Page 21 of Slow Heat

“Really?”

“For a little while. You aren’t the only one who feels the pull ofÉrosgápe.”

He wished he believed it, but Vale seemed so calm, and he felt so raw. He wanted to tug Vale into his arms and not let him go until he was sticky with sweat, saliva, and come. He didn’t get the impression Vale wanted the same thing at all.

“How’s your morning been?” Jason asked softly, trying for something basic.

“Lost my job. Gotta say, it’s not off to a great start.”

“I promise you won’t have to ‘pay the price’ for this,” Jason said. “It’s not your fault I took so long to find you.”

“You weren’t even born.”

“I was, actually. You were sixteen when I was born, so that means that I was six when you needed me.”

Vale’s hand twitched like he’d almost reached out to Jason but thought better of it. “And what would six-year-old Jason have done for twenty-two-year-old Vale?”

“Given you hope? For some kind of future?”

Vale’s eyebrows tightened, and Jason wished he could grab the words from the air. His shoulders hunched, and he cast his eyes down.

“I had a future. Everything that happened until you appeared out of the blue yesterday afternoon was that future. It wasmy life.”

“I’m sorry.” Jason looked up, hoping Vale would understand. “I only meant that maybe it would’ve been less painful for you. I don’t know anything about your life. I shouldn’t make guesses. My professors are always saying that learning is listening. I’ll get better at it. I promise.”

Vale’s lips twisted. “You’re young, but, if that’s your attitude, we’ll manage.”

“Will we?” Jason’s heart leapt into his throat.

“There’s a lot to deal with and sort through, but you seem to have a good heart, Jason.” Vale’s body relaxed, and he smiled genuinely. “That makes me glad.”

“I want you to be glad of everything about me.”

“Omega persuasion,” Vale whispered with some derision.

Jason blinked at the offensive term from his omega’s beautiful mouth, as well as the accusation that maybe Jason didn’t really mean these things.

“Maybe. But isn’t that right? How it’s meant to be?” Jason asked.

“Oh, you’re so young.”

He’d come here to know his omega better, but now Vale grew more and more distant with almost every sentence out of Jason’s mouth.

“What’s your favorite color?” he asked desperately. He wasn’t going to leave here totally empty handed.

Vale humored him. “Blue.”

“All blues? Or is there a particular shade?”

Vale tilted his head in consideration, his lower lip tucking into his mouth. “Hold on. I have a piece of fabric, an old ribbon bookmark.”

He moved deeper into the room, and Jason leaned against the windowsill, tempted to crawl in after him, to keep the distance between them the tolerable few feet it had been before. But he steadied himself and waited with his gaze glued to Vale as he sorted through a messy drawer in his desk and pulled out a strip of blue ribbon imprinted with a gold star on one side and words on the other.

Vale brought it to the window, holding it up. “This blue.”

“Deeper than a robin egg, but not cornflower, either.”

“It’s called cerulean.”