Read Change Page 23


  *Sure. I think I've burned off some tension. Let's head back.* We got up together and took a more direct route back to where he had parked the truck.

  When we reached the truck we silently went to our respective sides of the vehicle and reversed the process of our shifting before. I carefully placed my rear paws onto my sandals and then I shifted. I quickly stood up, opened the door and started to dress.

  "Clear," I said aloud as soon as I got my bra and underwear on, and the driver’s side door opened revealing that Gabriel had already shifted as well. I slipped my dress over my head and pulled it down into place. He had his underwear on and was reaching for his jeans as I slid my feet into my sandals again, and lifted them one at a time to slip the strap onto my heal. I climbed up into my seat, and pulled the door shut and wrapped my bare arms around myself as Gabriel pushed his arms into the sleeves of his shirt. He left it hanging unbuttoned as he bent to pull on his boots. I shivered while I waited, the loss of my fur left me chilled in the cool summer night.

  Gabriel finished with his boots and climbed up into the seat, he closed his door and started the truck and turned on the heater before he buttoned the front of his shirt.

  "Here, use this," He reached behind the seat and pulled out a worn denim jacket, "It'll take the chill off."

  "Thanks, I wasn't expecting it to be this cool." I took the jacket from him and pulled it on, the faded blue cloth smelled of him but it had an underlying scent of pack that I found comforting.

  "It's not that it's particular cold, it's more that you were warm in your fur and now you don't have it, making the difference more pronounced. You'll get used to it, and learn to carry a jacket." He carefully turned the truck around on the narrow dirt road and headed back toward town.

  In no time the heater had warmed the cab of the truck, and I was no longer shivering. When we got back to my apartment complex I asked him drop me off at the gate nearest my apartment, I gave him his jacket back and thanked him for the loan of it, for taking me out this evening and for answering all my questions. I heard him wait until after I was inside the gate before leaving, and I went up to my apartment and showered, washing off the dirt we'd picked up with our wrestling match before I went to bed.