Daniel was... predictable. Readable. Heath found comfort in that.
He should already have known it, though, when Daniel had never once missed the Phantom Growls’ gigs ever since he showed up at the Wine Shack.
Heath caught himself wondering how it would feel, smelling his own yew scent on Daniel.
So he slipped a bar of milk chocolate onto Daniel’s desk Friday morning, just before Daniel showed up for work.
Then he slunk to the back of the office, messing around with a file cabinet. Minutes later, when Daniel appeared, Heath watched as surprise flitted through Daniel’s face. Daniel frowned at the chocolate, picking it up. He glanced around—Heath looked away—and then he brought the bar to his nose, sniffing at it.
There wasn’t any note on the chocolate—just a hint of yew. When Daniel smelled it, a tiny, pleased smile tugged at his lips. And he blushed.
Somehow, Heath’s heart quickened for him.
The following Monday, Heath left a jar of almonds on Daniel’s desk. He’d included a note: I’m not nuts about nuts. Wish I were better at puns. You’ll nail the presentation today.
The worry in Daniel’s eyes faded away when he read that. He looked up, meeting Heath’s gaze. Then he blushed harder than he had last week.
Heath shrugged and smiled, heading for the elevator. He’d just done that to cheer Daniel up.
But Daniel’s reaction—the happiness, the blushing... Those had been tiny gifts. And Daniel had reacted like Heath had made his day, just by leaving those things on his desk.
It felt good, knowing he could please an omega.
Knowing that Daniel would still continue to smell like amaranth and honey, and not another alpha.
At the presentation, Daniel stood tall. He met Heath’s eyes and smiled, more confident this time. And the way he delivered his speech—it was obvious that Daniel had practiced it multiple times.
He met the eyes of every person at the conference table, talking about statistics and things he’d found about the competitors without even needing to look at his presentation slides. He fielded questions with ease, he was comfortable in his own skin, and it seemed that he’d finally gotten over the surprise of Heath being his boss.
Whoever Daniel’s previous boss had been... That alpha had been an absolute bastard. Heath was angry on Daniel’s behalf.
But at the same time, he was secretly kind of glad. Because Daniel was unbonded, unclaimed, and Heath... had been wanting his own scent on Daniel. He’d been thinking about Daniel’s lips, he’d been thinking about having Daniel beneath him again. Having Daniel give up his control, seeing him needy, begging for Heath.
As capable as Daniel was, who didn’t want him?
At the end of the presentation, Heath applauded. The rest of the table followed suit, and Daniel blushed the brightest red Heath had seen him blush.
When the rest of the room had vacated, leaving Daniel shutting down his computer alone, Heath strode over.
Daniel paused, looking up, a hint of a blush still on his cheeks.
“You did great back there,” Heath murmured, touching his waist.
“You really think so,” Daniel said, ducking his head. But he was smiling, and his hands shook a little.
Heath closed his fingers around Daniel’s cold hands. “Nervous?”
“Still a little, yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know. Everything. I’m still... half-afraid you’ll fire me. And I get nervous during presentations. Part of it is the adrenaline.”
“You were awesome,” Heath whispered. Then he leaned in, burying his nose in Daniel’s hair, just breathing in that amaranth scent. “You can talk at me like that any day you want.”
Daniel blushed harder, his smile growing.
Heath wanted to kiss him, suddenly. Just to taste him again, feel Daniel smile.
Daniel glanced up, his eyes growing wide. “Why—Why’re you looking at me like that?”
“Because.” Heath leaned in, brushing his nose against Daniel’s soft cheek. “Have you thought about whether you’re keeping the baby?”
“I’ve thought about it,” Daniel said quietly. “I’m keeping it.”
Heath’s heart leaped. “Why?”
“It’s yours.” Daniel gave a crooked smile. “I mean, I’m not intending to ask you for child support or anything. Just in case you misunderstand.”
“Will I get to see the baby?” Heath asked.
“You want to?” Daniel looked surprised.
Heath frowned. “What, you think I don’t want to?”
