Page 37 of Omega Ruined

Before I knew it, Vale had opened the picnic basket and cooler and was setting up enough food to feed an army.

"I'll just go sit over here and drool," Zephyr sighed, heading for the opposite side of the clearing.

"Stop being an idiot. Come eat." Vale waved him over. "You can fuck off after your belly is full."

"So kind of you." Zephyr pulled off his headphones and looked at all the food. "Where do I even sit?"

Vale pointed at the corner closest to the creek, then grabbed my hand and tugged me to the end near the forest. It let us look out over the lake while we ate.

"This is really beautiful, Vale." I took the plate he'd put food on and smiled. "It's been so long since I've been out in nature. I forgot how calming it was."

"We found this place while we were out hiking a few years ago," he told me. "All of us used to hike a lot, before…" He trailed off, his face downcast. "Well, after the health issues, it was too dangerous."

"Maybe we can start hiking?" I suggested. "If my scent pulls you back, having me dripping in sweat should keep you on track."

Vale laughed and even Zephyr cracked a smile.

"Maybe, baby, just maybe."

The food Vale had brought was just as incredible as the view. Mini hoagies, deviled eggs, hummus with vegetables and pita chips, an entire cheese board with a dozen types of cheese, fresh fruit, and sparkling water in three flavors. For dessert, he pulled three mini cheesecakes out of the cooler. "Do you prefer chocolate, dulce de leche, or pineapple?" he asked.

"Can I have a piece of each? I've never even heard of dulce de leche."

"Of course you can." He divided each cake into thirds and shuffled the pieces around so we each had a cheesecake made up of all three flavors. "I told you the first day, you can eat whatever you want, when you want. I will always make sure you have what you need."

"So will I and the rest of the guys," Zephyr said.

"This is my date, Z," Vale shot the other man a scowl. "When I say I'll provide, you don't chip in with a Musketeer chant. Go eat your cake on that log over there."

Zephyr laughed. "I'll be right over here if you start feeling feisty."

"He's already feisty," I joked, taking a bite of the chocolate cheesecake. "Oh, wow, this is good!"

Zephyr did a great job of disappearing into the trees. We knew he was there, but he had his headphones on, which gave us some semblance of privacy.

I helped Vale clean everything up once we'd polished off our cheesecake or most of it. I'd ended up too full to finish, but Vale promised to save the rest for me to enjoy at dinner or for a bedtime snack.

Once the blanket was free, he folded up his cute picnic basket and set it aside before producing two pillows and laying them on the blanket. "Come here. If you want."

He stretched out on the blanket, one arm open in invitation, the other behind his head. The man looked good, his shirt riding up to show off his flat stomach, his piercings glinting in the sunlight.

"Just don't tickle me," I warned, flopping down beside him. I curled into his side, my head fitting perfectly into the dip of his shoulder. He smelled so amazing out here, like part of the landscape with his wet stone scent mingled with tree bark. "I think you were made for nature, Vale. Even your scent mixes with the trees and the lake."

"Still prefer lemon," he said with a smile. He looked down at me and I saw that his eyes, while dark, were really brown with specks of gold in them. Beautiful.

"Any piercings I can't see?" I asked curiously, touching a finger to his snakebite.

Vale shook his head in disbelief. "I was talking about lemon scent and you went straight to cock piercings?"

"What? No, I didn't!" I protested. "I meant like nipples or bellybutton!" Narrowing my eyes as he shook with laughter, I asked, "Wait… do you have cock piercings?"

"I do," he confirmed. "And pierced nipples. No bellybutton ring though."

"Oh. Wow." I shook my head. "Wasn't that insanely painful?"

"Very, very painful." He shuddered. "But the worst part is after. You can't get off for a long time."

"That sounds awful. I could never." I lay there thinking for a minute. "Why did you do it?"