Page 27 of They Love Me Knot (Starsfalls Omegaverse #2)

The look is almost physical, like he ran his thumb along my neck, and it makes me shiver. His eyes move back up to my face, pausing on my nose, and he smiles.

Kieran brushes his fingers against my nose, wafting the dark chocolaty dahlia scent around.

“You had some pollen just there,” he whispers.

“Th-thanks,” I whisper back, noticing his face is very close to mine, my head tilted almost all the way back because of his height.

“My pleasure,” he purrs back .

A throat clears next to us, and I look over to find the baker glaring at him.

“The flowers,” the baker prompts him.

“We’re getting there,” Kieran says.

“It doesn’t look like you are. This wasn’t the plan.”

I don’t know what they’re talking about, and I’m not sure I care.

They keep arguing, but I’m hardly listening, my omega too pleased that the alphas are so close.

I sway closer, subtly trying to scent them, but I can’t smell anything over the flowers.

I never realized how much suppressants dampen your sense of smell.

The alphas must have come to an agreement while I wasn’t paying attention, because now they’re staring at me.

“Um, flowers?” is the only thing I can think to say, the only thought my mind can conjure up with them standing so close.

“Yes, we’d love for you to choose your favorite flowers,” the baker says eagerly.

Kieran nods and steps back, giving me room to breathe.

My omega whines, but I’m not as desperately needy as her, so the sound echoes only in my head and doesn’t make it out of my mouth.

I turn away, not trusting myself to say anything else since I missed part of the conversation. It was just a lucky guess that they were talking about flowers.

I move through the shop, pulling my favorite stems, no more brainpower left to convince them to personalize the bouquet for their intended.

I briefly explain each flower as I add it to the growing bunch in my hand. To the alphas’ credit, they listen intently as I describe the flowers and their meanings, seeming interested.

After taking them through the entire shop, I have to hold the bouquet with both hands because it’s grown so large, and even then I worry I might drop some.

“Let me get that for you,” Kieran says, smoothly pulling the bunch out of my hands to hold it in one of his.

I haven’t felt this awkward around alphas since high school, when I had to figure out how to interact with them normally while everyone’s hormones were going crazy.

“That’s everything I would recommend. Feel free to adjust or take things out, and when you’re ready, I can check you out up front,” I say.

“It’s perfect, you can check us out whenever you want,” Kieran says with a grin.

I roll my eyes at the juvenile line, furthering the feeling that I’m in high school, but my cheeks still heat because I have been sneaking peeks and checking them out.

We weave our way back to the register, and I ring up their bouquet.

They don’t blink at the price, even though I didn’t hold back with picking out my favorite, sometimes rare (i.e.

expensive) stems and created a massive bundle.

The bunch is way bigger than a normal bouquet and really more fit for a table arrangement.

Only giant men with giant hands could comfortably carry around a bouquet that size.

After paying, I thank them for coming in as a soft goodbye, but they don’t leave. Kieran looks to his friend? Packmate? The baker, whose name I still don’t know. He shifts from foot to foot and looks past my shoulder, clutching the tin to his chest again.

“I wanted to, um, here this is for you.” He holds out the tin to me abruptly.

It is a nice tin, elaborate, colorful scroll designs edged in gold. I eagerly grab for it now that I’ve had a closer look. It will look great with my decorations at home.

As I take it, it’s heavier than I’m expecting, and I glance up at him.

“There are a few different cookies in there since I wasn’t sure what you’d like. I would have brought you cake, but it's messy to transport, and I already have enough trouble with that, as you saw,” he says, laughing nervously and picking at the cuffs of his sleeves.

“I wanted to bring these by since you didn’t have a chance to buy anything the other day. I feel bad for creating such a mess that I couldn’t serve you. Serve the cake,” he mumbles, and it almost looks like he blushes.

I barely notice because I’m so busy opening the tin and admiring all the cookies.

I hold it up to my nose and sniff each kind, and these I can smell over the actual flowers.

There are five main scents: bright peony, honeyed camellia, spicy yarrow, herby Queen Anne’s lace, cocoa dahlia, the flowers mixing sweetly with the vanilla beans to create dozens of mouthwatering confections.

I shove one of the cookies with the strongest peony scent in my mouth and close my eyes on a moan, the flavor making my tastebuds tingle.

I want to chew it fast, like a dog who stole food off the counter, because it tastes so good, but I don’t want the flavor to go away, so I force myself to take my time and taste every morsel.

I open my eyes to find the alphas staring at me and almost choke on crumbs. I can’t believe I zeroed in on the cookies so hard I forgot where I was and that I’m supposed to be representing the shop as a professional who doesn’t shove cookies in their face while they’re waiting on customers.

“Thank you, this was really nice of you. They’re delicious,” I say after swallowing and subtly wiping my mouth off.

They take so long to respond that I’m sure they think I’m a food freak and they’re never going to talk to me again.

“I’m glad you like them so much,” the baker eventually says, staring at my mouth, obviously thinking I’m a messy fool.

Kieran puts his free hand in his pocket, clearly unwilling to risk touching such a crumby person.

It’s not like I wanted to get with these alphas or even be friends with them, but it still stings that they’re so turned off by a woman enjoying some delicious food.

Whatever, it’s their loss. I thought alphas were supposed to enjoy providing for their omega.

I mean, I’m not their omega, but that’s not the point. I thought they liked giving people food, and now they’re all uncomfortable because I enjoyed it?