“You just... seem young, is all.” Daniel squirmed. “Most alphas your age don’t want to settle down.”
“I’m not most alphas.”
Daniel chuckled at that. “I guess you’re not. Most alphas aren’t a millionaire at twenty-two.”
Heath rolled his eyes. “My parents handed the business over to me. They have their own businesses, too, but they taught me everything I needed for it when I was growing up. They let me start my own businesses at first, and I learned it was damn fucking easy to fail. So I’m not gonna spend my million dollars on frivolous things, in case you thought I was going to.”
Daniel raised his eyebrows. “What are you going to spend it on, then?”
“Family. The future.” Heath shrugged. “It’s really my parents’ hard-earned money, so I’m not going to waste it.”
“You have a nice car,” Daniel said pointedly, a smile tugging on his lips.
“I spent a bit on just the one thing!” Heath’s face warmed.
Daniel laughed. “I was teasing you!”
His eyes sparkled. He was beautiful, and Heath couldn’t help leaning in. He brushed their lips together. When Daniel gasped and moaned, Heath kissed him harder. Pulled him closer. Pressed Daniel against the conference table, dragging the scent glands on his wrists down Daniel’s arms, leaving his yew scent on Daniel’s skin.
Daniel squeaked, freezing up. “The others are going to know,” he whispered, his eyes growing wide.
“Yeah, and?”
“Everyone knows I’m a couple decades older than you.” Daniel looked uncomfortable. “What if they think I’m trying to seduce you, or something?”
“Do you want me to make an announcement? Saying I’m taking you as my omega.”
Heath hadn’t meant for it to come out that way. Daniel’s eyes widened.
“That’s moving a little too fast, isn’t it?” Daniel asked.
“Kinda.” Heath smiled sheepishly. “What about we date first? It doesn’t have to be anyone else’s business but ours. And if anyone gives you crap about it, you tell me.”
Daniel gulped. “You’re... really interested,” he said haltingly.
“Were you coming to watch the gig this Saturday?”
Daniel’s ears turned pink, but he nodded. Yeah, Heath had been reading him right this whole time. He wanted Daniel closer. His cock agreed.
“Then yeah, I’m really interested.” Heath pulled Daniel flush against himself, so he felt the length of Heath’s interest.
Daniel’s breath rushed out; he glanced down at Heath’s hips, swallowing hard. “We’re—not doing that again,” Daniel breathed. “At least, until I have some idea what this thing is between us.”
“Okay,” Heath said, licking his lips. “But any time you’re ready... You know how to get into my bed.”
Daniel groaned, musk coiling off his skin.
Heath reached between them, skimming his knuckles over Daniel’s belly, where their baby was. Then he let his hand drift a little lower, watching Daniel’s reaction. Daniel’s breathing hitched.
Heath pulled his hand away. “We’ll figure out what’s going on between us,” he murmured. “And with the baby, too.”
He didn’t know how he was going to do as a father. But his own parents were awesome, and maybe... he would do okay as a dad. Maybe Daniel would let Heath be dads with him.
Heath’s heart skipped. He swallowed the anticipatio
n in his throat, nuzzling down Daniel’s neck.
This fluttering feeling he felt around Daniel... it wasn’t love, was it? Heath didn’t want his heart broken again.
But with Daniel, it seemed like anything could be possible, when Daniel smiled at Heath. Maybe that was the difference between Daniel and Cody. With Daniel, Heath felt like he could be himself, and things would be okay again.
5
Daniel
A month passed, then two. Daniel had all but gotten used to his morning sickness, learning to anticipate when he had to excuse himself to use the bathroom.
What he still hadn’t adjusted to, though, was Heath.
The moment Heath had found out about the morning sickness, he’d made a visit to Daniel’s desk at the marketing department.
Then Heath had dragged Daniel to an empty meeting room, attracting some stares. He’d checked up on Daniel, touching Daniel’s belly, making sure he felt okay.
