"Let me grab my phone," I said. "And let's get out of the bathroom, I'm getting cold."
Jace followed me and I rolled into bed and under the covers, grabbing my phone off the nightstand and holding the blanket up for Jace to join me. He curled up next to me as I searched.
"Oh," he said weakly as we found our answer.
"Yeah," I replied. "Well, the good news is we should know in five to twelve hours if your heat dissipates."
Jace lay next to me, his face unreadable. "I should get home," he said, rolling out of bed.
"Wait." I reached for his hand and kept him from moving further away from me. "If you want to go home, I can take you there. Or back to the restaurant and your car, whatever you need. But what's done is done. Either you’re pregnant, and your heat fades, in which case I'd like to be with you, or you’re not pregnant and your heat isn't over. In which case I'd also like to be with you."
"You want me to stay?"
This omega had been nothing but sass and heat since I met him. Hearing the brokenness in his voice nearly tore me in half. "Either way, yeah. Stay the night, please?" I held back from asking him to stay longer. We had some things we needed to address before I could do that.
Jace collapsed on the bed and I curled around him. "Okay."
I ran my fingers through his hair and felt some of the tension drain from him. "In the meantime... you still have at least five hours left of your heat."
Jace stared at me in horror. "But if I'm not pregnant now, there's not much chance we could escape without another broken condom. Unless we run to the store."
I took his hand and nipped at his fingers. "I had something else in mind." I rolled over him and drew his hands around to my ass. He gripped my naked flesh tight and stretched. The cool air hit my hot hole and he trailed his fingers down the cleft.
"You're serious."
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
Jace surged up and before I knew it, he had flipped me onto my back. I arched my hips into him. This was more like it. I hated that lost look on his face. It was fading now as he turned his focus to me.
"I guess you're right," he said. "No use worrying about something we can't do anything about. But this..." he teased my hole lightly with his finger, "is something I can do a lot about. I'm going to go out on a limb and say this is virgin territory?"
"You're one to talk," I scoffed.
He slipped one hand around to my hair and pulled back, hard. "That's not an answer."
Sweet mercy, that was hot. If I'd known what a turn on it was to be dominated, I'd have tried this a lot sooner. "You'll be the first," I gasped.
Jace purred with pleasure. "Have you played back here?"
"Just— ah!— just my fingers."
"Nothing as big as my cock? Good. I'm gonna make this so good for you," he growled, the words going straight to my dick. "And someday, we'll buy all the toys and I'm going to fuck you, fill you with my cum, and then plug you with a knot."
My brain fizzled out, went completely offline, and my libido took over. "Show me."
"Lube?"
I gestured vaguely toward the nightstand and Jace leaned over me, teasing me with the press of his hard cock against my thigh. Then he was back between my legs. A few moments later, there was the sound of a squirt and then cold liquid hit my ass. I flinched, but Jace pulled me back to him, rubbing over my hole, slicking me up. Then he leaned forward and kissed me, slow and intentional. I lost myself in his kiss, his fingers pressing tight against me and then one pressed harder and slid easily in, thanks to Jace's preparations. "More," I pleaded immediately. His long fingers were lean and I barely felt the stretch.
"Patience," he demanded, twisting his finger this way and that, occasionally hitting my prostate and sending sparks through my limbs. "We did it your way. Now you're mine."
Even in the midst of this perfect, glorious moment, I couldn't help but realize that had I followed my sperm donor's path, this never would have been possible. I never would have met Jace. I never would have thought someone like him could possibly exist. An omega who refused to be bound by society's expectations, who could give it as well as he could take it. I would have never known how much I wanted this. Wanted him. Half of me hoped he was pregnant, that he wouldn't be able to escape a connection with me. Another, saner part of me hoped he wasn't so that I had the opportunity to woo him without the influence of heat, without the complications of an unintended pregnancy.
But when it all came down to it, I honestly didn't care what made him stay, just as long as he did.
