Page 18 of Scheme
“Well, if you’re sure,” I replied, not sounding convinced because I wasn’t. Maybe I was a pessimist—almost certainly, in fact—but I found it hard to believe that Kit would still want to continue this charade with me when presented with an omega ten years younger and twice as beautiful.
“I do think we should have a code word though. Just to check in with each other,” Kit said thoughtfully. “Something subtle.”
“Ask me if I want a wine.” Kit twisted slightly in his seat, looking at me with one eyebrow raised. “I don’t drink, never liked the taste. I’ll know you aren’treallyasking me if I want a glass of wine. ‘No’ means I’m fine, ‘yes’ is I’d like to leave, please. Deal?”
He almost smiled, turning to face ahead again. “Deal.”
We were quiet for a while, watching as the stops went by and people boarded and left.
“I went to visit my mum. First time I’ve seen her in a couple of years,” Kit said eventually, not looking at me. “She’s got this Council job, works really hard, loves her career. She didn’t want to fly anywhere to meet me, and I didn’t come home, I don’t hold it against her.”
I didn’t say anything, sensing that he needed a moment to gather his thoughts.
“She had to work today, and asked me to head over to where her office is so we could grab something to eat during her lunch break—which I thought was a bit odd, because why not have a longer catch-up over dinner? Anyway, it was because she wanted to bring a single omega from her office along with her.”
I winced sympathetically, barely resisting the very omega urge to start stroking the agitated alpha.
“It’s fuckingrelentless,” Kit grumbled. “She knows how I feel about that shit, and it was just awkward as hell, and I’m not looking forward to tonight. I specifically asked my friends not to try to set me up with anyone, but I’m not optimistic that they’ll listen.”
Have you considered getting better friends?
I didn’t say it aloud because I hadn’t met them and maybe I was being too quick to judge, but they sounded incredibly disrespectful already.
“I’m sorry, Kit. That’s rubbish—you’re entitled to have boundaries and the people you care about should be the first to respect them. And this is why I’m here, right? So you can ignore that crap and have a good night.”
I was using my placating omega voice without even realising it, but it did have its intended effect. Kit relaxed ever so slightly in his seat, his arm pressing against mine, scentmarking me, though I wasn’t sure if it was a conscious decision or not.
Then again, we wouldn’t be a very convincing courting couple if I didn’t smell a little like him—alphas were weird about that kind of thing. I leaned into it, letting that delightful coffee and whiskey smell rub off on me while I people-watched.
A beta couple boarded, taking two empty seats further up the carriage, sitting facing us. I loved being an omega 99% of the time—yes, heat sucked, but it was only once a year and outside of that, I was very fond of my omega vagina and all the perks it entailed. Seeing beta couples always gave me a small pause, though.
Were they married? Planning a future together, unswayed by biological imperative? Or were they just casually seeing each other? Maybe they were just spending the night together, no strings attached, before heading their separate ways, never to be anything more to one another than a fond memory.
“This is our stop,” Kit said quietly, bumping my shoulder. I shot him a quick smile, pulling my game face on and headed for the train doors as they swooshed open. I’d never been one to shirk my responsibilities, and this was no different. I was going to uphold my end of our arrangement.
The pub was across the street from the station, the rowdy sounds of patrons standing out front with their pints greeting us before we’d even swiped through the turnstiles.
“Wait,” Kit said suddenly, lightly grabbing my forearm before I could cross the street. “Do you think we should kiss now?”
“Now?” We were standing three feet from a bin that absolutely reeked, the station behind us was blindingly bright, and there were about fifty spectators standing outside the pub on the other side of the road. “Why now?”
“I don’t know. In case they expect us to. Isn’t that something couples do? I just thought we should get it over with now.”
“Well, how could I possibly say no to that?” I deadpanned, throwing my hands up in exasperation. Kit stammered, his face flushing a fantastic shade of red as he realized how begrudging his offer had sounded. “I’m joking. You don’t need to woo me.”
Kit shoved both hands through his hair, pushing it messily back off his face. “I’m usually better at this,” he muttered. “Or I thought I was. You make me nervous, and I say stupid stuff.”
“I make you nervous?” I repeated, surprised.
“You’re not what I expected. For an omega.”
“Well, maybe you should be more open-minded. Come here.” He blinked at me. “I thought we were going to kiss? You’re very tall,” I clarified, gesturing for him to come closer.
“Oh. Right.”
Kit leaned in, flexing his hands at his sides like he didn’t know where to put them, and I could not, in good conscience, stand here and let myself be led into what was shaping up to be the most mediocre kiss since my first spin-the-bottle experience back in secondary school.
No.
