Before I turn the corner into the breakroom, something heavy and furry plows into my legs, and I trip, sprawling on the ground. A red husky stares back with mismatched eyes.
“Shit, I’m so sorry!” Gabriel says, snagging the dog by the collar. “He got away from me.”
Gabriel Hernandez is gorgeous. He styles his black hair in mini twists, and his warm, friendly dark eyes threaten to swallow me in their depths. He’s fit, with a classic, broad Alpha build that has my mouth watering. He’s dressed like he just came inside, with a red scarf wrapped around his neck and a grey wool coat.
He gazes down at me before holding his hand out. “Sorry again, Felix. Let me help you up.”
I slide my hand into his, praying he doesn’t notice how sweaty my palms have become. “Rooster took off as soon as he saw you. I don’t know why he’s always crowding you.”
“It’s my fault,” I mumble, trying to brush the dog hair off my black pants. “I wasn’t paying attention.”
Gabriel steps closer to me, flashing me a charming smile. “Let me buy you a coffee to make it up to you.”
“The coffee is free.” I recognize I sound short, perhaps even a little rude, but I have to limit my time around Gabriel. I’m worried my Omega hindbrain will convince me I’ve marked him, and he’ll reject me because he’s my boss, and I’ll never be able to move on.
He shrugs. “Technically, the company pays for it, and sinceI’m CFO…” His words trail off, and I can’t smother my embarrassingly loud laugh.
I hold my arm wide, gesturing for him to lead the way. “Fine, sure.”
I follow him into the break room, Rooster hovering around our legs, practically tripping me again until I pet his fluffy head. Gabriel watches the movement, his eyes soft. He unwraps his scarf and pulls off his coat, throwing them over a chair before opening the drawer full of coffee pods.
“What’s your poison? Peppermint mocha? Eggnog? Oh, let me guess, Christmas cookie?”
I narrow my eyes at him and cross my arms over my chest. “What, because I’m an Omega, I have a sweet tooth?”
He blinks several times, tilting his head to the side in a move that mimics the dog at his feet. “No? You always grab something sweet, so I was assuming…”
He knows what kind of coffee I drink? I can’t remember seeing him in the breakroom with me more than two or three times.
“Sorry.” I sigh. “I’m in a mood today. I do like the Christmas cookie flavor. I’m being adversarial for no reason, honestly.”
I’ve been feeling like crap ever since I invited Clara to come to the company holiday party with me. Something feels off, but I couldn’t explain why, even if someone paid me.
He waves off my unnecessary rudeness. “The holidays are a weird time for everyone. You’re fine.” He lifts the mug from my hands and places it under the machine as he sets up the pod to brew me a cup. “I myself am partial to the chocolate-covered orange one,” he says, making my eyes nearly bug out of my head.
He likes what is probably our least popular coffee pod? The one that matches my scent?
Yeah, I’m going to struggle to rein myself in after that revelation.
Even though it’s not about me and is instead about a cup of coffee, I preen a little, knowing that the Alpha I crave likes the way I smell.
Even if he doesn’t know it.
Opening the fridge and grabbing the coconut milk that’s in there, Gabriel continues. “I have a major sweet tooth, did you know that? I know that’s not very ‘Alpha’ of me, but my dad is an Omega and I took after him in a lot of unexpected ways, I guess. I also never put much stock in what designations are supposed to be like. Why do we need to put everyone in little boxes like that?”
He’s rambling.
Gabriel Hernandez, CFO of Copper Hill Construction, is rambling, and it’s adorable.
“I have a pretty massive sweet tooth, too,” I admit, taking the cup of coffee he holds out to me after doctoring it with milk and sugar. He didn’t ask me how I take my coffee, and yet he made it exactly how I like it.
He beams at me before setting a pod to brew his cup. “Did you decide if you’re going to come to the holiday party? We’ve got an entire dessert bar set up. Oh, and a hot cocoa station. It’s going to be a sugar lover’s haven. We’ll have regular food, too, but people come to holiday parties for the desserts, you know?”
I chuckle and take a sip of the coffee. I have to suppress a groan. It’s perfect. Smooth, creamy, and with the right touch of sweetness. Damn, how did he make pod coffee taste so good?
“Yeah, I am going to come after all. I’m looking forward to it. Clara has a sweet tooth too, so you’ll need to wrench us away from the table.”
His hands freeze, the coconut milk hovering over his mug. “Clara? Is she your Alpha?”
