She’d been hoping to get him alone, but having Eros with them would help ease the conversation. She found being around Eros soothing, something she couldn’t say about any other man. Once Eros was back, they headed out, taking slow strides. They walked a path in silence at first. Then, as if Brecc’s curiosity had gotten the best of him, he started to ask her questions.
“You like the cold?”
She shivered but smiled. “I do. I’m thinking I must be a masochist because this is way more than the cold I’m used to.”
Eros laughed. “Yes. We have seen many videos about earth and the different weather patterns.”
Brecc frowned, worry pulling his brows into a deep curve. “Do you want to go back?”
“No way!” She shoved her hands deeper into her coat pockets. “I’m fine.”
“Eros said you have a sister who might worry if you stay too long. What about your parents?” Both Brecc and Eros offered her a hand to help her over a branch. It surprised her they continued holding after they got over it.
“I don’t really speak to my parents much.” She met his gaze and pressed her lips into a line. “Not for lack of trying, either. They’ve just never been interested in being parents.”
“She holds it all in,” Eros said to Brecc. She did, but how Eros noticed was beyond her.
“That hurts you,” Brecc said in a low growl. “I don’t like it.”
She grinned at how angry he sounded on her behalf. “It’s okay. I’m used to it. They’re probably not the worst parents out there. Neglectful, yes. Evil, no.”
It dawned on her that the hike was turning out to be very nice. Both men held her hand and kept her engaged in conversation. If she were an adventurous woman, she’d wonder what she might have to do to keep them.
Be adventurous. Take them both and run! Of course her brain would start fucking with her when she was around the two wolves.
Eros pointed down a path of freshly coated snow. “Let’s go to the Crystal Cave.”
She had no clue what that was, but it sounded interesting, except she had never been inside a cave. “Um, I don’t know.”
Eros frowned. “What’s wrong? I promise the Crystal Cave is beautiful.”
“Yeah. That sounds great and all, but I’ve seen a lot of horror movies. You don’t go into a cave.”
Eros threw his head back and laughed, the laughter so rich and filled with joy that she smiled despite her insecurity over going into the cave. “You are precious, Charlotte. This is not like your earth caves.”
“Oh, in that case, okay. Let’s go.”
Brecc shook his head. “She’s not ready for that.”
There he went again. Making decisions for her. She bit her tongue trying to stay away from getting hostile.
Eros came to the rescue. “She’s an adult.” He glanced at her, his gaze filled with heat and promise. “Would you like to go to the Crystal Cave?”
She nodded at him and then at Brecc. “Take me.”
Fire flourished in Brecc’s gaze. “Fine, but if you can’t handle it at any point, just say so.”
She frowned but continued walking.
It took a moment before she saw the opening of the cave. It was big, but since she’d been expecting something dark, it caught her off guard. The cave was lit inside.
“Is someone in there?” she asked as they got closer to the mouth.
“No,” Brecc answered. “There are bits of the cave where crystal replaces rock allowing natural sunlight inside. It keeps the place light in the day. At night, it lets the light of the moon in as well.”
They entered the cave and she stopped dead on her tracks. “Holy, wow!”
Across the expanse and walls, thick yellow crystals bonded with smooth white rock creating pockets, or windows. One of the most beautiful natural formations she’d ever seen.
Naturally formed crystal spikes hung from the ceiling of the cave like stalactites. She winced at the size of the razor points. “Would one of those fall from there?”
“None ever have,” Eros replied.
She strode forward, sliding her hand on the white stone and watching it turn pale yellow. “This is a mood cave?”
“Yes,” Eros said. “I thought you’d like seeing it in nature.”
She was amazed. Her body heat rose suddenly and she found herself stripping off her coat and hat. “It’s hot in here.”
“The cave changes temperature to allow those inside warmth.” Brecc shoved off his lightweight jacket.
She gulped the saliva gathering in her mouth. Boy, he was big and strong. She still didn’t get how he and Eros walked around in next to nothing. Not that she was complaining or anything.