He looks gorgeous. In his hands, a platter piled with grilled chicken, its fragrant herbs wafting up my nose.
He pauses mid-stride. “Harper, you look absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you.”
“It smells delicious.” I smile warmly.
He grins as he sets the dish down. “Thank you.”
Dustin pulls out a chair and gestures for me to come closer.
I approach him, drawn in by his intense, irresistible scent. His nervousness makes me smile inwardly. This is the Dustin I know and adore. Always possessive yet deeply loving. I settle into the chair as he gently shifts me nearer to the table. His large hands glide over my arms while his nose nuzzles softly against my ear.
“Jasmine,” he murmurs.
He trails his tongue across my skin, and warmth pools between my legs. It’s impossible not to be drawn to him. We had been together for what felt like forever.
“Dustin,” I whisper.
“Not using any scent suppressants?” he asks, stepping back.
“I’m still on them. Just can’t overdo it. I don’t want to get sick.”
“Can’t have that,” he replies, settling at the head of the table.
“Dig in.”
My eyes move over the roasted potatoes, sweet peas, grilled chicken, and buttered rolls. Dustin’s family had chefs, butlers, and maids. He never had to lift a finger. But he wanted to learn how to cook. And always loved cooking for me.
I pop a roasted potato into my mouth. “I love these.”
He smiles. “I know.”
Dustin looks so much older. I wish he could’ve held onto his youth. But how could he when he spent so much time being angry with me.
“We can’t go back to the way things were, Dustin.”
He nods before he slips a sliver of chicken into his mouth.
I blurt out, “You were looking for a mate.”
He chuckles as he picks up the glass of whiskey, bringing it to his lips.
I don’t find it funny. As much as I hated Dustin for demanding I leave town deep down, I still love him.
“How could I ever look for another omega. There’s only one omega who makes me smile when I’m down. Looks at me like I’m her hero. Curls into me letting me know I make her feel safe.”
Tears well in my eyes and I blink them away.
“We both know you moved on, Dustin.”
He shakes his head. “I still eat your favorite breakfast almost every day.”
My heart skips a beat.
His jaw twitches. “I asked my mom if I could handle deliveries to her Florida customers every other week. She never once mentioned there was already a delivery service for that. She just looked into my sad eyes and told me to go. I watched you whenever I could, cheered for you at every track meet I could attend. So many times, I wanted to say I didn’t care about the cheating accusations, that we should move past it.”
He squeezes his eyes shut for a moment. “But my anger wouldn’t let me. I caught an alpha giving you hell on the track field. I beat his ass. No one disrespects you. Not even me. I apologize for how cruel I was.”
