Page 9 of Culture and Curiosities (Blue Ridge Charm #1)

Wren

Oh, another alien.

The grumpy one.

I was going to have to tell the diner men that I’d found him, so they didn’t need to worry.

“I’m Toman’s mate. He’s my Daddy. I’m little. I like the diner men but I won’t talk to you about diner stuff if you don’t want to. But we brought you dino nuggets and bananas and brownies that I’ve been very careful with.”

Hmm.

He was thinking.

Oh.

I looked over at my confused Daddy. “Everybody knows I’m Team Binkie, so they’re going to know you’re my Daddy. We can’t hide that.”

Daddy nodded. “I do not have the same privacy concerns as humans seem to have. However, we will need to discuss the concept of limits around what information is publicly shared.”

“Okay.” Kissing his cheek, I turned back to the grumpy alien. “Daddy? Tell him I’m nice.”

“He should understand that as my mate you are wonderful, but yes, I will confirm you are a nice little and a good boy.” Daddy leaned over and kissed my head. “I would give you appropriate back rubs but this is not the environment to set down food.”

“It’d get dirty.” Giggling, I shook my head. “You can give me more hugs and rub my back later.”

Grumpy alien was still grumpy, so I gave him a big smile.

“I’m going to be nosy too, but not yet. You can get used to me first before I ask you about stuff.

Oh, but I’m going to take you to a store soon.

It’s got books. You’ll like it. We’ll do it tomorrow because tonight is mate stuff.

I’m not going to talk about that because you don’t like diner stuff. ”

He might’ve started looking less grumpy but it was hard to tell.

So I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

I was a really good boy.

“Fine.” Still frowning, Klynn the fin and the grumpy member of Team Binkie nodded. “I like books.”

He tried to be subtle but he looked at Daddy.

“He knows you’ve got good books.” I shrugged. “Sorry. I didn’t know it was a secret until it was out. I’m going to help you to get new books, though.”

That would help fix it.

He huffed.

Ha.

“I do not have to explain my reading material.” Looking really cute and still really frowny, he glared at Daddy. “I have not lied.”

If Daddy was from Earth he’d have snorted.

They didn’t seem to do that kind of stuff, so he sighed. “I will do better at reading the fine print when discussing topics with you.”

Daddy made me giggle. “Good job. That’s how you use fine print.”

He was learning fast and didn’t even question himself.

“Oh.” I turned back to Klynn. “Once Daddy and me start to bond, I think he’ll get better at regular English so then he can give it to you. I’ll share all the fun definitions for the words in your books. I remember stuff great.”

He was softening.

I could see it.

I wasn’t actually sure I could get him into town, but I could at least get him to talk to me.

“And I can answer any questions you have about stuff.” Little stuff. Sexy stuff. Toy stuff. Naughty stuff. Diner stuff. “But only if you ask. I will respect your limits.”

I’d brought treats and dino nuggets, though, so it wouldn’t take long.

“Oh, I’m not oversharing but Daddy’s going to come back to my hotel tonight. Mate stuff. You know.”

Hopefully he knew.

If he didn’t, we had to get him better books.

“My limits are talking about anything Team Binkie related.” Klynn was very firm about that, but once I nodded, he relaxed. “I will discuss mate things. I was not expecting that to happen here.”

“Neither was Daddy.” I snickered as Klynn and Daddy both nodded. “I found him at the party and then we went to Walmart to get stuff. I wanted to get you fun things so you wouldn’t miss Daddy too much. I didn’t want you to worry either.”

That would be bad.

Worried grumpy dragons made very interesting decisions.

And the diner men didn’t want any more trees burned down.

“Thank you for fun things.” Our grumpy dragon found his manners. But I didn’t tell him he was a good boy because that was too close to Team Binkie stuff. “You are right. I would have been concerned if Toman had not returned.”

He’d have big worried, but I didn’t say that.

“Is it a Super Walmart? I have read about those.” He tried to sound casual but he was a shopper. I could smell it. So I waved the bags in his direction. “What form of potatoes did you bring to go with the dino nuggets?”

And I’d found a way to my new friend’s heart.

“I have tater-tots and big fat fries because they dip the best.” Before he could ask, I held up a bag. “And I bought ranch and barbecue sauce because everyone likes at least one of those.”

And Daddy could magic it into something different if Klynn didn’t like either of them.

Nodding slowly, Klynn turned a very predatory gaze on the bags. “I will try both but from my research I am Team Barbecue.”

His personality was a bit spicy so that didn’t surprise me.

“Great.” I was starved. “Daddy’s going to show me how to heat it up and how you guys keep food cold. We don’t have those spells here.”

That was what made his eyes go wide?

Not aliens.

Not weird plant life and new animals.

Not the diner men.

“You don’t?” He waved one hand back toward what I was assuming was the camp. “My stories do not have them but I thought it was a human issue.”

“No, it’s an everyone issue.” We clearly weren’t doing enough practical shit with magic. “We use magic to fuck with each other and drive dragons crazy and change the flowers. Um, that’s about it?”

Oh.

