Genesis gave him a wide-eyed look of mock innocence. “I never used the wordold.”
“It was implied,” Luke retorted, his midnight eyes flashing. “I have half a mind to bend you over my knee.”
Genesis gasped, lips parting invitingly. The rosy glow returned to her cheeks, and the smell of jasmine and honey intensified. It took Gabriel a considerable amount of strength not to reach for her, to touch her, taste her. He wondered if she had any idea of the effect she was having on him—on all of them.
Luke leaned toward her across the table, his gravelly voice low and wicked. “Oh, you like that idea, do you? Well don’t worry, sugar-britches. I can already tell that sweet mouth of yours is gonna earn you plenty of spankings.”
Genesis whined in response and the sound went straight to Gabriel’s cock, which was apparently just going to be at least semi-hard at all times with this omega around. He gripped the table to stop himself from pulling her into his lap. Desire, instincts, and raw need gnawed at his self-control. He didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed when Marco, the chef, and Andrea, the house manager, entered carrying steaming trays of food.
“That discussion will have to wait until after dinner,” Lando said smoothly, though his hazel eyes still roamed over Genesisravenously. “Marco, what magic have you concocted for us today?”
Gabriel let himself zone out as the chef launched into an explanation of the evening’s menu. Rather than listening, he watched Genesis listen. She was clearly knowledgeable and cultured, often asking probing questions that allowed Marco to demonstrate his considerable culinary expertise. Gabriel knew she’d come from a wealthy family, so he wasn’t surprised that she seemed comfortable with their luxurious lifestyle, but he was still struck by her poise.
Genesis was classy and mature. That’s what added an extra layer of allure to her other attractions. She was so comfortable in her own skin, so clearly sure of herself. This was a woman who knew what she wanted, and she wasn’t afraid to go after it. Gabriel had seen that when she’d talked about her career goals the day they met. Since then, he’d seen her playful and snarky, flustered and aroused, and now professional and confident. He liked all of her moods, but self-assured Genesis was sexy as all hell.
At thirty, she was the oldest of their temporary omegas, but certainly not from any preference on their part. Evie had been Gabriel’s age, but they were both young when the pack claimed her. Omegas were rarely unbonded at Genesis’s age. Even those who chose temporary alphas, rather than immediate bonding after coming of age, usually ended up mated by their mid-twenties. Omegas were just so damn special—any pack given a chance to earn their love damn sure wouldn’t throw away their shot.
Love?Where did that come from? Gabriel knew that people described him as sensitive and artistic, but that didn’t make him a hopeless romantic. Okay, it did a little, but that didn’t mean he was rash. He took his time considering things. It had driven his brother nuts. Daniel had been the spontaneous and decisive one.The first snap decision Gabriel ever made was Evie. He’d known she was theirs from almost the moment they’d met. He’d never thought he’d feel that certainty again.
The thirteen years they’d spent with Evie had been the happiest of his life. The love the four of them shared had been a vibrant, precious thing. He’d thought it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. So, it surprised him that he found himself thinking about love on this first day with another unique, beautiful omega.
Maybe his instincts had been correct. When Gabriel told Lando that he felt like he was on the verge of a breakthrough, he’d meant it. He’d been really low for a few months, but he finally realized it was because he was afraid to feel better. Happiness was a risk—something that could be ripped away from you at any moment. He’d learned that when Daniel died. Then the pack and Evie had brought him back, helped him to rediscover his joy. Only for it to be snatched away again, composted with their omega.
He'd been fighting his way back to himself for years, making steady progress despite the fear. He learned how to laugh again, how to find beauty in the trees and stars and exhaustion and pain. But his art still wasn’t quite right. You couldn’t cut yourself off from life and expect it to still show you its mysteries. You had to feel it all if you wanted to create anything real.
Gabriel knew that fear of another loss was holding him back. He wasn’t sure he could survive another blow that devastating. He was afraid his pack couldn’t either.
And just when he’d begun to push back against that fear, to open himself up to life again, Dr. Gardiner waved her wand like some type of fairy godmother and Genesis appeared. It felt like a sign. It felt like kismet.
Gabriel was still afraid, but for Genesis he thought he could try.
