Page 34
What if Orien isn’t there? Will he wait for me to come to him again? What if he rejects me again?
His self-restraint is a serious problem.
Any other Alpha would have staked a claim by now, but Orien just keeps toying with me, as if he wants to see how far this little game between us can go.
And I’m starting to resent being the only one chasing.
If I fuck him once, I’ll get it out of my system and be able to concentrate. That’s how it was with the security guard I lost my virginity to. We’d circled each other for almost three months before finding a moment to sneak away to be alone, and it turned out that all the buildup led to a disappointing follow-through.
I can’t even remember his face now.
That idea follows me all the way to the Blue Note.
It’s earlier than I usually show up, so I’m not surprised when I step into the lounge and find it less packed than usual. Petra is there, but she’s with her friends instead of behind the bar.
As I enter, she calls out my name.
I lift a hand in acknowledgment but don’t pause. I’m a man on the hunt, and my target is at the bar.
No one sits on the barstools near Orien, where he stands with one forearm braced on the polished wood of the bar, wearing a dark button-down with the sleeves rolled to his elbows and the collar open at the throat. Ghost dries glasses beside him, but I only have eyes for my Alpha.
Even from across the room, the sight of him sparks heat in my stomach like a lit match dropped into gasoline.
His attention shifts to me as I approach.
Not startled. Not curious.
Expectant.
That familiar awareness slides between us again, and my pulse jumps, followed by a flare of irritation. I’m tired of being the only one affected.
As I cross to him, Ghost reaches for the whiskey and lemon juice to mix my usual drink. The tiny gesture should be satisfying. Proof the operation is working.
Instead, I can’t tear my attention from the Alpha beside me.
As I take the stool next to his, Orien says, “You disappeared again.”
“I’ve been busy.”
A faint challenge enters his expression. “And now you’re not?”
“That depends,” I say, leaning closer, “on how long you plan to drag out this little flirtation before you commit. Because I’m not a fan of blue balls.”
Ghost snorts under his breath before moving farther down the bar to give us space.
The high collar of my shirt earns a twitch of irritation that Orien can’t hide before he focuses on me once more. “And if I plan to make you keep waiting?”
There it is.
Finally.
Not enough. But something.
Heat curls in my hips, and I slide my hand onto his knee. “Then I’m going to start being busy all the time.”
The muscles under my hand harden. “Don’t try to play the jealousy game with me, trouble.”
“No game.” My hand moves higher. “But I’d like to at least get a little taste to know if the dildo I’ve been riding during my Heats is at all comparable, or if I should upgrade. Or…” I stare at the front of his slacks. “Downgrade?”
