They sat together for what seemed like hours. Finally, she felt like she wanted to be a human again. She flew to the bathroom and put her clothes back on.

She felt shy coming out again. She didn’t know what it was, but things were different between her and Wy now. Her butterfly felt something for him. Dottie couldn’t put her finger on it, exactly.

Love?

That didn’t seem right. She couldn’t love him already. She barely knew him. But the longer she stood with her hand on the doorknob, not moving, the more it made sense. Her butterfly loved him. It was so calm around him because it trusted him. That never happened for her.

If her butterfly loved him, then she must too, right?

Dottie sat down on the toilet seat to think. She loved him. She did. Even though they had just met, she already loved him.

She was crazy. This couldn’t be normal—unless he was her mate. Then it would all make sense. She quickly took out her phone to look it up on her favorite forum.

There was a whole section where people talked about meeting their mates. It was supposed to provide inspiration for people who were convinced that they would never find their true love. As Dottie scrolled through the stories, they started to sound very familiar. You meet someone and have a strong connection with them. Eventually, you realize that it’s more than just a normal relationship. Maybe you feel crazy. But you aren’t. It’s your mate.

And the person was always sure as soon as they shifted around their mate. Their animal side could always spot its mate.

That was all how Dottie felt. This was it. He was her mate!

There was a knock at the door. “Are you okay in there?”

“I’m fine!” Dottie called back quickly.

She put her fingers to her mouth. What was she going to do? She couldn’t just tell him. He would think she was bonkers. Wy was a really nice guy, but no man wanted to hear “I love you” after less than three weeks. She was going to look like a nutcase.

Unless he felt the same way. If he did, it wouldn’t be strange at all.

Dottie put her head in her hands and groaned. She couldn’t spend the rest of the night in the bathroom talking to herself. She had to make a decision and get out there. She didn’t want to look crazy, but her heart was telling her to be honest with him. He liked her. He had asked her out, after all. Even though they had agreed to just be friends, there was a good chance that he still wanted something more. They were clicking on every level. He had to feel that too.

Plus, if she was pretty sure that he was her mate, his animal had to feel the same way. There was no other way to find out but just to ask. Even things didn’t turn out the way she wanted, it would be okay. She didn’t even live in Maple Creek, really. Their jobs would be ending soon, too. It would be fine. She could never see him again. But she really hoped that wouldn’t happen.

She took a deep breath and left the bathroom. Wy was waiting for her in the living room.

“How are you doing?” His forehead was wrinkled, and he was twisting his hands. “I didn’t do something wrong, did I?”

She shook her head. “Nope. Nothing wrong.”

She sat down next to him and scrolled through the movies. She picked a Christmas cartoon. They watched it quietly while she worked up the courage to say what she was feeling.

“Wyatt, I really liked shifting with you,” she began suddenly. “I haven’t felt that good while I was shifted in a very long time. I was starting to panic, and then I calmed right down when I was close to you.”

He beamed. “Good. I’m really glad. I shift all the time, so I’m happy I got to be with you the first time you shifted in Maple Creek.”

She took his hand before continuing. “I’m happy too. Really happy. That’s why I have something to say to you. I think…I think you’re my mate. When I was shifted, my butterfly felt such strong feelings for you. I’ve never felt that way about anyone before. You don’t have to say anything back, but I think I love you, Wyatt. It’s cool if you don’t feel the same way, but I wouldn’t feel right if I didn’t tell you how I was feeling.”

He didn’t say anything for a few moments. Dottie felt herself die a little inside while she waited for him to say something.

“You think you love me?” he said finally.

She nodded and bit her lip.

He pulled her close and kissed her softly on the mouth. “I love you too. I didn’t want to seem crazy, but I love you too. My gorilla liked you the moment I saw you. I think I loved you from the first moment I saw you.”

Dottie giggled. “Well, at least we’re both a little crazy.”

“For sure I’m crazy about you.”

His voice was thick with emotion. The smile slid off Dottie’s face. Mate, she thought. This was her mate, and they were all alone in the middle of a snowstorm. This was so romantic.

“I can’t believe how lucky we are.” She kissed him. “We got to find each other during the most romantic time of the year.”

“Christmas?” Wy asked, surprised. “I thought Valentine’s Day was the most romantic holiday.”

Dottie shook her head. “It is a romantic day, but the Christmas season is more romantic to me. There’s something so loving about the whole holiday.”

“If you say so.”

They held hands and watched the cartoon. Dottie stayed nestled in the crook of Wy’s arm with her head on his shoulder. She couldn’t stop looking over at him when she thought he wasn’t looking.

“What?” he asked when he caught her.

“You are so handsome. I can’t believe someone as handsome as you is my mate.”

“What? You’re way too beautiful for me. When I first saw you, I didn’t think I had a chance. I was so happy to even be your friend.”

She wrinkled her nose. “You have to meet my parents. I’m lucky to have you as a friend, but you’re so much more than that to me now. You have to meet them as soon as they’re back in town.”

He nodded. “Of course. I can’t wait. They’re important to you, so I want to get to know them too. They are the best roommates after all, right?”

“Yeah, but I think you would make a great roommate too.” She clamped her hand over her mouth and felt herself blush. “I don’t mean I want to move in with you already or anything. I just meant that you take good care of your home. I’ve had roommates who were slobs and made it hard to live with them. I don’t think you would be like that.”

He laughed and pulled her close again, wrapping her arms around his middle. “You’re my mate. Of course I want to live with you. There’s nothing you could say that would make me run away. I love you, Dottie. I love you so very much.”

Her heart melted to hear him say it again. “I love you too.”

She kissed his cheek and put her head on his shoulder again. The next cartoon started, and as they watched, she let her hand wander around his stomach. He was her mate. She could touch him anywhere she wanted now, and she had been dying to touch his perfect abs ever since she got there.

They felt even better than they looked. The more she touched, the warmer she began to feel. She was licking her lips and running her hands along the line of his jeans before long.

“Dottie,” Wy said in a strangled tone. “What are you doing?”

“I’m touching you. You’re my mate. I get to touch you now.”

“Does that mean I get to touch you too?”

“Yup. If you want to.”

He tightened his grip on her waist and moved so he was over her. He put his other arm around her too and pulled her down to the carpet. He kissed her and ran his hands all over her body.

Dottie couldn’t stop touching him. She pulled his sweater off and ran her hands down his back as they kissed. He smelled so good. She didn’t think it was all his cologne. There was a smell underneath it that was distinctly Wyatt.

He put his hands on the button of her jeans. “Can I…”

She nodded, and he slipped his hands inside her jeans. It was a tight fit, but he managed to get his fingers down between her legs. He rubbed her through her panties until she moaned and bucked against his hand.

“Don’t stop.”

“I’m not going to,” he promised. He pushed her panties aside and rubbed her slow and hard.

Dottie started to shudder and closed her eyes tight. She wrapped her hand around his bicep and rode his hand until she saw stars.

He kissed her nose. “God, you’re beautiful.”

She unbuttoned his jeans. She couldn’t believe this was her life now. She had a mate. A gorgeous, hulking beast of a mate.

“I love you, Wyatt.”

“I love you too,” he groaned. “You’re going to stay here tonight, right?”

“I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. I don’t want to leave your side until I absolutely have to.”

“Good.” He took her hand out of his jeans and lay down on top of her. “Let’s take this real slow, then.”

She nodded and kissed him. “We have all night. We can do whatever you want.”

And whatever she wanted. She wasn’t going to let him go until long after the sun came up. He was hers and hers alone, and she wanted to enjoy him.