Page 8 of Nitro

Spike, who was enjoying a cold glass of water that Tommy had handed him, downed the remaining liquid and cleared his throat.

"Right. See you around town, Tommy. If you ever get bored of Nitro's company, come knock on my door," he said.

Spike knew how to push my buttons, and his teasing touched a nerve.

I shot Spike a withering look, a warning that he should know better than to hit on my future mate, even if it was all in jest.

The possessive grizzly within me stirred, itching to assert its dominance.

I knew Spike was just being playful, and we had been friends for a long time, but my instinct to protect what was mine ran deep.

With Spike's departure, a sense of relief washed over me. I turned to Tommy, wanting to know what was next for us.

"So, what's next? I can help you unpack," I offered.

Tommy's cheeks colored with a slight blush as he hesitated.

“You've already helped me enough. I can take care of unpacking on my own,” Tommy said.

Disappointment gnawed at my gut, but I was determined not to let it show on my face.

"Right, I should get going, then," I said, making a lame attempt to move toward the door.

However, I didn't make it far before Tommy spoke again.

"Um," he began, his uncertainty evident.

"Tommy, you don't have to watch your words around me. Say what you mean,” I reminded him gently.

Tommy inched closer, reaching out to tug the hem of my jacket. He bit his lower lip, as if carefully weighing his next words.

I waited patiently, knowing that with Tommy, I could afford to be as patient as he needed me to be.

Finally, he whispered so softly that only a shifter could hear, "I don't want you to go yet."

His admission was tinged with embarrassment, but it warmed my heart.

I was more than willing to stay a little while longer to keep Tommy company.

A brilliant idea suddenly sparked in my mind, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Are you hungry? Why don't we order some pizza or Chinese?" I suggested, my eyes flicking towards the living room area.

The apartment came furnished, and it was a relief to see that it included a TV.

I continued, “We can watch a movie or catch up on the news. I don't care, as long as I can spend time with you."

Tommy's face reddened, but he seemed to like the idea.

"Sometimes, I envy how you can always just speak your mind," he confessed.

I chuckled softly. Tommy had been through a lot, and his past experiences had made him cautious with his words.

"Well, I've always believed in being straightforward," I replied. "So, pizza or Chinese?”

"I can't decide. Both sound good? Would that be too much?" Tommy asked, his uncertainty evident.

I shook my head, my grin widening.

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