Page 40 of His Theo

“I agree.” We were also adorably nuts but he probably knew that too. “I’m glad you found us cute enough to play with, though.”

I was having a hard time remembering what life had been like before they’d shown up, and I really didn’t want to go back to a point where my new friends weren’t in my life.

“Yes, the decision to approach Earth was well-founded.” His proud tone said he felt some pride at that decision and I couldn’t help getting distracted.

“Did you make that decision?” There were other more practical things that we should’ve been talking about, plans for dinner for one thing, but this was much more fun.

“I had…input. Yes, that is the word.” Looking excited, Jerker puffed up in his seat. “The list of options was extensive. However, human civilization was at the most exciting point.”

“There were other inhabited planets?” Had I heard that right?

“Yes.”

Jerker’s answer made me wonder if I should’ve been paying more attention to the news.

“Most were very simple. No.” Frowning, he got his thinking face on but didn’t let the word issue distract him too long. “New. There is another word but they were not developed and would have not been…”

Cocking his head in a very human way, his limbs finally all twitched like he was throwing up his hands. “Humans are much more interesting. You also sent out highly curious media into space.”

They’d come to us because we were more fun…yep, humans were the frat boys of the galaxy and had definitely needed more supervision than we had before they’d arrived.

“I’m personally very glad you ended up picking us, but I really don’t remember the whole other inhabited planets thing coming up.” How had I missed that?

Wouldn’t Nicholas have complained about not getting to research more new aliens at the very least?

“It was not announced.” His shrug was very deliberate that time. “I am not…captain any longer, however.”

Ask for forgiveness not permission, huh?

I was betting no one made him sign a confidentiality agreement either.

“You know I’m going to want a thousand stories about what you saw and what you found.” Nearly bouncing in my seat, I’d never been happier to pull into my parking lot. “That can be your purpose. Entertaining me with space stories.”

Jerker laughed again as I parked the car and nearly threw myself at him. His limbs wrapped around me and pinned me to my seat. “You must keep safe, my Theo.”

I wasn’t going to promise that.

“But I need stories.”

Still looking adorably happy, he sighed. “So my purpose in our community is to provide stories and spankings?”

Yep.

“Yes.” It sounded a bit like he’d be a Daddy but that wasn’t my thing. “Stories, spankings, and eventually lightning.”

And maybe some teasing thrown in.

It wasn’t too bad of a list when it came to having a purpose in life.

“You already did amazing things out in space and now it’s time to use that knowledge to make me happy.” Yep, that didn’t sound selfish at all. “Unless you don’t like telling stories?”

Shrugging again, he looked adorably thoughtful. “I do not know if I like the human concept of telling stories.”

Hmm.

“You guys didn’t have a big entertainment industry but didn’t you at least tell stories?” I remembered watching something that talked about putting all their focus into space travel but I was starting to think I’d underestimated what they’d meant.

I knew I should’ve fantasized less and researched more.