“This doesn’t change our contract, does it?” Ottis asked slowly. “You won’t want her for yourself?”
Doc grinned. “Nah. I already have you.”
Not for the first time, Ottis wished he could see the rest of Doc’s face. But he was unsure of his own reaction to Doc’s scars, and he was afraid he would accidentally hurt the alpha because of it.
“Maybe in the dark?” he said.
“What’s happening in the dark?” Doc frowned.
“If you wanted to taste me. You could remove your masks in the dark, and I won’t see you. But it would have to be absolute darkness, instead of just low light. I can still see in low light.”
Doc froze mid-step. Then he continued walking with Ottis through the parking lot, taking a deep breath. “I appreciate you trying, sweetheart.”
“So it’s a no?” Ottis wasn’t sure if he was disappointed.
“Not right now,” Doc said. “Give me some time to think it through.”
“It’s not a no.” Ottis cheered up, almost bouncing as they walked.
Doc tipped his head a little, as though he was trying to figure Ottis out. “You... really want that?”
“I think so,” Ottis said slowly. “I... I don’t know how I would react to you. You know what I think ofmyown scars. But yours don’t look so bad. Maybe if I knew the story behind them, it would give me some perspective.”
Doc watched him for a long moment. “Let me think about it.”
Ottis nodded. “Okay. I think it’s something we should talk about, if we want to get really naked with each other.”
Doc huffed. “Wise words for a young one.”
“I’m twenty-eight!”
“Like I said, young.”
Ottis blew a raspberry at him, which didn’t help.
Doc covered Ottis’ mouth with his free hand. It was warm and dry, heavy against his face. Ottis’ breath stuttered. Doc glanced at him. Still walking, and still guiding Ottis with his other arm, Doc dragged his fingertips over Ottis’ lips, a slow back-and-forth slide that made his calluses snag on Ottis’ skin.
It felt really nice, when Doc touched his mouth. It felt intimate. Like a kiss.
“Wow,” Ottis whispered, his heart skipping. “You’re doing this and walking at the same time.”
“Trust me, I’d rather be doing this and not walking,” Doc murmured, his eyes crinkling. “Preferably somewhere alone with you.” But he let his hand fall away so Ottis could focus on their surroundings instead.
“There’s something you should know,” Doc added a moment later. “My shirt is fireproof.”
Ottis’ thoughts screeched to a halt. “Crap. Everything we bought today isn’t.”
“Not to worry. I’ll get them fireproofed. We’ll invite Uriel over to spell them, and hear about his woes with Bruiser.”
Ottis snickered. Unknown to Doc and his alpha friends, Uriel was secretly an omega. Except the mage looked like an alpha, and pretended to be one. He was heavily scarred, a single dad,and he had been butting heads with Bruiser, one of the alphas in Doc’s friend group.
The alphas had a betting pool going, on when Uriel and Bruiser were finally going to get together. In the meantime, Ottis listened in the omega chat when Uriel ranted about the things Bruiser did.
“It’s a great idea to invite Uriel over,” Ottis said. “He can tell you so much crap about Bruiser, it’s so funny.”
“Have you been talking to him?”
“Are you jealous?” Ottis grinned.
