Page 23 of Sweet Whiskey

KINSEY

Breathing in the crisp morning air settles something in my bones.

A feeling like coming home after wandering too long without guidance.

I smile at the florist next to the inn, setting up her sidewalk display.

She waves, smiling back as this is now my third or fourth morning walk for a cup of coffee.

I look both ways, crossing the slightly worn road before turning around and passing the corner bookstore.

I make a note to visit it sometime this week when it’s actually open.

The sweet smells of pastries and coffee reach my nose just as I see the figure waiting outside.

He’s watching the morning sky, the sunlight that’s just starting to peek out from the clouds glinting on his rugged face.

My stomach clenches at how handsome he is.

All three of the men becoming important in my life are.

I don’t know what deity blessed me with the lottery of scent matches, but I thank them profusely.

He stands up taller, taking off his hat as I come closer and clutching it to his chest. “Kinsey,” he rumbles.

I stop a few feet from him. “Colt.” He knows my anger has diminished, so I don’t get why he looks nervous.

I understand why he would lie, because I would protect my family at all costs.

If anything, it makes me fall for him even more because if this all works out, then he’d make a really good daddy.

A stray thought about calling him daddy while he?—

Shaking my head, I give him a small smile and hope slick doesn’t drip onto my panties. I’ve been so sensitive lately; just the thought of these men has me hornier than I’ve ever thought possible.

His throat bobs with a quick swallow, and his tongue swipes across his lips in a quick swish. “I wanted to catch you early and see if you’ll go on a morning ride with me. I even packed a breakfast and some coffee.”

My eyebrows raise. “A morning ride?”

The apples of his cheeks stain red right above the rough line of his beard. “On the horses,” he clarifies quickly. “There’s a trail by the ranch, it’s beautiful.”

My mouth quirks. “I’ve never ridden a horse.”

Colt sets his hat on his head, giving me a devilish grin. “It’s my specialty, sweetheart.”

I hum. “And food…and coffee. You promised coffee.”

“I did,” he says, holding out his hand. I slip mine in it, suppressing the shiver at the warmth of his fingers tangling with mine.

A small giggle escapes me when he leads me to his truck and opens the door for me.

He winks as I climb in and gently shuts it before getting in on the other side and driving us out of town.

“You know you didn’t have to do all this. A simple coffee would have sufficed,” I say, watching passing trees as we head to the ranch.

“I wanted to, even if it's a somewhat selfish reason to get some alone time with you.”

I blush at the implication, and glance over at him. A small smile twists on his lips when he looks my way before returning his gaze back to the road.

“I will say you and your pack are very persistent.”

His expression falters, and then he clears his throat. “We’re not coming off too strong, are we? I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

I shake my head. “No, I…uh, I like it. Back home, I feel like alphas have a never-ending pick of omegas, so it’s easy to be overlooked.

” I don’t mean to sound self-pitying, and honestly I didn’t mind it.

Becoming part of a pack has never been on my agenda, not for a few more years.

I had wanted to graduate from the academy and then find my father.

My heart aches at the thought of having no family.

As an omega, the loneliness can be overwhelming.

Brielle is the closest thing to family for me, but she doesn’t count in my omega’s heart and doesn’t settle the ever-present need for more .

Colt frowns, reaching over the console to grab my hand. Warmth shoots up my arm as he squeezes, and I look up at him. “There are multiple omegas in town, Kinsey. I’m not infatuated with you because there’s no one else. Don’t think that.”

I blush. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

“Just making sure because that first night, you were the only one who caught my eye.”

My heart bursts at the seams, and I give him a soft smile. “You were all I saw too.”

He winks and nods toward the road. “It’s a bit of a hike, but I promise it’s worth it.”

He grabs the fence, swings his leg over it, and then hauls his body the rest of the way before his boots land with a soft thud on the dirt. His arm ripples with the effort, showing off his muscular body, and a flash of heat settles in my lower body.

Colt adjusts his hat before grinning up at me, tapping the wood at shoulder height. “Come on, darlin’. Let’s take ya for a ride. ”

My cheeks heat as I shake my head at him. “You know that it can be a dangerous thing to tease an omega.”

A dimple forms right above his chin as his smile stretches. “Dangerous for who?”

I bite down on my lip, trying not to succumb to the desire now humming under my skin. My fingers dig into the rough wood as I put my foot on the lower panel and hoist myself up. Straddling the top of the fence, Colt holds out his arm.

“Swing your other leg over and I’ll catch you.”

I do as he says, letting out a small shriek when I crash into his chest. He steadies us with a laugh.

“A little warning would have been nice, but I appreciate the trust.”

I giggle. “Sorry, I was just following directions.”

Colt sets me down, grabbing my hand again to pull me to the shade of the trees. “Come on, let’s get some energy in us before I attempt to get you on a horse.”

Pulling a blanket out of the large basket, he waves it in the air and drapes it over the ground. He sits down, pulling food out of the basket as I watch with a grin, my heart filled with the gesture.

Colt looks up at me with a raised eyebrow, patting the spot next to him. “You gonna join me?”

I nod and kneel on the blanket. He studies me for a few more seconds.

“You okay?” he asks.

I scrunch my nose. “Sorry for acting weird. This is like my first official date, and I’m absolutely giddy over it.”

