Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76943 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 385(@200wpm)___ 308(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
“I use my safewords.” Merritt seemed to be willing to humor me at least one more time, however. “We’re using stoplight colors and even if we’re mates, we stop whenever we need to or want to.”
I wasn’t going to prompt him for more, honestly, but he seemed like he wasn’t going to take any chances because he kept going. “I know those are two different things. I also know that you can safeword too and you’ll eat anyone who tries to walk of shame me, so I don’t need to worry about staying over.”
I didn’t mind crunchy food.
I had dental floss.
“You are amazingly patient with your slightly worried Daddy and mate.” That was so obvious, denying it would’ve made me look like a moron. “I’ve never had a mate before.”
He tried to stay frustrated with me but that had his lips fighting to pull up. “Don’t look cute when you’re driving me insane. That’s cheating. And it makes it very hard for me to be worried if you pull that card first.”
Oh?
Did it?
“I don’t know if I should apologize for that or just promise not to drive you insane about those particular topics again?” He’d more than demonstrated a willingness to call me out on bullshit and to remember his safewords.
Rolling his eyes, he sighed. “I’m paying enough attention right now that I realized there wasn’t any kind of apology in there and you basically just said you’re planning on driving me crazy about other things tonight.”
“I’m self-aware enough that I know I’ll end up driving you crazy about an interesting variety of things in our life together.” That had him biting his lip to hold back laughter but I was serious, which was probably why it was so funny. “I am also making a list of ways to make it up to you that would work best.”
I was a thorough notetaker and already had a page for him in my favorite app.
He stopped laughing but that was because he rolled his eyes. “You’ve seriously got a list.”
That was what I’d said.
“Daddy?” Focusing back on me, Merritt inched closer and seemed to be doing his best to look cute.
It worked.
“Yes?” He wasn’t little, but he was, however, adorable when he manipulated me.
“I want cuddles and I’m done talking.” Suddenly, he was pressed against my chest with his head on my shoulder. “You know my limits for tonight. You’re my Daddy. You’re my mate. I want cuddles and for you to touch my butt. Your hand always stops at my waist when you’re stroking me.”
Because I wasn’t going to make assumptions and it wasn’t terribly polite to just ask someone, mate or not, if you could touch their butt.
Especially on the first date.
“I think all of those are doable and will be very enjoyable.” Kissing his head, I wrapped my arms around him and made sure he knew I didn’t want him to move away. “But we’re going inside before I touch your butt because the woman who lives across the street is hanging out her front window. I think she’s going to fall if we startle her too much.”
I knew I should’ve found a place farther away but Wren had talked me into someplace entirely too local…probably because he’d heard about the local shenanigans and wanted to be close to the chaos.
“If she gets hurt, I’ll have to go see if she’s okay. So that’s probably a good plan.” Taking a deep breath and relaxing against me, Merritt didn’t seem to be in any hurry to move. “She likes getting the best gossip, but I heard that she nearly cracked her head open a few months ago. That might be how she did it.”
Clearly, she wasn’t good at learning lessons.
“Inside then.” Giving him one more kiss, I relaxed my hold on him to fish my key out of my pocket. “Cuddles and touches and kisses. Then we’ll see where we go from there.”
“You like planning things.” There was a hint of a smile in his voice but it was mostly just a statement of fact, and since he was right, there was no reason to get offended.
“Yes.” Kissing his head again, I opened the door and herded him inside so we wouldn’t end up with an ER visit because of a nosy…dragon. “It makes me happy and it makes sure we’re both on the same page. Some people like surprises but I’ve found with most subs it’s best not to surprise them.”
He was quiet for a moment before pulling away as I shut the door. “I guess you’re right. I mean, I don’t mind the idea of surprises but they’re not the best way to get me to relax enough to submit.”
As I made sure the curtains were closed completely and turned on the lamp by the bed, I tapped on the wall and nodded as Wren tapped back. His giggles coming through the wall were suspicious as fuck, but I wasn’t going to ask what he was doing.