“Do you live up here alone, or do you have a yeti family somewhere?” I hear the man chuckle and I hold her tighter to me.
“Just me,” I reply
“Okay good, cause I was gonna say you probably shouldn’t be rubbing my ass like that if you aren’t single.” My hand stills and my eyes go wide. I wasn’t rubbing her ass,was I? I flex my fingers and realize I am indeed gripping her butt cheeks firmly.
“What the hell, man?” her companion asks.
“I apologize. I didn’t realize I was doing it. I didn’t mean to fondle your wife. I don’t know what came over me. I’ve never been this close to a woman before?—”
“Yeti, it’s okay, calm down. You haven’t done anything wrong. I’m not Ryker’s wife.”
I turn my shocked gaze to Ryker.
“She’s not?”
He shakes his head, frowning, and I’m sure I hear him mumble “not yet” under his breath.
“We just met today. This is our first date actually,” she says into my neck, sounding proud, and I glance over at Ryker, who is smiling fondly at her back where she still clings to me.
“I have to ask. How the hell did you end up stranded at the top of a mountain on your first date?”
“Well,” she starts, her warm breath brushing over my neck, sending tingles throughout my body. “It started when I decided to hop on a… skyreacher for a little ride. First officer Ryker over here decided to join me.”
“What the little joy rider is failing to mention is that this particular skyreacher had no equipment. No saddle, no reins, nothing. And seconds before she was about to launch out of the cave, hundreds of feet above the valley, I jumped on behind her.”
“Thank fucking goodness! You could have been killed! What were you thinking? Do you know how dangerous that is?” I can’t help but chastise her. The thought of her getting injured before I ever met her sends a wave of fear through me.
“I just… wanted to get out of there,” she replies quietly as we keep walking through the thick snow.
“You never did tell me why you were at the mating hunt to begin with.”
“What?! You were participating in the mating hunt? That barbaric tradition?” From my brief encounter with her, she didn’t seem like the type of woman to participate in something like that.
“Not on purpose. I was in the cave trying to get away from it. It’s why I wanted to get out of there so fast.”
Ryker sighs. “You could have told me. I would have safely saddled one up for us and got you out of there.”
She pulls back and turns her head to look at him. “Really? You would have done that? You didn’t even know me.”
“Doesn’t matter. I’d do anything for you, Red.” They smile at one another before he frowns. “Especially get you away from the type of men who participate in that ritual.”
“Is it that bad?”
“They aren’t all bad men. But their need for a wife drives some of them to become a bit… unhinged,” I answer for him.
“Oh. Well, I’m glad I got out of there. And found you two.” She smiles at us both and I return it. I can’t remember the last time I actually smiled. I’ve been around this woman for mere minutes and already she was warming my heart. I wasn’t sure what her full story was yet, but I really hope she had room for one more mate in her heart, because I wasn’t sure I would be able to let her go.
CHAPTER SIX
PENNY
My yeti is so big. He must be at least six foot three, and from what I can feel against me, he is solid muscle. He has scruffy, short brown hair with a matching short beard.I wonder if it would be soft or rough against my skin?He has deep brown chocolate eyes and a face that spoke of years of being on this mountain. I’ve never even seen such a rugged man as him before. Is it bad that I kind of want to keep him, too? I’ve known Ryker for only a few hours, but it feels like we have some strange electric connection between us. I’m not ready for that to end, nor do I want to carry on down the mountain and leave my yeti behind. Why do I feel such a pull to both of these strangers?This was getting complicated.
Besides, I had to remember that I’m not here to meet men, I’m here to find Ria.
The wind abruptly cuts off and I lift my head to see we’ve entered a cave. I look around in awe and realize this must be where my yeti lives. Was it weird that I was calling himmyyeti in my head? Probably. Did I care? Not so much.
“Wow,” I say, gazing around us. I see a large stack of furs, that could be his bed. There’s a place for a fire in the center of the cave, with large stones circling it. Off to the side, I see a variety of tools and other equipment, such as bow and arrow, bowls, baskets, and a variety of weapons. “You live here, yeti?”
