Chapter Nine

West

Hot kisses pressed against the back of my neck. “Mmm,” Alex said from behind me. “I thought that would wake you up.”

“But why?” I giggled. Me. Giggling. I shook my head at the silliness, but at the same time lapped it all up. The alpha who had made fast then sweet, slow love to me the night before, lit up all new facets of my life.

“Because it’s almost nine, and I’m starving.” He slid his hand along my hip before wrapping it around the base of my cock. “All kinds of starving.”

We shared a shower that was anything but clean and then stumbled into the kitchen. Alex had on his jeans from the night before and nothing underneath.

“Should we order in?” he asked, fumbling with the espresso, latte, cappuccino, whatever machine. The best on the market, Emile had said, claiming he had to have it.

I shook my head. “Let me get that for you. I’d like to cook for you if that’s okay?”

Alex wrapped his arms around me and pressed his face into the crook of my neck. “I would love that, omega. Thank you. You’re so giving—in and out of the bedroom.”

Funny how one person can appreciate another more than they’d been appreciated in a lifetime.

“You weren’t so bad yourself.”

While I whipped up some French toast to be topped with blueberry-lemon compote, Alex sipped coffee and cleaned up behind me, washing bowls and utensils so there wouldn’t be a mess when we sat down to eat. Something I never managed on my own. He set the table for two and, after some coaching from me, found the maple syrup.

I really should’ve stopped comparing Alex and Emile in my head, but the contrast was so glaring, I couldn’t help myself. Emile went to the back porch in the morning, saying he needed alone time. Time to think. Time to collect his thoughts. What he really did was go outside to talk to the neighbor. It irked me. He could be cordial and friendly, making light conversation with him but not with the omega who slept in his bed.

“Where did you go there?” Alex took my cup and made me another round of espresso. He was a fast learner. It took me three times to figure out that damned machine.

“Nowhere,” I lied through my teeth.

“Tell me, West. There’s nothing you can say that will lessen how I feel about you. Good. Bad. Ugly. Mean. Even if I was a disappointing lover. Lay it on me.”

“Never that. You were”—my cheeks flamed—“spectacular. I served us both up four pieces of French toast and spooned compote onto both. “I’m feeling guilty about not feeling guilty.”

Expecting Alex to laugh, I braced myself for impact. He reached for the maple syrup and poured some on my French toast first and then his own. “There are no rules about how you are supposed to feel, West. What you feel, you feel.”

My shoulders and jaw relaxed, releasing the built-up tension that started in the moment I woke up every day. “I’m a widower, and my mate has been gone not even a year, and I’m wrapped up in you like I never was with him. I threw myself at you the moment we were alone. That’s not something to feel bad about?”

“No. No one, no matter what stage in life they are in, should feel guilty about receiving and giving love.”

He said love. Alex said love. I stabbed my French toast and stuffed a bite in my mouth, closing my eyes and trying to slow my rapid heartbeat.

“West?” he urged. He grasped the underside of my chair and slid me closer. “West. Omega, look at me.”

I opened my eyes slowly to see Alex’s lines in his forehead deepen. He was worried again. I kept doing that to him, and my wolf didn’t like it. He wanted us to settle in and be at peace—or at least lust together. This alpha had a grip on me, and I wanted it so badly.

“I’m looking.”

“There you are. Listen, let’s not label this quite yet. I think you’re beautiful and sweet. Such a lovely omega. But we’ll take this at your pace. I’m not going anywhere unless you tell me to.”

I never wanted him to leave. He should go home and pack. Or maybe I’d pack and… “Okay.”

“Good. I thought while I was here, we could take a look at your accounts. Maybe I can set a few things straight. I hate for you to have to put out fires when balancing might be easy. May I? Would you let me help you?”

I opened my mouth to say yes, but I was ashamed of not being able to do it myself. I told him so, biting back tears.

“No shame. Not anymore. Not about us, and not about silly things like accounting. Okay?” He leaned forward and kissed my lips. “I won’t judge. I promise. You are a smart and capable male and, under different circumstances, I bet you would excel at anything thrown your way. You’ve had a bad year. Let me help you get back on your feet. Please. You’d be doing me a favor, really. When I lose sleep, I get horrendous bags under my eyes. It’s hideous, really. And how would that look at the club?”

I shook my head. “You could never be hideous, Alex. Never.”

He stood and pushed his shoulders back. “Is that right? Do you think I’m sexy and handsome, omega?”

Pushing at his chest, I laughed. “You know you are gorgeous, Alex.”

He grabbed my hands and kissed them. “It only matters if you think so. Now, where’s the computer and the pile of bills?”

“In the dining room. Let me show you.” I led him in and waved toward the table piled with the paperwork Titanic. As I looked at it, imagined what he must think, my stomach sank. “Really, you don’t have to do this. I can hire an accountant or maybe file for bankruptcy.”

He sat in the chair in front of the laptop and reached for my hand. “It’s going to be okay. Right?” He took my hand and turned it over, pressing a kiss into my palm. “Trust me?”

“I do. Yeah, I really do.”