My fingers press deeper, and he hisses. “Sorry,” I murmur, easing up slightly.
“No, keep going. It hurts in a good way.”
I continue my ministrations, falling into a comfortable rhythm. The only sounds are the bubbling jets, Gabe’s occasional appreciative grunts, and our breathing. The steam creates a cocoon around us, insulating us from the cold night air.
Finally, he speaks.
“Melody.”
“What about her?” I keep my hands moving, sensing he’ll talk more freely if I’m not looking directly at him. I’ve learned that Gabe processes emotions better when he doesn’t have to maintain eye contact.
“Her scent.” Another long pause. “It’s… strong.”
I process this information carefully. “Strong how? Like she needs a shower, or strong like…”
“Like a scent-match.”
My hands go still on his shoulders. “Oh.”
A scent-match.
The most powerful connection between an alpha and an omega. The stuff of romance novels and biology textbooks. A compatibility so perfect that it’s said to be felt on a cellular level.
Gabe turns in the water to face me, his expression more vulnerable than I’ve seen in months. His eyes—those warm green eyes I fell in love with—search mine with an intensity that makes my breath catch.
He takes my hands in his, those large calloused palms enveloping mine completely. “But you’re my choice, Finn. My love. If you’re not comfortable with this, with the possibility of Melody, then I choose you. I’ll walk away. We can find another rental. Go back to the city early. Whatever you need.”
Something catches in my throat. A scent-match is biological destiny, according to some. The pull is supposedly overwhelming, nearly impossible to resist. Yet here’s Gabe, offering to ignore it completely for me.
“You’d do that?” I ask, voice barely audible over the bubbling water.
“In a heartbeat,” he says without hesitation. “What we have isn’t just biology. It’s a choice. Every day, I choose you,” Gabe says as he turns to face me.
I blink rapidly, fighting the sudden moisture in my eyes.
Stupid hot tub steam.
“Gabe, we’ve talked about this before. About potentially finding an omega someday.”
“Talking hypothetically is different from reality,” he points out. “This is happening now, not someday.”
I lean forward, resting my forehead against his chest, gathering my thoughts. The steady thump of his heart grounds me, reminds me of the foundation we’ve built together.
“There’s more,” Gabe says after a moment, his voice rumbling through his chest against my forehead.
I look up. “More?”
“Everett. He’s… he also responded to her scent.”
I pull back slightly. “Wait, Everett too? She’s a scent-match for both of you?”
Gabe nods, looking almost relieved to have it out. “We realized it today, when she came to visit us in the forest.”
I squeeze Gabe’s hand, feeling a sudden wave of emotion wash over me. “I love you, you know that? More than anything.” My voice catches slightly. “And I think I had a gut feeling about Melody from the beginning—the way she kept sniffing you both last night—it was obvious there was something there.”
Gabe’s eyes widen slightly. “You noticed?”
“She practically climbed onto your lap to get a better whiff,” I say with a soft laugh. “Then declared you smelled like ‘shirtless, brooding men chopping wood.’ Not exactly subtle.”