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)
“You’re very special to me.” That had him giving me a happy huff like I was silly. “What? I’m special? Nooo, you’re special.”
I was just a slightly grumpy dragon with an impatient streak for stupidity.
Shaking his head, Merritt inched back to his seat and looked at me like I wasn’t very bright. “Dragon Daddy special.”
It seemed like he wasn’t willing to negotiate on that part.
“I will concede being special only because I have a cute little mage mate who’s very smart and special.” If I was special, it was only because of him and that was something I wasn’t going to negotiate on. “I’m right. So don’t try to argue with me.”
Merritt sighed. “Stubborn Daddy Dragon.”
Oh yes.
But since that was a lesson he needed to understand early, I nodded and didn’t fight the label. “Yes, and I will be a pain in the butt sometimes.”
I should’ve said bottom.
Snickering, Merritt’s shoulders jerked as he made a happy sound. “Naughty Daddy.”
“Sometimes.” Hmm. “But you’ve got a naughty dragon who can take you to ride horses and who can show you cows and who can take you flying. So I think that’s a pretty good trade.”
“Flying?” Merritt looked curious but not worried about it. “Dragon flying?”
That was a good question.
“Okay, I did learn to fly when I was younger. The human airplane type of flying, I mean. I was…let’s just say I liked challenges. But yes, I was talking about dragon flying.” I’d been too busy the last few years to keep up my certification, but I could handle a plane if I needed to.
Grinning, he shook his truck at me. “Not a flying boy. Driving boy.”
Both feet on the ground, huh?
I could understand that, but teasing him was fun. “A slow driving boy. Putt. Putt. Putt.”
He was doing his best to keep a serious expression, but it was just adorable when he was obviously so little. “Naughty Daddy.”
It seemed like I’d found the only little in the entire world who had very firm thoughts on safety. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to tell him about my car collection?
****
“I hear a rumbly tummy.” Stretched out side by side on his small bed, I set the book I’d been reading down. “And it’s not mine.”
Merritt wiggled closer, not quite snuggling yet but almost there as he laid his head down on the bed. “Nuggets?”
Hmm.
“Big date nuggets or little time nuggets?” There were technically a variety of breaded chicken products that could be called nuggets depending on how strict of a definition we were using.
Rolling over, he flopped into me, definitely not cuddling but pressed against my side. “Dipping?”
Sentences had gotten significantly shorter once we were alone, and it’d made me wonder how much younger he’d go under other circumstances. “Anyone can dip.”
Something about that reassurance had his little side retreating and I could almost see the change shifting over him. From one moment to the next I could see him trying to decide if he should move and there were definitely thoughts about what he should say next.
“You still want to dip? I’m partial to barbecue sauce but I’ve heard from the diner men that there’s a large contingent of ranch dippers here.” They’d overheard me saying something about the ranch the first time I’d gone in with Wren and it’d ended up in a strange Who’s on First kind of situation.
His lips twitched like he wanted to grin but he was playing along like it was a serious conversation. “I think the question is what are you dipping fries or fried potato products in.”
“Oh, lawyer talk. That’s kind of sexy.” Wanting to make sure he knew I could shift from playtime to grown-up time, I rolled to my side and pushed up on one elbow so I was braced over him. “Are you going to make me define potato product? Is this going to be like a cheese and cheese product conversation?”
He was barely holding back his laughter, but he nodded as he swallowed down giggles. “I think so. We need to make sure we’re both on the same page. Details matter.”
Oh yes…and I could work with that.
“They do. Details like asking if I can kiss my grown-up mate matter too.” It was fairly smooth based on what I had to work with…and better yet, it made him blush. “My little mage, well, he leans his head close to me and pouts if he doesn’t get a sweet kiss fast enough.”
It was adorable, and Merritt knew he was doing it too, which made it even cuter.
“But my grown-up mage mate might want to take things slower, even though I gave him cake and played cars and let him tell me how the police were going to get me and I even read him the same book three times.” He had an adorable sigh, what could I say.