Chapter Ten

Talon

I brought him to my house. I never did this. Not since a certain omega shattered any illusions I might have once held. But I wanted him there, under my roof where I could see him whenever I wanted. And my wolf was pointing out very practically that we were mated. Where would he live except with us?

Many shifters actually did things that way but not me. I didn't want to drag him over my doorstep like a caveman and grunt, "My omega. You stay here all time and be pretty. And submissive."

An alpha/omega relationship and a dom/sub had some elements in common, but there were differences as well, and it was a complication not many were willing to take on long-term. Was I? Was Rowan? He lay with his head on the pillow next to mine, in the bedroom I'd imagined I'd sleep alone in forever.

And the thought of cubs rose in my mind again as well. He'd repeated what I asked him to, said he was mine, even begged me to mate him, but that could have been the moment, right? It was intense to spend time in a club like Cuffed, and if an omega had even the least curiosity about it, then it made sense that would lead to severe horniness.

But then…he hadn't asked me to try anything non-vanilla… I'd been completely satisfied, but it couldn't be the same every time. I opened Cuffed with my friends because we all were in the lifestyle. Rowan was not. Would he want to be? And if he didn't, could what was between us be enough?

His soft, even breaths were music to me. Having him curled into my side, one knee bent over my more-than-morning-wood hard cock, was torturous but also sensual in the extreme. I wanted this every morning, but not until he was ready.

"Are you awake, alpha?" His voice was rough with sleep.

"Yes, just lying here enjoying the morning."

"I stayed all night," he said. "Is that okay?"

"It was why I brought you. Did you sleep well?"

He pressed his lips to the side of my throat and kissed the skin there. "Too well. I could go right back to sleep and snuggle here with you all day."

"Best idea I've heard in years." I tousled his hair. "How did I get such a smart omega?"

"Just lucky I guess."

"Can I make one suggestion though?"

He nodded, nose brushing my earlobe.

"How about if I go downstairs and make us a big breakfast then bring it up here. We can eat in bed then take a long nap."

Rowan sat up and grinned down at me. "No wonder I picked you out of all the other doms at the club."

"You what?" I tried not to laugh, my dom side trying to decide whether it needed to take over the conversation.

"I picked you out. Who would I want but the best?"

"And we haven't even scened yet. You did want to try that, right?"

"In your playroom?"

"Deal." I pulled him down on top of me. "But if you ever feel ready to try out the main floor, it will be with nobody but me, got it?"

"Mm-hmm. What's for breakfast, Sir?"

"It's a surprise." I kissed him on the lips and rolled him to the side, giving him a quick smack on the bottom before sitting up. "You'll have to wait and see."

I was as happy naked in my own home as the next man, but for cooking, I pulled on a pair of boxers. What we'd be eating would be as big a surprise to me as to him. Since we'd been working on the club, I'd pretty much given up eating at home, so I wasn't sure what might be in the freezer or the pantry. If I didn't manage to find anything, I'd just have to call for delivery. But my wolf really loved the idea of cooking for our omega.

Turned out, I had sausage links in the freezer and a box of add-water pancake mix as well as butter-flavored syrup in the pantry. Since I had no butter, that was a necessary element. A half hour later, I had a tray laden with food and coffee ready to take up to my omega. One thing I always had on hand was the essentials for a good cup of coffee. Dark-roasted beans, whipping cream, and raw sugar crystals.

I found him asleep again but he heard me enter and opened his eyes. "Pancakes, alpha? You're the best."

That made it harder to take him home and drop him off that afternoon. I missed him from the moment the door closed behind him, but at least I could look forward to seeing him again tonight.