by Tasha Black
They all rested for a moment in the lobby. Hawkeye fished something out of his pocket as the others looked on.
“Aha,” Hawkeye said. “I have money for ice cream.”
Jack tugged Sam’s sleeve, but the bigger boy shook his head.
Oh boy, they probably didn’t have ice cream money.
“Don’t worry,” Hawkeye told them before Trinity had a chance to say anything. “I have money for plenty of ice cream. But you must ask your mother or father if you are allowed to have a treat, because I do not know the rules.”
“They’re not here,” Jack wailed.
“Our babysitter brought us,” Sam explained.
Hawkeye looked confused.
“Ask the babysitter,” Trinity told them.
The boys tripped over each other dashing off to find the babysitter who leaned against a wall, typing furiously into her phone with both thumbs.
They waved and yelled something at her and she nodded without looking up from the screen.
“She said yes,” Hawkeye exclaimed.
The kids thundered back, all smiles.
“You like them, huh?” Trinity asked before they arrived.
“Of course. Don’t you like children?”
She nodded thoughtfully.
“Yeah,” she said. “I do.”
She sat on one of the benches with Veronica and waited for Hawkeye and Lobo and the boys to bring back ice cream.
Veronica seemed content to relax and check her phone.
Trinity looked around the lobby, noticing how quiet it was. It was a weeknight, so it made sense that the place wasn’t packed. Very few people came to laser tag during the week.
The little cafe for parents next to the entry was practically empty. Only two people sat at one of the tables, an older man and a young man. They were leaning together, and seemed to be talking heatedly.
And there was something familiar about them…
With a start, Trinity realized that she was looking at the back of Rex’s head. The young, handsome admin had an unusual mop of hair that made the female cadets gaga. She would have known it anywhere.
She leaned forward to get a look at the face of the older guy, wondering if it might be Rex’s dad.
But it was not Rex’s father.
It was Captain Henderson.
She barely had time to wonder why the two men were meeting at the cafe of a laser tag facility on a work night, before the guys returned with ice cream and loud explanations of what flavors there were and how they had selected them.
Hawkeye sat beside her and held out a cup of blueberry frozen yogurt - her favorite. How had he known?
Little Jack tucked himself under her other arm, his brother right next to him. And even though Jack was a little sweaty and his hands were extra sticky, it felt cozy to have his little body pressed to hers.
The six of them ate ice cream and discussed strategy for their next battle for at least fifteen minutes before the buzzer indicated that it was time to go again.
When she got up to dispose of her trash, Trinity glanced at the cafe again and noticed that Rex and Henderson were gone.
It was just as well. She liked Rex, and Henderson was fine - but she didn’t exactly want to play laser tag with her boss.
“Come on, Trinity,” Sam yelled to her as he donned his vest.
“Coming, buddy,” she called back, slipping her own gear back on.
Hawkeye waited, holding out his hand to her, which she took.
“Are you excited to play again?” she asked him.
“Of course,” he said immediately. “It’s great fun.”
“Well, it was fun last time because we won,” she said.
“We will always win. You are a formidable commander,” he murmured to her.
She grinned and let him drag her back to the action.
12
Hawkeye
Hawkeye and his crew arrived back at the old academy about an hour after dark. He was tired, but happy.
Trinity looked more relaxed than he’d ever seen her.
“Do you guys want to have a glass of wine on the fire escape?” she asked.
“Aw, we’ve got to be up so early for the doggies,” Veronica said sadly. “But this was super fun.”
After the fiasco with Veronica and Percy Reeves, the Reeves family had agreed to fund the K-9 program for the next ten years, with double the previous budget. And Veronica had been put in charge of the whole thing. It was even more work, but she seemed happy to do it with Lobo by her side.
“Yes, thank you, Trinity,” Lobo said. “I hope you might lead us into battle again one day.”
They disappeared up the stairs to the third floor.
Hawkeye and Trinity paused in the hallway, alone once more.
He knew he should probably turn around and go into his suite. Trinity wasn’t ready to be his mate just yet, and if he spent time alone with her, he wasn’t sure he’d be able to keep things light.
His heart was aching for her.
“How about you?” Trinity asked him. “Would you like to have a glass of wine?”
“That sounds nice,” he told her.
“Great,” she said, heading into her rooms.
He followed.
It was hard not to notice the difference between her suite and his. While the men’s suite was bare bones at best, Trinity had colorful posters and bright blankets and pillows all over her living room.
She got out a bottle of wine and two mason jars and they headed out to the fire escape.
It was cool outside, and so dark the tiny stars seemed to blaze in the sky.
Summer was coming to an end.
“Hang on,” Trinity said, going back in.
He settled himself on the grate and gazed up at the stars. Though they looked terribly different from the ones at home, they still looked very much the same as they had in Stargazer. It was peaceful to think that though they were far away, the same constellations were visible in the place where so many of his brothers were waiting.
