KARTER

HE RUSHED INTO a bathroom as soon as we arrived. That was my fault. I shouldn't have teased him so much in the car, but I couldn't help myself. His responses were so charming and arousing and so incredibly obvious.

It also helped soothe my ego to know that my near instant obsession with him wasn't one-sided. The impossibly strong attraction I had for him was mutual, that much I knew for sure. I didn't have much to be insecure about in terms of what I could offer, but I didn't know yet if he was even interested in a relationship, much less with me personally. But being desperately and helplessly attracted to me was a start.

Hormonal reactions aside, I planned on using today and tomorrow to show him what he was missing by not taking care of himself. The added effect of relaxing him and opening him up to the possibility of becoming more acquainted with me was a pleasant bonus.

I clacked away at the keys on the laptop balanced on my lap, glancing up periodically to watch as the team I'd very carefully hand selected took care of him. All betas and omegas. Maybe it was a little too possessive so early, but I didn't think I could stay relaxed watching another alpha touch him. Even in a completely innocuous situation like this one.

He'd had his scalp scrubbed with an exfoliating shampoo, then moisturized with a deep-conditioning hair mask. A nourishing clay mask for his face to absorb excess oils, then a sheet mask to hydrate. Manicure, pedicure, the works. My only regret is that he would smell like a fruit salad on the way home instead of the scent I was quickly becoming accustomed to.

My team chattered with him, ever friendly and accommodating, while he asked questions about the products. I hoped he wasn't focusing too much on the review aspect, because frankly I'd mostly made that whole thing up.

I left them briefly, to put together a little gift bag of our products for him. Perusing one of our stock rooms, I filled it with the products they'd used on him, as well as a few of our best selling ones. Then, considering, I sat it down to slip back into the salon room.

Crooking my finger to beckon over one of the girls who'd been working on him, I pulled her aside so he couldn't hear the conversation. "What size do you think he wears?"

"The kid?" She asked, glancing back over to him. Though I knew she didn't mean it any particular way, her description of him didn't thrill me.

"His name is Cameron, and he's not a kid."

She seemed to notice my annoyance, and quickly tried to dispel it.

"Oh! No, no, he's not really a kid. I just meant, I have sons older than him, you know? So it's just habit for me to think of him that way."

I acknowledged her sentence with a grunt. "His size?"

"His size for what, exactly? Pants? Shoes?"

"Lingerie." My tone was flat, daring her to react in a manner that betrayed any sort of surprise or judgment.

She blinked, twice, before composing her expression into what could only be described as complete neutrality.

"I… Would say you'd be safe with medium in anything intended for a female, and small for anything intended for a male."

"Thank you." I dismissed her by jerking my chin back towards the salon area before walking out.

When I was finished picking out the last few items I wanted Cameron to have, I returned to the salon area. As I opened the door to enter, I nearly ran smack into him.

"Oh!" He jumped back a little, startled. "I was just looking for you."

"You were?" I asked. His shy little smile made me want to hold him against a wall while I kissed him breathless.

"They said they're all done with me today," he said. When he pulled out his phone to glance at the time, he gasped. "Oh! Damn it! It's later than I thought."

"You even sound cute when you curse," I observed, which made him shake his head a little, grimacing.

"I have to be home, like, really soon."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure you get home on time." But I wondered what he was so nervous about being late for.

True to my word, I had my driver floor it on the way back to Cameron's apartment. But even with the added speed, we had a few minutes to talk, which I was glad for.

"So, um, I wanted to thank you for everything today. It was all really, really nice. They didn't ask me any questions about anything, though?"

"Don't worry, we'll take care of all that tomorrow." We wouldn't.

"What's even going to be left to try tomorrow?" He asked, a little wide-eyed.

"Don't worry, there's plenty you haven't tried."

"Let me guess," he started, and for once instead of timid nerves I could see a sparkle of humor dancing in his hazel eyes. "You're going to put me on some special table and give me a deep tissue massage with some fancy oils or something, right?"

The mental image of his tight, pretty body barely covered by a towel and slicked with oil was very, very inviting. I'd have to consider it sometime outside of my place of work.

"Morrison Beauty doesn't make massage oils."

"Wow, really? Seems like that's maybe the only thing you guys don't make."

