“It’s not that.” Zinn bent his elbows and steepled his fingers together, resting his chin on top of them. “We don’t want to mess up what we have here. If you serviced my heat, that would create a pretty complicated situation between the two of us.”
“Not necessarily. We’re both adults,” Calder reasoned. “We could handle any awkwardness that might pop up afterward, especially if we anticipate it. I trust the staff to be discreet, and the boys too. Everyone would understand. Beyond that, I don’t see much difference between it being me versus someone you contract with through a service.”
“You really don’t?”
“No. I’m not an expert by any means, but I am aware that plenty of alphas in my situation—older and unattached—work with heat services to get matched with omegas because they want to experience heat. If it puts you at ease, we could set up a contract through your service, formalize our arrangement.” Calder grimaced at the thought, but if it made Zinn more comfortable, he’d do it.
He also hoped helping Zinn might spark something more between them. He’d been talking himself out of his attraction to the enigmatic omega for a year, but it hadn’t stopped the attachment from growing.
It had been almost a decade since Calder buried his husband. He’d never dated during that time and only found hookups whenhis body truly required it. But Zinn had penetrated the wall surrounding his heart. Calder wasn’t sure he could love someone again, and he felt guilty even considering it, but the omega had drawn him in. Calder saw his own soul-deep wariness reflected in Zinn’s eyes, and he longed to make him light up with joy. More than that, he wanted to take away his pain.
Calder did not need to know the specifics of Zinn’s past to believe they could help each other heal.
But based on the omega’s skeptical expression, he wasn’t ready to hear that.
“The alpha I contracted with isn’t older,” Zinn said. “He’s a few years younger than me, a grad student.”
Calder frowned. “Are you saying you object to being with me because I’m too old?”
“No!” Zinn responded quickly. “Absolutely not.Oldis the last word I’d use to describe you.” He gave Calder an admiring once-over. “You must know how hot you are. The customers can barely keep their tongues off the floor sometimes, especially the single omegas… Old.Pfft. You’re at your peak.”
Zinn blushed, but Calder appreciated the reassurance.
“Thank you, sunshine. But if I’mat my peak, how come you won’t accept my offer?”
“I just said. The terms of the agreement. I doubt you could live with them.”
Calder struggled to imagine what could be so bad. Did the omega have unusual requests? Calder didn’t consider himself kinky, but he could keep an open mind. “Try me.”
Zinn’s expression darkened. “Let’s paint the picture… You’re saying you’d agree to get me through my heat, fuck me and stay by my side all three days, and care for me the whole time?”
“I can definitely do that.”
“And you’d honor all my wishes on my delirium day when I’m incapacitated?”
“Yes.”
“And you’d do things the way I outlined ahead of time?”
“Yes.”
“Mm.” Zinn paused, then eyed Calder directly. “And when you breed me, and penetrate my womb, and fill me up with your seed, and give me a child, you’ll walk away from your son, per the terms of the agreement?”
Calder reared back. “W-What?”
Zinn’s words, delivered so matter-of-factly, offered no mercy. “The doctor said I need to be fucked and bred—no condoms—and if this turns out to be a breeding heat and my womb opens, then the alpha I’m with will need to fuck right into it. Can’t hold back.”
A breath lodged itself deep in Calder’s throat, choking him. His stomach churned. The omega was trying to shock him with his bluntness.
He’d succeeded.
Why hadn’t Calder considered this? He had assumed Zinn would use condoms or some other method to prevent pregnancy.
“Did you want that?” Calder asked, voice shaking. “When you signed up with the service? To have a baby with someone you didn’t know?”
“No. I’m hoping this won’t be a breeding heat.”
“Okay…wow.”
