Page 121 of Monster Daddies

The Littles said that was good, so I gave him a hug and my biggest bestest-boy smile. “Flying, Daddy.”

I had to go faster, faster.

“You’re going to give me a heart attack.” Daddy made more grumblies but he put me down. “I might have cookies for a good boy who walks up the stairs carefully.”

Oh.

Daddies cheated too.

I forgot.

“I like cookies, Daddy.” But I like flying. Walk. Walk. Clomp. Clomp. Hmm. Flying was better. “What kind?”

Daddy liked winning.

“I have Oreos and chocolate chip cookies.” He got his devious Daddy smile when I sighed. “I thought you might like those if you came over to visit.”

“I like visits.” I liked cookies too. “I like flying a lot, Daddy. A big lot. Ten and ten and ten cookies a lot.”

Daddy laughed. “Five cookies a lot.”

Hmm.

“Five and five.” I showed him my two hands. “Flying means I need a snack.”

“You’re working hard.” Daddy nodded and pretended to be thinky. “Five cookies and a snack or a sandwich? I’ve got peanut butter and jelly or ham and cheese.”

“Both!” Flying was hard. “Catch me, Daddy!”

Wee….

“Ancestors above.”

Chapter Four

Malik

“No. We had a deal. Five cookies and a snack. Those eyes aren’t going to work on me.” Not again, anyway.

They’d already gotten him an extra cookie for Bouncy that had mysteriously disappeared as soon as I’d turned my back, so I had to draw the line somewhere.

“I…” Alton’s manipulation was cut off by a yawn, but it also seemed to reset his brain because he looked down at his plate and then back up to me, like he’d forgotten he was trying to get more Oreos. “Milk?”

That was a curious shift in topic considering he’d been adamant about getting water or apple juice with his sandwiches.

Two so far… cut up into triangles.

And cookies.

“Yes, you can have milk, but I have a question first.” I had several but we’d start simple. “Did you have lunch, little Roo?”

He gave me several long blinks before doing the plate-and-back-to-Daddy routine. Instead of giving me words right away, he shrugged. I just waited because I was going to need even a one- or two-word answer before I could keep going. “Chips.”

Just chips?

“Chips and sparkly juice.”

“Just chips and soda?” When he nodded, I managed not to frown but it was painfully difficult. “How much did you drive this morning? Did you stay at one of the hotels by the highway?”