“In the bedroom. He might make an appearance. Or he might not. He’s unpredictable like that.”
Assa giggled. “Sounds like our son. Sometimes he wants to be best friends. Other times, he shuts the door and hangs out in his bedroom like a teenager.”
The alpha gazed warmly at him. “I want to learn more about him. Your son.” He blew out a rough breath.
It was obvious Valentin was happy to see them, but that didn’t lessen the tension in the air.
Assa offered the alpha a reassuring smile.
“Look, I—shit. I don’t want to fuck this up, but I don’t know if I’m doing this right,” Valentin said. He went behind the kitchen counter and returned with two bouquets of roses, handing one to Wes and one to Assa. He self-consciously pointed to a platter with crudité and dip on the table before rubbing a hand across his jaw. “I’ve never had anyone to my condo before. I figured since our dinner reservations are for eight, we have some time, so I thought we could have drinks here first? Or I could put on some music? Fuck…sorry if it’s all wrong. I’m not sure how to beromantic.”
Assa eyed Wes and saw that his husband was as captivated by the alpha’s nerves as he was.
“The flowers are lovely.” Assa padded across the room and grabbed a baby carrot, sticking it in his mouth. “And you don’t need to perform for us, alpha. Or worry about fucking it up. I think we’re past that. We’ll figure it out together.”
“Yeah,” Wes added, taking Assa’s bouquet and putting them both on the table. “You passed the audition. You already got the part.”
Valentin’s lips twitched. “The part?”
“Uh-huh,” Wes said, tossing an olive into his mouth. “The role of the first man in a really long time that Assa and I want to get to know outside the bedroom.”
“I see… Lucky me.”
Wes winked.
“I don’t want that to be a question between us,” Assa said, moving to stand in front of Valentin. “We like you.”
“You do?”
Why did the alpha seem so unsure? All the bravado from their first night had vanished. And why was it so adorable?
“Mm-hmm,” Assa put a hand on Valentin’s waist. “It’s interesting that the man who fucked us silly in his office and the one who’s nervous about buying us flowers are the same person.”
He squeezed the alpha’s ribcage, rubbing his thumb against the subtle indentations of his hard muscles.
“Yes,” Wes said. “Although summoning us to your sex lair office was a nice introduction.”
Valentin barked a laugh. “Not a sex lair. Just an office.” Tilting his head back, he surveyed the ceiling. “I know I wasinconsistent, at first. I thought it would be easier once I copped to really liking you. But apparently, that admission wasn’t a magic roadmap for how to proceed.” A thousand-yard stare took over his eyes before they found Assa’s again. “There’s only one person I’ve ever been serious about. And that was not easy.”
Assa recalled Valentin observing him from his office window, aloof, high above the dance floor. “The night we met, a part of me thought you were some slick alpha fuckboy in a dark suit.” He ran a hand down Valentin’s biceps, past where he’d cuffed his light blue shirt over his forearms. “But that’s not you at all, is it?”
The alpha shook his head subtly. “Not if you know me more than ten minutes.”
“I’m guessing there aren’t too many people who hit the ten-minute mark?”
“No.”
Assa looped his arms around Valentin’s neck. “You’re full of secrets,” he said. “The past you mentioned. Whatever made you push us away at the beginning. Your announcement that you don’t sleep with omegas. But I think maybe your most hidden truth is that you’re not some unfeeling tough guy.”
Valentin stared at him.
“We all wear our masks,” Wes said. “And yours came off the minute you sent us a picture of your cat fighting with his reflection in the window.”
Assa grinned at him before turning back to Valentin. “We know you’re craving connection. Like us. That’s why we’re here.” He slid his palm up until it cupped Valentin’s cheek. “Have you been lonely, alpha?”
Valentin closed his eyes and pushed his face into Assa’s hand. A few beats of silence passed before he whispered, “So lonely.”
“You’ve been lonely, and we’ve been searching for something that’s been missing from our relationship for a long time,” Wes said, shuffling to stand behind Valentin.
