Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Alton
Now what?
Malik had been great when we’d first met, careful and radiating honesty, and playtime had been fun even if a lot of it was fuzzy because I’d been so tired.
But now what?
“You… you said that other people in the community wouldn’t mind my playing there?” It’d been something like that. “I know you mentioned it but I can’t recall your exact answer.”
Oops.
Probably shouldn’t have mentioned that.
Malik went all grumbly Daddy and crossed his impossibly large arms over his chest. Little me would’ve been sad he was upset or giggly because he was cute when he was frustrated, but big me was having to remember that he wasn’t trying to look sexy.
Something about his expression and the way he was frowning at me wasn’t giving the reaction he thought it would.
It took him just a few seconds longer to realize why, though.
Instead of being frustrated with me or weirded out, he rolled his eyes, which was the craziest expression to see on his face.
“You are not allowed to be turned on when I’m trying to fuss at you. ”
Fuss.
He was so fucking cute.
“Yes, Sir.” He didn’t seem like the Master type and I wasn’t feeling Little enough for him to be Daddy, so it worked.
And it had him fighting not to smile.
“Stop trying to manipulate me. You’re not getting any more cookies.
” He was still doing his best to look serious, and with the whole not human-looking thing, it could’ve been frightening if he weren’t so sexy.
“You’re going to get dinner and a chance to convince me that you’re not doing anything else that unsafe on a road trip ever again. ”
Since he seemed very serious about that, I nodded. “I won’t.”
I hadn’t intended to do it to begin with but everything had just gotten out of control and my anxiety had gone through the roof. “Meeting you wasn’t as nerve-racking as I’d expected?”
He raised one bushy eyebrow and frowned again. “I think I need to work on being a tad scarier.”
Trying not to smile, I shrugged and aimed for an apologetic look. “Sorry?”
Maybe?
“How about I work on pretending to be scared and you can chase me through the woods on our second date?” Oh. Too much?
My mouth always got away from me, but I was saved by his laughter that time.
“You are a handful.” Since that didn’t seem to be a bad thing, I relaxed back into the couch again. “But I like being kept on my toes.”
Good.
“I am, however, going to keep a better eye on your decision-making.” That was said in what seemed to be his don’t question Daddy voice, so I nodded without arguing.
There’d be plenty of time to drive him crazy in the future, but doing it on what was technically our first date didn’t seem to be polite.
“I make better ones when I’m not nervous. Honest.” Usually. At the very least sometimes. “It… it just took all my… everything, I guess, to contact the matchmaker and talk to her and then all the sudden I had a date. It… it was a lot.”
And I kind of shut down when life got to be that much.
Which might’ve been the reason the matchmaker had been so insistent I email Malik immediately after the match had been made.
Clearly she hadn’t trusted my ability to make decisions either.
“And you were already running on empty before that.” When I nodded, he radiated more understanding and less frustration. “I think you might’ve underestimated how ready you were to submit and to let your Little side come out to play.”
Quite possibly.
“It’s hard to get into that headspace without someone like a Daddy around.” Very hard. “It’s easier if I have a friend to play with, but it’s not quite the same. And usually there’s so many distractions around and I’m generally stressed already which makes it even harder.”
There was always just too much to tune out.
“This time you were too tired for those walls to stay up.” The fact that he understood right away was kind of scary and kind of nice. “How do you feel about it?”
A very Daddy question.
“You mean about being Little so quickly and playing?” It was his turn to nod but it took me a few seconds too long to realize he must’ve been nervous too. “Slightly confused and then a little bit embarrassed when I woke up.”
I wasn’t going to lie about that since it probably wouldn’t have been believable anyway.
“Then I thought about the good stuff. I had fun playing and I remember being very excited for cookies and my sandwich triangles. That made me happy and then I realized I had to explain why I’d made so many questionable decisions in a row.
” For the most part I hadn’t realized how many there’d been and I hadn’t even thought about having to explain any of them.
It’d been a while since anyone asked what I was doing.
“There were a lot of questionable decisions in a row. You understand that, right?” Malik was back to looking like a very worried Daddy, so I knew I had to do better.
“Yes.” Now I did. “At the time they all seemed reasonable, unfortunately.”
His low groan said I shouldn’t have admitted that, but my big grumbly Daddy finally let out a deep breath. “I can’t see how that’s possible but I know you’re being honest.”
His aura flashed several fascinating colors as he worked through whatever he was thinking and it finally settled on a warm one that made me want to curl up in his lap.
So I did.
Yep… I had impulse control issues I was going to work on if our relationship blew up in my face.
He just chuckled as Bouncy and I climbed in his lap and curled up against him. “If you think this is going to stop me from worrying and nagging, you need to reconsider your strategy.”
He was so cute.
And warm.
And fuzzy.
And Bouncy liked how big he was because we both knew we wouldn’t squish him.
“I think I like that you’re worried about me.” I couldn’t help smiling as he huffed and snuggled me closer. “I’ll do better, though. Safer at least.”
I’d try.
“And you were really pretty, so I kind of wanted to be closer to your colors.” He was really relaxing to look at. “And Bouncy wanted to cuddle with you too. I couldn’t tell her no.”
It would be rude because she’d been so patient over the past couple of days.
“Well, if Bouncy needed cuddles we have to make allowances for that.” Malik kissed my head, making me want to giggle. “And I do have a lap built for cuddles.”
Oh yeah.
“And you can carry me.” I’d seen human guys who were big enough to technically have carried me but not that long or that easily. “And you play good games too.”
That playground was huge.