The next time Heath came to look for Daniel, he’d found Daniel in the omegas’ restroom—not that Heath was supposed to step in there. And every other time Heath visited the department, Daniel blushed.
The marketing staff had been asking about Heath’s visits. More than once, Daniel had received curious, warm glances his way. Heath’s staff cared about their boss happiness, it seemed. Even more oddly, they didn’t seem to mind that Daniel was much older than his alpha.
“Shouldn’t they be dubious about this?” Daniel asked one day, when Heath had him pressed against the pantry counter, sniffing up his neck.
Heath shrugged, kissing Daniel on his unmarked scent gland. “I’ve known a lot of these guys since I was a kid. They see me as their nephew, I think.”
“Oh.” That meant they would judge Daniel harder, wouldn’t they?
“Stop worrying.” Heath kissed him again. “Maybe if you let me properly mark you...”
Daniel gulped, his stomach flipping. After that very first night at the bar, he hadn’t slept with Heath at all. Once had been risky enough—it was a wonder that the spell hadn’t broken yet.
If he slept with Heath again... what if Heath decided he’d rather have a younger omega instead?
“I don’t understand why you’re still here,” Daniel said, his heart pattering. “I’m just someone you happened to knock up. I can sign a parental waiver, and you could—you could pursue anyone else you wanted.”
At that, Heath stopped his kisses, meeting Daniel’s eyes. “Do you want me to leave?”
Daniel’s stomach dropped. “No, no!”
“Good.” Heath nuzzled his ear.
Heath had been bringing him food, too. Even the most ridiculous combinations of snacks, like soy sauce and ice cream, and salted fish in custard.
The first time Daniel had mentioned his cravings to Heath, Heath had gone straight to the store and bought him every food item he’d talked about.
Daniel had gotten alarmed. He’d started watching what he said to Heath, until he’d mentioned fried chicken and waffles to his department head. That very lunch, Heath had brought him a steaming, delicious-smelling package from a nearby restaurant. Chicken and waffles, with honey as a dip.
It felt as though the entire office was in cahoots with Heath.
Daniel didn’t know what to make of this relationship. They were... something. A thing that wasn’t permanent.
But Heath made Daniel’s heart skip and his skin tingle, and most nights, Daniel curled up in his own bed, wondering what it would be like to give in, and go to Heath. He wondered what it would feel like, waking up next to Heath every day. Allowing himself to tangle with Heath, skin on bare skin.
His heart yearned for it.
“At some point, when you stop worrying, I want to make you come,” Heath murmured, stroking down Daniel’s side to his hip. “I want you to smell like me. I want you to scream my name.”
Daniel’s pulse throbbed between his legs. He glanced at the closed pantry door, half-expecting one of the staff to walk in on them.
Heath grinned. “I told them I was having a short meeting with you.”
Daniel’s face burned. “They’re going to wonder why you haven’t marked me yet.”
“You decided that part, so you tell them.” Heath smirked. “You know I’m always ready to mark you. Anywhere you want, however deep and hard you want.”
His hole squeezing, Daniel groaned, turning away. Musk coiled from his skin. Heath sniffed at it, enveloping Daniel in a warm hug.
“I’m so much older than you,” Daniel said.
“Do I look like I care?”
No, Heath didn’t. Heath tugged Daniel’s shirt out of his pants, then slipped his hand under it, pressing his palm against Daniel’s belly.
“You’re carrying my baby,” Heath murmured. “And you kick ass at presentations—did you know? You did one this morning, and I just about pinned you down against the conference table.”
Daniel’s face scorched. “There were people around!”
“And I’d have fucked you right on the spot,” Heath whispered. “So everyone will know you’re mine.”
That made Daniel’s heart stop. He wanted Heath, gods knew he did. And Heath knelt at Daniel’s feet, pressing his face to Daniel’s belly.
“Hi,” Heath said, his stubble scraping against Daniel’s skin. “I’m your other dad. Help me convince your dad that we’ll work out. But maybe don’t make him puke so much, or he’ll hate me forever.”
