Uriel laughed at Joe’s quick reply. “Fine, I’ll keep you captive on top of grinch mountain and ravage you until you come to your senses and realize I’m the grinch of your dreams.”
“Too late. Already realized you’re my dream grinch. I guess you’ll have to go the old-fashioned route. Start with a little wining and dining, then ravage me.”
“Deal.” Uriel leaned in for another kiss just as his front door flew open, startling the snowflakes out of both of them.
“Cousins meeting—oh my goddess! My eyes,” Edgar shrieked.
Uriel’s eyes flashed that sparkly red again as Joe swiveled his neck around to see Leif, Edgar, and York standing at the front door. A cold breeze rushed through the room.
Joe shivered. “You’re letting the heat out! Get in here before I freeze to death..”
Uriel’s eyes flashed red again. Joe glanced at the fire to see how bright the flames were, but they didn’t seem overly intense. So weird.
“Remind me to start locking my front door,” Uriel grumbled as he pushed to his feet.
He reached out a hand and pulled Joe up after him, then wrapped his arms around Joe before putting his chin on the top of Joe’s head.
Joe had to admit, it was kinda cute. Except he kind of wanted to see the cousins' reactions. As far as Joe knew, they were Uriel’s only family, so it would probably be important that they were okay with their…relationship? Romance? Love affair?
“Stop thinking,” Uriel grumbled.
“Sure, and while I’m at it, I’ll make sure Mistletoe Falls loses all its holly jolly. You know, since you’re asking the impossible and all.”
Uriel moved his head so he could stare down at Joe. “Always gotta argue.”
“Well yeah. It’s part of my charm. Also, can I borrow a sweater? Maybe that soft cream one you wear all the time—not that I pay attention or anything, but that one?”
“It’s in the top drawer of my dresser. And put on my slippers while you’re in there. They’re by the bed. Your feet are like icicles again. We’re getting you some warmer socks.”
Joe beamed and waved at the cousins before skipping down the hall to Uriel’s bedroom. He found the sweater exactly where Uriel said it would be and pulled it on. It was as soft as he’d hoped. And cuddly. And it smelled like Uriel.
He pulled the neck over his nose and breathed in. Oh, he had it so bad. After shoving his feet into the fluffy slippers by the bed, Joe went back to the living room.
The cousins all had big smiles on their faces, and Uriel’s normal cranky face had returned. Not that Joe blamed him. They had been getting to the good part. Well, the better part. Or the next good part? Hmm.
“Get over here,” Uriel said.
“Bossy.” But Joe went over to him anyway and plopped right down onto Uriel’s lap. “This sweater is my new favorite.”
“Yeah?”
Joe nodded. “Is there enough food to feed them? Because wining and dining was on the table, and I’m gonna hold you to your promises.”
Especially since ravaging would follow. Joe wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.
Uriel smirked. “Yes. And I intend to keep my promise. Multiple times.”
“Okay, I’ve gotta know,” York said. “Since when are you two…you two. I had no idea.”
“Since Uriel decorated my tree for me. Well, probably a long time before that, but we’ll call the snowman tree the inciting incident.”
“Inciting….” York frowned, then looked at Edgar and Leif. “I don’t know what that means.”
Edgar sighed. “You remember, less than a week ago when you looked at Gabriel and got the whammy? That was your inciting incident.”
“Ohhh,” York said. “So you honestly only figured it out today? I thought you two were having some secret thing for months, and Uriel wanted to keep it quiet because he’s private or whatever.”
Joe turned to glare at Uriel. “You are not keeping us a secret. I forbid it. I will make you sleep on the sofa, I swear!”
