Jay cocked his head, worrying his lip again. “Spill what?”
“Whatever’s got you so in your own head.”
“Oh.” Jay’s gaze darted around the room, almost as if he was too shy to focus on Alexei. “Well, I got a new book…”
Alexei bit back a smile. “I noticed. Real steamy one, huh?”
Jay kept up the coy act for about five more seconds before he seemed to make a decision, straightening his spine and setting his hands on Alexei’s shoulders, finally meeting his eyes. “Alexei. Have you ever heard of omegaverse?”
That…was not what Alexei had been expecting. Mostly because he had absolutely no idea what that was.
“No?” He racked his brain, still drawing a blank. He hazarded a guess. “Is it a superhero thing?”
“No, it’s— Um, so in my romance book, there are men and women.”
“Okay?”
“But within those genders, there are also alphas and omegas.”
This was maybe starting to ring a vague bell. Or was Alexei thinking of wolves?
“And alphas are big and strong, while omegas are smaller, and sweeter, and more…docile?” Jay’s cheeks flushed pink. “Submissive, even.”
“Uh-huh.” Alexei had a feeling he knew where this was going. Jay had always had a bit of a thing for their size difference, and when it came to romance concepts that might highlight that difference…well, Jay liked to play, didn’t he?
It was all coming out in a rush now. “And they have these things called heats and ruts, like—like animals do? And when omegas get aroused, they produce something called slick so even—even the male omegas can get…wet.”
With every new bit of information Jay was sharing, the arousal that had been simmering through the bond built higher and higher, and Alexei’s cock began filling—not so much at Jay’s words themselves, but at how clearly turned on Jay was by this whole concept.
“And they like the scents of each other—they scent mark, like their necks and their wrists. And they’ll bite their mates to claim them. And, and, and when they’re in heat, omegas make nests out of pillows or blankets or their mate’s dirty clothes, and they can getpregnant.” Jay said the last word in a whisper. “Their alphas can knock them up.”
Alexei tightened his hold on Jay’s hips, his hands almost seeming to have a mind of their own. “This is all very fascinating, kotyonok.”
“And I thought—I thought—”
Alexei pressed closer, nosing along Jay’s neck. “Do you want to play, sweetheart? Want to pretend to be my little omega?”
Jay’s breath hitched. “Yes.Yes. Would that be okay?” He pulled back and peered up at Alexei through his lashes. “It wouldn’t be too weird?”
“Oh, I think it makes perfect sense. You’re already small and sweet, aren’t you, baby?”
Jay preened. “I am, aren’t I?”
“And we’ve been known to bite each other a time or two.”
Jay nodded with enthusiasm. “That’s right.”
“So I don’t think I’d mind being your big, strong alpha.”
“Yes,” Jay sighed.
Alexei leaned down to capture his lips, but then Jay was pushing at his chest. “Wait! I need to shower.”
“Okay, I’ll—”
“Alone.”
Alexei widened his eyes, taken aback. Jay rarely ever wanted to do anything alone. But maybe it had taken more courage than he’d realized for Jay to admit to this fantasy. Maybe he needed time to regroup.
