Page 34 of Wishes and Research

Daddy was fast so he’d probably catch me, but I knew I had to nod. “I’ll be good.”

Yes, he liked that.

His hands tightened and he almost moaned. “You are very tempting.”

Hmm.

“Because I’m your good boy?” Oh, he liked that. He was trying to be professional, but I knew I’d made him hard. “Good boys get rewards, don’t they, Daddy?”

No laughing.

No smiles.

No giggles.

Daddy groaned. “You’re fucking with me, cutie.”

Maybe.

I was smart, though, and kissed his cheek. “I’m your good boy. Don’t be silly, Daddy.”

The instructions I’d been given from another helpful old man to just smile and look sweet were starting to make sense.

Daddy’s face scrunched up and he sighed. “No more bakery trips without me. I don’t like what they’ve been teaching you.”

I managed not to giggle but it was difficult.

“Work time.” Daddy was still looking dramatic as he stepped back and shook his head again. “Nosy old farts.”

Yep.

But sometimes they were helpful.

And sometimes they seemed slightly insane.

“You’re going to save me from them, Daddy, so don’t worry.” Yes, he liked that. “I’m paying attention.”

He liked that too.

He liked it even better when we started walking again and I didn’t get distracted and scare him.

It made him so much happier that Daddy receded and Fraser came back. He started pointing out features again and giving me his all about the mountains tour that he knew so well I had a feeling he’d given it more times than he could count.

Most of it was familiar from research I’d already done, but I liked hearing his voice and something about his tone made it come more alive than it had when the stories had just been words on a page. “You’re going to have to tell me if I’m wrong, but from what you’ve described, I think we’re coming up on an area that has the right environment.”

His words were very neutral as he veered us off the marked trail and led us deeper into the woods, but something about the way he kept glancing back at me made me question it. “They have good natural camouflage, right? That’s what you said.”

Well, that was the best explanation I had.

“Yes.” I’d practiced looking innocent in the mirror, so I hoped it helped. “A lot of insects have specialized camouflage.”

I wasn’t lying about that, so I was hoping that made the whole situation more believable but Fraser rolled his eyes. “Alright.”

Shoot.

Thankfully he didn’t make me explain what kind of camouflage they had but that was kind of telling too. He should’ve had more questions about my disappearing beetles. He had lots of questions and liked talking, so not at least poking at the story a bit was troubling.

Was I actually going to have to explain that I was pretty sure the beetles I’d found could teleport?

---