Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 74652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74652 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 373(@200wpm)___ 299(@250wpm)___ 249(@300wpm)
As I pulled them out of the bag, he frowned as he studied the simple-looking markers. He was doing his best not to be rude, but I could see a thousand questions flashing across his face. “Thank you, Daddy.”
He was adorable.
“Why don’t you check them out.” Handing one over, I did my best to look relaxed and pleasant as he started analyzing the red marker. “I think you’ll be surprised.”
It took a few seconds for him to read the words and for the tagline to sink in. “They’re people markers?”
Nodding, I kissed his head again and finally got to smile as his eyes went wide. “Yes. You can use those markers to color my tattoos and they’ll fade after a few washes. So I might have to wear a darker shirt to work on Monday but I don’t think they’ll show through my regulars one. The tattoo lines don’t.”
Charlie’s gaze was bouncing between the marker and my chest, where the tattoos were currently hidden by my shirt. “I get to make you pretty?”
I really tried not to laugh but the tiniest snicker came out. “Yes, sweetheart. You get to make me pretty. But no licking colors and you need to decide if that’s something we do on our own or if you don’t mind people watching.”
His brain had either totally stopped or was whirling in circles so fast I couldn’t see it. He just sat there processing and staring like I’d blown his brain. “I get to make you pretty?”
Had I broken him?
Austin would kill me if I’d fried Charlie’s brain.
I had a feeling Charlie worked for Austin too in some fascinating capacities, so he wouldn’t want me to damage him even if he hadn’t adopted Charlie in some way.
“I would love for you to make me pretty and I think you would have a lot of fun coloring my tattoos.” I was hoping that by repeating it, it would somehow reactivate his brain. “You like coloring and you want my tattoos to be pretty. It would also give you something to do when we’re talking to other people because you wouldn’t have to look at them at all.”
And the lights came back on.
He sat straighter, still looking at my chest, but something about his expression said the computer upstairs was processing again. “I’d have something to color and wouldn’t have to be big.”
Nodding, I tried to be patient and gave him another moment to respond. When he finally spoke again, he sounded more aware but definitely littler than he had only moments ago. “I like colors.”
Charlie slowly reached out and traced the capped tip of the marker over the area where he knew my phoenix was. “I’d make you very pretty, Daddy, and everyone would know you’re mine because you’d be my picture.”
The logic was fascinating, but I couldn’t argue with it.
“That’s right. Everyone will know I’m yours.” That seemed to please little Charlie to no end because he smiled and wiggled as he brought his other hand up to pet my chest.
“And I can sit on your lap and don’t have to talk to the big people?” To say he loved that idea would’ve been a massive understatement.
“You’ll be coloring and won’t even have to look at them.” That got more wiggles, so it seemed like a good idea to reinforce. “I even brought your binkie so they know you won’t use grown-up words.”
“Yes.” Charlie kissed my cheek enthusiastically and gave me a beaming smile. “You’re so smart, Daddy.”
I wasn’t so sure about that but we’d see.
****
“Upstairs or down?” I wasn’t sure if he’d changed his mind but it felt like a good time to check in again. He’d been very quiet and clearly sliding deeper into his little headspace as we’d driven to the club and gotten him changed into something cuter.
Charlie kept a tight grip on my hand, binkie in place and markers in his hot little grip, but he was swinging our arms and didn’t seem overly worried. It took him a moment to realize that he needed to respond but the cheeky bugger just looked down at his markers and held up the green one.
I couldn’t resist rolling my eyes, which had him giggling around the binkie. “Alright, Daddy makes the choices tonight. Clearly, that was a very silly question.”
More giggles said we should be okay staying downstairs, so I led him toward the lounge as I scanned the room to find the best spot for us. Charlie had seemed to like being hidden under the stairs before, so I was glad to see some familiar faces hanging out in the same booth we’d cuddled up in last time.
Perfect.
Everyone even had their clothes on for the most part and they were people Charlie would at least be familiar with.
Swinging Charlie’s arm as I steered us in that direction, I looked over at his markers. “What are you going to color first?”