He wasn't nervous.

Carlos checked his hair in the mirror for the fifth time, smoothing the strands down and then messing them up again when it looked too intentional. He wasn't nervous, and he wasn't dressing up for some white guy looking for a walk on the wild side.

It wasn't like he thought this was true love. All those guys, Peter Caldwell and all his friends, they all hit on him. He was a novelty, an exotic diversion. He knew the score. No attachments, no commitments, no public acknowledgment.

He hadn't thought Teddy was the type.

He should have known better. There was no such thing as a nice guy.

Then again, Teddy had been so adorably nervous. He didn't seem like he was just checking off a line on his bucket list.

He picked up the bottle of Omega Angel and sprayed a few pumps across his neck and shoulders. Most of the guys didn't buy him gifts when they were trying to get in his pants. Sure, there was the occasional offer of money couched in honeyed insults. Presents, in his experience, came after the sex.

The smell of the expensive cologne surrounded him. He fished a bottle out of the trash one year at Christmas, tossed away by some ungrateful teenager who resented the idea he might not be a big, bad alpha. Rationing it and diluting it with vodka made it last for years, but eventually the little bottle had run dry, only the faintest residual smell left in the glass. Even now, on tough days he'd take it out and just breathe the scent in for a moment.

That bottle had been less than half the size of the one sitting on his dresser now. He didn't want to think about how much it had cost. Was it naive to think that for once in his life, there wasn't a running cost/benefit analysis hanging over his head? It was okay not to care what the bottle cost because he wasn't going to have to pay back every cent in services rendered. Wasn't going to have to calculate the worth of a blowjob in dark chocolate.

It was a good thing, too, because those chocolates were almost better than sex. He'd never even heard of the brand, but staring at the logo, he could vaguely remember seeing the shop in the mall, and being afraid to walk too close. Shops like that made him itchy.

Glancing at his watch, he sighed, finally. If he left now, he'd have just enough time to get to the Caldwells’ house before eight.

The air conditioner on the bus was broken. He was drenched with sweat before they even made it to the highway, cursing the decision to get changed at his apartment instead of using his mom's bathroom. It almost would have been worth dealing with her suspicious stares. Almost.

By the time he walked up to the big house, he felt as disgusting as if he hadn't bothered to shower at all. He debated stopping at the carriage house, but the heavy prickle of eyes on him made him look up.

Teddy was standing on the balcony at the front of the house. He changed clothes and showered, his red hair still slightly clumpy with dampness. It was standing on end like he'd been raking his hand through it, and that tiny, insignificant detail made Carlos keep moving.

At the bottom of the sweeping staircase inside, he paused. Teddy was standing at the top, fidgeting and twitchy. He kept crossing and uncrossing his arms, shoving his hands in his pockets only to drag them back out again.

"Hi," Carlos said, smiling a little at the alpha. "Sorry I'm late." He wasn't, but Teddy looked like he'd been waiting a while. "Thank you for the chocolates."

"You're welcome," Teddy said, uncrossing his arms again and hooking his thumbs into his belt loops. "I wasn't sure what kind of food you wanted to have, so I didn't make reservations."

Pausing on the third step, Carlos tried to imagine a world where this crazy son of a bitch took him out to a restaurant that required reservations. All it took was one person seeing them together, and he wouldn't be welcome at a country club luncheon for the rest of his life. Or his children's lives. Or his children's children's lives. Nobody held a grudge like a high society matron.

Carlos smiled, warmed in spite of himself by the thought. "How about we skip dinner and go straight to dessert?" he asked, taking the steps two at a time.

Teddy considered that, watching him come up the stairs. His brilliant blue eyes were already dark with want, and he kept stealing looks at Carlos' body in his too-tight jeans. "I know a great ice cream place," he said.

Crowding in close, Carlos forced him back a few steps, smirking to himself as the alpha sucked in a deep breath. "I was thinking something a little closer to home." He leaned in until he could feel the hot wash of the alpha's breath against his lips.

"Oh," Teddy said, the barest breath full of wonder. There was a long pause, not awkward, but full of anticipation. "You have sixty-three freckles on your nose." He pressed their lips together, soft and tentative until Carlos didn't pull away.

If you had asked him what he thought kissing Teddy would be like, he would probably have used words like mechanical and robotic. He couldn't have been more wrong.

Teddy kissed like he was savoring every moment. He rubbed their lips together, coaxing and teasing until Carlos opened up to him. Even then, he didn't rush in, tasting with little, flickering licks around the inside of his lips, across his teeth and the sensitive roof of his mouth until Carlos moaned and clutched at his shoulders.

His hands weren't idle, either, stroking up Carlos' back and arms. He teased his way across Carlos' chest, tracing lightly until the omega wanted to grab his hand and press it to his straining nipples just to end the torture.

Head spinning, it took a moment for Carlos to realize he was free to explore, too. He leaned against Teddy until he could grab handfuls of the alpha's ass, smirking a little when he jumped in surprise. He was surprisingly strong under all those tailored suits and stuffy ties.

They broke apart, panting for breath. Carlos was surprised to find himself rock hard, and from the way Teddy was rocking against his hip, he wasn't much better off.