“Here we go,” Trinity said, climbing back out.
In her hands she held two of the colorful blankets. She wrapped one around her shoulders and offered him the other.
He wrapped his around his shoulders too. It was warm and unexpectedly soft.
“What material is this?” he asked.
“Oh just acrylic,” she said. “I don’t usually make stuff from wool. It irritates my skin.”
“You made these?” he asked, stunned to find she had yet another skill.
“Yeah,” she shrugged. “My grandmother taught me.”
“You have a loom of some sort?”
“Um, no,” she said, smiling as if what he had said was funny. “I use knitting needles.”
“Oh,” he said, surprised. In the movies, knitting was for old women.
“You think it’s for old ladies, don’t you?” she asked, as if reading his thoughts.
He racked his brain for the right answer, but all he found was a montage of knitting grandmas.
She threw her head back and laughed at him.
Moonlight bathed her round cheeks. He could have died looking at her. It wasn’t the desire to mate, it was something else - some part of him that bubbled over when she smiled.
“You’re so polite,” she said at last. “I guess it’s kind of an old-fashioned hobby, but I like it.”
“And I like everything about you,” he told her.
A heartbeat passed as she gazed at him.
He leaned toward her slowly, so slowly that she would be able to move away if she didn’t want what he offered.
But she was still and waiting.
When he kissed her he swore he saw fireworks behind his closed eyelids.
He pulled away slightly to look at her.
Trinity opened her eyes just after he did.
“Wow,” she whispered.
He kissed her again, encouraged.
She leaned into him, wrapped an arm around his
neck just as he lifted a hand to cup her cheek.
Once again, the need threatened to overwhelm him, but instead of pulling back this time, he thumbed her jaw, easing her mouth open to him.
Trinity moaned softly, sending pleasant chills down his back.
He licked her lower lip and sucked gently.
Trinity made a tiny sound of surprise. Then she stroked his tongue with hers.
She tasted like wine and honey. The teasing combination set his blood boiling.
His instincts took over and he kissed her in earnest, stroking her tongue with his, sliding his other hand up her back to press her closer to him.
13
Trinity
Trinity’s senses were reeling.
That first kiss had fireworks going off in her head.
But this… This was incredible.
Trinity had been kissed before, but never with such passion.
Hawkeye’s hand was spread wide between her shoulder blades, pressing her close to his big body as he explored her mouth.
Though her whole body was already bursting with need, he kissed her slowly, thoroughly, as if there were no racing pulse, no raging desire for more, more, more.
She slid one hand down his neck to cup his cheek as he cupped hers. His jaw was rough, but it felt good against her palm.
He left her lips and she nearly whimpered at the loss, but he pulled her hand from his cheek, kissed the palm, and brushed his lips against her wrist.
Trinity waited, her heart pounding.
He lifted her arm and slid his lips to her inner elbow.
She giggled at the tickly sensation and he looked up at her with luminous eyes.
Suddenly the giggles were gone.
“Your skin is so soft,” he told her.
She literally couldn’t answer, only hummed back at him.
He applied himself to her arm again, kissing his way up to her collarbone, brushing her clavicle with his rough jaw.
Her breasts ached with anticipation. She arched her back, her body begging him even though her voice had gone silent.
Slowly, so slowly, he nuzzled down toward her chest, sliding his hands up to cup her breasts with a touch so light she could barely feel it.
Her nipples screamed against the fabric of her bra and she tried again not to whimper.
“Guys?” someone called from inside.
No, no, no…
But Hawkeye was already pulling away.
“We’re outside,” he called back.
“Oh, hey,” Brooke said, sticking her head out and looking back and forth between them.
Trinity wondered if her swollen lips and stiff nipples were giving her away. She wrapped the blanket around herself.
“Hi,” she replied.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude,” Brooke said.
Shoot, she knows. How embarrassing.
“You’re not intruding,” Trinity snapped.
“Come on out,” Hawkeye urged. “Have some wine.”
“Excellent,” Conan said from behind Brooke.
Brooke elbowed him, but he clearly didn’t pick up the hint. He moved past her to climb onto the fire escape too.
“Hello, brother,” he said to Hawkeye.
“Hello,” Hawkeye said, smiling kindly, though Trinity could see the tension of unsatisfied lust in his jaw.
Frustrating as it was to be interrupted, it was nice to see him being genuinely warm and welcoming to the person who had just stopped him in his tracks from accomplishing his only stated Earthly goal.
Hawkeye was a good guy.
Brooke swung out onto the fire escape with two more mugs a minute later and they poured the wine and sat quietly, sipping it and looking out into the stars.
It was easy, this friendship.
Trinity wondered how long her life could continue in this sweet and comfortable way if she agreed to be Hawkeye’s mate.
14
Trinity
Trinity slept well. And though she didn’t remember her dreams, she woke up smiling.
