“It did.” Crawford ran his tongue along the back of his teeth, watching Owen curiously. The poor creature really had no idea. “We came to an agreement thismorning.”
“I know you’d be able to do it.” Owen sipped at his wine, then grimaced and set it back down. “Crawford?”
“Mm?” Crawford asked. “Whatisit?”
“This isn’t the Lambrusco I like. I think the sommelier reversed our orders. This is dry. Is yourssweet?”
“No.”
“I don’t get it,” Owen frowned. He pushed the wine across the table to Crawford. “They know us here. Why did they servemethis?”
“I guess the usual sommelier was stuck in traffic,” Crawford mused. The look on Owen’s face changed, eyes widening slightly. He was starting to clue in. “Maybe in that same standstill traffic you were in. Someone new must have served thetable.”
“I guess.” Owen glanced up atCrawford.
“Such a shame.” Crawford sipped at the Barolo in his glass and looked over the rim at Owen. “I suppose accidents happen,don’tthey?”
“I suppose.” Owen squirmed. After so long spent behaving, Crawford knew he was feeling the pressure. “Can we order a glass of Lambruscoforme?”
Crawford set his glass down, the crystal base clinking delicately against the glass tabletop. The terrarium’s flower was in bloom again. “Of course, pet. I’ll call the sommelier over. I’m sure our regular staff has arrived by now. We can ask him all about the traffic incident. Maybe he’ll know what happened outthere.”
Owen fidgeted his thumb beneath his index finger. For a second, he said nothing. Then, at last, he spoke. “There was noaccident.”
“No accident?” Crawford didn’t let the amusement show on his face. “So why were youlate,then?”
“I was in the shower, and…” Owen glanced up at Crawford, timid. “The warm water felt nice, and I was thinking about you, and then before I knew it I was touching myself and I lost trackoftime.”
“Didyoucome?”
“No.” This time, Crawford could tell Owen wasn’t lying. “I knowbetter.”
“But you lied to meanyway.”
Owen sat back and crossed an arm over his chest. He rubbed nervously at his arm. “I thought you’d be angry that I was late to our date because I was beingselfish.”
“You were right, but you know lying isn’t going to fix anything.” Crawford paused. “If not now, then later tonightyouwill.”
“What do you mean?” Owen sat up a little straighter, his nervous energy manifesting in both his face and his posture. Crawford much preferred pampering to punishing, but there was a certain glint in Owen’s eye and an attentiveness he didn’t usually possess that Crawford enjoyed. “Latertonight?”
But Crawford had nothing else to say. The waiter brought their meals, and he moved the conversation on without coming back to address the question burning at the back ofOwen’smind.
What was destined for later tonight was Crawford’s decision, and Owen didn’t need to know what it was until their datewasover.
18
Owen
Owen had lied.All the way to Castyna it bothered him. He’d lied to get out of trouble, even though Crawford had given him nothingtofear.
He’dbeenbad.
Four months ago, when their relationship was still new, Owen hadn’t understood why omegas would ever feel so insecure as to lie. Instinct was a powerful motivator, but Owen knew that it could be overcome. He’d fought tooth and nail to earn his education despite his debilitating heats, and he’d made a name for himself despite his purportedly inferiorgenes.
There had been instances where he’d ducked his gaze in an alpha’s presence, but he’d never allowed himself to be talked over. Not even being in the presence of Silas Rutledge—a man Owen felt tremendous affection for—had changed that. Owenwasn’tweak.
But the thought of disappointing Crawford made Owen reconsidereverything.
It wasn’t about weakness or instinct, at least, not in his case. Owen wanted to please Crawford because he wanted to keep Crawford’s favor. Being lesser and submissive didn’t even cross Owen’s mind. All he wanted was for Crawford to be happy with the choices he made, and being late to their date because he couldn’t stop teasing himself thinking about the things Crawford would do to him later wasn’t going to earn him anyfavors.
