Remi nodded and reached down to unbuckle his seatbelt before turning away, his soft face leaving Dimitrios' palm. The withdrawal of Remi’s soft warmth was more upsetting than it ought to have been.
As he helped carry Remi’s bags, Dimitrios eyed the rusted railing and cracked concrete as they walked toward Remi’s apartment. When they stopped outside a small corner unit, the omega pulled out his keys and unlocked the door. Dimitrios eyed the single lock and the flimsy wood of the door that opened straight out to the balcony, and as he stepped inside he was again struck with the desire not to leave Remi here.
“Here we are.” Remi said as he led the way inside.
The apartment was just one small room, half given over to a twin sized bed hung with a canopy of mixed bedsheets and filled with a mish-mash of old pillows and blankets. The other half was occupied by a sagging olive green velvet couch that looked like it had been old when his parents had been in college.
The small space was clean, but there was no disguising the fact that it was rundown. Remi set all his bags on the couch and Dimitrios did the same as he looked around the studio that smelled so much like Remi. He would bet that the omega’s nest smelled like heaven, but as the omega turned and walked to the wall to flip on a switch, he heard a shuddering old heater kick to life and the place took on the smell of burning dirt, clouding over the pretty vanilla scent of the omega.
Remi stepped back in front of him and looked up at the alpha with his wide gray eyes and smiled a little shyly as one hand came up to lay against Dimitrios' chest.
The omega wasn’t sure what to say to the man who seemed so large inside his tiny apartment. How did he thank someone for giving him the best weekend of his life?
“Thank you, Dimitrios. This weekend was… amazing.”
Dimitrios looked down at Remi and gave him a soft smile. He reached up and cupped the omega’s jaw between his hands and kissed him, pressing his lips to Remi’s fuller ones several times before pulling back.
“Youwere amazing, sweetheart.”
“I guess this is goodbye for now?”
“Yes. I might not be able to see you tomorrow, but send me an address and I’ll pick you up after school on Tuesday for that dinner, okay?”
“Okay.”
As Dimitrios stepped outside, he turned to look at Remi. It was heartbreaking to leave the omega in such a place. A perfect glittering jewel among rubble. He wanted to kiss him again. He wanted to push him back inside that apartment and take him in his nest, among all his soft pillows and blankets that would drown him with the sweet scent of vanilla until he was drunk on it. But the alpha just stepped back with a little wave.
“See you later, pretty boy.”
“Bye.” Remi whispered.
Chapter 18
Friends Like These
AsDimitrioswalkedbackinto his own apartment, he couldn’t help but notice how much it smelled like Remi. The whole space was filled with the scent of sweet vanilla bean. The little nest in front of his sofa was still there with all its neatly arranged pillows and blankets. The hamper was full of dirty bedding and a mix of their clothes, and the drying rack on the kitchen counter was full of clean dishes. As Dimitrios walked back into his own apartment, he couldn’t help but notice how much it smelled like Remi. The whole space was filled with the scent of sweet vanilla bean. The little nest in front of his sofa was still there with all its neatly arranged pillows and blankets. The hamper was full of dirty bedding and a mix of their clothes, and the drying rack on the kitchen counter was full of clean dishes.
Dimitrios sighed as he left to shower and get ready for bed.
Hours later, he laid there, looking up at his ceiling as he struggled to go back to sleep. His mind couldn’t stop picturing Remi framed in the doorway of his tiny apartment, so fragile and lonely. The alpha rolled over and forced his mind to quiet and eventually drifted off.
Morning came too soon, and as he dressed and readied himself for work, Dimitrios slid back into his usual persona. He was now the cold, sharp CEO that sent interns running for cover. But he couldn’t quite wipe the smirk off of his face. Dimitrios also knew that he still smelled strongly of Remi’s vanilla scent. The alpha was rested and relaxed. He felt clearer and sharper than he had in years as he walked through the office.
Again, he felt the awareness of people watching him, probably because he was smiling and covered in an omega’s scent. Well, what was he supposed to do? He’d just had what was probably the best weekend of his life and he felt great.
Dimitrios settled at his desk and smirked as he heard the signature sound of wingtip loafers on polished marble floors. He opened his email and started sifting through to see if anything required his immediate attention. Leon settled in his usual seat across the desk and looked at him with his characteristic assessing gaze.
“I see that you had a good weekend.” Leon said flatly.
“I had a great weekend, thank you.” Dimitrios said, sitting back in his chair and looking at the other alpha.
“I would ask if you spent it with your little baby omega, but the answer is obvious. You reek of vanilla and you’re strutting like you got your dick sucked. I can put two and two together.” Leon taunted, and Dimitrios didn’t give any response beyond a quirk of his eyebrow. “When do I get to meet him?”
“Well, he’s coming with me to the New York Arts Gala, so I guess you’ll meet him then.”
“I forgot about the stupid Gala… Damnit. When is that again?”
“December 6th. So, we have two weeks.”