I finally smile, and he pulls me against his chest. I lay my head against his solid chest and relax when I hear the steady beating of his heart. “Do you think I could see it again? Your wolf?” I mouth the word, just to be safe.
“Yes. He would love to spend time around you.”
I nod. I’m excited but also terrified. “I want to know more about all of this.”
Slater nods. “I’ll tell you everything soon.” He tucks a hair behind my ear.
“And you need to sleep soon,” I add. He shrugs at my words, and I frown up at him. “We need to figure something out. You can’t just not sleep every night because you’re watching out for me.”
“We’ll figure it out.” I let it go for now, but we really are going to have to address it sooner or later. He walks me to my first-hour class. “Are you going to be able to stay awake in class?”
“Areyou?”I ask instead.
He nods, his face serious. “Yeah. I’ll be fine.” I’m reluctant to leave him, but I know I need to go into my classroom so he can get to his class on time. “If you need to go to the house thisafternoon so you can sleep, just let me know. I can give you the keys to my truck.” He pauses. “Do you just want the keys now?”
“No, because I may not even end up going; and then I’ll have to track you down later to give them to you again. Just keep them for now. I’ll text if I need them.”
“You sure?”
I smile. “Yes.”
He takes a step back and stops, frowning down at me. “Make sure you move the seat forward and maybe up.”
I scowl at him. “I think I can figure it out. I may be short, but I’m not incapable.”
“I know, Shorty.” He takes another step back. “I’ll see you later.”
I watch him go, his long stride eating up the distance. When I turn around, Ashley, who lives across the hall, gives me a knowing smile. I don’t say a word; I don’t really have anything to say. I slip inside the classroom just as my professor steps up to the podium to start class.
Chapter 29
Tessa
Thursday and Friday pass in a blur. I end up working both nights, so I can go to Slater’s game on Saturday. I finally found someone who didn’t mind switching with me. Much to my chagrin, Slater keeps me company both nights. I hate it because I know he needs sleep, but I love getting hours to talk to him. I’ve learned so much about shifters. I’ve asked hundreds of questions, and Slater has been so patient to answer every one of them. It’s been so good, and I wouldn’t trade those hours for anything. But I’m worried about Slater. I even went to Zane about it, who told me trying to convince Slater to do anything he doesn’t want to do is a waste of time.
I clock out and head outside. It’s still dark out, but I can see Slater waiting for me. He waits just out of sight when I have to go into the guard shack. “Are you ready for your game today?” We avoided talking about it the last two nights. I didn’t want to make him nervous thinking about it, but now it’s here.
“Yes.”
He doesn’t say anything more, and I let it go. He’s been quiet the last few hours, and I have a feeling it’s because of his game today. We make the walk back to my dorm in silence. “Hey, can you do me a favor?” I ask when we’re almost back.
“Yeah.” His reply is instant.
I make sure he’s looking at me. “Can you get a few hours of sleep? Please, for me. If not for me, do it for your teammates and fans. Please,” I press.
He finally nods. “I’ll try.”
“Don’t try; just do it.”
He doesn’t smile. “Will I see you before the game?”
There’s an intensity to him that’s even greater than usual. “Do you want to?”
“Yes.”
“Okay. Tell me when and where.”
“I’ll meet you outside the clubhouse at seven. Is that too early?”
