Greg blinked. Dale had smelled like birch the entire semester, since the second day of school. “You... wanted me from the start?”
Dale’s throat worked. June rolled her eyes. “Gods, yes, he did,” she said. “He had the basketball email open most mornings, Greg. You don’t want to know what he was doing with them.”
Dale’s entire face was red. He looked away from Greg, picking at his shirt. “June, don’t tell him more than he needs to know.”
A thrill shot down Greg’s spine. What were you doing with them? He tucked the question away for later, nuzzling Dale’s hair. “So, about Penny.”
Dale groaned. “We’ll play it by ear. For now, the lab group still thinks I’m engaged to June. We’ll keep it that way. See what Penny does.”
“Fine,” Greg said. He didn’t know how he’d speak to Penny tomorrow, but it would probably be twice as difficult for Dale. Especially when she knew her professor was sleeping with a student. “C’mon, let’s go home. You look beat.”
“Yeah, you might want to take tomorrow off,” June said, eyeing Dale. “I can cover for you.”
“No! You do still have to work on the project.” Dale frowned.
“I’ll help,” Greg said.
Dale sighed. Then he leaned in, pressing his nose to Greg’s shoulder. “You’re incredible. I think I’m really in love.”
Dale hadn’t said that in front of anyone else before, and from the way June’s eyebrows inched up, it was something special. Greg’s heart pounded, his chest too small for everything he felt for this omega.
“Then marry me,” he said.
Dale looked up at him, his gaze soft, his cheeks rosy. Before Greg could kiss him, June broke the silence.
“I’m getting out before you drown me in your sap,” she said, pinching her nose. But she grinned, her eyes sparkling. “You really need a break, Dale. I’m serious.”
“And I’m coming back to work tomorrow,” Dale said, smiling wryly. “But I may end my office hours early.”
“Good,” Greg said. “Maybe watch my game or something. Relax a bit.”
“Yeah, do that. I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” June waved.
“Thanks, June,” Dale said. “Say hi to Cher for me.”
It was only when the door had shut behind June, that Greg looked at Dale again, studying him. “You sure things will be fine with Penny?” he asked. He’d only known Penny for two months, since he joined Dale’s lab.
Dale sagged further; he’d been pretending to be less fatigued in front of June, too. “I can only hope,” he said. “But I don’t want to think about it right now. Please?”
“Fine.” Greg checked him over, then began gathering Dale’s paperwork. Dale had a little stack that he’d always bring home with him, set on one corner of his desk.
“You really don’t have to,” Dale said, but he didn’t move to stop Greg.
“I do because I care,” Greg said. When he clipped Dale’s satchel shut, he found Dale watching him, a tiny, warm smile playing on his lips.
“I meant it when I said I love you,” Dale murmured. Greg’s pulse quickened. He still wasn’t used to hearing that.
“Love you too,” he said, brushing a kiss over Dale’s mouth.
In the office, with the windows dark and the streetlamps shining gold, nothing mattered quite as much as Dale in his arms, and the world at peace around them.
19
Dale
It wasn’t until they’d returned home that the situation with Penny began to sink in. She’d walked in on them. This was the second acquaintance who knew about him and Greg, and another person who could expose their secret. Possibly bring the information closer to Bernard Hastings’ ears.
With that came the risk of Dale’s tenure, and maybe even his job. His stomach turned.
“Worried?” Greg asked in the bedroom doorway, a glass of water in each hand. He crossed the hardwood floors, setting the glasses on their bedside tables. Then he crawled into bed next to Dale, the scent of olive soap clinging to his skin. “How much can we trust Penny?”
“I don’t know.” Dale sighed, thinking over the students in his research group. Of the grad students and post-docs, his favorite had to be June, then Penny. The two didn’t always agree, but they had their good points. And Dale had liked Penny enough to recommend her to Bernard Hastings.
That had been before he’d found out about the pregnancy. Now, with the child in him, he wasn’t so sure he could give up Greg anymore. Wasn’t sure he could bear the thought of Greg marrying someone else, even if Dale wasn’t good for him.
Because as horrifying as the thought was, Dale loved this alpha. Wanted to be with him. He’d only realized it when Greg had held him in his office, promising to stay no matter what. And it felt a little like a manacle, and a little like a hot air balloon lifting him up.
At the end of the day, Greg was still his student. Dale shouldn’t be sleeping with him, or carrying his child.
And now Penny knew.
“Penny has been in my lab for a couple of years. I suggested her to your father, you know.”
Greg frowned, wrapping his arms around Dale. “My dad?”
“Remember the omega list?”
Greg winced. “Is he still on that?”
“Yeah,” Dale said, thinking about his reply to Bernard. That had been before Dale realized he was in love. And he couldn’t possibly back out of the dinner now.
“So you had Penny on that list,” Greg said flatly, slanting a glance at Dale. “You know I’m not into girls.”
Dale cracked a smile. “No, I did not know that. Does this mean if you find a male omega younger than me—”
“Stop that.”
Sheets rustling around him, Greg leaned in, pressing a kiss to Dale’s lips. His stubble scraped along Dale’s jaw, and Dale curled his fingers into Greg’s boxers, pulling him closer. It was seven weeks after Greg had moved in, and Dale still hadn’t had enough of him. Would possibly never have enough of
