He found the movie on the list and hit play, then set the remote aside and leaned back to watch. His hand settled on her thigh, a few inches above her knee. It was heavy and warm and felt possessive in a way she didn’t mind at all.

If this was what being in a relationship was like, she prayed someday she’d get to experience it again. And get to hold on to that relationship for more than a few days.

The movie was fast-paced, funny in spots, full of action and snappy lines. She and Van reacted alike, laughing together, tensing at the same time, even gasping in unison once. He adjusted his arm around her shoulders so that he could thread his fingers through her hair. He played with the strands, twisting them around his fingers. It was a blissful sensation and one that threatened to cause her to drift off. Just when she thought she might, his hand moved to her shoulder and stayed there.

They spent the rest of the movie wound around each other like that. Snug and content. It was perfect.

Then he went oddly still in the last few minutes before the credits started to roll. She picked her head up and looked at him.

He was asleep.

She smiled, understanding completely. The crackling fire had made the house toasty, and the chair was like a giant leather-covered marshmallow. Being snuggled up had made her a little sleepy too. Or maybe it had been the beer. She kept her voice low. “Van?”

But there was no response. Except from Grom, who sat up and yawned, then gave her a look she was coming to recognize as him needing to go out.

“That makes two of us,” she whispered.

She climbed out of the chair, careful not to wake Van, and went to the door. Grom followed and trotted outside when she opened it. “I’ll be right back for you, promise.”

She shut the door quietly, then jogged upstairs to use the bathroom herself. When she came out, she saw the light on her phone blinking. Her father. Who else?

Ignoring the phone until later, she went back downstairs and out onto the front porch to check on Grom. There was enough moon and starlight to see him rolling around in the leaves. And to see the snow that was coming down in fat, fluffy flakes. “You better have done your business already.”

He jerked upright, tongue hanging out, and woofed at her, stomping the ground in his playful way.

“No, it’s too late to play. You need to do what you need to do and get back inside. It’s cold out here.” And she hadn’t grabbed her jacket. She hugged her arms around her body, desperately missing Van’s heat. What was that Russian word he’d used to get Grom to listen? She couldn’t remember it.

The door opened behind her, and Van limped out, eyes still heavy with sleep. “What is going on?”

She shivered. “Your dog is goofing off, and I’m freezing.”

“I can fix that.”

She expected him to put his arm around her, but instead his eyes glowed for a moment and the temperature started to rise. It got downright balmy. “What did you do?”

“I can radiate heat in my human form. It’s about all I can do right now.”

“Wow, that’s a very handy skill.” She dropped her arms. “Now what kind of magic do you have that will get that silly dog back up here?”

He leaned on his crutch, moving forward to the railing. “Grom, ko mne.”

The dog straightened, then ran up onto the porch and into the house.

She laughed. “That really is magic.” She went in after him, Van behind her.

He shut the door.

She stood where she was, letting him come to her. “We should back up the last couple minutes of the movie. You missed the ending.”

He smiled sheepishly. “I’ve seen it.”

“You have? And you wanted to watch it anyway?”

He pulled her close with one arm, the other hand occupied with holding on to the crutch. “It’s a good movie. And I wanted you to see whatever you wanted. And to be happy.”

“I am happy.”

He stared down at her, shaking his head slowly. “I have seen the sadness that comes into your eyes when you think I’m not looking. I do not know what troubles you, but it hurts me. I want to make things better for you.”

A lump settled in her throat. “I’m not sad. I just think a lot. That’s my thinking face.” Lying to him was awful. She leaned in and kissed him, hoping to distract them both with the press of her mouth.

It worked.

A long, hot minute later, she broke away with a smile. “I should go to bed. We both should.”

“It is barely nine o’clock.”

“I know, but we’re both tired, and we have more therapy tomorrow. Plus, I don’t want to be the reason you’re not healing like you should.”

He pursed his mouth. “I will not argue. But only because I see the end goal in all of this.”

“What’s that mean?”

“You’ll see.”

She glanced behind her. “Do we need to do anything to the fire?”

“No. It is almost out anyway.” He kissed her once more, soft and sweet. “See you in the morning, zolotse.” He snapped his fingers, and Grom followed.

She wanted to ask what the word he’d called her meant, but that felt like it might ruin the moment. Then she remembered that her father had probably left a thousand messages for her, which ruined the moment anyway.

She plodded upstairs and picked up the phone from the nightstand. As suspected, her father had left numerous messages and texts. Call me now. No games. Important.