Page 12 of Love in Excess

He freezes, his brow furrowing a little. I love how expressive his face is as I wonder why he looks so confused. “You want me to bring Jasmine?”

“I love dogs. Hunter works too much, and I…” I pause, sucking my bottom lip between my teeth and then shrug. “I’m a handful and a half. That’s what Hunter says.” He’s not wrong and I’d behorridwhen it came to caring for a dog. Some days, I don’t even leave my nest.

Lincoln’s frown deepens, and I can see the gears turning in his head. “A handful and a half, huh?” he says, but there’s a teasing edge to it, like he’s testing the waters.

“No, it’s true,” I say, laughing. “I’m always in trouble. So, lunch in an hour?”

He hesitates, then nods, his smile creeping back. “Yeah. Lunch in an hour.”

LINCOLN

Jasmine whines, her leash tugging in my hand as we walk up to the diner. It’s not like her to be this antsy and it’s got me on edge. My stomach’s been flipping since I left the park, Celeste’s lips against my cheek still burning in my brain. Some part of me is still warring with the idea of why Celeste would even want me but mates are entirely different territory.

Maybe this feeling of longing is normal. Maybe it’s okay to lean into it. And then I remember how often I’ve told myself that before.

Just focus on the moment,I tell myself. I spot her at one of the outdoor tables, her wild wave easing my nerves a little bit. I can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. She’s something else.

“How long you been here?” I ask, hooking the leash to the table leg after taking a seat.

Celeste grins, her rose scent hitting me like a warm breeze. “Not long. Okay, thirty minutes? I had one of their coffees.” She leans forward, her hair falling forward over her shoulders. I hadn’t noticed before that there’s an almost purple sheen to it, as if it’s actually midnight purple rather than brown. The lipstick color definitely brings out the highlights in her hair. “Hunter says I shouldn’t because I get jittery, but it’ll wear off before he gets home. It’s fine.”

Her charm has me a little confused, even as she pats the seat next to her, silently demanding that I move. I hesitate for half a second before obliging, Jasmine flopping at Celeste’s feet, and Celeste’s smile widens, her eyes crinkling. It’s cute as hell.

She grabs the menu, her fingers flying over it as she starts explaining every single item. “The paninis are supposed to be good, but the burgers have this special sauce, and the salads—”

“Have you been here before?” I ask, raising an eyebrow.

She shakes her head, her cheeks flushed. “No, I studied the menu so I’d know what to choose.”

That’s when I see it—the way her hands tremble, the way her words are spilling out a little too fast, the way she’s shifting in her seat. She’s probably just as nervous as I am. My chest tightens and I act before I think, sliding the menu from her grip.

I turn to face her, my hands finding her cheeks, her skin warm against my palms. “Hey, sweetie. I need you to breathe with me. There you go.” Her eyes lock on mine. “Let’s not have another oyster incident, okay? We’re just here, gonna eat. Enjoy some conversation and go home.”

Celeste’s breath hitches in throat, her eyes frantically searching my face—I’m not sure what for, and then she turns her face, dragging her nose along my palm. Her scent blooms, wrapping around me, heat running down my spine before making a beeline for my cock. I don’t know what to do with this or with the way my body’s reacting.

“Better?” I ask, my voice rougher than I mean it to be.

She nods, pulling back just enough to break the contact. “Sorry,” she mumbles.

“You have nothing to apologize for.” I clear my throat and slide the menu back to her, my fingers still tingling from where they touched her. “Now, how about you order for me?”

Her eyes widen, panic flickering again. “But what about your allergies, or if you don’t like—”

I laugh, cutting her off. “Breathe, sweetie. I haven’t found something I don’t like, and I have no allergies. Surprise me.”

Celeste is adorable, no question about it. The way her eyes light up when she talks, the way her hands fly through the air, the way she keeps getting angry at her hair as it falls over her shoulders. It’s impossible not to get sucked in.

She’s got so much knowledge crammed in that head of hers, spilling out in a rush of words I can barely keep up with. Forensic tech, coding, the history of some obscure hacking group from the early 2000s—she’s a walking encyclopedia, and I’m just sitting here, happy to listen to that soft register of hers.

Talking’s not my strong suit, but with her, I don’t need to. She fills the space and I’m good with that. In between her fantastic stories, she’s housing down the cinnamon dessert pizza that I thought would be rather odd. I’m surprised at the sweet and crunchy combo, finding it to be more of a comfort food than something I would intentionally seek out.

Even as I grab a little piece, it’s more fascinating to take in this beautiful, expressive Omega. One of her hands is firmly attached to Jasmine, massaging behind her ears, my pup still in the same place she plopped down earlier.

Jasmine, my ride-or-die, who barely tolerates anyone outside me, is still sprawled at Celeste’s feet, eyes half-closed in bliss. I’ve never seen Jasmine take to someone this fast, and it’s messing with me. Part of me wants to lean into it, let myself feel whatever this is. The other part’s screaming to keep my guard up, because nothing this good comes without a catch.

Celeste leans forward, her hair swinging close to the sticky mess of her plate. Before I think about it, I reach out to pull her hair from her face and tuck it behind her ear. My fingers graze her cheek, her scent hitting me all at once. I had been doing so well, not reacting to it, but it’s like a beacon to my cock, threatening to undo whatever control I have. And when the heavy scent of Hunter mixes in with it, it takes everything in me not to groan.

She turns to look up at me, her cheeks puffed out, cinnamon sugar smudged at the corner of her mouth. I can’t help the laugh that follows at how adorable she looks even as I’m trying really hard not to react to her.

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