Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 386(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 257(@300wpm)
“Lorne says human shapes are crunchy but I don’t think he’s eaten anyone.” Kenzie’s smile said he thought he was being helpful but I wasn’t sure what’d given him that idea. “Chomp. Chomp.”
Our audience laughed, even the ones who seemed human, but Alick seemed smarter and started shaking his head. “You’re not going to eat my mate.”
I would hope not.
“I have no plans to do anything that would require you to hide my body.” That seemed like the broadest promise I could make and it satisfied the officer. “I also appreciate the privacy to get to know Alick. I’ve been looking for him for a while.”
That actually got my mate to pop his head up.
“I didn’t mean to give you a compulsion or hide from you when you got here. I’ve been feeling weird for the past couple of days, so I kept working to help ignore how anxious I was.” His face scrunched up making him look younger than he probably was. “Sorry?”
“I have no idea if anyone needs to apologize.” Besides the friend who seemed to have started all of it to begin with, but I decided to sort that out later. “So let’s just table that discussion for the time being and get to know one another?”
Alick took a deep breath and sat up, looking like a nervous sub instead of like he wanted to die under the table. “I’d like that.”
Well, it was one step in the right direction.
And definitely felt more normal.
“I’m Grady.” I held out my hand, giving him the chance to decide if he was going to take it or not.
He did.
When we finally touched, I could feel the bond starting to stir and I knew without a doubt that he was mine. I wasn’t sure what he could feel as a human, but his smile brightened and he blushed, which was a good sign to me. “I’m Alick. I’m…I’m glad you’re finally here.”
“Me too.” Ignoring the sighs and awws coming from around us, I nodded toward the door. “Under any other circumstances I would love to have lunch with you, but I’m not sure this will work.”
He chuckled as I gestured around the room, relaxing back into the booth. “Yeah, they’ve had enough gossip for now.”
That was one way to look at it.
“I have questions about the local culture.” Glancing around at all the nosy expressions, I frowned. “Lots of them, but I’m going to be patient.”
Alick was almost giggling, and his laughter sounded like it’d lost some of its grown-up-ness, which made me wonder again if I was reading into things. “I think you’ve already been really patient.”
“Me too.” Trying not to overwhelm him if he was inching toward being little in some way, I gestured toward the door. “This is going to sound like we’re in a movie that would scare your friend Kenzie, but would you like to go see my van?”
Alick’s eyes got wide before he giggled and looked excitedly toward the front of the restaurant. “You’re Canadian, so Kenzie says you can’t hurt me.”
Rolling my eyes got another happy sound from him. “His judgment is…well…I’m going to put that aside for now too.”
That got laughs from most of the room.
Clearly, I wasn’t the only one who thought that little dragon was interesting.
“Do you really have a van?” Leaning against the table, Alick rested his elbows on it and grinned. “Is it big and white?”
His imagination was going to be an interesting place.
“No, but it is a travel trailer where I can make us lunch or dessert if you’ve already eaten. Then we could hang out and talk where we have some privacy.” That didn’t sound too dangerous. “But if you yelled out, we’d be close enough that someone would hear.”
“Why would I need to do that?” His face scrunched up again. “You’re my mate.”
“I wasn’t sure how much you knew about what that meant and I didn’t want you to be nervous.” I was probably being overly cautious but I’d rather be seen as a worrier than scare him. “However, you’re right. We might’ve technically just met but I’m your mate, and I know what that means.”
It meant he was mine.
But we were strangers who’d met under the oddest circumstances I’d ever heard of, so we were going to start from the beginning.
Whatever that was going to be.
“I’ve always wanted a mate.” Something not quite grown-up was shining from his eyes, but he didn’t lose that innocence as what must’ve been half the town sighed again like we were adorable.
“Then can I make my mate lunch or a snack?” I held out my hand again, palm up to try to show him I wanted more than a shake this time. “Or dessert?”
And I got another giggle.
“I like dessert but I haven’t eaten yet.” That told me he was either still big enough to make good decisions or hungry enough that he wanted real food first. “I’d like to have lunch with you.”