“Are you trying to imperson—”
“‘Joe, isn’t this winemmm mmmdelicious. Here, Joe, taste thissweet butterybread I made with my ownmanlyhands.Yummy.’” Joe ended his rant by poking Uriel in the chest. “You act like that and think I won’t be hot and bothered?”
“Don’t worry,” Uriel replied in his best impersonation of the grinch voice. “I’ll ravage you, my pretty, and then you’ll be mine forever.”
Joe grinned and poked him again. “I already am.”
It wasn’t the grinch’s heart that grew three sizes that day….
“Exactly how many sets of matching pajamas do you own?” Joe asked as he puttered around Uriel’s kitchen the next morning wearing a pair of said pajamas.
“Seven.” Uriel glanced at Joe from his position at the coffee pot, wearing a set of pajamas himself.
They hadn’t needed them all night, but after they showered the next morning, Joe shivered. Then gave him a look. Somehow they ended up pajama-clad in the kitchen instead of back in bed where Uriel wanted them.
Joe also called dibs on Uriel’s robe and slippers. At this rate, Uriel would need an entirely new wardrobe by the weekend.
“One for each day of the week. Smart,” Joe said, popping a piece of danish in his mouth while they waited for the coffee to brew.
“I thought so.”
“I’m ignoring the past tense of that statement because I know you’re not implying you mind sharing your pajamas with me. In other news, I can’t believe we have a two-hour delay. Our mayor is so weird.”
“That he is.”
“You know he’s got Oberon or somebody down there shoveling snow by hand or something so town square looks pristine. No dirty slush piles for Mistletoe Falls.”
“Not during the town’s annual street parades. What would our visitors think?”
Joe smirked and ate more of his pastry. Then he frowned. “You don’t even like cheese danishes.”
“You do,” Uriel said, filling both their mugs before adding a ridiculous amount of creamer to Joe’s.
“Exactly how long have you been keeping baked goods at your house for me?”
“No comment.”
Uriel never ordered the pastries. Nyall gave him a box on his designated day, and this week he’d added danishes for Joe.Pesky sprites.Nyall likely didn’t even realize what he’d done. His magic took care of the issue for him.
“Hmph.” Joe mumbled through his danish.
Uriel pushed the mug of coffee in front of him and waited for the onslaught of questions to begin. They hadn’t exactly talked during the night. On the upside, Uriel’s magic had fully decorated the interior of his house for the holidays, saving him hours of work. Mating magic was a thing of beauty.
He’d followed the town’s by-laws, of course, and had completed the outside decorations in time to be approved by the parade committee. His house was near the start of the route which made participation mandatory.
Joe hadn’t said a word when they walked out of the bedroom into the living room. He’d blinked at the lights, given Uriel a look, then continued into the kitchen.
“Would you ask me already?” Uriel said.
“Ask you what.”
Uriel sat down on one of the barstools and scowled.
“Oh, you meanask you, ask you. No, I’m going to figure this out. I have it narrowed down to a few options.”
“A few…Joe….”
“Hey, asking for no particular reason, but do you happen to know exactly what type of creature the grinch is? Inquiring minds and all that.”