"Bedroom," Teddy said after a moment, the answer to a particularly complex equation requiring all his concentration.

Carlos let him lead the way, taking the opportunity to drag his tongue up the alpha's neck. The salt and skin flavor was accented by a woody, dusty note that tickled his mouth like an electric shock. He didn't even care that Teddy stumbled every time he did it, licking again and almost getting dumped on his ass.

The bed had never been so far away before, and Carlos took his frustration out on the buttons of Teddy's shirt. He only lost one, listening to it skitter across the floor over the pounding of his heart. Peeling off the tailored shirt was a revelation. Teddy, for all that he was tall and thin, was at least as muscular as Carlos himself.

Running his hands up the warm, pale skin, Carlos pulled back to stare. He only looked thin because he was so tall. Now, with his dark fingers spread wide, Carlos could see how very broad Teddy's shoulders were. Nicely proportioned and full of coiled strength.

He couldn't stop touching. The pale skin looked like it should feel cold, but it was scorching his fingers as he stroked them over every inch of him. Softer than silk, it looked intimidatingly flawless at first glance, but as Carlos rubbed and pinched and explored, he could feel little dents and rough spots, scars and birthmarks that only accented the perfection.

Moaning into Teddy's mouth, he tore his shirt over his head, embarrassingly eager to feel that amazing skin up against his. Sweat beaded on his upper lip as he pressed close, tangling their legs together and slowing their progress even more. His legs went weak when Teddy growled and licked the sweat away before diving back into the kiss.

When something hard hit the back of his legs, he was disoriented enough to try and shuffle around it. In a show of strength that made his pulse pound in his ears, Teddy scooped him right off his feet and laid him down on the bed.

Carlos was well aware he wasn't the light, fragile omega that was so popular. He'd never been more grateful as he felt the muscles in Teddy's arms bulge under his grip.

"Fuck that's hot," he said, tearing his mouth away to trace the solid lines of Teddy's bicep with his teeth.

The alpha tiled his chin to look down at him. "Did you hit your head?" he asked, practically dripping sarcasm. He hissed as Carlos dug his teeth in a little harder.

"Shut up and get your pants off," Carlos growled, pulling back just far enough to wriggle out of the rest of his clothes. Getting out of those painted on jeans was like shedding a layer of skin, but he had lots of practice, tossing them at the corner before Teddy even finished pulling off his belt.

The bed was wide and soft, and he rolled onto his knees to yank the blankets off, well aware he'd be doing the laundry before his mamá came back to work on Tuesday.

"I like the curve of your ass," Teddy said. He was staring fixedly at Carlos as he bent over the bed, his hands still gripping his belt white-knuckled..

"Get undressed and you can have it, up close and personal," Carlos said, crawling further up toward the headboard. "Tell me you have condoms," he added, leaning over to check the bedside table.

Teddy froze, his eyes wide. "I don't carry any," he said, dropping his pants in favor of running a hand through his hair. "Damnit. I knew I was forgetting something."

Shaking his head, Carlos grinned. It shouldn't have been so endearing, but even if it was all a show, the idea that Teddy did this so rarely that he didn't keep supplies at hand warmed something in Carlos' gut. "You're lucky I always come prepared," he said, shaking his head affectionately.

Hopping off the bed, Carlos walked across the room. He could almost feel Teddy's eyes on him like hot, liquid caresses. He sank into a crouch to dig the condom out of his wallet, a position that gave him a very good view of the promising bulge in Teddy's white boxer briefs. It did remind him the alpha was overdressed.

"Are you going to get undressed, or are you shy?" he teased.

"I'm not shy," Teddy said, kicking his shoes and slacks off. "You're very distracting." He hesitated a moment before stripping off his underwear.

"Wow." For a moment, Carlos wondered who had said that, then he realized it was him, crouched there on the floor with his mouth hanging open. "You have nothing to be ashamed of," he said, clearing his throat.

Teddy glanced at his cock and shrugged. "I like yours better," he said.

Carlos stared at him for a moment, then threw his head back and laughed. He laughed so hard he unbalanced, sprawling on the wood floor with a condom clutched in his fist and his other hand pressed to his stomach. "You're hilarious."

"You're the only one who thinks so," Teddy said, leaning down to offer his hand.

Letting the alpha pull him to his feet, Carlos leaned in for another kiss. "Just means there's more of you left for me," he said cheerfully.

The kiss started out sweet, but as soon as their bodies pressed together it caught fire.

"Fuck, you're beautiful," Teddy said, curling down to bury his face in Carlos' neck and breathing deep. "You smell like sex."

"I smell like Omega Angel, you sap," Carlos snapped, threading his finger through red hair and dragging Teddy backup for another kiss.

"I'm glad I picked a good present," Teddy said when they broke for breath. He sat on the edge of the bed and groaned when Carlos straddled his lap.

"How did you know it was my favorite?" Carlos asked, rolling his hips until they were both gasping.

"Lucky guess." Teddy bit his way across Carlos' chest until he could barely remember to breathe.

