“That’s got to be hard.” That was like taking the whole stereotype of the omega serving the alpha and elevating it to the next level. Omegas had to balance it all, but they didn’t serve an alpha. It was one of the biggest social taboos that I thought was stupid. If I wanted to make dinner and serve a sexy alpha, then it should be my fucking business.
I’d made a nice dinner for a date once and thought it would be romantic. He’d said it had given him the creeps. He actually asked me what he’d done wrong to make me think that he wanted me to act like that.
Moron.
Austin nodded. “Yeah, but if that’s someone’s kink and we sincerely appreciate them, then it might work out well for everyone.”
“Would that be taking advantage of someone?” Bradley glanced between us. “I don’t want to…manipulate anyone.”
Austin shook his head. “I think as long as everything is out in the open and we talk about what employees need, it should be fine. If helping clean up and organize things makes them feel submissive and really wanted, then good for them. If we have an alpha who wants to trade working at the front a few hours a week for the ability to find sexy subs who want to be spanked, then that’s good too.”
“We really need to make sure we get that right, though, or it will go bad.” Just thinking about the issues that could come up made my headache worse. “We’re going to need someone to manage this full time before it opens.”
There was no way we could do it on our own. Building it was one thing, but watching over it on a daily basis would be next to impossible.
Austin held up a hand. “No overthinking. We’ll find someone as we get closer. Right now that’s not at the top of the to-do list. We have contractors to find and plans to draw up first.”
And a million other little things as well.
But it would be worth it in the end. I just had to keep reminding myself of that.
* * *
“When areyou going to admit I’m right?” Austin leaned back, a smirk teasing his lips.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I’m certainly not stupid enough to agree to that.” I rolled my eyes as I took a sip of my wine.
Dinner had been a long, drawn-out affair as Austin had flirted with the cute beta waiter and entertained me with countless stories about his week. It was nice to get out and relax, but going to bed was starting to sound better and better.
Austin scoffed. “Your sexy assistant? Ring any bells?” At my blank look, he rolled his eyes. “Please don’t tell me you missed how he was looking at you earlier.”
“You’re insane.” I felt that summed it up pretty neatly.
Austin brushed that aside like it didn’t matter, but his smile turned wicked. “He was watching you like you were the best dessert ever and he wanted to lick chocolate cream off your body.”
It was my turn to roll my eyes. “If you really wanted dessert this badly, you shouldn’t have told the waiter no, and no, he was not looking at me like that.”
“Just because you’re delusional doesn’t mean you’re right.” Austin leaned back in his chair and sipped his water. “Why are you fighting against this so much?”
“Because it’s inappropriate, for starters.” That was just the tip of the iceberg. “He also works for me.” And he’d never hinted that he was into anything outside the box or that he was even single. “We don’t talk about personal things like that.”
He just didn’t see me that way.
And that was fine…frustrating, but fine.
Austin huffed and shook his head, a very practiced gesture he’d obviously perfected. “What if you have the alpha you need right under your nose and you never find out just because you’re afraid of things getting a little awkward?”
“A little awkward?”
He was the drama queen of understatements.
“A sexual harassment lawsuit because I was inappropriate is not something I’d consider just a little awkward.” The look on Shane’s face would probably kill me first, though. “I’ve managed to keep my personal life private by being careful. That would not be careful.”
“You can’t think he’d tell anyone.” Austin actually looked insulted on Shane’s behalf. “Even if he thought dominating you was insane, he’s always been very professional. He’s never flirted with me or even blinked when I flirted with him.”
“Stop flirting with him.”
Austin’s eyes got a knowing gleam. “You don’t care who I flirt with.”
