Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45092 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 225(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
She shrugged nonchalantly. “Perhaps in a perfect world, it might have been nice, but we got all out of order anyway, and you’ve already seen and touched every inch of me. It’s kinda late for formalities, don’t you think?”
He chuckled. “Yes, Little one.”
“Maybe we should just have the ceremony, for the sake of our parents, at another time. We could start a trend.” She sat up straighter and grinned. “People could get to know their mates before they’re bound together for life. Novel idea.”
He laughed. “Little girl, I don’t think we’re going to start a trend.”
“Why not? I bet the ceremony will be far less scary when we finally do it since I’ll already know you, and I might even like you by then.”
He lifted both brows.
She started giggling so hard her body shook.
He grabbed her waist and tickled her sides as he lifted her off his lap and deposited her on her back in the middle of the huge bed.
She kept giggling as she shoved at his hands and tried to squirm out of reach.
He held on to her easily as he slid his hands up higher to stroke the sides of her breasts instead.
Her breath hitched, and she stopped laughing. “Daddy…” she murmured.
He crawled over the top of her, hovering above her on his hands and knees. When he bent his head to nuzzle her neck, he whispered in her ear. “You might like me, huh?”
“Maybe.”
When he lifted his head to stare down at her, they were both grinning like loons. “Know what I think?”
She shook her head. “No, but I bet you’re going to tell me because you’re bossy and Dominant.”
He groaned. “You’re much sassier than you were earlier. I suspect your little bottom is going to be red on a daily basis.”
Her fucking adorable cheeks flushed at the mention of spanking her.
He cleared his throat. “What I think is that it doesn’t matter when the mating ceremony takes place. There will always be a first moment when an Alpha meets his intended mate. That moment will be awkward and stressful no matter when it happens. And since Fate has arranged things so that there is no chance of predestined mates not liking each other, they might as well stick with tradition. We’ll just be the exception.”
She released an exaggerated sigh. “Fine. But I still maintain that for us it doesn’t matter. It’s too late for the shock value of the ceremony no matter when we do it, and I’m just going to spend all my time fretting with anxiety over the sex part until we do it. And you’re going to spend all your time worrying about my safety until I can at least shift so I have a fighting chance to run from an attacker. So…how about we just do it now?”
He knew by the slight tremble in her voice that it took a lot of guts for her to propose such an idea so bravely, so he didn’t tease her. He didn’t deny her either. How could he? Her reasoning was sound.
“Are you sure, Little doll?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
Thank goodness she was back to calling him Daddy.
“Now, Daddy,” she added.
When she wiggled backward to get out from under him and sit up, he leaned back on his knees. His little mate pulled her nightie over her head and removed her diaper, tossing both aside.
She was breathtaking, and she didn’t shy away. She slid back into the spot she’d occupied a moment ago and looked up at him.
“We won’t be able to hold the ceremony in the morning if we do this. We’ll be waiting for your first shift to consume you. It’s not something you can stop the first time. Your body temperature will rise every hour until you feel like you’re going to crawl out of your skin. And then you’ll shift whether you want to or not.”
“Okay. You’ll stay with me, right?” she asked, her voice Littler than it had been for an hour.
He lowered himself over her, still keeping his weight off her with his elbows at her sides, but letting his hips nestle between her legs. He cupped her face with both hands. “Little doll, I will always be with you for anything important for the rest of our lives. You’re my world. The connection I feel to you is so much stronger than I ever imagined, and I know you feel it, too. So I’m not going to deny you, because you’re right; it’s inevitable, and I know you feel the same way I do.”
She reached for him and gripped his hips. Her expression was serious while her eyes filled with emotional tears.
“What’s wrong, Little doll?” His chest tightened.
She licked her pretty lips, and her voice was soft and shaky when she spoke. “Was I… Did you pay attention to me over the years. Was I important to you before now?”