took a peek at them too. “Plus, lots of finger food. What are you in the mood for?”
“Something that’s good cold, I don’t want to wait.”
Riley was practically brimming with impatience, but Brendan couldn’t fault him for it. It had to be hard, all those hormones running rampant through him. Heats brought bucketloads of pleasure, but at a cost.
“What do you normally like to eat during a heat? What did your last alpha companion feed you?”
Riley went still and silent where he sat at the counter, and Brendan knew he’d said something wrong. Turning to him, he scanned the omega’s blank face.
“Riley?”
“There’s never been an alpha before, not during my heat. I never trusted anyone enough to—”
Brendan swallowed hard, realizing what it meant that Riley had agreed to share this with him. But the omega was still talking, his words making Brendan’s heart ache.
“I ate whatever I could get my hands on. The way my appetite is, I’d have finished any food I managed to gather before my heat had even started. If I was lucky, someone might bring me a plate of whatever meal was made that day. But in some places, if you can’t get out to the dining room, you don’t eat…”
Brendan turned away so Riley couldn’t see his face and the anger there. He gathered up all the dishes of food his Grams had left them, carrying them over to where Riley sat.
“That’ll never happen with me, I promise. Between me and Grams, you’ll eat like a king.”
“I always eat well when I’m with you.”
“There’s nothing wrong with taking pleasure in food. As long as you eat your vegetables.” When he set a bowl of sugar snap peas in front of Riley, the omega giggled.
“Dig in,” Brendan encouraged, waving a hand over all the food. “Whatever you feel like.”
He dragged a chair around so he could sit at the end of the counter, close enough to Riley to touch him but able to see his face at the same time. He poured them drinks, handed Riley some cutlery, and they tried a bit of everything, even the peas.
“This is so good,” Riley told him, almost moaning as he ate a piece of marinated chicken. “Do you think Grams will give me the recipe?”
“I’m sure she will. I know some people closely guard their family recipes, but not her. She likes to share. Here, try this.”
He held out a forkful of potato salad, watching Riley’s face as his lips closed around it. This time the omega did moan, the sound going right to Brendan’s groin.
“That’s amazing. What’s in it?”
“The secret ingredient is bacon. It elevates pretty much any dish you add it to.”
“I love bacon.”
“Uh-huh. That’s why we get along so well. A shared love of deliciousness.”
He encouraged Riley to eat more, combing his fingers through the omega’s hair as they dined. Riley arched into his touch, murmuring happily.
Brendan didn’t know how it happened exactly. One moment Riley was sitting next to him, food forgotten, his eyes intent on Brendan. And the next the omega was seated on the counter itself, Brendan standing between his thighs.
“You promised me dessert,” Riley said coyly, fingers dipping into the waistband of Brendan’s sweatpants.
“Hmm, I guess I did.” They kissed, Brendan tasting a myriad of flavors on Riley’s tongue. He let his hands slide up the omega’s thighs, teasing under his T-shirt.
“You’re gorgeous, you know that?” he murmured in Riley’s ear.
“And you’re generous with more than just your compliments.”
“It’s easy when it’s you. I would give you the world without a second thought.”
Riley tugged at his sweats. “I don’t want the world. Just you.”
He let the omega push the pants down his hips, tugging Riley’s T-shirt up to run his hands across the omega’s stomach, and then down to his thighs. Riley leaned up to kiss him, and Brendan teased his tongue between the omega’s lips. They were both breathless, heady with passion.
“Bedroom?” he asked.
“No. Right here.”
To emphasize his demand, Riley wrapped his legs around Brendan’s waist. It was nothing for Brendan to lift the omega against him, stealing another passionate kiss as he pushed inside him in one smooth thrust. It was different from the first time, their need greater somehow. Riley braced his hands on Brendan’s shoulders, not breaking eye contact. They moved in sync, Riley’s body tight and wet, pulling Brendan in like he belonged there. In a way, that’s what heat truly meant—the moment an alpha and omega were closest, entangled in each other.
They lost themselves in