Page 33 of Omega's Reluctant Mate

Nate retrieved his hand, and I fought back the urge to grab it and set it on my leg again. I craved his touch however I could get it.

A few minutes later I pulled into the Mitchell’s parking lot, which was already getting full for the lunch rush.

“They look busy,” Nate observed.

I smiled. “Probably have a great lunch special. They’re always sorta-busy, but they got a new daytime chef a few months back and she’s got people flocking for the new offerings.”

“I see.”

I glanced over at him. Nate was staring at the restaurant, but his thoughts were clearly written on his face. He was nervous, and it didn’t take a genius to know why.

I reached over and took his hand. “I’m here.”

He jumped, head swiveling towards me. Our eyes met, and I smiled.

Whatever it was, it only affected our future as potential mates. I could still be the friend he needed.

Nate returned the smile and nodded. “Shall we?”

“Yes,” I replied. “I’m starving.”

We walked in and were seated after a brief wait. We ordered, then Nate fell silent for several minutes.

“You-you don’t have to do this now,” I finally offered.

He looked at me, smiled, then shook his head. “No, I do. The longer I put this off the harder it becomes.”

“Ok.”

Nate took a sip of beer, then blew out a long breath. “Have you… do you know the term demisexual?”

I thought about it for a second, just to make sure I was thinking of the right word, then I nodded. “It’s when you need a strong emotional connection to feel attraction, right?”

Nate licked his lips and nodded.

For a brief moment I wondered where he was going with the question, then it hit me: the reason he didn’t respond to my scent, the reason he ran. “Are you…?” I started.

He nodded again.

I reached across the table and took one of his hands off his beer and folded it between mine. “I’m here, and I’m listening.”

Nate studied me for a few seconds, then it was like a weight was lifted from him. His shoulders relaxed, and his fingers curled around mine.

The floodgates opened, and he told me everything: how he’d felt broken in high school and the first years of college, finally understanding himself and accepting it, then realizing that he had a fated mate and knowing what society expected of him.

It was heavy, and I hurt for him. He’d isolated himself just to keep from meeting me, all because he’d thought that I wouldn’t be able to accept him.

Nate stared at the table when he finished, and it was clear how much his fears weighed on him.

I squeezed his hand. “I’m still here,” I reassured him.

He looked up and for the first time there wasn’t a guarded look in his eyes.

It was never about me, it was always his fear that I would reject something about him that he couldn’t change.

I took a deep breath. “What do you want to do now?”

Nate blinked several times. “What?”