She took a quick shower, dressed, and padded downstairs to rustle up some breakfast, all before her alarm went off.
She was just spreading butter on toast and wondering when Hawkeye would wake up when there was a knock on the front door.
That was certainly odd. They didn’t tend to get a lot of guests.
She wondered vaguely if someone might have thought this was the main academy in spite of the signs.
She opened the door to reveal a young, black man in a gorgeous suit.
“Hello there,” he said, in a melodious voice.
“Hi,” she replied, wishing she hadn’t answered. He was probably here to recruit for a church or something.
“Is Veronica Nunez here?” he asked.
“Um, not right now,” Trinity hedged.
Veronica had already been with the K-9s for hours. But she wasn’t going to tell this guy that until she knew what he wanted.
“I’m Ron Zyres with the Clam Falls Daily Tribune,” he explained. “I’d like to talk with her about her old friend, Georgia.”
Veronica hadn’t really been in contact with Georgia for years, except…
Trinity realized with horror that it must be about the aliens.
And as far as she knew, Lobo was out there with Veronica.
“Veronica won’t be back today,” Trinity blurted. “But if you want to give me your number, I’d be glad to have her give you a call when she does come back.”
“Uh, okay,” Ron said. “But I was told she lived here. I’d be glad to wait until evening.”
“Oh, no,” Trinity said, shaking her head, and praying to think up something good. “No, no. She’s traveling to look at a new dog.”
“Trinity, are you cooking?” Hawkeye’s voice wafted down the stairwell.
Shit.
“Don’t come down here,” she yelled, her voice squeaking slightly.
“Why not?” he asked.
Why not? Why not?
“I want to surprise you,” she called back up, hoping that Ron couldn’t see from his vantage point that all she had going back in the kitchen was toast.
“Oh,” Hawkeye said from upstairs. “Excellent. I will wait.”
She turned back to Ron. She was relieved, until she glanced through the side window and spotted Conan’s big form approaching. He was barely twenty yards away. He would be on the doorstep within seconds.
“Well, I guess I’d better get out of your way,” Ron conceded, and moved as if to turn back to the door.
“Oh, no,” Trinity said with too much feeling. “No, you need something to eat. Come have some toast.”
“No, no, I’m fine,” Ron said, looking rightfully suspicious.
“I insist,” Trinity hissed and half dragged him to the kitchen.
She snagged a handful of slightly burnt toast off the counter and pressed it into his palm, pulling him out the back door, just as Conan came in the front.
“Um, thank you,” Ron said, eying the toast.
“It was my pleasure,” Trinity told him, panting slightly. “Veronica will be in touch.”
“But I haven’t given you my number,” he protested.
“Right, right,” Trinity said. “Sorry, I guess I’m just star struck.”
“You are?” Ron asked, looking at her more carefully.
“I’m a fan of the paper,” she shrugged.
“Wow. We publish in Wisconsin,” he said. “Our circulation is nineteen hundred people.”
“I meant the paper as in… all papers,” she said weakly, snatching the card he’d been pulling out of his pocket when she had sidetracked him. “I’m a big supporter of print media.”
“Well, we the journalists of America, thank you for your time,” he said with a half smile.
“No problem,” she said.
He scrambled off quickly, as if he were narrowly escaping with his life.
She could hardly blame him. She couldn’t have seemed more deranged
if she had been trying to scare him on purpose.
If it kept him away though, it was worth it. Veronica would have to call him and give him a phone interview though, maybe even meet with him someplace to prevent him from coming back here and finding the other aliens.
It was incredible to see what lengths people were willing to go to for peripheral information on the boys in Stargazer and the women they loved.
Something occurred to her.
She slipped her phone out of her pocket and texted Veronica.
Trinity:
A reporter was just here looking for you to ask you about Georgia. Told him you were traveling. Don’t post anything online that would say where you are.
Veronica:
Holy crap. OK
Trinity:
It got me thinking. I should check security on your computer.
Veronica:
Thanks.
Trinity:
Can you give me passwords tonight?
Veronica:
They’re on a sticky in my laptop case.
Trinity:
What are you 100 years old? That’s NOT a good idea.
Veronica:
Whatever. They’re hard to remember.
Trinity:
I’ll set up a better system for passwords while I’m in there. C U L8TR.
Veronica:
xo
Trinity dashed back inside and thundered up the stairs.
“Is my surprise ready?” Hawkeye asked.
“Oh, er, it was only toast,” she muttered on her way past him up the stairs to Veronica’s new digs.
“Toast,” Hawkeye said in a pleased way. “Excellent.”
“There’s none left.”
Hawkeye looked confused. But he didn’t push for an explanation.
“Hey, where are you going?” He asked.
“I have to check something for Veronica,” Trinity yelled back. “Don’t wait for me.”
She slipped into Veronica and Lobo’s room.