"We do make a shimmer body oil," I offered. "If you want to sparkle in the sun like a Pacific Northwestern vampire."

He giggled at my reference. "I don't know if that's for me…"

"I'm sure you'd look incredible," I told him. His laugh was so cute. I wanted to hear it all the time. "It seems like you're getting more comfortable with me. I'm glad. You don't have any reason to be afraid of me, baby boy."

"Uh, well, I was never afraid of you exactly," he said, staring down at his thighs. Sunlight from the window highlighted his fresh, glowing skin, making him look even more ethereal than normal. "I'm just not used to all this."

"All this?"

"Attention and stuff like that. Plus, alphas don't usually like me." As he finished that sentence, he winced a little, like he'd revealed something he hadn't meant to reveal. I was shocked to hear him say that, but it mattered very little to me what other alphas thought of him. If anything, it was good. It would result in less bloodshed that way.

"Why not?" Even so, I couldn't help but ask.

Sighing, Cam wrung his fingers together nervously. "It's complicated."

"If it's complicated, then forget about it for now. Like I said before, I only want you focused on me and how you feel today."

When I reached out to him, this time only briefly petting my fingers down his hair, he didn't look quite so petrified.

"Okay. I'll try." He hesitated for a bit before speaking again. "You were really generous with everything today. And then to give me all this stuff, too… This is all so different for me. I just want to make sure you know how much I really appreciate it."

"I enjoyed it too, so there's no need to thank me. Watching you allow yourself to be treated the way you deserve was very…" I paused, considering my wording. I still couldn't come on as strong as I'd like. Even if he was starting to warm to me. It wouldn't do to scare him off. "It was very pleasurable for me."

"Is that, like, a thing for you?" Cam wondered, before groaning and pressing his fingers to his eyes. "God, sorry, that was so rude of me to ask."

"A thing?" I repeated, amused. "In what sense do you mean?"

"Forget it."

"If there's anything you want to know about me, I'm happy to share. Don't worry about offending me, Cameron."

"I just meant… You know, is this something you're into? Like… You know, taking care of someone or spoiling them or whatever."

I couldn't help but chuckle at his roundabout way of speaking.

"My personal preferences aside, that should be my instinct, should it not? To protect my omega? Keep them safe, happy. I'd make a pretty poor alpha if I didn't enjoy doting on you, wouldn't I?"

"Well, yeah." It seemed even he had to admit that was true. "But that's just a mate thing. Alphas feel those instincts about their mates."

"I told you I'm interested in you," I reiterated. "I'm attracted to you, and charmed by your personality. I enjoy your presence. The aforementioned instincts that alphas have apply between us as well."

"Isn't it kind of fast for all that?" He sounded breathless as the words tumbled out. Breathless and excited, if I wasn't mistaken.

"I'm not a wait-and-see kind of person, Cameron. When I want something, I take it. Or I earn it."

" You're trying to earn me ?" It seemed he had only finally realized it in this moment. "Are you crazy?"

"Perhaps," I conceded. I'd certainly been called it before. "You're right that we've only just met and don't know each other very well yet. And it's possible we won't suit at all, and if that's the case then we'll be no worse off for trying. Don't you think?" My words sounded reasonable, but in my head I didn't even consider that a possibility.

"Well… I don't know. I don't want to get hurt."

My sweet little omega was a cautious sort. Again, I wondered what life had done to such a lovely creature to make him so distrustful.

"Have you been hurt before?" I asked. "A bad breakup, maybe?"

"No," he answered quickly, and with what I was sure was honesty. So his caution didn't stem from a bad relationship. "I've never had any kind of breakup, really."

If he'd never had a breakup, then he'd never really been in a relationship.

"Are you a virgin, Cameron?"

At my admittedly inappropriate question, a quick little nervous laugh escaped him before he shook his head. "No, I'm not. Does that bother you?"

"Of course not," I answered smoothly, somewhat relieved. In truth, it had given me a brief flash of concern and worry. Not that I had an objection to anyone who chose to wait for sex, but I hadn't been with a virgin since I'd been one, as a teenager. I didn't have much of a desire to navigate it again now, in my 30s. "I'll tell you a secret. I'm not a virgin either."

