Page 64 of Omega Tricked

“Never wavered?” He frowned.

“No.” I grimaced. “Well, maybe in kindergarten. I think I did have a brief thing for my teacher, Mrs. Brown. But then her husband would come in to help out sometimes, and I quickly realized I had an even bigger thing for him.”

His smile was rueful. “I can’t understand how I’d get to the age of thirty-nine and not have any idea I might be curious about…” His voice trailed off, and he avoided my gaze.

“Does it really matter when you figure it out? So long as you do?”

He nodded. “Maybe not. Although, it makes it more awkward when everyone thinks you’re one thing, but you might be another.”

“Fuck what other people think,” I growled.

He widened his eyes. “Whoa.”

“Sorry.” I kicked at a stone in the road. “The thing is, worrying about what society wanted is how I got involved with Jacob. I was a good little omega, and I went in search of an alpha.” My voice sounded bitter. “I’d have been better off alone.”

He surprised me when he put his arm around my shoulders. “No way you could know anything that would happen. You can’t beat yourself up for not seeing the future.” His jaw hardened and he gave me a funny look. “I mean that. Things happen sometimes, and you can’t control them.”

“I just feel like I should have seen that evil in Jacob. How could I miss it?”

He dropped his arm from my shoulder. “You probably used to look for the best in people. A lot of omegas do.”

“Now I expect the worst.”

“That’s not good either. Somewhere in the middle is best.”

“I guess.” I glanced at him. “I meant what I said though; you can’t worry about what everyone thinks. If you decide you’re attracted to men, that’s your business. No one else’s.”

He sighed and gestured toward a crop of boulders nestled in the shade of a grove of pines. “Mind if we sit for a bit?”

“Not at all.”

We climbed up on the rocks, and he stared up into the clear blue sky. “Am I the kind of man you’re usually attracted to?” he asked.

“I don’t really have a specific type. I just go by whether or not I feel aroused.” My face warmed. “This is weird to talk about out loud.”

His lips twitched. “Yes. I agree.” He cleared his throat. “I’m a lot older than you.”

“You don’t look it though.” I ran my gaze over his lanky body. “You’re gorgeous. I suspect you know that.”

He grimaced. “I know that women like me.”

“Of course they do.” I laughed. “And I don’t care about your age.”

His gaze slid to mine. “I find myself not caring about yours either.”

“Well, I guess if you can overlook the fact I’m a dude, my age should be nothing.” I grinned.

“Good point.”

I felt his gaze on me again, and my pulse sped up. Was he actually considering being with me? I felt breathless at the idea. Was I ready? Could I be with an alpha? Could I be with Lex? I kept my eyes averted, listening to the sound of kids playing in the distance. For the longest time I hadn’t been able to be around children. It had hurt too much. But gradually, I’d been able desensitize myself so that I didn’t unravel every time a child giggled. My life would have been so different if I’d met an alpha like Lex, instead of Jacob. But I couldn’t turn back time, and what had happened would forever be a scar on my heart.

“You know I won’t be here long,” he said softly.

“I know.”

“I’m not proposing we start a relationship.”

“I know that too.” I met his assessing gaze. “You’re curious, and I’m willing. That’s all this would be.”