Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
“What do you need, Rainbow?”
“Do you have any plain paper? I want to design a new tattoo for Floppy.”
“How could I forget?” Maniac asked, whacking his forehead. Quickly, he reopened the drawer and pulled out a spiral bound sketchbook. He placed it on top of the coloring books.
“Thank you,” she said, pulling the tablet toward her. Tatiana smoothed her hand over the cover. A brand-new sketchpad. Opening it up, she leaned in to sniff the paper and felt his hand smooth over her hair. Embarrassed, she peeked up at him.
“I feel that same way, too. I bought myself one as well. We can doodle together,” he proposed, smiling fondly at her.
Tatiana had never been in a relationship with someone who understood the excitement for the potential blank drawing paper held. Maniac understood so much of her core being. They were so much alike. Was that a good thing?
“No worrying. The future will figure itself out,” he reprimanded her as if reading her thoughts.
“How do you always know what I’m thinking?”
“Your face is very expressive, Rainbow.”
She tried to cultivate a deadpan look and he just chuckled. “It’s not going to work, is it?”
“No. But look at it this way, can you tell what I’m thinking?” He quirked one eyebrow up.
“Most of the time.”
“So, we’re even.” Maniac dropped a kiss on the top of her head and moved away to clean up the kitchen.
Picking up a red colored pencil, Tatiana started to draw a heart but stopped to look down at her wrist. That symbol hadn’t stood for love the last time—at least not true love. She needed something else to draw. What else do I love?
Inspiration struck her. She set the red down and picked up the tan colored pencil. Carefully, she crafted something that made her happy to look at. Floppy would love it, too. She’d just sketched the orange fruit on top when Maniac wandered back to her side.
“A Flirty Kumquat cupcake? You’ll have to take that to show Ellie tomorrow. She’s going to want that picture,” he warned.
“I’ll make a colored photocopy tomorrow so I can take her one. If you think she’ll like it?”
“How could she not? I bet that’s going to be the next featured cupcake,” Maniac suggested.
“I wonder what it will taste like. I’ve never had a kumquat before. What a funny word for a funny little fruit.”
Her Daddy chuckled. “I agree. I’m curious too. We’ll have to try them as soon as she perfects the recipe.”
Wriggling happily in her chair, Tatiana couldn’t wait to show it to her friend. A cupcake seemed to be a much better symbol for love than a heart. Everyone enjoyed the sweet treat and wanted more. When Maniac’s hand brushed over her braids, Tatiana glanced up at him.
“Bath time, Rainbow. Let’s put all the supplies away for tonight.”
“But it’s still so early. I don’t go to bed until two-ish,” she protested.
“That’s not healthy, Little girl. You’ll get used to your new bedtime.”
“I won’t be able to sleep.”
“We’ll see. Let’s put everything in this drawer. It’s reserved for your art supplies,” Maniac deftly changed the topic.
“Don’t you have like utensils or kitchen towels that need to go in there?”
“Nope. Those all have other homes,” Maniac informed her as he picked up all the colored pencils to put back in the box. “Help Daddy and stack the coloring books in first.”
“I want to draw longer, Maniac.”
“I know.”
Tatiana’s gaze locked with his for several seconds, and she only lowered hers when it was obvious Maniac wasn’t going to back down. “Fine.” She gathered the coloring books and dropped them into the drawer, cringing as one corner got bent. Forcing herself not to smooth it out to show him she didn’t care, Tatiana picked up the crayons and placed them on top. If her fingertips accidentally fixed the oopsy, it was totally unintentional.
“Let’s go get your teeth brushed as the water runs for your bath.”
“I could just take a shower,” she suggested, standing self-consciously.
“Bubbles,” he reminded her as he took her hand.
Trailing him through the house, Tatiana tried to squash her rising nervousness. When he flipped on the bright light of the bathroom, she almost bolted, but he held her hand firmly.
“Let’s tone this down a bit to get you ready for bed,” he suggested, turning the knob to dim the brightness.
After gently towing her to the sink, he opened a drawer and pulled out a handful of wrapped toothbrushes in a variety of colors, making her laugh. “You really do have a toothbrush fetish,” she teased, reminding him of the many times she’d caught him brushing his teeth in the work sink in the back storage area. Tatiana knew he despised the idea of leaning close over someone to work on their tattoo with bad breath.
“I do. But I’ll share my hoard with you, fair princess. What would you like? Lemon, blueberry, or maybe kumquat?”