"You're a fucking witch," Carlos cursed as he latched onto a nipple. "Bewitching me with your magic."

"Wouldn't I be a warlock?" Teddy asked , stroking slick fingers down the crack of Carlos' ass. He hadn't even noticed where the lube came from.

Carlos opened his mouth to argue, but Teddy stroked one hot finger across his hole, and all that came out was an animal moan. His hips bucked without his input, trying to convince that teasing finger to come inside, but Teddy just kept fluttering lightly around the outside.

"Fuck, man. Quit teasing," Carlos growled. He almost choked on his next breath as Teddy slid one finger in up to the knuckle. It was too much and not enough, and he couldn't have stopped his hips from working on that slender intrusion if his life depended on it. "More," he whined.

"Be patient," Teddy replied, kissing his way down Carlos' neck. "You're so tight."

"Don't care," Carlos growled, dragging Teddy into a biting kiss. "More."

"Bossy." The alpha didn't sound upset about that, working a second finger in. It was a bad angle, Carlos balanced on his lap with the slick edge of the bed under his knees.

In one quick move that didn't even dislodge his fingers, Teddy flipped them around until Carlos was on his back. The speed and strength of the move stole the breath from the omega's body, and he sucked in air, shouting it back out again as Teddy curled his fingers with a sly smile.

"You're so gorgeous." Teddy leaned over him, pupils blown until there was only the thinnest circle of blue left. Carlos wanted to argue, wanted to say Teddy was sweet and sexy and the kind of alpha he read about in storybooks but never believed existed. Every time he got enough breath to speak, though, Teddy drove it out of him with a well-placed thrust of his fingers.

Lightning shot up his spine, pleasure coiling tighter and tighter until he was right there on the edge. He'd never had a lover who dragged out the foreplay for so long.

"Teddy," he gasped, the word trailing into a whine as the man in question curled his free hand around Carlos' neglected erection. "Gonna come if you don't stop."

Teddy hesitated, and Carlos could almost see the pro and con list being tallied in his head.

"I want you inside me," he said, meaning it more than he ever had in his life. He pressed the condom, still miraculously unharmed in his clenched fist, against Teddy's hand.

Squeezing his eyes shut, the alpha dropped his head to Carlos' shoulder and groaned. "Fuck."

"That's the idea," Carlos panted, clenching around Teddy's fingers. They felt amazing, but at the same time, he wanted so much more.

"You're amazing," Teddy said, pressing the words into the skin of Carlos' chest. He ripped open the condom without removing his fingers, and they rolled it on him together, both of them gasping as Teddy pulled his hand away and lined up.

The first push was almost too much. Carlos could feel his body hovering on the edge as he panted into Teddy's mouth, sharing breath and staring at his eyes from inches away. You have seventeen freckles on your forehead," he said a moment later, the urge held off just far enough.

Teddy gasped, his hips jerking involuntarily. Once he started, they couldn't stop, both of them rising to meet each other. "Fuck, you're perfect," he groaned as the avalanche of pleasure started rolling down on them.

It started with pebbles of pleasure, the scrape of hair across his nipples and the warm wash of breath across his face. Soon he was shaking with each thrust as the pleasure built and built.

He dug his fingers into Teddy's back, his blunt nails sliding on sweaty skin. Every movement punched a cry out of his very core until his voice gave way and he dug his teeth into Teddy's shoulders.

That was the beginning of the end. Teddy's rhythm stuttered, and he growled against Carlos' hair. The next thrust pummeled Carlos' sweet spot, and he dropped back against the sheet, his eyes unseeing and his mouth wide in a scream.

The pleasure swept him under just as Teddy threw his head back and shouted to the ceiling, both of them shaking like rag dolls in the flood. Every breath, every shift sent the wave higher until he was sure he'd never make it back again.

"You're too beautiful for me," Teddy muttered a long time later.

Carlos forced his eyes open, surprised to find the room dark. He'd obviously been asleep for a while, but his muscles were still lax and buzzing with pleasure.

"Too beautiful," Teddy said again, pressing a sleepy kiss to his shoulder. He was barely hanging on to consciousness, his eyes closed and his head resting heavily on his pillow.

He cleaned them up at some point. Carlos shifted under the blanket that had been pulled over them, aware he wasn't sticky or itching with dried come. It was sweet, something none of his other one-night-stands had bothered to do for him. Just the kind of thing he was starting to expect from Teddy.

It was that thought that got him out of the bed. He couldn't afford to start expecting things. That was the fastest way to end up disappointed.

Teddy grumbled, casting one hand out over the sheets as if looking for the omega as Carlos dressed quietly. He didn't wake up, even when Carlos dropped his shoe.

He should have left, but he couldn't help taking a minute to watch Teddy sleep. The alpha sprawled across the bed like a starfish now that Carlos was gone, his face buried in his pillow so his chin was the only thing visible between his blanket and that red hair.

Against his better judgment, Carlos leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to that pale jut of skin. There was the tiniest scrape of stubble across his lips, and it made him shiver.

"You're too good for me, brujo. Witch. You've bewitched me," he whispered, stealing another kiss and then forcing himself to turn around and walk away.