Chad didn’t say anything, his balls pulling up tight and his cock leaking pre-cum like a faucet.
“You make me fucking crazy,” Peter added, staring at the road.
Chad turned his face, making no effort to hide the way he was scrutinizing the older alpha. Peter met his stare briefly, a small smile on his mouth.
“You look skeptical,” he said, licking his lips. Chad shrugged.
“You’re just very… contained, I guess. It’s hard to know what you’re thinking.”
Peter blinked, turning his eyes back to the road. “Just because I have excellent control doesn’t mean that I’m not feeling things. I just don’t always show it.”
“So what are you feeling now?” Chad asked. He was entirely unprepared for the way Peter smiled at him. It was the same grin he’d seen in the hall, and it made Peter look positively demonic. Chadlovedit.
“I’m not sure I should tell you,” Peter said. He pulled the car into the entrance to an underground parking garage, and Chad realized they were at his building. Were they not going out to eat?
“Why not?” Chad asked, his voice rough.
“You might get scared,” Peter said. “I can be too much for a lot of people.”
A lot ofalphas, Chad realized. He wondered how many guys there had been before him—or if he was the only one now. The thought was upsetting.
“Don’t worry, I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do,” Peter said, misreading Chad’s reaction. Chad smiled at the sincerity in his voice.
“I know you won’t.”
“Then let’s go. I’ve had dinner delivered to my apartment, and I think you’re going to like it,” Peter said, opening the door and stepping out into the garage. Taking a deep breath, wondering what the hell he’d gotten himself into, Chad followed.
***
Peter stared at Chad’s neck all through dinner, the unmarred skin where his bite should be calling to him like a siren.
There was no way Chad didn’t notice.
Peter couldn’t believe that Chad had said he wanted Peter to claim him. The invitation felt like a compulsion. Except… Chad hadn’t actually invited Peter to bite him. He’d just said that in the moment he had wanted it.
They were seated across from each other at the table in the dining room. Peter had his right leg stretched out under the table, his right boot resting against the side of Chad’s shoe.
“Have you lived here long?” Chad asked.
“A few months,” Peter answered. “Now that I’m living in the city full time my parents thought I needed something bigger. I think they bought me this place because they were hoping I’d get married and settled down.”
Chad blinked, taking a bite of his roast lamb and chewing slowly.
“How about you?” Peter asked. “Why are you living in such a… small apartment?”
Peter almost said dump, but he figured that would be mean. Chad shrugged, not at all offended.
“I just have a short-term lease. I didn’t want to commit to anything more permanent before I could see it in person.”
That explained it. If Chad’s shitty apartment was temporary, that was fine. Peter took a sip of his wine, staring at Chad over the rim of his glass.
He wanted him to move in.
The thought surprised him. Peter had never lived with anyone—and he hadn’t wanted to. He liked having his own space. And it was far, far too soon to be thinking about claiming Chad and taking him home for good. They hardly knew each other.
Chad took another bite of his food, turning his face to look out at the view of the city. He didn’t speak, and Peter found the silence relaxing. He watched Chad watching the view, wondering what it was about Chad that had him so hooked.
Was it his pheromones? His personality? Or had Peter just randomly imprinted on him because of some quirk in the way he looked?
