Jake
The closer it got to Saturday, the more high-strung I became. Anxiety coursed through me, and I started to wonder what the hell I had gotten myself into. Why had I blurted out those things to Griffin? What had come over me, to have me promise a date to an alpha? Maybe it was a rush of omega hormones from seeing him play with those kittens or something. Yuck.
I didn't know what I was doing, but at the same time I didn't know whathewas doing either. We had both made it pretty clear on the first night that we didn't want serious relationship. Now, counting the first time, I was pretty sure this meeting counted as a second date. I hadn’t had one of those in a very long time, and I'd promised myself that I would never have one again.
The cowardly part of me wanted to call the whole thing off. My fingers twitched for my phone, itching to just text him and say I couldn't make it, but since I stupidly told him to come over to my house and it already given him my address, there was probably no going back from that. Maybe I could make up some whole story about how I got violently ill. That would probably keep him away.
You're being stupid, I told myself.Spend one more night with him, use him for sex, then you never have to see him again. If he comes into the store, you can just hide in the merchandising room until he goes away.
I groaned. It sounded stupid when I said it in my mind. That left me with no choice but to just go through with it.
Skylar had left for work earlier, so I had the apartment to myself to shower and get ready for Griffin's arrival. I cleaned up the apartment a bit, but left it just a tad messy, like throwing a shirt over the back of the couch, so that he didn't think I put in too much effort for him specifically.
Now was the matter of choosing an outfit. It had to be something casual, not too fancy. What kind of clothes stated,even though I invited you to my house I'm still using you for sex and I don't want to share anything more than that?
I settled on a T-shirt and jeans.
I checked myself over in the mirror. I’d swept my still-damp blond hair to the side. Beneath the stray tufts, my green eyes stared back at me. Maybe it was vain of me, but I knew objectively, I was handsome enough - especially to alphas who fell victim to my wiles. My whole being - my features, my delicate frame, my soft expression - everything screamedomega.Hell, if I was an alpha, I’d probably fall for me, too.
A knock at the door made me nearly leap in the air.
“Shit,” I muttered.
I’d been too busy admiring myself in the mirror and musing that I’d missed the time. I tossed a mint in my mouth and ran to the door.
Griffin stood there with his hands behind his back. He smiled upon seeing me, which drew my eyes to the light scruff around his mouth and jaw. There was no doubt that Griffin was handsome, and unfortunately, exactly my type.
What was more worrying than his appearance, though, was that scent radiated from him as soon as I opened the door. The first few times I’d experienced it, I figured it was just my imagination. But it was definitely real. Something about it made my throat tighten.
I couldn’t focus on it right now. I had a guest to deal with.
“Hi, come on in,” I said. Then I paused and gestured to whatever mysterious item he was holding behind his back. “Unless that’s some freaky bondage gear you’re gonna use to tie me up with.”
Griffin laughed. “No. Unless you’re into that sort of thing.”
Before I could reply with a snarky comment, he pulled out a box of fancy chocolates - the kind with wine laced into the syrup.
“A gift for the host,” he said.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I mumbled, feeling embarrassed. I’d never gotten a gift from a guest, not even when Skylar and I had moved into this apartment as a housewarming present. “Anyway, come in.”
As Griffin entered the living room, I opened the box of chocolates and placed it on the coffee table for us to share. Was that proper etiquette? Sharing the gift with the guest? I didn’t know, but since Griffin didn’t say anything, I assumed it was fine.
“So,” Griffin began, taking a seat on the couch. “This is a quaint home you have.”
“Isquaintcode forsmall?” I asked with a smirk. I popped a chocolate into my mouth. The chocolate shell broke open and the syrup ran thickly through my teeth.
“Not at all,” Griffin replied. “It actually reminds me of the apartment I used to have before I bought my home. It’s nostalgic.”
I bit back a snarky reply of,I get it, you’re richer than me.
“Here,” I said, scooting the box closer to him.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “They’re supposed to be for you and Skylar.”
I laughed. “It’s funny that you think a box of chocolates you left alone with me is gonna last until Skylar gets home.”
He returned my smile.