I feel myself mentally shutting down, writing them off in my mind forever, dead to me.

Healthy? No.

Self-protection? Yes.

I’m not going to spend time with people who make me feel bad about who I am.

The baker is back to being all shifty (eyes and stance) and avoids looking at me. Kieran is acting the same too, though he’s slightly less fidgety. He keeps his hand firmly in his pants pocket, making the fabric bulge in the front.

I close the tin and put it under the counter. There’s no point in eating more right now when I’m upset. I won’t be able to taste anything.

“Well, have a good day,” I say again.

I step away from the register and angle toward the back with the celosia so I can deal with my feelings of rejection in private. The blooms won’t care if they get a little salty water.

“N-no, wait! There’s something else we wanted to ask you,” the baker calls out to me.

I pretend I didn’t hear him and keep going.

“Please, Daphne. I don’t want you to leave again before I get the chance to ask,” he says just behind me.

His sweet voice sounds so desperate it stops me in my tracks, and in my turmoil I don’t even question how he knows my name.

I slowly turn to face him.

“I wanted to ask, if you’re available—I mean single, but also available, if you would consider going on a date with me?” he says.

I blink, nonplussed. I knew he was hitting on me at the bakery, but I thought my cookie moans had scared him off.

“I’m not sure…” I say.

I shouldn’t have looked up into his green eyes. They’re so velvety and forthright, imploring me to say yes.

He finally plucks up his courage, standing taller, and lifting one of my hands to hold it in his like we’re royalty in a fairytale.

“I know we didn’t get off to the best start, and I wanted to make up for that,” he says.

Kieran appears next to us, holding out the bouquet.

“We thought it would be cute to give you your favorite flowers, even though we had to ask for your help with it. I hope it was fun and not too much like work. Even though you’re at work.

I guess it sounded like a better idea when we came up with it,” Kieran says, looking bashful.

“But now we’ll know your favorite flowers for next time.

I hope you’ll accept our offerings and consider going on a date with us? ”

I stare at the giant bouquet .

So they tricked me into building my own bouquet, and they’re asking me out while I’m on the job…I’m kind of into it.

This is the first time a date has bought me flowers, and they got my favorite kinds, and listened to me tell them all about each flower and why I like them? How could I reject that, it’s ten times better than receiving a random bouquet.

My heart flutters happily, and my omega has been producing slick and chanting yes, yes, yes for the past few minutes, so I think it’s a yes there too. My mind is also thinking yes, but I have a nagging thought that I’m supposed to refuse these alphas for some reason…

“I understand if you want some time to think about it, this isn’t exactly the best way to ask someone out,” Kieran says.

How are cookies and flowers not the best way to ask someone out?

“Oh, and I still haven’t introduced myself,” the baker says in dismay. “I’m Sterling. It’s so nice to finally meet you, Daphne.” He brings my hand up to kiss the back of it.

I giggle.

“Will you go out with us this Friday? We’ll reserve a table at I’m Just a Grill for nine?” Kieran says.

“Yes,” I agree, the last of my hesitance melting away with two of them beseeching me.

Everything seems to move quickly after that, exchanging phone numbers and accepting my bouquet. They’re excited for our date and suggest we text beforehand to get to know each other. I’m just as giddy and agree to text them after work.

After they’re gone, I’m left standing under the weight of my bouquet and my tarnished dignity.

It’s coming back to me now, that I wasn’t supposed to agree to a date with alphas. I’m fine with dating betas, but I’m still supposed to avoid alphas.

Aren’t I? But why? They brought me cookies and showed interest in my flowers.

Before I figure it out, Poppy pops out from a nearby aisle.

“I didn’t want to interrupt your admirers,” she says with a giggle. “How did it go? They were cute, did they ask you out?”

I clutch the bouquet to my chest with one arm and manage to rub my eyes without dropping it.

“Yes, they did,” I say.

“I knew it! You guys would make such a cute pack. You deserve this, Daphne, some nice, handsome men to bring you snacks and flowers.”

Ugh, that’s why I was supposed to avoid alphas. I don’t want to be part of a pack.

“Wait, how did you know they gave me cookies? How long have you been lurking around?” I say.

Poppy giggles and avoids the question. “Just imagine being in a pack with Sterling! I bet he’d make you delicious desserts whenever you wanted. And you could share any extras with your coworkers, who you love.” She nudges me with her elbow and waggles her eyebrows.

That does sound good…

“No, I shouldn’t date the customers,” I say to convince both of us.

“This is a flower shop, not a therapist’s office! You can date anyone you want. Go out with them and tell me all about it afterward. I’m sure Sterling will bring you more cookies, too.”

“I don’t know.” The thought of more cookies is making me waver .

“You guys are a perfect match! You have the same interests: food and flowers!” Poppy says, chattering about what makes a perfect date and a perfect mate.

I don’t catch everything she says as we get back to work, too busy trying to figure out how I got asked on two (or maybe three?) dates in one week.

Anddd I just realized they’re all on the same day.

Apparently, it is possible for attractive people to knock you senseless.

That decides it. I have to cancel with the alphas.

There’s no way I can go out with Feliks and then see Kieran and Sterling a few hours later. I hope to still be “seeing” Feliks then.

Plus I’ll be delivering flowers to the magnetic Alister that day, and I don’t think I can handle any unnecessary quality time with alphas.

I’ll leave canceling the plans to after-work-Daphne.