The man was young. Not just young, but an alpha. That was a surprise. Even though Uli was an alpha, Father and Daddy had only hired betas for ages. But employing an alpha for a position comprised of manual labor and yard work played into stereotypes that jobs requiring physical strength suited them best. Lower and middle-class alphas, anyway.
The man came to a stop directly below Zeller’s window. He reached for a water bottle on the stone garden wall and tipped his face up.
Stars.
Zeller’s book slipped through his fingers, fluttering to his lap.
The alpha was the most stunning man he’d ever seen.
Swallowing roughly, Zeller watched as he removed his ballcap and swiped an elbow across his forehead. Bringing the bottle to his lips, he squeezed a long stream of water directly into his mouth, then squirted more over his chestnut-brown curls.
It was warm for November. The man practically glowed with perspiration. Zeller clocked sweat stains along the hollow of his spine. Dirt smudges marred the front of his white T-shirt and the knees of his jeans. He probably smelled like the earth.
Zeller should have found it unpleasant.
But he didn’t.
Drops of water traveled down the alpha’s jaw and neck, landing on the hard planes of his chest. He dragged his fingers through his hair, squinting at the sun before placing the cap back on his head.
Zeller’s pulse sped up. Everything about biology and heats and choosing a husband suddenly became far less theoretical. His heart beat wildly, thrumming until his whole body vibrated with it.
And for the first time in his life, his ass grew slick.
Chapter Three
Valentin
Valentin walked into the library with a firm grip on the wood planks he’d cut to size in the garage.
The fresh smell of cedar filled him with pride. The Parkensons had worked him hard these past two months, but he’d proven his worth. That was why Antoni had tasked him with repairing the shelves in the estate’s grand library. Initially, the butler had been skeptical of his skill set, since he’d only recently turned nineteen, but Valentin had earned his respect.
Still, as glad as he was to have steady work, doubts about his future had crept in. Throughout months of picking up odd jobs, he’d been so focused on finding something permanent that he didn’t really know what to do next. What goals should he set for himself? He couldn’t stay on as the Parkensons’ handyman indefinitely, doing strenuous labor with no real opportunity for advancement.
Since leaving his parents’ home, he’d been so busy surviving that he hadn’t thought much about living. He didn’t mind hardwork, but the monotony was getting to him. The only thing injecting any true joy into his life lately was a honey-haired omega who popped into his days like the brightest ray of sunshine.
An omega who looked up from one of the reading chairs as Valentin entered the library.
“Oh, hello,” Zeller said with a shy smile. “I didn’t know you’d be working in here today.”
Valentin arched an eyebrow. “No? You didn’t notice all my tools and the drop cloths on the floor? Also, I’m pretty sure I told you I’d be repairing the shelving this week.”
Zeller closed the book in his lap and held up his hands. He read more than anyone Valentin had ever met.
“Caught me,” he said, uncontrite.
Smiling back, Valentin asked, “Did you need something?”
“I wanted to talk more. Especially after yesterday. Since I read in here all the time, it’s not conspicuous.”
He didn’t have to elaborate on the need for discretion. Keyes and Deveron Parkenson did not want their employees to be too sociable with their omega son. Valentin had been warned as much by Antoni on his first day. It was acceptable for them to speak in passing, or to engage in small talk—Zeller did that with all the staff—but his bosses would not approve of anything beyond those brief interactions.
They would not like how Valentin lingered in the kitchen while Zeller ate his lunch, or how he planned his outside chores around Zeller’s afternoon walks around the grounds.
And they definitely would not appreciate the way Valentin gazed down at the omega curled in the big chair.
Despite the risks, Valentin couldn’t bring himself to miss an opportunity to be in Zeller’s orbit. And it was obvious the omega enjoyed his company as well. They just had to be careful.
“What do you mean, ‘especially after yesterday’?” he asked.
