“Nuh-uh,” said Cherry and Macy simultaneously.
“I’m being honest. I may spend a lot of time with the guys, but it’s always in a group or doing guy things. Tonight, is the first time that anyone’s asked me to dinner. I didn’t even think about it being a date until Cherry said something.”
“Wow,” they said in unison as we stepped through the doors to the locker room.
After an invigorating mile run and a change of clothes, I stood in line for food in the cafeteria. Nick stopped beside me without even saying hello.
“Hi, Nick.”
He ignored me, his eyes fixed on something or someone up ahead. I leaned around the guy in front of me and saw Tom walking towards us. Nick’s hand clenched into a fist, and he moved a step closer to me. Tom stopped and smiled. “Hey, Sarah.”
“Hi, Tom.”
He looked at Nick and frowned. “You need to talk?” he asked Nick.
Nick glared at Tom a moment and then nodded. “After I eat.”
Tom nodded and then waved to me. “See you tonight.”
I watched Tom leave and then turned on Nick. “What is that all about?”
“Don’t worry about it,” he answered.
I punched him in the arm, knowing it wouldn’t hurt. “Stop being my Guardian and talk to me. What’s going on?”
“Trouble,” he said softly. “Like I said, don’t worry about it. I’ve got it under control.”
We grabbed our food and headed outside to eat. Once we were out of hearing distance of other people I asked, “Is Tom human?”
Nick’s lip twitched as he fought a smile. “Sort of.”
I sighed. “Why didn’t you just tell me he wasn’t human?”
“Does it make a difference to you that he’s not completely human?” he asked with anger and bitterness in his voice.
“You know me better than that. I just would have preferred to know, so that I could be more cautious. Will you tell me what he is?”
Nick shook his head. “No, I won’t tell you. And I’m sorry I asked you that. I know it doesn’t bother you much.”
“You’re going to follow us to dinner, aren’t you?” I asked as I took a bite out of my burger.
He smiled. “Maybe.” He finished his lunch and stood, grabbing my empty tray to put away, too. “I need to go find Tom. Stay out of trouble, please.”
I rolled my eyes. “You act like I’m a daredevil.”
He picked up a strand of my hair and inhaled. “Compared to others your size, you are.”
I watched him walk away with a sense of foreboding. Something was happening in the world of supernaturals, and I was scared that it somehow involved me. I wasn’t being conceited and thinking that everything revolved around me, but I was one of the few who had a supernatural Guardian to protect me from everything that went bump in the night.
“Hey, Sarah. Where’s your Guardian?” asked a voice beside me.
I turned and smiled at Gary, Nick’s nemesis in the pack. “He’s away for the rest of lunch.”
Gary was handsome, strong, and when Nick wasn’t around, fun to be around. “He left you on your own? Isn’t he worried you might trip on a tuft of grass and scrape your knee?” he asked with mock horror as he sat down beside me.
I pushed his shoulder playfully. “You’d be the same way if you were in his shoes.”
He shook his head and looked at me with sinfully blue eyes. “No, I’d treat you a lot differently than he does.”
I felt heat rush to my cheeks and pretended to tie my shoes. “Don’t tease me, Gary.”
“He loves you,” he said after a moment.
“Of course, he does. You can’t be a good Guardian if you don’t care about your human.”
He laughed and shook his head. “Sarah, you’re being naïve. He loves you. Hasn’t he told you?”
Every cell in my body stopped moving. He couldn’t be right. He’d never shown any interest in me. “You’re wrong. He doesn’t view me romantically.”
Gary leaned back, and I couldn’t help noticing his muscular arms. All of the werewolf boys were muscular but some of them worked out extra hard, like Gary, to be even bigger. “Are you afraid of what he’ll become?”
I sighed and leaned back against the wall. “I’m afraid he’ll become different, but if you’re asking if I’m afraid of him being an Alpha, you should know the answer. I’ve played with your pack enough for you to know that the wolf side of you all doesn’t frighten me.”
He nodded his head. “I know, but sometimes people need to hear it said.”
“You think he’s afraid that I’ll be scared of him?” I asked, blinking in shock.
Gary smiled. “We’re all afraid that you’ll change your view of us once we change. The shift leads to other changes.”
“I won’t.”
“Has he talked to you about the decision?”
I shook my head and then let it drop forward. “He refuses to discuss it with me until next year. He said now is not the appropriate time.”
Gary nodded. “He’s right. That’s also why he’s trying to date you now, too.”
“Gary, you’re speaking nonsense. You say he loves me and that he’s trying to date me, but he hasn’t asked me out and he doesn’t even touch me more than is friendly when we’re together.”
“So, if I asked you out on a date, would you say yes?”
That got my attention. I sat up straighter and looked at Gary. He looked serious, but… “Why would you want to date me? I’m not your type.”
Gary laughed. “You’re right. Beautiful, sexy, and accepting of my race is not my type. No, I prefer ugly, fat, and fearful.”
I stared at him intently a moment and then asked, “What’s going on, Gary?” He was one of the few who was always honest with me. He told me everything that he could, even when I asked the tough questions about their race.
He smiled. “For the past four years, Nick has been telling everyone that you’re not his girl, besides to guard of course, and that he’s not romantically interested in you. So, now that I’ve gotten to know you better and we’re older, I’ve decided it’s time to ask. Will you go out with me Saturday night?”
This was crazy. Fifteen years of no dates, and now I had two guys asking me out, plus another who may or may not be in love with me. What the hell was going on? “Why do you want to go out with me?”
He leaned towards me and whispered, “I believe I already answered that question when I told you that you are beautiful and sexy. Plus, you’re the only girl within two hundred miles who likes playing with wolves at night.” This was too overwhelming. “Dinner and a movie, Sarah, that’s all I’m asking.”
Gary was nice and sometimes just as protective as Nick. He was also handsome and quite the charmer. If Nick and he didn’t despise each other so much, I would have spent more time with him. “Okay, but if you’re doing this to hurt Nick, I’ll never forgive you.”
He kissed my cheek and whispered, “Nick is the last thing on my mind.”