He blushes now. “If I’m honest, this is my first date too. And I’m honored you agreed to go with me. I know I withheld some information?—”

I wave a hand. “I was mad at first, but you didn’t deserve it. Actually, it made me like you even more that you’re willing to protect him. Maverick told me that you view Levi like a father.”

Colt nods slowly, opening the tupperware of grapes to plop one in his mouth. “Yeah, he is. My own father… He wasn’t the nicest man. And he messed around on my mom a lot. She was a beta, an d he’s an alpha. He never took their relationship seriously.”

My heart aches for him. “I’m sorry. My mom was a beta too. Besides Levi, she was never really in any relationships after that. You know how everyone is…”

Colt scowls. “Yeah. I can assume the shit those pricks said to a single mom beta. Can I ask why she never tried to seek out Levi before?”

I sigh, taking a few grapes for myself. “I don’t know.

I think at first, she didn’t really have the money to travel, especially with the aid we got from the association.

It required her to work so much. Then I showed the signs of presenting as an omega.

She worked harder to get me into the academy. ”

Colt jerks back. “You went to an academy?”

My cheeks heat, but I don’t feel any judgment from his question. “Yeah, that’s where Brielle and I grew close.”

He snorts. “I can’t really see her in an academy either. ”

I laugh. “I think they wanted her to leave more than anyone else, but her family…uh, they have a lot of money. It’s a long story, and not mine to tell.”

Colt nods in understanding. “So what happened? Don’t most omegas leave it already packed up?”

“Yeah. Brielle and I were the only ones who didn’t.

Believe me, the academy was not happy about it.

Their records were hurt by it, but I just didn’t click with anyone.

I found a couple of alphas to help with my heat.

They were nice and made me comfortable, but even they didn’t feel like pursuing anything outside of that. ”

He shakes his head. “I don’t know how. I’ve been ensnared since I met you.”

I clear my throat. “Have you heard of scent matches?”

Colt’s hand pauses halfway to his mouth, then he drops it into his lap and the grape rolls onto the soft pink blanket. “Yeah, yeah, I have. Now I feel like an idiot for not thinking of it.”

Reaching over to squeeze his fingers, I scrunch my nose at him for being silly like that. “Don’t. It’s not as widely talked about as it is for those who attend the omega academy.”

Colt smiles, the brightness of it stealing my breath momentarily. “All those fancy city folks.” Then his smile falters, and his eyes grow darker. “We have an alpha academy out here, a few hours south.”

My mouth drops open. “You do? I thought most of those shut down. That’s so cool!”

Colt’s jaw tightens. “They should be shut down, Kins. There’s a man in town; I went to high school with him, and he went to that academy when he presented.

When he came back, he was never the same.

Locks himself in the house off the creek just outside of town.

We only see him like once a month when he comes in for groceries. ”

I whimper at the thought of living such a lonely existence, my heart aching for the stranger I’ve never even heard of. Colt lets out a short purr before abruptly stopping and barking out a laugh.

“I’ve never done that before.”

“Purr?” I ask, amused and honored to be his first.

He nods, rubbing at his chest with his other hand. “Yeah. That was…” His gaze falls back to me, softening to a point that has my heartbeat picking up. “I think you might be onto something with that scent match.”

I grin. “Thank you. I was a straight-A student after all.”

Colt smiles back. “You know who else was? Dallas.”

Nodding, I’m not surprised by that. “No wonder he thought to get you a book.”

His eyes widen, and his cheeks turn a lovely shade of pink in embarrassment. “He told you about that?”

“I ran into him at the library. We—uh. He helped me with a heat spike,” I explain, now my turn to flush with mortification.

Understanding dawns on his face. “Ahh, yeah he said—uhm, I got it.” He clears his throat. “It was very informative.”

My lips tilt up in humor. “Oh yeah? Like about what? ”

“Feelings and what not. It also gave a lot of suggestions to help build the perfect…nest.”

Interest has me sitting up. “A nest? What did it suggest?” Outside of the academy room, I’ve never had the opportunity to build the nest of my dreams. It’s hard to have much comfort in a small apartment room after you’ve gotten used to the luxury of what the academy provides.

It wasn’t my mom’s fault that it was all she could afford.

But every time I visited Brielle’s house, the ping of longing always stirred an ache in my chest.

Colt smiles at me. “Uhm. Lots of pillows, blankets, and a comfy mattress. How am I doing so far?”

I nod. “Not bad, but textures are the most important part. I’m partial to softer ones, but can’t stand silk or much satin. Meanwhile, Brielle prefers those. We’re all different.”

“What else are you partial to?” he asks, the determination in his voice taking my breath away.

“The color pink, but a light pink. Not a bright one. ”

I laugh when he visibly withholds his grimace. “Not a fan of pink?” I say.

Colt wrinkles his nose. “It’s not…my favorite, but whatever you want, Kinsey.”

Swallowing down the nerves, I stare at him in earnest before I ask, “So we are doing this then? Officially courting?”

“It’s been official for us since the first night,” Colt says intently.

I avert my gaze, looking over the acres of land before us. “I came for my dad. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do after I found him.”

He clears his throat, so my attention falls back on him. “But you could see yourself staying?” he asks.

“Yeah.”

Colt smiles. “Can I show you something then?”