Page 26 of Myths and Shifts (Blue Ridge Magic #6)

Merritt

“Again?” Had to snuggle Daddy closer and give him big eyes. Kenzie the dragon said it would work. “Please, Daddy?”

Hmm…he frowned…he sighed…he frowned again.

“Who did you learn that from?”

Oops.

“Kenzie.” Telling the truth would make Daddy happy and he’d want to reward me. “He did it to his Daddy and then his Daddy told Toman about good pleases and then Kenzie explained how important it was for littles.”

“One day Kenzie is going to be so helpful he gets punished.” Daddy was being funny but Daddy was smart.

“He likes that.” Kenzie was silly. “And so does his Daddy.”

Everybody knew that.

Daddy sighed. “I should’ve known that.”

Giggling, I snuggled closer to Daddy and gave him my big eyes again. “I like books, Daddy.”

“You are too good at that.” Daddy tried to frown but he was so cute I kissed his cheek. “And you’re good at that too.”

Daddy had a smart mate.

He always said so but then he forgot.

“Thank you, Daddy.” I rested my head on his chest and wiggled my legs over his. Daddy sighed and pulled my cuddle blanket over me. Snug as a bug in a rug. “Again?”

I liked the bear book.

“We’ve read this one three times. How about we pick out another one?” My big, pouty aww sound made Daddy sigh. “I know you have to have more books, little mage.”

“I need more books, Daddy.” More and more and more. “And clothes. You said we were going to buy clothes. So I can be cute.”

Daddy snorted. “You’re always cute.”

My aww sound that time was happy and it got me head kisses. “Thank you, Daddy.”

“You’re welcome, but we’re still going to buy you some clothes. We just have to sit down and pick some out. I know we need some car shirts but we need to pick out other fun things like cartoon people or bears.”

“Dragons?” I liked dragons. “A Daddy dragon shirt. Yes.”

I needed that.

“You sound very…confident about that.” Daddy sounded like he wanted to use a naughty word like stubborn but he didn’t because I was his good boy.

“Yes. I’m confident about Daddy.” I would look cute. “None of the other littles have a Daddy dragon shirt.”

Oh.

Daddy went very still.

Daddy got his frowny, thinking face on.

Daddy sighed.

I won.

“You are very good at making deals, little mage.” Daddy kissed my head and pretended not to frown. “I will figure out how to get you a Daddy dragon shirt.”

“How?” Wiggling under the blanket, I sat on his lap to look cute. “Tell me, Daddy. I’m your good boy.”

Daddy laughed.

Oops.

Pushed too far.

But Daddy kissed my nose. “You are a very good boy and a smart boy and an adorably naughty one too.”

I liked being naughty…it made Daddy laugh.

Wiggling made Daddy laugh too and it made him groan and get happy. “Little mage…that’s…you’re distracting Daddy.”

Hehehe.

I knew what that meant.

I was Daddy’s smart boy.

Wiggle. Wiggle. Wiggle.

Groan. Groan. Groan.

“Story, Daddy?” Hmm. “Big story?”

Yes, if I couldn’t have bears, I’d get my funny people.

“I know. I know.” My bed was just right like Goldilocks’s favorite bed and I found my special book reader. “Here. I know.”

Daddy made a thinking sound. “Your face is my sweet boy. Your thoughts are naughty.”

Oops.

Happy thoughts.

Sweet thoughts.

Mate thoughts.

“That’s more suspicious…just to let you know.” Daddy shrugged when I gave him a Daddy frown. “I had to be honest.”

No.

“That’s not how it works, Daddy.” He was so silly. “Lorne told the men at the diner. Daddies don’t be honest if it makes their littles sad.”

Daddy raised one eyebrow.

Daddy huffed.

“Show me which book you want me to read you.” Daddy was stubborn. “Why is it on your tablet? What kind of book is this? Is it too violent?”

Hmm.

Cheek kiss time.

Daddy groaned. “It’s that violent? At least tell me it’s not…naughty.”

