“You really did it,” he blurted. “You know how to court an omega.”
Then he realized what he had just said, and blushed furiously.
Hades puffed out his chest. “I try my best. Here. Want your coffee back?”
Aaren had completely forgotten about it; he had taken a sip and gotten distracted with the cinnamon rolls. Now that Hades was holding out the cardboard tray with both their drinks, Aaren retrieved his, moaning again when the sweet vanilla latte rushed over his tongue. “All of this is delicious.”
“If you could have one sweet bakery item for the rest of your life, what would it be?” Hades asked.
“No! You can’t ask that question,” Aaren howled. “I would live in the bakery for the rest of my life so I can eateverything.”
Hades laughed. “Wiser words have never been said.”
“What would you pick, if you had to? One bakery item for the rest of your life,” Aaren said curiously.
“Maple donuts,” Hades rumbled. “Like sugar donuts, but with more nuance to the sweetness.”
“But sugar donuts arefluffy,” Aaren said. “The maple frosting on maple donuts makes them harder and less fluffy.”
“Well.” Hades’ eyes twinkled. “I like hard things.”
Aaren groaned. “Of course you had to say that.” Then he realized that Hades had not actually eaten any of the cinnamon rolls he’d bought. “You don’t like cinnamon rolls?”
“I do. But I was saving them for you.”
Aaren frowned deeply. “If you don’t eat, you might starve.”
“All right.” Hades sipped his coffee and took a bite of his cinnamon roll. “Mmm. This isn’t a bad forever-food. Iwouldstand out here with you, for the rest of my life, eating cinnamon rolls.”
Aaren’s eyebrows shot up. “You like it that much?”
Hades ducked his head. “It’s pretty good. But it’s really the company that makes this good.”
And now Aaren’s eyebrows were merging with his hairline.
Did he just propose to me?
It couldn’t be; they had only known each other for a few days. Maybe Hades was joking. Aaren focused on eating his cinnamon roll so he wouldn’t say more awkward things. By the middle ofhis third roll, he was starting to slow down. “Okay, I think my stomach’s had enough. Do you want the rest of mine?”
“Sure.”
Their fingers brushed when Hades took the bag from him. Hades finished it in two bites, and threw away their trash.
“Where to next?” Aaren asked.
“Here. Rosy’s Intimates.” Hades put his arm around Aaren’s shoulders, turning him toward a store decked out in pastel pink. Why did the shop name sound familiar?
Hades took Aaren’s drink, opening the door before Aaren could do it himself. “Have you been here?”
“No, but it sounds—”
“Aaren!” A small, scrawny omega waved from behind the register. “What’re you doing here?”
“Tripp!” Aaren straightened. When Hades had said they were going shopping, Aaren hadn’t expected to find his friend working at the very same store. “What areyoudoing here? I thought you had that other job...”
Tripp scowled. “Thisis my other job. The other place cut my hours because of my disability.” He waved at the wheelchair folded up behind the counter; he was sitting on a high chair.
“Aww, that sucks,” Aaren said, his heart sinking. “I’ll ask Olson if he has any openings for you.”
