Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75457 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Oopsie.
Did that sneak out through the bond?
Oh dear.
Daddy pinched his lips together to hide his giggles, but they were in his head, so I heard them. “Special date time for my boy and then we’ll decide if we need grown-up time on our date too.”
Yay.
“Dates can be both. My books said so and the other littles on the other side of the gate said so too.”
They said it a lot.
Nodding, he kept petting my head but the bond said he was thinking happy and cute and even naughty thoughts. But I wasn’t sure he knew about the naughty ones. Daddy’s thoughts kept going and going and going.
He thought a lot.
“That’s right and there’s no one right way for a Daddy and little to play or have dates or to cuddle.” Daddy was watching me like he wanted me to tell him I understood.
I did.
I could nod in my dragon body too but it made Daddy giggle. That was the best, though, because he couldn’t worry and giggle at the same time.
My books said so.
“I’ll get used to that.” Daddy shook his head and thought about being appropriate. “I promise. I just haven’t hung out with anyone in a shifted form very often.”
Because one tried to eat Daddy when he got mind sick.
That was okay because Daddy remembered I wasn’t going to eat him. We didn’t eat mates. That was just bad and I wasn’t sure what the magic would do. No dragon had ever eaten their mate…not even when they got a cranky mage.
Besides, I liked cookies, not crunchy people.
Oh cookies.
Oh presents.
“What’s my surprise, Daddy?”
Yes.
I couldn’t forget.
Daddy laughed and shook his head again. “You’re adorable.”
That was better than cute, so my surprise had to be the best.
“I have a couple of surprises for an adorable dragon on a date with his Daddy.” He gave my head a pat and chuckled. “Okay, let me sit up and I’ll show you the first surprise.”
Yay.
Cute puppy time.
Daddy shook his head as I sat up on my bottom like Earth dogs did and wagged my tail. “The mate bond makes it so you know how cute that is and how good you’re going to be able to manipulate me with it, doesn’t it?”
“Yep.”
English-speaking humans had good words.
Oh.
Did other human languages have good words too?
“You’ve got a couple of choices for what we can do.” Daddy kissed my head as he made the bond tiny-tiny and reached for the bag he called a duffel bag. “I think all of them will be fun so we can do one of them or all of them or none of them.”
“I like surprises, Daddy.”
He nodded and understood surprises and presents were important. “Sometimes I might get you something that you don’t like, though. I won’t do it deliberately, but I might get something wrong. I’m just letting you know I won’t be upset if my surprises don’t work.”
“I like surprises.”
And presents.
And special attention.
“I like surprises.”
They meant I was important.
“I’m glad you like surprises, baby.” Daddy leaned over and nuzzled my head as he reached into the bag. “Alright, my favorite first.”
“Yay.”
Daddy made a silly laughing sound and smiled bigger. “You like surprises. Yes.”
“I do. I do a lot.”
Because they were so much fun.
“My wiggly little dragon.”
Excitement made wiggles.
He knew it too because he held his hand in the bag and waited and waited and he made my wiggles worse. It made Daddy giggle like he was an excited little dragon too. “Why are you so wiggly? I don’t know why you’re so excited. Oh, do you need to fly and get your wiggles out more?”
“No, Daddy.”
He was so silly.
“I need my surprise.”
“Oh, I didn’t realize how exciting that was.” He was trying to look innocent but he needed more practice. “Hey, I heard that.”
Oops.
He huffed and tried to look frustrated but he needed more practice with that too.
“Silly little dragon.” He shrugged. “You can read my mind, so I don’t think practicing would help.”
I wagged my tail making him laugh again.
“Alright, here we go.” Daddy pulled his hand out slowly…inch, inch, inch…
“Oh. Daddy.”
He got me books for my hoard.
“Books, Daddy.”
“That was fast.” Daddy’s eyes got wide.
Oops…scared Daddy.
I looked down at people-body me.
“I need fingers for my books, Daddy.” I wiggled my fingers and made my innocent eyes. “I got to touch my hoard.”
Daddy’s smile peeked out again. “I was hoping they might go in your hoard once I realized what it was.”
Cheek kiss time.
“You knew because you’re my mate.” He knew because I was special to him. “You got me books. Show me. Show me.”
Daddy was confused about how to react because he felt a lot and his face did more, but he finally kissed my cheek because he knew that was best too. “Book time first.”
“Yay.” I was starting to understand why littles in books made such good noises. “Playtime with hoard time.”