The bathroom was one of Dale’s favorite parts of his apartment. Rich blue mosaic stretched up from the bathtub like a tapestry of jewels, lighter blue tiles swirling around the small window like waves cradling a treasure chest. The mirror was mounted amidst smooth river rock, and little conch shells decorated the corners of the bathroom counter.
“You’ve spent a lot of time on this place,” Greg said, lifting a wooden sailboat from a shelf.
Dale ran the shower, waiting for the water to warm. “Well, I could afford it after some teaching stints. With no family, I thought I might as well make this a pretty place.”
“You’ve never considered adoption?” Greg asked, setting the boat down.
Dale shrugged. “I don’t know if I’ll be a good dad.”
“‘Course you will.”
He smiled wryly. “I’m a bad omega, Greg. Surely you know that.”
“No, you aren’t.” Greg narrowed his eyes. “Do you think that because of your ex’s shitty parents?”
Dale opened his mouth, remembering If his body is rotten, then so is his mind, and If he can’t bear a child, how can you be sure he’ll raise one right?
“Damn it,” Greg said. “No. Stop thinking about them. They’re crap. You’re every bit worthy, Dale Kinney.”
Dale looked up at him, his heart sore. When he’d failed to conceive several times over, he’d begun to believe Charles’ parents, and their insidious words. “I tried so hard to meet their expectations, Greg. For the three years I was married, I was never good enough.”
“You’re plenty good,” Greg growled, his eyes flashing. He cupped Dale’s cheeks in his hands, glaring down at him. “I don’t care if you’re fertile or not, okay? I care about you because you’re humble and kind and so damn strong. That’s enough for me.”
Dale forgot to breathe, his heart thudding in his ears, drowning out the hiss of the shower’s spray. It was difficult to believe that Greg would think that. That a good omega... didn’t necessarily have to be fertile.
But maybe Greg was wrong. He was still young, and maybe his priorities might change in the future. Dale’s pregnancy was risky. Just how risky, he hadn’t dared find out. But it might fail, and Greg might want someone who could give him a family one day. Someone who wasn’t broken like Dale.
Dale swallowed, shrugging. “Maybe.”
“You don’t have to believe it now,” Greg said, rubbing his shoulders, his expression sincere. “Just think about it.”
“Okay.”
When the water was the right temperature, Dale stepped to the tub. Greg followed, his broad shoulders crowding out most of the space. Greg turned them around, placing Dale under the shower first. Dale couldn’t help a smile.
“You’ve barely been here a day, Greg Hastings, and you’re already pushing me around.”
Greg rolled his eyes. “This is your home. I’m just letting you have the water first.”
“That’s incredibly nice of you.”
“That’s polite of me.” Greg frowned. “Just because I’m alpha, it doesn’t mean I have to be an asshole.”
“Only too true.” Dale leaned his forehead into Greg’s chest, savoring the patter of warm water on his back. “I grew up in Drakestown, you know. Back in Arizona, the alphas aren’t... so nice.”
“Gods, you really need all the nice things,” Greg said grabbing the soap. He rubbed it down Dale’s back, soaping him up. “You deserve to be treated well, okay?”
Dale snuggled closer to him, purring when their skin slid damply together. “Are you promising to do that?”
“Yeah.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve this,” Dale said, wrapping his arms around Greg’s back. “This is... nice. You’re nice.”
“I need you to step back so I can soap the rest of you,” Greg said, but his eyes danced with humor.
Dale laughed. He drew away, and Greg washed Dale’s neck, his back, his arms. Unlike this morning, when they’d kept to themselves, Greg scrubbed down Dale’s chest, his strong hands slipping up under Dale’s jaw, his calluses catching on Dale’s skin.
“You look like you’re having a good time,” Greg murmured.
“I have you.”
When Dale cracked his eyes open, he found Greg smiling to himself, looking at the bar of soap in his hands. Dale’s heart fluttered. They shouldn’t be doing this. But he was far too comfortable with Greg, and maybe this could work. He liked this alpha. Cared about him.
Then Greg met his eyes, and a jolt shot down Dale’s spine. Maybe he was in this a little too deep. They’d only been doing this two days.
Dale fumbled for a change in subject. “You wanted to discuss your career?”
“Yeah. Like what I can do with a chemistry degree.”
“That would depend on your interests—there are lots of positions in the research sector, or you could work for the government.”
“The government?” Greg squeezed shampoo into his palm, lathered it, and worked his fingers slowly through Dale’s hair, firm points of pressure on his scalp.
Dale moaned. “Yes. Lots of positions in quality control, public health, environmental protection. I believe Meadowfall is always looking for people to fill these positions—a lot of students graduate with a degree, and move out trying to find better-paying jobs in Highton.”
“You’d be staying here for the next ten years?”
Dale glanced at him. “What happened to not trusting the future?”
Greg shrugged, but he was smiling a little. “I don’t know. Just looking at my options. The kid’s gonna be nine years old by then. I want to stay close.”
A slow heat crept up Dale’s chest, up his throat, to his ears. “You’re not going to pursue basketball?”
“I’m sticking with chemistry,” Greg murmured, leaning in. He kissed Dale’s forehead, and Dale’s heart stuttered. “I’m gonna look out for you, too.”
The shower pattered warm on his back. Dale swallowed, stepping closer. Through the whole of tonight, Greg had been nothing but kind. Warm. He’d cuddled with Dale, touching him, getting angry on his behalf. It was such a change from his marriage with Charles, and Dale... wanted more. Wanted Greg
