Page 9 of Secured By the Buyer
“Have it your way.” He leans back on his hands.
I take in the expensive suit he wears as I settle back on the bed, the distance that separates us shrinking. “Or, if you really want to empty your wallet, give me cash, and I’ll pick up somethingfrom the vending machine in the lobby. It’s cheaper.”
His chuckle warms the air between us. “You remind me of my cousin’s fiance. He’s always berating us for not being frugal enough.”
“Sounds like a man with a good head on his shoulders.” I stuff the chip into my mouth, conscious of the timer ticking down.
I should restock the minibar and leave, but the unexpected softness the Alpha exudes draws me in. I can’t imagine anyone in my family smiling like that while thinking of me. My aunt and uncle turned their backs on us because my father is a violent drunk, and I’ve never met their kids.
“He’s good for my cousin.” The stranger shifts his weight onto one hand, the move bringing him nearer. “Tell you what. I can buy all the vending machine snacks you want, or I can take you somewhere nicer after you’re done with work.”
The offer leaves me speechless, and my cheeks warm. I must have heard him wrong. No way this rich Alpha just offered to take care of me, even for a meal.
“Think about it.” His low voice encourages me to lean in. “You deserve better than scrounging for scraps.”
The heat in my face spreads lower. “You’re not being serious, are you? This is a joke?”
He laughs at the suspicion behind my words, the sound stroking over me like a physical caress. “Never been more serious. You’re quite the cautious one, but that’s all right. I don’t mind working to earn your trust.”
My eyes flick to the empty water bottle on the mattress. Did he pull some sleight of hand and drug me? That’s the only explanation for this hallucination.
His finger slides under my chin, raising my face to his, and my nose twitches as those intoxicating pheromones fill my senses again. They wreak havoc on my body, and my maid’s uniform does little to conceal it.
A rumble vibrates from his chest, and my muscles melt, the distance between us narrowing until our knees touch. Did he move closer? Or did I scoot across the bed, desperate to breathe in more of him?
He hooks the corner of my mask, pulling it down to rest under my chin. “Too bad I have to be somewhere in an hour, or I’d take you out right now and feed you to your heart’s content.”
“You’re crazy.” My pulse stutters as my focus drops to his mouth, so close to mine. “What makes you think I’m going anywhere with you?”
The pad of his thumb sweeps over my bottom lip, leaving a trail of tingles that streak down to my hips. “Because you’re curious, and you’re hungry.”
“Full of yourself much?” I retort, trying to regain some control over the situation.
“Confident,” he corrects. “There’s a difference.”
I shake my head in confusion. “Why are you doing this?”
“Destiny delivered you into my arms.”
“Bullshit,” I breathe. “It was hunger.”
“Then let me feed you.” His nostrils flare as he breathes me in. “I like the way you smell, and you approve of my pheromones. Can’t that be enough for now?”
“Now I know you’re kidding.” I straighten, putting distance between us again. “If you’re getting off on the scent of bleach, you can find a cheaper solution waiting for you in the cleaning aisle of any grocery store.”
“It’s not the bleach, Milo, it’syou.” His laughter fills the room. “You’re the sweetest Omega I’ve ever encountered, which is saying something.”
I bristle with unwarranted jealousy. “Because you date a lot of Omegas?”
“No.” He shakes his head slowly. “Can’t say I date much at all. But I’d like to change that with you.”
I want to scoff, but the sincerity in his voice draws me up short.
No one’s ever said they wanted to date me. My whole life, I’ve been the target, mocked for my red hair, for being my father’s son, for never having the basic things my school friends had. Every spare dollar coming into our house went down my dad’s throat or into his bookie’s hand.
Sweet words aren’t meant for the likes of me.
The sudden crackle of the radio on my cleaning cart shatters the moment, making me jump.