“When we wake up, you can feed me and show me the rest of your castle.”
“Oh, can I now?”
“Uh-huh, you sure can.”
I chuckled. “Sounds like a plan, sweetheart. But also, not a castle.”
“Sure it isn’t.”
I snorted. “Fine… you can call it a castle if you want.”
He patted my chest. “What a good yeti.”
I smacked his shoulder lightly. “Oh my Goddess. Rude.”
He snorted and pressed a kiss to my chest. “Just kidding… kind of.”
With a chuckle, I hugged him tight, closed my eyes, ready to let sleep take me, knowing my viramore was safe in my arms, guarding my icicle with the love in his heart.
“Avalanche Snowflake Rudolphus!” a loud, high-pitched voice yelled from somewhere in the house, making both of us startle in surprise. “Get down here right now, young man!”
I winced. “Shit. That’s my mom.” I glanced down at Dain. “Sooooo… ready to meet my parents?”
He snorted. “Definitely not, but… let’s do it anyway.” He sat up, scrubbing his face with his hand. “Um… can we put on pants first?”
I chuckled. “Yeah, we can stop in my bedroom to grab them for sure.”
“Good, ‘cause I definitely don’t want to meet your parents in my underwear.”
We both laughed, and he smiled at me, looking carefree and happier than I’d ever seen him.
“I am happy,” he whispered. “You make me happy.”
I started to melt into a puddle of goo until my dad’s voice yelled, “Son! We need to see that you’re okay! Get your ass down here!”
I winced, and Dain chuckled. “Oh boy. This should be interesting.”
That wasn’t the word I’d use for it.
Dain climbed off the giant pillow, then held his hand out to me. “Let’s do this thing.”
I took his hand without hesitation and snorted in amusement, then gave him a big kiss and led the way downstairs.
Chapter Nineteen
Dain
“Ready?” Lanche asked me, holding out his hand.
I stepped away from my car, took his hand easily, and I sent my brother, Paxton, a small smile. He was nervous about meeting all these new people—I couldn’t blame him since I wasnervous too—but I had no doubt the Ellwoods would make him, make all of us, feel welcome. How Lanche’s family would react to Paxton and me was another story.
I nudged my little brother with my elbow, making him roll his eyes at me, clearly hiding a small smile, and the three of us walked over to Glacier, who was getting out of his car too.
I glanced inside and saw three women—definitely snow yetis and definitely related to Lanche—staring at me from the back seat. A fourth was in the front seat, playing on her phone and not paying us one bit of attention.
Glacier hugged Lanche, then hugged me, and I returned the gesture, trying not to be awkward as fuck since I wasn’t used to hugging people I barely knew.
“Good to see you again, Dain.”
