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)
Alick brightened and tightened his grip on my arm, obviously realizing he’d been forgiven. “The forever humans have lived here with the mages for a long, long time, so they hid us.”
That didn’t explain as much as he thought it did, but I rolled the information around in my head as I slowly drove us down the street. It’d been beautiful and tree lined before, but with Alick holding my hand, the view had completely changed.
Instead of there being just a handful of small driveways leading off the nearly empty road, there was a row of cute cottages and longer winding dirt roads that seemed to lead up into the mountains. “How does this not get confusing?”
Alick shrugged like he hadn’t realized how odd it was. “Um, well…”
Thinking about the situation seemed to clear some of the little from his head because he leaned back and something shifted so that he suddenly looked like a guy I was dating instead a little that I was teasing. “I guess I’ve just gotten used to how odd it is?”
Yep, big.
“How do you get mail? What about Amazon? What about new humans who move into town? What about tourists?” I could’ve kept going but it seemed ridiculous at that point.
Alick sighed and looked slightly guilty. “Well, the weird reviews online about how hard it is to find some of the rental houses are finally getting noticed. But we have a small post office behind the library, so most people just get their mail there if their house is hidden.”
Most people?
Their mailman had to think he was losing his mind.
I still had a lot of questions, but he pointed off to the right. “Um, I’m the third house down. The light green cottage. There should be room to pull the trailer into the front yard. I did a U-shaped driveway because of some bushes I wanted to put in the front.”
Hmm.
“Just because of the bushes or did you think it was really important?” My question left him confused for a second before his mouth dropped open. I laughed as I pulled in his driveway where, unsurprisingly, there was plenty of room for the trailer. “Thought so.”
“That’s bigger than my beach toys, Daddy.” Little Alick peeked out for a second before he shoved him back and blinked. “Um, yeah, it was important. I kept telling myself it was for the bushes because I really like the overgrown way they look, but I paid a stupid amount to have it put in. The original driveway was tiny.”
Chuckling, I parked the truck and shrugged as I turned it off. “Well, thank you for thinking of me and I guess that answers the question about whether we should keep the trailer or not.”
“Keep it. We’re going to travel with my toys.” Alick’s eyes went wide and he closed his mouth. “Um, I guess that would be up to you, though.”
This was not going to work.
Unbuckling, I shifted in my seat to give him a serious look that had him squirming. “First, I’m going to say that I really want to get to know this side of you because I have lots of grown-up questions. Second, this is your warning that if you don’t try to stop overthinking the situation, I’ll go to Walmart and buy a whole cartload of coloring books and kiddie gardening supplies. Everything from brightly colored little tools on down.”
“That’s cheating.” Alick’s glare and the drama in his voice were the cutest things I’d ever seen. “That’s Lorne level of cheating.”
That was one dragon I was going to have to keep an eye on.
“I just wanted to make sure you knew I was serious.” Lifting one shoulder, I gave a half shrug. “I’m not afraid to handle a situation, baby boy.”
His sigh was almost a whine as his eyes went big and he huffed. “But you can’t…I shouldn’t…”
Whatever he was thinking was ridiculous and I wasn’t afraid to point that out.
“What am I? The main title.” Keeping my eyes focused on his, I waited.
He broke quicker than I’d expected, a pout and another huff escaping. “You’re my mate.”
“Good boy.” And the pink cheeks were back. “And what did you say about mates?”
Alick gave me more dramatic sounds but didn’t drag it out too long. “That they’re always compatible.”
“That’s right.” Pulling out the big guns, I made sure all he saw was a serious Dom face. “And if you keep worrying about what to say, I’m going to go to Walmart and when I get back, my little cutie and I are going to have some long, giggly talks about your list.”
Alick’s mouth dropped open.
When he was stunned silent, I nodded to make it clear that I’d do it and that I knew it would work. “I have a feeling that as long as I’m not talking about how young your little side is, he won’t mind chatting.”