She’s always been able to do this—to cheer me up and put me in a good mood no matter what’s happening around us. One look from her, and I can forget everything.
Except maybe how much is riding on this date doing well.
Shaking my head, I take in Crew’s red polo that matches the cherries on Kiara’s dress over his swim trunks, and my smile only grows.
Could they be any more adorable?
“Thank you, alpha. You don’t look half bad yourself,” Crew says breezily, linking his fingers with Kiara’s and heading for the door.
The door shuts behind them before my mind catches up with the fact that I need to go with them.
Fuck this noise.
I amnota fan of this being nervous bullshit.
I hurry outside, just in time to see Crew close the passenger door behind Kiara. I’m moving so fast, I almost fall down the stairs and barely avoid running into Crew.
His hands land on my arms, and my eyes flicker to his. He looks more than a little amused as he gazes at me. “Take a deep breath, Mason.”
“What?”
“I can smell how nervous you are. You smell like burnt leather, and it’s not a pleasant scent.”
I flush because I’d forgotten he could smell my scent. What kind of alpha am I that my omega—no, wait. He’s not mine yet—is having to calm me down?
“It’s okay to be nervous, big guy.” His voice has lost its teasing tone. “This is a big deal, and it’s been years in the making. I promise you, Kiara is going to love whatever you have planned, and as long as she’s happy, then I’m happy too. Although I’ll probably love it too.”
He takes my hand and lifts it to his chest, and I can’t look away from the rising and falling of his chest.
I blink, realizing I’ve automatically slowed my breathing to match his. Part of me wants to melt into the touch, but the other part is pissed that I needed calming in the first place.
“Don’t do that.” There’s a bite to Crew’s words that has my eyes jerking up to meet his once more. “I just got your ass calmed down. Please do not ruin my good work.”
I frown. “You shouldn’t have to calm me down.”
He snorts. “What do you think an omega is for? Besides all the sex stuff, obviously. Omegas calm alphas just as much as alphas calm omegas. There’s nothing wrong with needing someone else to calm you down—especially when it’s your scent-matched omega.”
“I don’t know why I’m freaking out so badly,” I admit.
“Because this is important to you, but stop thinking about what it could mean. It’s just you, me, and Kiara hanging out and getting to know one another better, yeah?”
I tilt my head as I consider him. His words make sense, and I can feel a sensation of calm sweeping through me. “Yeah. You’re right. Damn, you’re good at this.”
He grins. “So Kiara tells me. Now, how about we get this date on the road?”
“Sure.” I hesitate for a moment before leaning in to brush my lips against his cheek. “Thanks, Crew.”
His hand raises to cup his cheek, his eyes wide as he watches me walk around the car.
With a chuckle, I climb inside to find Kiara watching me carefully. “Better?”
“Yeah. Much better. Thank you.” Should I be embarrassed that she also knew I was freaking out?
Her smile makes butterflies flutter in my chest as she glances over her shoulder. “Did you break my omega?”
“I don’t know. Maybe. I just kissed his cheek.”
She giggles. “Then you definitely broke him. Kissing and sex are second nature to him, but he sometimes forgets about the romance of it all.”