“Daddies have to be honest…do littles?” I wasn’t sure I was going to agree to that.

“Dragons above.” Daddy frowned bigger and bigger. “How naughty is this? Violence and naughty time?”

Yes.

“They’re special, Daddy. They’re not human, so it’s okay.” Kenzie said so. “The librarian said so.”

Kind of.

Daddy’s head cocked. “You haven’t been out of my sight all day…wait…twice to go to the bathroom. How in the great sky above did you manage to get into a dirty book conversation with the librarian?”

So I could lie?

“He came to visit his Daddy.” Boyd liked the closet too. Everybody liked the closet. “He’s nice.”

And not too loud like Kenzie.

But Daddy wouldn’t want to know that, so I was good and gave him two cheek kisses. He groaned and rested his head back on the wall. “Really? It’s two cheek kisses worthy?”

Yep.

I giggled.

Daddy groaned again. “Fine. Book time. I’m going to pretend it’s not violent and naughty, though.”

How?

“They love each other lots and lots, Daddy.” That made it better. “And they have fights and adventures and they save the day. It’s just a little naughty. Oh, and the not too violent man likes tables. I like tables too, Daddy.”

Daddy cocked his head. “Tables?”

“They’re very nice but I don’t have room for tables.” I looked around my pretty house. “I’ll get tables when I have my castle, Daddy.”

“Remind me to ask where all your furniture is.” Daddy got frowny again. “I haven’t asked you nearly enough logistical questions.”

‘Cause Daddy got distracted with snuggles and kisses. “Yes, Daddy.”

Daddy sighed.

I giggled.

“You’re not going to remind me because it’s naughty or silly or magey.” Daddy was so smart he got more kisses. But that made him more dramatic. “Dragons above. It’s naughty magey.”

He was so funny.

“Book time, Daddy.” I gave Daddy one more wiggle to make him happy and laughed when he sighed. “Happy Daddy time.”

“I don’t even know what to say about that.” Daddy was pouty and dramatic. “So I’m going to ignore it.”

I was a good helper, so he didn’t have to worry.

“Good Daddy.” And good Daddy got snuggles and more kisses and tummy rubbies.

“Good grief. There’s so much blood.” Daddy was going to be big dramatic. “No, competence is not that sexy. I’d have gotten more dates in college if it was.”

Giggles.

Words.

Giggles.

Words.

More giggles.

“That’s…for fuck’s sake.” Daddy winced. “Sorry, baby.”

Naughty Daddy.

Naughty book.

Naughty cuddles.

“They all need therapy.”

Hmm.

Daddy needed the slow, happy stories about town people. Yes. I could find that.

Project time.

I was a planner like Daddy.

“Daddy?” Daddy needed a distraction. “Cuddles.”

I wiggled over Daddy until I was on his lap again. “I like book time but now I need cuddle time. And kisses.”

I leaned closer and closer and stole a kiss. “Got one.”

Daddy laughed and book time was over. “You’re so silly.”

“Not a goose.” I scrunched up my face and pretended to be a Daddy. “Not a goose.”

“You’re a silly mage.” Daddy made the best frowny Daddy face. “A silly mage who’s done something with his furniture and who wants to stop at the grown-up stores when we drive and who knows about all the people going into the closet.”

Lots of people went in the closet.

“Daddy likes rules and privacy. No going in the closet.” But I could give him a kiss, so I gave him lots of kisses. Peck. Peck. Peck. “But we can cuddle here.”

Daddy was trying not to smile as he wrapped his arms around me. “I like cuddling with my mate.”

“Your silly mate.” I almost not giggled but he was so funny. “You take care of your silly mate.”

Nodding, Daddy stole a kiss from me that time. “I do. I love taking care of my mate, silly or funny or when he’s a scary mage who’s protecting his Daddy.”

Wiggle. Wiggle. Wiggle.

“I do good at that.” I was good at being sneaky too.

I wiggled and kissed and gave Daddy the big innocent eyes until he was moaning and wiggling too. “You’re…you’re teasing me, little mage.”

