Page 29 of Nursing the Alpha
“If this place makes you uncomfortable, we can go somewhere else.”
“Oh no.” Did he think I was complaining? I’d said too much. “This is more than fine. It looks great. How did you get in?”
“My team is responsible for the security features. I can get a table whenever I want.”
“You’re in security?” He’d never really talked about himself. Hell, most of the time, he allowed me to ramble, and when I was around him, I lost my filter.
“Yes. I started out doing personal security. As a bodyguard.”
“No way. Have you been a bodyguard for anyone famous?”
Seth grinned. “I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you.”
I laughed, easing into my seat more. “Classic alpha line.”
He gave a mock bow from across the table. “Guilty as charged.”
By the time we ordered—him, a perfectly cooked steak with some kind of smoked root vegetable mash; me, a delicate pasta with seared scallops and saffron cream—I’d forgotten, almost completely, about my weird day. About the lingering thought that something wasn’t quite right.
Talking with Seth was… easy. Warm. He didn’t interrupt mewhen I rambled, didn’t look away when I tripped over my stories or circled back three times to make a point.
He actually listened.
Not in that fake, nod-and-smile kind of way either. His eyes stayed on mine, soft with attention, even when I got excited describing the sci-fi romance series I’d just finished reading.
“Wait.” He halted his wine glass inches from his lips. “Alien princes with knotting dicks and biological mating collars?”
I flushed, half laughing. “Hey, don’t judge me. You asked what I’ve been reading.”
“I’m not judging,” he said, smile lazy and slow. “I’m impressed. I’ve never seen someone so passionate about alien smut.”
“It’s well-written smut.” I pointed a fork at him. “There’s world-building. There’s lore.”
“There’s definitely something being built.”
I snorted, nearly choking on my scallop.
This was nice.
The restaurant faded. The nerves faded. It felt like we were in our own little bubble, like we’d known each other longer than a few train rides and friendly smiles. Seth leaned in, his voice low and a little rough around the edges, as he continued to tease me into endless laughter.
Until he abruptly stopped talking.
I blinked. His gaze had shifted, his smile faltering.
“What is it?” I asked.
He didn’t answer, and I followed the direction of his eyes. Down.
My stomach dropped.
A wet spot had formed on my shirt. Small but still damp and obvious.
Shit.
I felt the color drain from my face. The last time this happened, my date had been disgusted. I’d been so comfortable with Seth I’d been drinking too much. Until then, I hadn’t been aware of the soreness in my pecs and the tingling in my nipples that indicated my ducts were swelling.
I slapped a hand over my chest. “I-I’m sorry. I thought I expressed enough before I came. I?—”