I watched the slight tension drain from his face once again as he giggled at my confession. Then, sighing with obvious disappointment, he gave an exaggerated pout.

"Oh, darn, I was so sure you were. Well, I guess I'll just have to get used to the idea."

The fact that he had a sense of humor on top of everything else was a very gratifying discovery. It was quickly becoming apparent that I liked everything there was to discover about him. Still, the words of the woman in the salon popped up as I pondered.

"I'm sorry I haven't asked before, but it hasn't seemed important. It's clear that I'm a bit older than you, but…"

"I'm 22," he answered once I had trailed off. Old enough to vote, drink, and rent a car. Good enough for me. "I just had my birthday in June. I'm a Cancer."

"That's not a very nice thing to call yourself."

"No!" Cam giggled at my deadpan delivery. "I mean, you know, my zodiac sign is Cancer. What about you?"

"I'm 33. I'm afraid I don't know what sign I fall under." I hoped he wouldn't think I was making fun of his interest.

"That's okay, I can tell you! When's your birthday?"

"April 26th."

"You're a Taurus!" He announced. "That's cool."

"So do a Cancer and a Taurus work together?" I wondered, finding it adorable when he looked deep in thought, his pink little tongue flicking out to rest at the side of his mouth.

"Well, yeah, I think so. Earth and water signs are supposed to be good. Let me check my app, okay?" When I waved my palm to indicate for him to go ahead, he dug his phone out of his pocket. "Oh, hey, it says we're totally compatible!"

"Thank goodness."

"According to this, Taurus will make Cancer feel secure, and Cancer will nurture Taurus and make a good home for them."

"Sounds like a match made in heaven."

Looking up from his phone, he smiled sheepishly at me. "You don't really believe in this stuff, right? You're just humoring me."

"If it says we're good together then I choose to believe it," I said. "Do you feel secure with me, Cameron?"

Taking a moment to consider the question, he slowly nodded. "If I didn't, I wouldn't have gotten in this car with you today."

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear that." I wanted him to feel safe with me, above all else.

He blushed pink, but looked pleased at my statement. "So what's in here, anyway?" He asked, lifting the luxe shopping-style bag I'd filled for him.

"Just some gifts and samples from the brand." I watched as he rifled through it, waiting for him to reach the bottom where I'd placed the particularly interesting items.

"T-This!" Sputtering out his shock, Cam pulled a pair of panties out of the bag, eyeing them hugely widened eyes. "Did you put these in here?" The tiny scrap of lacy fabric was snow white with satiny detailing on the edges.

"I did," I said, without a hint of embarrassment. "I picked out things that I specifically thought would suit you. And because I know you wouldn't buy anything like this on your own."

"Well, no, I wouldn't," he agreed with me. "I don't think anyone would want to see me in something like this."

"Really?" I asked mockingly. "No one?"

"You would?" He asked, surprised. "Seriously?"

It was obvious he had no idea how incredibly alluring he was. But as I opened my mouth to tell him just what I'd like to see him in, the car slowed to a stop around us. We'd arrived at Cam's apartment. I'd completely lost track of time talking with him. Judging by the look on his face when he checked the time on his phone, he had too.

"Damn it!" He cursed again. "I have to go, like, now. Sorry. Thanks again for everything. I'll see you tomorrow."

Tilting my head curiously at the way he rushed to remove his seat belt and tumble out of the car, I couldn't help but ask.

"Expecting someone?"

My question looked like it brought him immediate stress. "N-not like that. I swear."

"Alright," I said. It didn't seem like he was lying, and I didn't think he was the type of omega to see two alphas at the same time. "Then I'll see you tomorrow, Cameron."

Placing a wide palm on his narrow shoulder, I held him in place as I leaned in. The urge to kiss his pretty pink mouth was powerful, but seeing the nerves and chaotic jumble of thoughts shining clear as day in his eyes, I took mercy on him and shifted just a bit to the right, planting a soft kiss on his cheekbone.

He didn't say anything else, hurrying off and up the path to his door. I was tempted to stay and wait around to see exactly who or what he was waiting for. But just as I wanted him to feel safe with me, trust between us was important too.

I directed my driver to take me back to work, and began to plan for the next day.