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ACT I - Part IV

Dinner is actually going surprisingly well. Leo is a great conversationalist and makes up for my kind of awkward social skills. I really, really enjoy listening to him talk. We talk about what we've been up to the past ten years, our stances on pineapple pizza (we both like it!), and some of the struggles life has thrown into the mix. I learn that he was actually supposed to have an arranged marriage. It was going to be with some dominant omega from a prominent family that his father wanted to do business with.

"But, I have a condition, when it comes to omegas - especially dominant ones, where I get a headache when I smell their arousal pheromones. If I stay in the situation I will end up with a migraine that leads to nausea and... It's not pretty. It has pretty much ruined any chance of a life with someone else."

"No way, I'm really sorry about that... It's weird, but I actually have a similar thing that happens to me. But with alpha pheromones. I throw up."

"Were you nauseated in the copy room?"

"No," I lower my voice, "and with me, I actually don't produce pheromones, so..."

"What are you talking about? You definitely do. I smelt them earlier when I was behind you, and that's how I recognized you."

"But I haven't had pheromones since I was a kid."

"Can I smell you now? I'm certain I smelt something earlier"

"Okay," he leans in across the table toward my neck. I turn my head to the side to give him better access, and when I do I accidentally make eye contact with a woman at the next table over. She is giving us a very disgusted look. An icy wave on panic grips me. I swallow. Leo is so close to me now, the tip of his nose tickles my neck. Between him and the woman, who has turned away now, I feel my face grow hot as what feels like a panic attack starts to course through me.

"You're nervous?" Leo's voice so close to my ear makes me jump. He is looking at me now, his gaze piercing. I look down immediately, embarrassed. "We should go." He waves over a waiter and hands off his card.

"O-oh no you don't have to pay, I have my wallet too so..."

"Kaito, stop," he puts his hand over mine. "I wanted to pay. I asked you out anyway." His thumb rubs gently across the back of my hand. I look back up at his face. Wow, he's really handsome. Looking at him this close I see that he truly is nearly perfect looks-wise. That's a dominant alpha for you, the closest to perfection physically someone can ever be.

The waiter returns with Leo's card. Still holding my hand, he gets up. I follow him out, my head down. I don't want to look at anyone right now. As we walk out through the entrance, I happen to get a glimpse of our reflections in the glass doors. Even though I know we are not partners, we do not look like we would belong together if we were. For one, I am almost as tall and broad as he is. Omegas are supposed to be small, cute and feminine - even the males are. If someone looked at us, we wouldn't look like a straight couple. And that is my fault. If I looked like how an omega is supposed to...

A valet brings the car around and Leo opens the door for me. He's so nice. The door closes behind me, and I watch Leo walk around to the driver's side. Why is he being so kind? I can't believe someone like him is even talking to me, let alone buying me dinner and opening car doors.

"Where do you live?" The question startles me. Oh. That's what he wants. Duh, he's a dominant alpha... but why me? He said pheromones bother him, so it would make sense if he said he could not smell me. But he says he can.

"Oh, um," I check my watch, "I can still take the train back, it's not too late. I don't want to trouble you; I live kind of far from here."

"It's no problem, besides, I took you all the way over here for dinner. It's proper I take you back." Right, proper. I guess, if I am going to go to bed with someone, Leo would be the best choice since so far things have gone well, and I do kind of know him. He's also really hot, which helps. Plus, how often am I going to meet with an alpha who's pheromones don't bother me? Going against my better judgment, I tell him my address. He types it into the GPS and we pull away from the restaurant. The car ride is silent until Leo speaks up.