Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82371 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 412(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 275(@300wpm)
“That’s just not how we interact and I didn’t want you to feel like you were backed into a corner.” I thought the answer was reasonable, but Carrick didn’t back down.
Or move farther away.
The infuriating mage shrugged. “The monkey didn’t care where he was sleeping and just wanted to be bribed. You wanted us to have a sleepover, or to be able to spend the night with Lorne at the very least. I don’t see the problem.”
Part of the problem was that he didn’t take his own needs and boundaries seriously enough and the other part was that his ass had somehow ended up on my dick.
It was all too distracting and I didn’t respond fast enough, so he kept going. “And no saying that I let myself be talked into something I didn’t want. You’re my mate too, moron.”
Oh.
“Yes, we’re mates too.” I wasn’t going to comment on the moron part since he’d had a long day too. “But every mate relationship looks different and your sexual interests seemed focused on Lorne.”
Honestly, there’d been no question in my mind that Lorne would want a sexual relationship with us. I’d thought that being able to focus that side of things on him would make being intimate friends with Carrick reasonable.
I liked just being around him.
Yes, I was attracted to him, but there were a lot of ways relationships could grow.
Carrick was still looking at me like I was stupid, but I kind of wanted to kiss his scowl away or see if he could keep it up while I made him come. “You didn’t come on to me either.”
Okay.
“Well, in my defense you do always frown at me.” He’d always frowned at me. “Wait. Was that your way of flirting back in high school?”
Had he frowned at me differently than he’d frowned at other people?
How was I supposed to figure that out?
“Stay focused on the present.” Poking at my chest, his frown got deeper. “I don’t always need domination.”
Looking down at him as his finger pressed against my chest, I raised one eyebrow. “So your modes are domination or frustration?”
I wasn’t sure how that would look in the bedroom.
“I can’t decide if you’re fucking with me or not.” Carrick’s voice said he was still in frustration mode as I looked up to see him ready to pull his hair out. “We can have a relationship that isn’t based around domination. We can be…neutral, I guess, with each other and then have more dynamic relationships with Lorne.”
Nothing with Lorne would ever be neutral.
“Don’t lose your mind, but I want to make sure I’m understanding you correctly.” Pissed-off mages were more dangerous than dragons. They were in no way predictable. “We’re going to have a relationship that is or will become sexual in nature, but we’re going to aim for something more traditional and less dynamic."
I liked that word.
I thought I’d summed it up nicely but he was still frowning.
“And the frowning thing is just your default expression and I shouldn’t take it personally?” I’d told that to Lorne, but I hadn’t thought it applied to me too.
“Yes.” Carrick took a deep breath and seemed to do his best to pull back on the frustration a bit. “You understand what I’m saying.”
At least his tone had improved?
“I’m glad.” But that didn’t mean I knew what to do next.
“Good.” His words didn’t match the way he poked my chest, though. “But traditional is a ridiculous way to describe a mage and a dragon who are mated to a dragon and everyone is all male."
"No.” I shrugged as his emotions sparked again. “We’re people with good jobs, who are part of a small-town community and who are looking to settle into a long-term relationship. I think that’s traditional.”
I wasn’t sure if I could use monogamous or not since there were three of us, but I thought I’d made my point when he sighed and rolled his eyes. “You both make me insane.”
I was pretty sure he was already at that point, but it didn’t seem polite or smart to mention it. Mages were magey as Lorne had accurately pointed out. “Sorry.”
Taking a chance on him having been honest with his relationship thoughts, as he closed his eyes and looked like he was asking the universe for patience, I leaned in and kissed him.
Then I held my breath and hoped he didn’t do something magey.
That really was a very good word, but that thought flickered out of my head as he opened his eyes and cocked his head. “Do it again.”
We were going to have to work on his romance skills and explain what nondynamic meant. “You’re kind of bossy for someone who isn’t being a Dom.”
Before he could do more than huff again, I gave him another kiss, brushing my lips against his and taking my time. It was soft and…and awkward if I was being honest…but he wasn’t frowning, so I was going to take that as a good sign.