Chapter seven
Genesis
For the love of Ethel L. Payne, Genesis, get it together. You are a journalist who was raised in the best boarding school money could buy, not some freshly revealed omega on the verge of her first heat. You know how to keep your damn cool.
Genesis had been telling herself some version of the same thing all evening. The meal had been absolutely delicious, and the dinner conversation was surprisingly comfortable, without the first date awkwardness. Was date even the right word to use in this situation? Regardless, Genesis found the men of Pack Rossi easy to talk to. They had a balanced dynamic obviously built over the many years they’d been bonded to one another. It was strange how the three were so different from each other but were still so perfectly matched.
Though they’d kept to tamer topics after their brief detour into light BDSM, Genesis hadn’t been able to keep her mind from straying into smuttier territory. She found herself mesmerizedby the way Orlando’s lush lips wrapped around his fork, the progress of Gabriel’s tongue as he licked a bit of sauce from his spoon, and how Luke’s hand gripped his glass much like he’d held her neck earlier. Their simplest movements were somehow unbearably erotic.
She was acutely aware of their scents, able now to easily discern which intoxicating aroma came from which alpha. The elegant combination of bergamot, cardamom, and cinnamon perfectly matched Orlando’s refined masculinity, while the vanilla, cloves, and charcoal reflected the sweet and creative Gabriel. And, of course, the rugged scent of sawdust, suede, and saffron fit sarcastic, brooding Luke Wyatt. Together, their scent bouquet was like catnip on steroids. Genesis wanted to be submerged in it, to rub it all over her body and relish being completely consumed.
“Why don’t we take our drinks into the living room where we can talk more comfortably?” Orlando suggested, pulling Genesis from her wayward thoughts.
A pleasant young beta had begun to clear away the remnants of their meal, after refreshing their drinks. With the exception of Sundays and social events, Genesis rarely drank, so the man poured her a club soda in a crystal glass, garnishing it expertly with lime and fresh mint. It seemed extravagant for carbonated water, and even tasted expensive, somehow. Genesis’s dads were wealthy, but the size and skill of their household staff paled in comparison to what she’d seen from Pack Rossi’s so far. It was honestly a little ridiculous. It’d been a very long time since she’d spent extended periods in the company of the obscenely rich, and it was definitely going to take some reacclimating on her part.
Orlando offered her his arm in that adorably old-fashioned way of his. Genesis took it, grateful for the excuse to be near him. Orlando was the only member of the pack who hadn’t shown anyobvious signs of attraction yet and, for some reason she didn’t want to analyze, that bothered her. He’d been nothing but kind, going above and beyond to make the transition easier for her, and Genesis was grateful for his help. Nonetheless, it upset her a little to think she might not appeal to him beyond an alpha’s instinctual care response.
Orlando led her from the dining area toward the sofas beneath the living room’s gorgeous skylights. The pack leader was solid and warm at her side, his scent both soothing and exhilarating. His arm felt firm and muscular beneath the soft cotton of his shirt. Genesis wondered if he ever dressed down. He’d removed his suit jacket, but still wore his tailored vest and slacks, his silk tie only slightly loosened. Orlando Rossi looked like a man who never lost his composure.
Genesis would love to unravel that perfect self-control—to watch him come apart deep inside her and fill her up with cum.
Without turning his head toward her, Orlando spoke calmly in his low, melted caramel voice. “Genesis, dear, if you keep staring at me that way while you’re this close—close enough that I can smell how drenched your panties are—I am going to be forced to find out for myself if you taste as delicious as you smell, before we’ve had time for a proper conversation about your needs. And that would be rather ungentlemanly.”
Genesis nearly tripped, but Orlando held her steady. When it was clear she’d regained her balance, he gestured toward the couch. Genesis dropped onto it gratefully, her knees still weak. From her new vantage point, she could see that she wasn’t the only one aroused—there was a noticeable bulge in Orlando’s expensive slacks that hadn’t been there before.
Did that mean he found her attractive in her own right, or was he just reacting to her damn pheromones?Ugh. Genesis was so annoyed with herself. Was she really worrying about whether Orlandolikedliked her, rather than if he was prepared to giveher the no-strings-attached, mutually beneficial arrangement she supposedly wanted?