13
Jace
This was a fantasy come to life. Naheed was begging, pleading beneath me for more, squirming, trying to take control, knowing full well that I was the one in charge. I’d always taken this role before, but to have my alpha underneath me… It was a heady feeling, one I wanted to swim in as long as I could. But given the state of arousal I once again found myself in, it wouldn’t be long enough.
“Patience, my alpha, patience. I need to make sure you’re good and ready.”
His eyes darkened at my use of alpha, solidifying my determination to take my time. This was his first time and I wanted to make sure he wanted there to be a second… and a third and a forth…
“Ready… so ready,” he murmured. His attempt to get me to rush nearly worked. As a preemptive strike, I slammed my lips to his, once again taking complete control. The sensations of me kissing him vs him kissing me were very different, yet equally perfect. We fit in a way I never imagined possible.
The pregnancy, or probable pregnancy, should have terrified me. I was not that omega: constantly dreaming of finding an alpha, carrying his young and having a house full of kids. Except with him, I kind of was. My initial panic was out of fear of rejection more than fear of pregnancy. From his reaction, that was not going to be a problem. Sure, there would be issues. So many issues. Rejection wasn’t one of them.
As he nipped my lip, I pulled back and stilled the three fingers that were stretching and preparing him.
“So you want to take over?” I scolded. I knew very well he was liking his current role. He liked how I was making him feel.
“No, my omega.” He shook his head, affirming what I already knew. He liked submitting. I couldn’t imagine him submitting all the time. He was a strong alpha, and he made me feel like it was okay to be an omega. To be me, my own kind of omega. But on occasion, he was going to want this, possibly need it. My desire to be the omega to give it to him was practically intoxicating.
“I see how it is.” I allowed my fingers to resume their erotic torture on the man beneath me as I grazed my teeth over his nipple. “You feel so ready. Are you ready?” He had been ready a full five minutes ago, but I wanted to make sure his mind was as ready as his body. It didn’t hurt that power of making him say the words induced a fire in me I couldn’t understand. But I didn’t need to. Not now. Maybe later, in the mundane normalcy of our days I might consider it, but right now I just wanted to feel.
“Yes.”
“Say it,” I demanded, stopping my fingers again.
“I’m ready...”
I gave him my best and? look.
“My omega.” That did it. I needed him… now.
“You’re so hot when you’re crumbling beneath me.” I withdrew my fingers and started to climb off the bed to retrieve my pants and fetch a condom. At least on me it wouldn’t break. He grasped my arm, preventing me from moving.
“Then why are you leaving?” He looked so forlorn.
“Condom, love. Just getting a condom.” I had a brief moment of panic at my slip of the tongue. There was no place here for the L word, not even as a term of endearment. It was too much. Too soon. Naheed didn’t show any sign that he registered my slip and I let out a breath of relief.
‘We’re past that, don’t you think?” His eyes were serious, handing me an unprecedented level of trust, even though I had inadvertently broken his. What did I do to deserve him? Did I deserve him?
My throat clogged and I nodded, unable to speak. I resettled between his legs, grabbing the small bottle of lube. I popped the lid slowly, watching his eyes follow my every move. I placed an excess of lube in the palm of my hand. I didn’t want any inadvertent friction when I entered him. I wanted this to be an earth shattering experience for him. I cleared my throat, and the words that I was able to grind out were rough and gravelly. “I want to see your sexy face as I fill you with my cum. Does that work for you?”
I needed to be face to face for this, to take in every subtle and not so subtle hint about what was and wasn’t working for him. Sure, taking him from behind would be fine, fantastic even, but it wasn’t what I needed now.
“Yes. Oh god yes,” he implored. I was all too ready to comply.
I stroked my cock with my lube-filled hand, slowly and deliberated, watching him practically drool. I gave his virgin hole one last probe of my fingers, making sure he was still good and ready before aligning the head of my cock with his hole and taking his mouth with mine.
