate was staring at the restaurant, but his thoughts were clearly written on his face. He was nervous, and it didn’t take a genius to know why.
I reached over and took his hand. “I’m here.”
He jumped, head swiveling towards me. Our eyes met, and I smiled.
Whatever it was, it only affected our future as potential mates. I could still be the friend he needed.
Nate returned the smile and nodded. “Shall we?”
“Yes,” I replied. “I’m starving.”
We walked in and were seated after a brief wait. We ordered, then Nate fell silent for several minutes.
“You-you don’t have to do this now,” I finally offered.
He looked at me, smiled, then shook his head. “No, I do. The longer I put this off the harder it becomes.”
“Ok.”
Nate took a sip of beer, then blew out a long breath. “Have you… do you know the term demisexual?”
I thought about it for a second, just to make sure I was thinking of the right word, then I nodded. “It’s when you need a strong emotional connection to feel attraction, right?”
Nate licked his lips and nodded.
For a brief moment I wondered where he was going with the question, then it hit me: the reason he didn’t respond to my scent, the reason he ran. “Are you…?” I started.
He nodded again.
I reached across the table and took one of his hands off his beer and folded it between mine. “I’m here, and I’m listening.”
Nate studied me for a few seconds, then it was like a weight was lifted from him. His shoulders relaxed, and his fingers curled around mine.
The floodgates opened, and he told me everything: how he’d felt broken in high school and the first years of college, finally understanding himself and accepting it, then realizing that he had a fated mate and knowing what society expected of him.
It was heavy, and I hurt for him. He’d isolated himself just to keep from meeting me, all because he’d thought that I wouldn’t be able to accept him.
Nate stared at the table when he finished, and it was clear how much his fears weighed on him.
I squeezed his hand. “I’m still here,” I reassured him.
He looked up and for the first time there wasn’t a guarded look in his eyes.
It was never about me, it was always his fear that I would reject something about him that he couldn’t change.
I took a deep breath. “What do you want to do now?”
Nate blinked several times. “What?”
