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Tenzin

I drove my truck into our section of the parking garage. Clark was beside his motorcycle and Gwen had her arms around him.

My heart. I’d gotten pictures of them on their movie and bookstore date. It looked much more fun than dinner with my sponsors from Bowerman. But I had to keep the sponsors happy. They wanted to do a photoshoot with me in a couple months to promote a new line.

The car door shut as I got out, slinging a duffle of gifts from my sponsors over my shoulder. Gwen looked up.

“Tens, you’re back.” Her face lit up.

The closer I got to them, the more I could smell them–and their arousal. I was happy they had each other.

“Hi, Firecracker.” Without thinking, I kissed her forehead.

She beamed.

“Hi, Tens.” Clark’s look was a bit jealous.

“Your hair is all messy.” I smoothed it back for him. “Just got back from the movies?”

A pair of panties lay on the cement next to a backpack and a helmet.

“Yep.” Gwen slid down to the ground. “Your meeting went well?”

“It did. Do you two want to come up and watch something?” I offered. “Clark, my sister recommended a show for us. It’s dubbed and about superheroes. Do you want to try it?”

The last thing I wanted was for him to think I didn’t care about him simply because I wasn’t ready to get physical. I enjoyed spending time with them. We’d been practicing together, visiting Marty, and having a good time. Gwen had finished camp and now only had work.

Clark and I had even gone on some Art and Architecture walks while she was at her NYIT practices.

“That sounds great.” Clark picked up his backpack, which seemed heavy, and headed toward the elevator.

Gwen grabbed the helmet. Her scent flared with embarrassment as she saw her panties on the ground and she swiped them up, then shoved them in her purse.

I kissed the top of her head. “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Just be careful about being in public. Your career doesn’t need a sex tape scandal.”

“True.” The embarrassment in her scent grew as her head ducked.

I pulled her to me as we joined Clark, who held the elevator.

She leaned into me, eyes half-closed. Gwen’s body tucked itself so well into mine. I loved how she was comfortable with me now.

“Do you only have one helmet?” I eyed the helmet in her hand, which was blue with Captain Everything’s symbol on it.

“Yeah, I need to get Gwen one. I have her wear mine. In New York City, alphas are exempt from helmet laws.” Clark shifted the weight of the backpack.

That was a dumb rule. Sure, alphas might be a little stronger, a little faster, heal a little quicker, but they didn’t have tougher heads.

A little growl rumbled in my chest. “It’s bad enough you ride that. You both need helmets.”

Also, she was wearing a dress. Was that safe?

Clark smirked as the elevator opened. “Yes, Alpha.”

I growled again. Gwen giggled.

Those two.

“What’s in that backpack?” I grabbed it from him. Ooof.

“He bought me books.” Gwen laughed as she punched the code into their door. “We’ll meet you in twenty minutes?”

“I’m proud of you for letting him buy you books.” I opened my door and went inside. Slinging the duffle onto the couch, I took a quick shower and put on something more comfortable than the suit I’d been wearing.

I started the tea and got out some snacks. Given I was leaving soon, I didn’t have much.

Oh, her backpack. When we’d gone backpack shopping, they’d been out of the one she wanted and it had come today.

There was a knock on the door as I set everything on the table.

“Come in; your backpack came.” I eyed her bare feet. She was going to catch a cold, always running around barefoot like that. Her hair was wet, and she wore those star pajamas with the thin tank-top.

“Oh, thank you.” She beamed as she opened the box to reveal the black leather backpack she’d wanted. Gwen hugged me. “Thank you, Tens.”

“You’re welcome.” I settled down on the couch with them, Gwen in the middle. It wasn’t as long or wide as theirs.

“Oh, I got this for you at the bookstore.” Clark fished something out of his shorts pocket. His hair was also wet. At least he wore flip-flops, which he kicked off by my door.

He handed me a sticker with Professor Weird on it, looking proud.

“Thank you. It was so thoughtful to think of me,” I told him. A sticker? What did I do with a sticker?

“It’s for your water bottle, given it’s naked,” he told me.

“Oh, I see.” It seemed silly to put stickers on laptops and water bottles, but it was kind of him.

Grabbing the remote, I turned on the TV. I’d miss them while I was gone. I was going to visit Cooter on his ranch before we attended a bonding party for one of our teammates, and I was his plus-one to a wedding for his university friend. After that, we had our last fishing trip of the off-season.

Then the season would start. Something I was looking forward to.

We watched a couple of episodes of the new show and ate our snacks. It wasn’t my style, but Clark and Gwen got into it.

Finally, Gwen yawned. “If we’re going to practice in the morning, I should go to bed.”

“Good night, Firecracker.” I hugged her, then looked at Clark. “See you in the morning.”

“Good night, Tens.” Clark grabbed her backpack. With a wave, the two of them left.

I cleaned up, then grabbed my laptop. I ordered her a motorcycle helmet to be sent directly to her, since I’d be gone.

If anything happened to them…

The very thought made me sick. I hadn’t known them for very long, but I’d be absolutely devastated if they got hurt.