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.