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“You want some food? We could order something.” Greg held a chair out. “My lady.”

“I just ate, thanks.” I sat down, and Greg sat next to me, almost brushing against my shoulder. He normally wasn’t this over-the-top, and I wondered if work was stressing him out. “What are you working on?” I asked, and sure enough, that made him launch into a detailed description of his current projects. He could be really boastful, but he also could back it up with the skills.

That managed to kill ten minutes, but he stopped sooner than normal to lean closer. “I’m glad I have you to myself for a moment.”

“Oh?” I raised an eyebrow. “That sounds ominous. I didn’t do it.”

He didn’t acknowledge my joke. “I was wondering if I could go through the matching process at Cosmic Bonds.”

“Of course.” Relief loosened the knot in my stomach. I’d thought he was going to ask me out again, and then I felt like a conceited jerk for worrying about that. “You can sign up online and then make an appointment to start the process. Let me know when you do.”

“So long as your profile’s in there,” he said and winked. Somehow his winks hit differently than Alejandro’s and it wasn’t only because I found the alpha chef sexy.

“It’s not actually.” My mouth went dry. “I don’t date clients.”

“Oh.” He deflated, his face getting sad. He had big brown eyes with long lashes, his best feature. “Look, I know I’m just a beta.”

The phrase set my teeth on edge.

Sunshine and Holly struggled with feelings of worth as betas. Society acted like they were the support system propping up alphas and omegas. But there was a difference between Sunshine being told she wasn’t as desirable just because she wasn’t an omega and Greg complaining he couldn’t get any dates because he was a beta.

Sunshine’s wound was reinforced by shitty alpha behavior. Greg used the phrase like a sword he would throw himself on the second something didn’t go his way.

Besides. People wanting me because I was an omega wasn’t exactly a compliment. I wasn’t a person to them, just a designation. They wanted what they thought was a submissive woman who turned into a sex slave once a quarter, which was why the world treated male omegas like West was second best.

“It doesn’t mean I can’t take care of you.” Greg leaned closer, his soapy-musky smell heavy in the air. “I have money. You and West manage without an alpha, so it’s not that I’m not…” He flushed, pausing and looking down at his pants.

Oh my god, I wanted to scream.

“I know that,” I said quickly. “But I’m not dating anyone right now.” I immediately hated myself for not just saying no. But the last time I told someone no, he told me I was a slutty bitch who led men on. Making Greg mad didn’t seem worth it.

Greg sat back, pushing some of his greasy hair out of his face. “I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“It’s okay.” I searched for something to say that wouldn’t seem like encouragement.

The door opened and West came in. It took all my willpower not to jump up and rub myself all over him, just to get rid of Greg’s secondhand scent.

West raised his eyebrow. “All good?”

“Yep.” Greg stood up. “I’ve got to get back to work. Nice chatting with you. We’ll do that movie night next week?” He did finger guns at me.

I fought not to roll my eyes. “I’ll post the question in our group chat.”

Greg nodded at West and left.

I let out a breath and switched seats. West sat next to me, and I rubbed my face all over his shoulder. He smelled like milk andhoney, a soft scent especially for an omega. When he was in heat or I got him really worked up, a hint of almonds came out.

West put his arm around me. “Did he ask you out again?”

His silky black hair was braided back today. If we weren’t at work, I’d pull it out and play with it. West was Korean American and had lightly tanned skin with brown eyes. His hair was my obsession, thick and silky, hanging to the middle of his back when it wasn’t pulled back.

“No, but he was working his way there.” I slid his lunch over. “I stopped by Talk of the Town.”

West scowled at the door one more time and let me change the subject. “And?”

“Alejandro’s smoking hot. And he smells good.” I let out a breath. “Some tropical fruit I can’t place, and palm leaves, warm and green. Like being on the beach.”

West opened the box. “How dare he smell good and know how to cook.”