Page 38 of Snowed In with an Incubus

“Thanks,” he said quietly. He looked up the stairs where Jaz and Brandon had disappeared. “Shit, man. I really don’t wanther to go.”

Reg shrugged. “Then ask her to stay.”

“I haven’t even known her for two days!”

“So what? Worst thing that happens is she says no and leaves. She’s leaving, anyway! Nothing to lose.”

Reg clapped him on the shoulder. Sam barely felt it. Jaz burst onto the staircase, running down with the intensity of someonewho needed very badly to be anywhere but here.

Sam’s chest twisted. Even if she did stay at the Musgrove Inn, even if he never saw her again, she needed to know he didn’tmean what he’d said on that dance floor. That she wasn’t too much.

He stepped around the staircase. “Jaz.”

Jaz grabbed the wall. She’d stopped so fast she’d nearly toppled over.

“Sam,” she said. She gaped at him.

For a horrible second, he worried that this was all he would get. Then her mouth twitched. She reached up to cover it, butnot before he caught a glimpse of that bright, blazing smile.

“Oh wow,” she said. “Look at you! Horns out!”

“Horns out,” he agreed. He wet his lips. “Do you want—?”

Footsteps echoed in the upstairs hallway.

“BABE,” Brandon yelled. “I’M STILL FIGHTING FOR US! EVEN IF YOU DID JUST PINCH MY MOUTH TO SHIT!”

Jaz groaned. “Ugh, come on, Brandon.”

“Let’s go,” Sam said. He held out a hand.

Jaz hesitated. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes, the memory of what he’d said to her on the dance floor fresh in hermind.

Then Brandon yelled her name again. Jaz darted forward, grabbing Sam’s hand and pulling him along. Sam went gladly, wingsbumping into the doorframe as Jaz took her coat and then yanked him through the front door.

“Bulky,” Jaz commented, watching him unhitch his wing from the top of the doorway.

Sam nodded, closing the door behind him before Brandon could see who had just fled out the door. Reg would distract him. Samhad seen him heading up the stairs as they left.

Jaz shivered, pulling her borrowed coat on. The moonlight flooded over her hair, making it shine like a neon halo.

Sam opened his mouth. “I’m—”

A shout cut him off. “Sam! Is that you? Looking good, bud!”

Sam turned. Tammy was leaning out of Reg’s kitchen window, waving wildly. Then she shuddered, rubbing her green arms.

“Holy hells, it’s cold,” she said. “Rock on, Samson! Happy New Year!”

She leaned back into the house, pulling the window shut.

Jaz giggled, huddling deeper into her coat. “See? Told you they’d love it. And if anyone looks at you sideways, just smackthem with your wing and pretend like you’re still getting used to them.”

Sam laughed nervously and stuttered. “I’ll do that by accident anyway,” he admitted.

He looked up. Monsters floated high above them, flapping lazily in midair, waiting for the fireworks to start. Dragons withtour guide uniforms and humans strapped to their chests; chimeras playing rock, paper, scissors; fae flitting from peak topeak; and another incubus with flaming eyes.

Sam looked back at Jaz. “Do you want to go flying?”