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“Are you hungry?” He gestured at the stove. “I haven’t started your lunch yet. I asked Sunshine what food you liked, but she said you weren’t picky.”

“With food?” I shook my head. “Not at all.”

“You must have favorites?” he asked, charm oozing from every pore. More questions in that tone and I’d give him mysocial security number, my security code to the cottage, and my bank account.

“Uhhh…” My brain went blank. “That pork katsu thing you did was amazing. I love chocolate in all forms. Those chicken enchiladas really hit the spot. And thanks for the extra meal for West.”

He put his hand on his chest like he was wounded. “It hurt me so badly to hear that your omega partner was forced to have leftovers. If I’d known sooner, I would have sent you more.”

I took a long drink from my Coke, needing time to think. “You don’t have to do it at all.”

I waited; this would be the perfect opening for him to ask me on a date. For my number. To cash in on all the goodwill he generated from cooking for me and West for six months. I wasn’t sure what my answer would be.

“Of course not.” He tsked. “You want to watch?”

“Oh, yeah,” I said, my voice dropping to a purr. “I love watching.” West would go nuts for his scent; I just knew it.

The alpha winked and headed back over to the station. I went around to the other side, keeping the countertop between us.

“You’re allowed by the stove, if you want?” He paused, like he was reassuring me he wouldn’t accidentally set me on fire.

I almost kept going for the countertop. It would have been easier to have more space between us.

But I could stand the heat. Plenty of the chefs bustled around, pretending not to listen to us flirt, so we had chaperones.

I wouldn’t be able to jump him with so many people around.

Probably.

Chapter 8

Alejandro

It took everything in my being not to drag Ember off to the supply closet. It was the only place I could think of that we’d have some semblance of privacy.

But there was a wary look on her face, breaking through her delight, and that gave me pause.

Ten months ago, I’d caught her scent on Sunshine, and I was a goner.

I’d gone home to my little apartment and fought not to go into a rut. I’d jerked off so many times I’d felt raw, but nothing quenched the need for her.

But I had a front-row seat to Logan’s courtship of Sunshine. I gathered the tragedy of losing their parents left its mark on them.

I also knew I was hardly the best catch. I wasn’t ugly, and omegas seemed to like my scent, but I worked thirteen-hour days, six days a week. I could hardly court her properly. Then I found out she had a male omega partner. She smelled amazing, but she didn’t have an alpha.

That meant the other alphas were fucking up. Royally. They had to be complete idiots to not be worshiping the ground the two omegas walked on.

I promised myself then and there I would court Ember and West, but slowly.

I didn’t mean to make it six months of slowly wooing her the best way I knew how: food. But Sunshine mentioned on occasion that she would have to get Ember to come over. When that never happened, I took that as a sign that Ember wasn’t ready. The omega knew where I worked, and when she was ready, she’d come see me.

Now that that day had finally come, I realized my hubris. I did not have a next step in my brilliant Woo the Omegas plan. Feed them, yes. Flirt, also that. Her lemon pound cake scent was making my mouth water, and fantasies of picking her up and eating her out right on the counter played out in my mind.

I pushed my thoughts out of the gutter. Cooking with a hard-on wasn’t on my top ten list of most comfortable activities. “What would you like for lunch? It’s nice to be able to ask for your opinions.”

She smiled, her big blue eyes watching my every move with hunger that had nothing to do with food. “I’ve loved everything you made.”

That made my alpha preen. She liked it all.