Slowly, oh so slowly, I entered him, looking for signs in both his kiss and the tension of his body beneath me for any discomfort. I found none, only a deepening urgency.
“Okay?” I had to be sure, even though everything in his body language said he was more than ok.
“Move.” He bucked his hips. “For all that is holy, move.”
I should’ve reminded him who was in control, but truth be told, neither of us was. Instead, I began moving slowly, increasing my speed slowly. My still slick hand found his throbbing member and I began to stroke him to the same tempo as my thrusts. It killed me to admit to myself, but this wasn’t going to last. His balls were already constricting. He was about to blow, which was fine by me because holding back my orgasm was one of the hardest things I could remember doing. It was a new problem. More accurately, a Naheed problem. He just did it for me.
As his cock began to pulse, I dropped my hand to his knot, clenching it as it swelled beneath my hand, his scream of pleasure the last straw. I let go of my control and allowed myself to fall over the edge and fill his ass with my cum just as he had with mine. I might not be able to fill him with a baby, but I marked him just the same. He was mine. I just had to hope I was his.
14
Naheed
We collapsed in bed, our arms wrapped tightly around each other. I wanted to stay awake, to bask in this moment for as long as I could, but as I felt Jace's breathing even out and slow, I found myself lulled to sleep as well.
I woke to Jace's hand brushing through my hair. I leaned into it, and he brought up his other hand to play with my beard. I grumbled with half-awake pleasure and heard a soft whuff of a giggle and cracked one eye open. "What?"
"I've never really played with someone else's beard before. Most the betas I was with kept theirs short and neat or clean-shaven. And even then, we were generally wham-bam-thank-you-ma'am."
I rolled over and pushed him into the mattress. "I better not hear you talking about other guys when you're in my bed."
He rolled his eyes at my mock-seriousness. "Yes, alpha."
Even with his sarcastic tone, the words settled something deep inside me. "That's better." I leaned down and claimed his warm lips, caressing my hands down the cool skin of his arms. This kiss was slower, more exploratory than our previous ones. There was less urgency, though no less passion. Suddenly I drew back. His skin was no longer flushed. His eyes were clear and rested. "You're not in heat anymore."
Jace pressed his lips together, a cautious look in his eyes. "Nope."
We stared at each other, then I collapsed on my side and pulled him to me. His arm circled my back hesitantly. My body was vibrating with emotions I couldn't define. Shock? Excitement? Fear? All of the above?
"We're going to have a baby," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
"Are you okay with that?" Jace spoke into my chest, his beard tickling.
I pulled back to see his face. "What? Of course!"
"I know this wasn't what you had in mind when you asked me to dinner..."
"Well, I certainly hadn't planned for it last night, but I'd be lying if I said it hadn't at least been a thought for the future."
Jace searched my face. "Really?"
I kissed his forehead. "Really."
He finally snuggled into me. "I never thought I'd find an alpha who could deal with me, who would be comfortable letting me be who I am."
"And I never thought I'd find an omega I wasn't worried about intimidating, one who would stand up to me and be an equal."
"That's so sexist," Jace said.
"Hey, I resemble that." We both chuckled. "My greatest fear is falling back into old patterns, of believing that my way is the right way simply because I'm the alpha. I've always found it hard to tell if an omega is doing something because they're intimidated by me or if it's because they actually want it. Until you."
"Hey, it's not like I have a strong personality or anything," Jace said.
"Of course not," I laughed back.
My phone rang and I groaned. "Whoever that is has almost the worst possible timing," I grumbled, keeping my arm around Jace but rolling to grab my phone off the nightstand.
"What would have been the worst possible timing?" Jace asked.
"When one of us was balls-deep in the other," I said. His face flushed and he pressed his hips into me. Well hell-o, morning wood.