“No, I heard a rumor in town that the sparkly dragon who sold you the tablet has a mate that changes himself to look like monsters because his mate likes being ravished that way.” Yep. He knew that word.

Reading was so educational.

“He becomes a monster fucker?” Klynn finally found something he was excited enough about to look human when he talked. “I have read about those but never met one in person.”

“You have now. Lorne is evidently very interesting.” So his reading material must’ve been fun if Klynn knew what a monster fucker was.

“Oh, and the library in town has a fun monster section too. The librarian who runs it is human, but the polite kind that’s married to a local.

He can behave himself. He never gets in trouble at the diner for saying naughty stuff. ”

Klynn’s slow nod said he might be willing to meet the librarian. “I have read about libraries. The workers who run them are almost as interesting as the monster fucker people.”

“I know.” I shrugged, shaking my head. “But no one ever believes it.”

Daddy didn’t seem to know what was going on but he watched us quietly and seemed to be doing his best to let me tame his cranky Team Binkie work partner.

Hmm.

When could I ask what kind of Mommy or Daddy he was hoping to get as a mate?

If he was reading Lorne’s books, did that mean he wanted a Daddy?

Not being nosy was going to be hard.

****

Gonna be careful with Daddy.

Daddy needs a good helper.

Good helpers are slow helpers.

“You are performing humming, my mate.” Daddy swung our hands together as we walked up to the hotel room. “That indicates thoughts?”

“Yes.” I kissed Daddy’s cheek before I dug out my key. “I’m a happy mate and a thinking mate.”

Daddy made a curious sound and watched me close like a suspicious Daddy. He was so cute which made me even happier. “Please share your thoughts.”

All of them?

Well, he was my mate and my Daddy.

“First when we got to the hotel I thought about what we were going to do. Then I remembered we might not do all of that. Then I told myself it was okay that we weren’t going to do all of that.” There’s no right or wrong for what mates do.

I remembered that good.

But I remembered other stuff too.

“Then I told myself that I was going to be careful with you.” That was very important.

“Being careful reminded me that you needed me to be a good helper. Then I remembered that good helpers are slow helpers and don’t rush their Daddies.

Then I was going to think about how slow was too slow but you talked. ”

Daddy blinked as I did a big ta-da as I let him in my room. “You have a very nice room.”

I got more head kisses so I knew he was happy as we went inside. “My cousin is over there. He’s got a new friend or new something, so he’s busy. But if we’re too loud he’s going to get curious. Then I’ll tell him about you, Daddy.”

Daddy cocked his head. “You are excited, so you are not scared of telling him.”

“That’s right.” He was so smart. “It’s like a game. I’m playing Hide and Seek with you and teasing him.”

Pierce would be nosy eventually and then he’d get all funny because he’d worry.

“How will he react to my presence?” Daddy looked at the wall between our rooms and was careful not to be too loud. “You have said your mother will not be pleased for a variety of reasons.”

“My mother is going to be a pain in the butt.” So I was going to throw Pierce under the bus as soon as I knew he had a mate.

Those had been mate looks but I had to be sure.

Gossip needed to be accurate for it to be the best distraction.

“He’s going to worry that you’re not from here, but he’ll like you and he’ll be excited for me and excited that he doesn’t have to watch out for me any longer. That’s your job now, Daddy.”

He was going to do good at it too.

My Daddy was smart and strong and did magicy stuff and was an alien so that made him even more fun.

Now we just had to figure out how to shift Magic Daddy into Naughty Daddy.

“I’ll put my new toys away later, Daddy.” Taking the bag from him, I set it in the chair and pulled him over to the bed. “Sit, please. I want to cuddle, so I’ll take your shoes off.”

No shoes on the bed.

No shoes meant pants could come off easier.

Easier meant no overthinking.

Overthinking led to undermating.

“You are humming again, but I am not sure if I should inquire about your thoughts.” Daddy was being silly as he let me lead him over to the bed to sit down. “I am starting to understand the comments made about Team Binkie members.”

Giggling, I shook my head as I plopped down to take off his shoes. “Team Binkie members are cute and funny and sweet and always good and always need cuddles…and snacks.”

Yes, couldn’t forget snacks or cuddles.

“I am not sure about your list, my mate.” Daddy smiled as he watched me take off his socks and made me giggle by wiggling his toes.

“You may have left out certain items. For example, teasing and getting into what the diner men call mischief. That is being naughty without being bad. There is a distinction I had not understood until I met you.”

“See? I’m helpful too. That needs to go on the list.” Sitting up on my knees, I wiggled my own shoes off and inched closer between his legs. “We remember important rules like limits and safewords too.”

Yep, time to remind Daddy about important stuff.

“We’re both supposed to use our safewords if we don’t like something or we need to slow down.

It’s super-duper important and we can’t do mate stuff or more little stuff without promising.

” What else? “And you’re allowed to say you don’t want to do something.

Mate doesn’t mean I always get what I want. I should. But that’s different.”

Mates were always compatible, though, so he’d give me what I wanted because he’d want it too.

I just had to make sure he knew he wanted it too.

But slowly.

And carefully.

And cutely.

I had to take good care of my Daddy so he’d like mating and want to do it lots and lots.

And lots.