I might’ve been short but that’d made me feel like an actual kid.
Malik took a deep breath and worry flashed through his aura before the warmth came back to wrap me up again. “I’m glad you had fun and I had a wonderful time playing with you.”
Aww… he wasn’t even going to tell me to be careful.
“I’m glad.” I didn’t have to question if he was being honest because he radiated everything that he felt in a way I’d never seen with humans or people like mages.
“Is now the time that I get to ask what smells so good or should I play cute to help you remember that you don’t want to be frustrated with me? ”
His laughter rumbled through his body and made me flash back to the bear question the matchmaker had asked. “I appreciate the cuteness but it’s a roast with potatoes and carrots, and it should be done shortly.”
I wasn’t going to ask how long I’d slept.
“That sounds delicious.” And I was going to be smart for once and not say how long it’d been since I had a homecooked meal. “I’m assuming I’m staying for dinner?”
Hmm.
“There was something else too, wasn’t there?” Yep. He groaned again. “Sorry. I’m awake now and clearheaded. Honest.”
What had he said?
“The hotels by the road… they fill up quickly.” That wasn’t good and I did my best to avoid places like that when I stopped. Patting myself down, I frowned. “Do you know where I left my phone?”
Malik cocked his head. “I haven’t seen you with one, but your car keys are on the kitchen table.”
Oh.
“Okay.” Maybe I’d been just a bit too tired earlier. “It’s got to be somewhere.”
Hopefully somewhere close.
Malik’s snort said he was thinking along the same lines but his mental conversation seemed snarkier than mine.
He was nice once he responded with words instead of sound effects, though.
“Then after dinner we’re going to take a walk back to your car.
It’s probably in there but I wasn’t looking for it earlier. ”
Clearly I hadn’t been either.
“Then?” I was being pushy, but I needed to know what he wanted. For practical and date reasons. “Then I’m looking for a hotel room?”
Malik went very still and it took several seconds for him to start stroking my back again.
“There are several options but I don’t want you to feel obligated in any way.
Our original plan was for you to stay in the area for a long weekend as long as our first date went well and I sent you the links for several hotel options. ”
Oh yeah.
“I was in the middle of a project at work and had the bandwidth to look at hotel rooms or panic and I picked panic.” That hadn’t been the right choice but hindsight was twenty-twenty. “At least I know I have the links, though, because I have the emails you sent me.”
That was one good thing but he took a deep breath and let it out slowly before he decided to speak. “Yes, we’ve got a starting point with those and thank you for making sure I understand how your decision-making works when you’re stressed.”
So we could say I was helpful?
That meant I’d get more cookies, right?
“You’re welcome?” I wasn’t sure that was the best answer but he’d thanked me first. “Um, what other options were you thinking about?”
Was I allowed to ask to stay over?
We still had to pick out green for his house and I hadn’t gotten to see my coloring book and I hadn’t gotten to see how it would be to give him grown-up kisses. The head kisses made me warm and tingly but I was curious about what else he could make tingle.
And it wasn’t rushing because kisses on the first date were fine.
“I can’t decide if this is designed to test my ability to make good decisions or if you’re just tempting me.” His slightly frustrated tone was hilarious. I tried to hold it back but it came out in a giggle. “Naughty boy.”
Maybe.
“Um, well, I don’t think it fits under either of those options, so I don’t have to admit to being naughty.
” I thought that was amazing logic and it made his chest jerk like he was holding back laughter.
“But… but you said we needed to pick out green for your house and I haven’t colored…
and… and it’ll be dark by the time we finish dinner. ”
Probably?
I really needed to find my phone even if it was simply to see what time it was.
“I don’t know my way around and I’m pretty sure I passed a couple of alligators on the side of the roads.” Alligators. “I’m not sure that’s safe. What if I get a flat tire?”
I’d get eaten.
Malik’s chest jerked again, but he was really good at holding back laughter. “Well, we can’t put you in danger. Especially since you make questionable decisions and would probably try to get to know the gator.”
I should be able to tell him no, but we both knew that wouldn’t be completely believable.
“What if it’s a shifter and I didn’t try to talk to it? They’d think I was rude.” I’d run into weirder people in my travels, so it wasn’t completely unreasonable.
“And being rude still might get you in trouble.” Malik sighed but there was still a hint of humor in his voice. “So the safest option is for you to stay in my guest room.”
There were some mixed signals in that offer, but it was easy to see him wanting to be careful with me.
“I think that’s a good plan.” For a variety of reasons. “Can I leave my car out there?”
I really didn’t want to have it stolen or make someone think a tourist was out in the state park overnight.
“No.” Malik shook his head. “We’ll bring it around through the back way and around to the house. The roads don’t show up on GPS and they’re kind of confusing, which is why I didn’t have you come that way to begin with.”
Good because I wasn’t sure my sense of direction could’ve handled that.
Before I could ask about maps and directions and to see more of his house… because he was right, he didn’t have any green… a timer in the kitchen went off.
Dinner.
“Starving already, huh?” Malik made another dramatic sound when I nodded. “Chips and sparkly juice. I remember.”
He’d never forget was what he seemed to mean.
“Because you’re a good Daddy.” And I was going to need to be a cute sub who had good distractions. “You even made me dinner.”
He finally chuckled as he lifted me off his lap and set me on the floor. “I had to make sure I had a good enough bribe to get you to stay if you were too embarrassed or worried after our park trip.”
Good plan.
It seemed like I’d finally found a smart Daddy with a pretty aura.
Yep, I needed to start paying more attention and figure out if I was playing Capture the Flag or not.