Yep.

And I was a good tease too.

I was smart and funny…Daddy said so.

“Noooo, I’m Daddy’s good boy and good boys get kisses.” Lots of wiggly kisses. “And they get cuddles and snuggles and they get their backs and bottoms rubbed.”

Daddy did his eyebrow Daddy look. “They do, huh?”

I nodded and didn’t giggle at all.

“Let me guess…the men at the diner or Kenzie told you so?” Daddy sighed when I nodded. “I shouldn’t ask. I shouldn’t. You haven’t been out of my sight long enough for that conversation to happen.”

He was so silly.

I was good at going potty fast so I could listen more.

“The men at the diner asked Kenzie about what a Daddy did besides make rules and mac and cheese, so he told them. And he told them about spankings and happy time and veggies and then his Daddy caught him.” Someone tattled. “His Daddy made lots of sighs and glared and made the naughty men snicker.”

They liked being naughty.

“I need to watch you more closely.” Daddy looked confused, like he wasn’t sure how to do that. “Somehow. I’ll figure it out.”

Daddy was sneaky…he was thinking about tracking his boy.

I was sneakier…I sent Daddy a picture of a collar.

He closed his eyes and moaned again. “You are definitely teasing me.”

Yes.

And I was the bestest at it.

“ Nooo , Daddy.” I had a cute pout when he opened his eyes. “Teasing boys get spankings. I’m not naughty. I’m your good boy.”

Kind of.

Daddy squished his lips together and nodded, still trying to frown, but I could see smiley giggles in his eyes. When he finally spoke, he tried to sound sad and sorry. “I understand the rules. That’s why I’m saying you’ve been teasing me.”

Oh…he was playing the game.

I pouted and gave him my big eyes, but I wiggled on his lap too. Side to side and right over his happy spot. I looked so innocent Daddy’s head cocked and he made a thinking sound. I wanted to try to look more innocent but Lorne had told the librarian that wasn’t a good idea.

Too cute looked naughty too.

They were smart.

“I’m pretty sure I’m still being teased.” Daddy tightened his muscles and sighed. Daddy wanted to get more happy but he was trying to be serious. “I’m so sure, I’ve decided it’s spanking time.”

Had to look sad and sorry.

Little pout.

Sad eyes.

“Really, Daddy?” Wiggle. Wiggle. Wiggle. “A spanking?”

I was so smart.

Gonna get a spanking.

Gonna get a spanking.

Gonna get a spanking.

“Yes.” Daddy shrugged and sighed. “You need to learn not to tease your Daddy.”

Learning was so much fun…but I still had to look pouty and sad. “I want to be a good boy, Daddy.”

Sometimes. So it wasn’t a lie.

His eyebrow raise said I needed to practice more.

“I believe that sometimes you want to be a good boy because it makes Daddy happy.” He huffed and puffed. “Like understanding Daddy doesn’t want to go in the closet.”

“It’s okay.” Cheek kisses for Daddy. “Not everyone likes closet time.”

Everybody else did…so many everybodies that they had a trash can and wipes in the closet. They were all good planners too. Just about naughty things and not about portal things. But that was okay because everyone had different stuff they were good at.

Daddy was good at playing pretend, and portal stuff, and planning everything.

I was good at finding the best mate ever.

The bestest.

“You like playing pretend and kissing and cuddling and laughing first. You can’t do that with closet time or everyone hears.” Daddy didn’t like answering questions. “You don’t rush. You take good care of me.”

His smile peeked out but it was a naughty smile not a happy one.

“I do. I like taking care of you.” Daddy kissed my nose, still looking like a spanking villain in one of Kenzie’s books. “But sometimes that means helping to correct your behavior.”

Correcting meant spanking.

Yay.

But I pouted good and sighed.

Daddy liked sighs.

“Oh, Daddy…I want to be a good boy.” Cheek kisses. Wide eyes. “I’ll be good for my spanking.”

I’d even try not to have tingles right away.

I was the best boy ever.