“Oh,” Eric said, a confused wrinkle appearing between his brows. “I thought he was into omegas.”
“He thought so too, but apparently he swings both ways,” Hugh said. “That happens. Now tell me about your marriage to Ascott. How did that happen? He’s old enough to be your grandfather.”
Eric rolled his eyes. “You and your fixation on age difference…” He wouldn’t quite meet Hugh’s gaze. “We met, we were compatible enough, we got married. What is there to say?”
Hugh pinned him with a hard look. “You aren’t telling me something.”
Sighing, Eric stared into his drink. “A short while after you left, the imprint faded and my health issues came back. Long story short, I ended up in the hospital.”
“Why didn’t you—”
“I survived,” Eric said. “But it was a long road to recovery and there was no guarantee that the issues wouldn’t come back. The doctors advised Anthony to find me a compatible alpha to stabilize my hormones. So I married Greg.”
Hugh felt like punching something. It was maddening to know that Eric had been forced to marry an alpha he didn’t love because of his biology—exactly what Hugh had tried to prevent. Tried and failed, apparently.
“It’s okay, Hugh,” Eric said with a small, sad smile.
“It isn’t okay. You aren’t happy with him.”
Eric swallowed, curling and uncurling his fingers on the table. “Life is what we make of it. I am… content.”
His eyes shouldn’t look so jaded and old. It was just wrong.
“That isn’t enough,” Hugh said tersely. Unable to resist anymore, he reached across the table and covered Eric’s hand with his. “You deserve so much better than that.”
Eric pursed his lips tightly, looking at their hands. His hand was very still under Hugh’s, but he didn’t attempt to pull it away either. “You keep saying that to me, but I don’t think it’s true.” His throat bobbed. “This was a mistake,” he whispered. “I shouldn’t have come here. Seeing you just makes me…” He trailed off, averting his gaze.
“Makes you what?” Hugh said, stroking Eric’s hand with his thumb. Eric’s fingers were trembling faintly, and Hugh found himself threading their fingers. They fit perfectly together.
“Stop that,” Eric whispered. “We shouldn’t be doing that. I’m married.”
Hugh chuckled harshly. “I thought your husband encouraged you to use me for fun?” The mere idea was like acid eating his insides.
“He did,” Eric said with a tight look. “He encouraged me to have sex with you. This isn’t sex.” But despite his words, he wasn’t pulling his hand away, his fingers clutching Hugh’s like a lifeline.
Hugh had never thought such a simple act could feel so good—and yet it wasn’t anywhere near enough. His instincts were going haywire, making him want to yank the young omega into his lap, hold him close and protect him from anything that made him unhappy.
Their knees bumped under the table, and a small sound escaped Eric’s throat, his cheekbones flushing. His expression almost pained, Eric hooked his ankle around Hugh’s and shuddered with his entire body, his pupils blowing wide.
They stared at each other, breathing unsteadily, their gazes equally unfocused.
With a groan, Eric yanked his fingers from Hugh’s grip and buried his face in his hands. “I shouldn’t have come here,” he repeated into his hands, sounding dejected. Contrary to his words, his ankle only tightened around Hugh’s.
Fuck, Hugh could smell the sweet scent of omega arousal in the air, and it made his cock stiffen to the point of pain. For one crazy moment, Hugh considered toeing off his shoe, pressing his foot between Eric’s legs, and letting him hump his foot to orgasm. When he imagined Eric sucking his cock under the table, Hugh knew he was teetering on the very edge.
Hugh got to his feet. “I’m in need of a bathroom break,” he said roughly.
Eric’s wide-eyed look was the only answer.
The restaurant’s restroom was quiet.
Hugh got into the nearest stall. Pushing the toilet lid down, he yanked his belt and fly open. His erection sprang out of his fly, thick, angry red, and already leaking. Before he could as much as stroke it, the door opened and Eric slipped into the stall. Eric locked it with trembling fingers before turning around and staring at Hugh’s cock like it was a source of sustenance and he was starving.
Hugh spread his thighs and Eric dropped to his knees.
Grabbing Hugh’s cock with trembling fingers, Eric took it into his mouth, his lips barely fitting around the fat head. Fuuck. Hugh groaned, fisting Eric’s hair with his hand and pushing him down onto his cock. Not that Eric needed much pushing. He slobbered all over Hugh’s cock like he was ravenous for it, choking on it and not even caring, moaning around the girth in pure bliss. Hugh watched, transfixed, the view as much of a turn-on as the wet heat and suction around his cock.