“These sunsets. I built the front of my property to be facing the west on purpose, to be able to watch the sky burn orange at the end of it.”
"Yeah. It's beautiful," Frederick murmured.
I offered him my sincerest of smiles. “It's even more incredible when you have someone to share it with.”
Frederick blushed, his cheeks brighter than the pink lighting up the sky.
A second later, he turned to me. "Wait a second. You built this place? Like, with your own hands?"
"I had a couple guys helpin' out in return for a few dozen eggs, but yeah. Most of it was all me."
"Wow. I couldn't even nail something to a plank."
I chuckled. "C'mon now, give yourself some credit. You fixed that engine, didn't ya?"
"Only with your help," Frederick said. "We make a good team."
My heart danced like a sand twister. I studied Frederick, basking in his presence, in the wonderful way the light from the sunset framed his face, his clean-shaven jaw, how the shadows cast a perfect silhouette around the outline of his body.
Damn if he wasn't good looking. He was remarkably handsome, nothing like the other omegas in town. It stirred my yearning from deep within, like a layer of dust in the wind. We were different, there was no doubt about it, but it was refreshing. And despite our differences, our conversation flowed so easily that it felt like we'd known each other for years.
His presence ignited my primal desire. I felt the possessive urge to protect him at all costs. Frederick was wholesome, one of the good humans. Of course he was—he wasmyfated mate.I couldn’t take that for granted.
I had to tell him the truth before he left.
"We do make a good team," I agreed, smiling.
He shyly turned his gaze back towards the burnt sienna of the horizon. “You know, I don’t get the chance to enjoy too many sunsets.”
“Why’s that?”
Frederick glanced straight ahead, his lips pulling into a thin line. “The lab doesn't have windows. And my apartment faces the next building. The only time I get to see it is when I'm out in the field. And that's only when my supervisor lets me go."
The sadness in his voice was tainted with bitterness, infuriating me. How dare some other alpha tell my fated mate what he could and couldn't do?
“That ain't right," I grumbled.
Frederick laughed, leaning back in his rocking chair. “Tell me about it.” He took another sip of tea, then smacked his lips. "By the way, what's the sugar to tea ratio on this? I feel like I'm downing a whole bag of sugar."
"Ah, a city boy unfamiliar with sweet tea... We’ve gotta get you out here more often."
He sighed wistfully. "I wish."
I wished, too. Desperately.
But Frederick's car was fixed. He could leave right now if he wanted to. He had research to do, which was more important than sitting around sipping drinks on the porch with a country boy like me.
Yet I wasn't inclined to let him go. If I was the serial killer cowboy Frederick joked about, I could tie him up and put him in my garage like a little pet.
Joking.
But I did want Frederick to stay here longer. Forever.
My jackalope soul wriggled with impatience.
As if reading my mind, Frederick spoke up shyly. "Maybe the next time I'm in your neck of the woods for research, I could stay here?"
My heart skipped. Like I'd ever say no.
