I ran out of breath, and had to inhale.
Declan gave a rueful smile. “So while you’ve been marrying me and Erik off in your head, I’ve been pairing you and him up because you look— well, you look good together. Erik’s just what you need, Sonny.”
“What do I need?”
“He’s kind of toppy. He gets bossy and takes care of people.”
Okay, I admit, that sounded soooo good. I snuggled further into the warm tentacles around me.
Declan hadn’t finished, though. “And you’re my— you’re a ray of sunshine. You’ll light up his world.”
Erik wrapped me suddenly tighter and moved me, lifting me slightly to create room on the couch.
“Wow, you’re strong.”
“We’re stronger than humans. Declan, come and sit here beside us.”
Declan lifted himself, and I could tell it was awkward, the angle of his arm against the fireplace was off, and he muttered, probably to cover his embarrassment, “See, I told you he was bossy.”
Erik said, “Yes, I am. It’s my job. And, where you and Sonny are concerned, it’s my privilege.” He stroked a tentacle gently over Declan’s arm as he lowered himself onto the couch the other side of Eric. “Thank you for letting me be bossy.”
I stroked my hands over one of them, a long, silky-smooth glide. I couldn’t help but play with one of those suckers. I really, really wanted to feel it against my skin.
“So are you an alien, then?” I asked.
Erik snorted, almost choking. “No, I’m not an alien. I’m a shifter.”
“Oh, okay.” I turned my head to look at him. “What’s a shifter?”
“It means I can change form, shifting between my human form and my octopus form.”
“Oh, an octopus, that makes sense.”
Declan said, “You’re big as an octopus, right?”
“Pretty big.”
“I saw you bring Sonny to the surface.”
“Thank you,” I said, and circled another of those suckers, playing along them in a pattern. “So are all your family shifters?”
“I don’t have a family. I grew up in the care system.”
“Oh. I’m sorry.”
I felt him shrug behind me, but I could tell from his voice that it wasn’t something he dismissed as easily as he was making out.
“It was a long time ago.”
Declan asked, “Is that why you don’t do much for Christmas?”
“Yeah. There’s no point if it’s only me.”
“It’s not only you now, though, is it?” I said. “You’ve got us now.”
“Yes, I do.”
“So why did you want to be a physiotherapist?”