Then he pulled away from Daniel’s belly, frowning. “You aren’t going to hate me if I accidentally jinx you, right? About the puking.”
Daniel couldn’t fight down his smile. “I might. Who wants to puke nonstop?”
“Not me.” Heath grinned, nuzzling Daniel’s belly. “Mind if I sing the baby a song?”
Daniel hesitated. “I’m not sure any of your songs are innocent enough for a child.”
“I’ve been writing one in my head,” Heath said. “A new one.”
“You have?” Daniel stared.
The Phantom Growls’ songs were mostly about sex, sometimes love. Nothing that Daniel particularly wanted to share with a baby.
After months of pounding beats at the Wine Shack... It was difficult to even imagine something pure and innocent coming from Heath’s lips.
But Heath began to sing.
“Tiny cows and fluffy bears,
We’re building a nursery, it’s all there.
So come on, baby, daddy’s waiting.
We’ll sing you a lullaby, every morning.”
Daniel gaped. It sounded... weird. But good. “I can’t... believe you wrote a song. A fluffy one. For our baby.”
Heath beamed. “You like?”
“I’ll have to get used to it,” Daniel said, still trying to wrap his mind around Heath singing a children’s song. Heath looking forward to their baby, Heath thinking about their child so fondly.
It wasn’t anything Daniel had expected of him. When he’d first caught sight of Heath, Daniel had seen a leather-wearing alpha at a bar, thrusting his hips along to his music. That had been the alpha Daniel had wanted in his bed.
But over the last two months, Heath had been leaving little gifts on Daniel’s desk. He’d been bringing Daniel food, touching him, nuzzling him.
Heath hadn’t once minded that Daniel was older. He’d hugged Daniel in front of his staff, too.
Heath was... loving and generous and kind, and Daniel hadn’t realized how much he looked forward to seeing Heath every day.
And the idea of not having Heath in his life... That scared him.
I can’t be in love with him. What if he hurts me?
Heath looked up at him. “You want to hear the other verses?”
“Are you going to sing them with your band?” Daniel asked playfully.
Heath blushed. “I didn’t tell them I wrote this. You won’t tell, either, will you?”
“I guess not.” Daniel smiled, his heart thudding when Heath stood and leaned in close, his smile warm, his arms ci
rcling around Daniel’s body.
“I really like you,” Heath whispered, pressing their foreheads together. “Probably more than I should.”
Daniel swallowed hard. He wanted to say the same in return, but he was afraid to.
So he eased out of Heath’s embrace, feeling guilty. He should tell Heath what he really felt. It would make Heath smile.
Daniel inched toward the pantry door, his skin tingling when Heath’s gaze raked down his body. He wanted to step closer. He wanted to say, I love you.
But it was dangerous, so he didn’t.
“I’ll see you around,” Daniel said, wishing he were a braver person.
“See you,” Heath said, his gaze never once leaving Daniel.
Daniel gulped, hurrying away.
6
Daniel
“Are you not... bonding with Heath?” Tessa, one of the older omegas in the marketing department, asked. She looked at Daniel’s unmarked scent glands, and back at his eyes.
Daniel flushed. “I just... I feel that it should be an important occasion,” he said. “Bonding marks shouldn’t be taken lightly.”
And Tessa glanced at the bump of his belly.
At forty, Daniel was fully aware that the pregnancy carried risks for both him and the baby. Heath didn’t need to commit, not when Daniel didn’t even know how this pregnancy would turn out.
But to the rest of the staff... it probably seemed odd. Daniel squirmed.
Heath stepped up to them, touching Daniel’s waist. “Is something the matter?” Heath rumbled, pulling Daniel against himself.
Tessa clucked. “You should be marking him, boy,” she said, wagging her finger at Heath. “Don’t string him along.”
She returned to her desk, leaving Heath and Daniel staring after her.
Heath cleared his throat. Then he tugged Daniel to the elevator, hitting the button for the ground floor. It wasn’t until the doors shut and the elevator began to sweep them downward, that Heath spoke.
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