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The helicopter rose from the ground, and I had to remind myself to breathe. Bjorn squeezed my hand again.
“I’ll be okay,” I could barely get the words out. I squeezed my eyes shut. “I’m always shaky during takeoff.”
“It will be worth it, I promise.”
Once the helicopter reached flying altitude, I opened my eyes. The sun was starting to set, and the golden light glowed off the red rocks. The pilot cruised lower than I would have expected, and in some places, I felt like I could reach out and touch the snowy peaks. I’d never been this deep in the mountains before.
“Wow. Didn’t think there would be lakes at this elevation.”
“Yeah. Stays cold up here longer. Totally different ecosystem than Sunset Springs,” Bjorn said.
“Is it like where you’re from?” I asked. I knew nothing about the bear, and I was embarrassed to admit it.
“Oh, that’s a good question,” Bibi had to yell to be heard from the front seat.
“Maybe in the winter, but we had a lot more ice.” His expression changed, brows drawn. “The fish would be different too.”
“But it would be better than moving around all the time, not knowing what to expect,” Bibi said.
“Maybe.”
I brought up something painful for him, and I had no idea how to fix it. “I’m sorry if family is tough for you. That’s something I can definitely sympathize with.”
“Nah, my family is good. They are tough, though. They have a lot of expectations, and they expect me to deliver.”
“Like what?”
“Maybe a place like that lake that stays cold long enough that we could build a village there.” He looked out the window and swept his gaze back to me. “And a mate.”
I nodded. Now things were making sense. I’d spent enough time around shifters since I arrived in Sunset Springs to understand how important it was for these shifters to find a mate. Bjorn was a bear who had a chip on his shoulder. He’d do the right thing, even if it made everything around him burn to the ground.
He needed a mate. Which was very different thanwantinga mate. And I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
Stupid Hudaknocker.
I was sad that the ride came to an end so soon. The brilliant colors faded as the sun slipped below the mountain range.
“Beebs and I have something set up back at her house,” he said as we walked back to the van.
“It’s so weird not to know what’s happening on a date.”
He raised a brow. “Do you like what’s happening?”
“So far.”
Tina greeted us back at the house. She’d set out a charcuterie board, a pot of mulled wine simmered on the stove, and flames crackled in the fireplace. My stomach rumbled in appreciation, and I took a seat close to the fire.
Bjorn sat right next to me, the heat from his body diffusing the chill better than any warm wine or fire.
“Is this our night in?” I asked.
“Yeah. Too cold to grill, and we don’t get to be by ourselves yet, so I had to improvise. What are your favorite party games?”
I quirked a brow. “The ones we can play on camera?”
“I can take notes for later.” His voice had a slight rumble to it.
“Oh, you think there’s gonna be a later.” I leaned back on the couch and crossed my arms.