I gave him a softly chiding look, but counteracted it with a reciprocal thrust of my hips as I checked the caller ID and time. If the Omega House director was calling at eight thirty on a Saturday, it was important enough that I’ll take it. "Naheed here. What's wrong, Robert?"
Jace's eyes lit with evil amusement and his hand dropped down to my half-hard cock. I held back a hiss and try to focus on the call.
"The cops just called," he said with no preamble. "They broke up a really nasty omega breeding ring last night, and they're finally sorting through the victims. We're going to be getting at least a dozen new residents, if not more. Shelby's still out on vacation, and we're going to need all hands on deck."
Jace must have overheard the conversation because he rolled out of bed and started looking around for his clothes.
"I'll be there as soon as I can," I said, looking to Jace for confirmation. He nodded.
I hung up and joined Jace in the search for clothes.
"You go ahead," he said. "I'll just— shit, my car is still at the restaurant, isn't it?" Jace started to put on his suit from the night before.
"Yeah. Hey, do you want some of my clothes instead? The jeans might be a little loose on your hips, but I have belts."
"You just want me to smell like you, don't you? You alphas and your caveman tendencies."
I gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Are you saying you'd be any different if we were at your place instead?"
"Well, I probably wouldn't be able to give you any of my pants. Maybe some sweatpants."
"That's what I thought."
Jace accepted the pants and shirt I threw at him anyway.
"So I'll just call a cab," Jace said. "And you have my number, right?"
Something huge and powerful swelled up in me at the thought of my pregnant mate being out of my reach. Another part of me reeled back at the realization of that thought. My mate? I mean, yes, that is what I had in mind for the long-term, but we hadn't talked about it yet. "Why don't you come with me?" I said, pushing those thoughts away for another time. "We could probably use another pair of hands."
Jace hesitated, the shirt I'd thrown him half on, then finished shrugging it on. "Are you sure?" Beneath his casual tone, did I detect hope? "I'm not really trained in this kind of thing..."
"We'll have to get bedding and clothes out of storage. I should be able to just point you in the right direction and let you go. There will be other volunteers who can guide you."
His whoosh of breath sounded like relief to me. "Yeah, I'd like that."
I tossed h
im one of my hoodies. So what if I was reveling in the fact that he smelled like me, that I was putting a visible mark on him by clothing him in items that everyone at the House knew were mine? "Let's go."
15
Jace
The car ride was tense, not because of how our lives had just irrevocably changed, but because of what we were about to walk into. Breeding rings were made of the worst kind of evil. People tried to pretend they didn’t exist or that they were only a foreign issue. It made it easier for them to sleep at night, and I got that. It just didn’t make them go away.
The money for babies pre-tested to become an alpha was just too enticing to a certain population. It was one of the many reasons they banned testing before adulthood, yet there were enough unscrupulous doctors willing to break their oath for the cash. Even knowing that if the results came back anything but alpha, the babies would at best be abandoned at a church or community center and, at worst, would not take another breath. My stomach lurched at that thought.
I had offered to take a taxi to avoid adding pressure on Naheed. I didn’t have medical or counseling skills, but I was more than happy to help in a kitchen, schlep supplies, manage paperwork, whatever. If they wanted me to, I'd ever run around serving the mass-produced sludge such places generally called coffee, even though it would have offended my caffeine-loving heart to do so. Those omegas were broken, and the easier we could make their transition, the better.
I turned my head, inhaling deeply for the comfort only my alpha’s scent could give me. He thought he was being clever with the hoodie, but it didn’t take even a full sniff for me to know it was one he had already worn. Not that he had anything to worry about. I was his. We--me and our unborn child--both were his, even before I knew there was a we.
Knowing that he had been thinking of us with a long-term view, even before my cluster of a condom fail, gave me a calm no unmated omega should feel when discovering they were pregnant. We may not be mated, yet, but his intentions were clear. Crazy, given that we had met such a short time ago. Yet oddly perfect at the same time.
Embracing His Omega (Cafe Om Love Book 1) Page 6