Page 150 of Bride of Choice

“Look at you funny now?” he asked. “All things tell?”

“No,” I said slowly, fiddling with the zippers on my suitcase. “But what if you do?” Stealing a peek at him, I swallowed thickly at the look on his face, sharp and unreadable. He was listening, in think and observe mode.

His eyebrows lifted slightly but his eyes softened.

A small laugh left me. “I don’t know where to start… really…”

“Start where you stop telling me,” he rumbled out softly.

“Caught onto that, didja? Heh-heh.”

“Jes,” he said simply.

Sucking it up like a good little buttercup, I proceeded to spill the beans, all of it, every sordid detail.

Occasionally Kooky would interject, short clarifying questions here and there.

Pausing as I stuffed more crap into my suitcase, I looked to him over my shoulder. “Do you think I was too harsh,” my hand lifted and I waved, “earlier, with Rek?”

“Rek need learn,” Kooky replied after a short pause. “Jojo want be Rek good female? Do all Rek say? Make lots of Rek’s babies? Do all Rek say, no say for Jo?”

“Hell no!” If I were a dragon, there would be fire streaming from my nostrils.

Kooky grinned at my emphatic reply.

I continued packing up for a few more minutes. Kooky took the pot of water he’d put on when we’d started talking off. He made a pot of tea and poured some for both of us.

“I can’t help but feel like, I don’t know, maybe he’d be happier without me,” I confessed, joining him at the table when he motioned for me to, to stare down into my tea. “I’m not willing to give him what he wants— full control.”

“What Jo want?” Kooky reached over and tapped my mug. When I didn’t immediately answer, his finger slid under my chin and he forced my head up, searching out my gaze. “What Jo want?” he repeated.

He gave me a look when my mouth worked and I stalled answering.

“I want him to love me for me.” It was as simple as that.

Releasing my chin, he grunted as he sat up straighter in his seat. “Goot,” he grumbled out sharply. “Jo not meant be meek.”

“No? And what am I meant to be, fuzzsticles?” I jokingly cooed, trying to lighten the mood.

Grunting, shifting in his seat, he gave me a look. “What Jo s’posed to be.” More grunts issued. Oh, he was fucking adorable when he was feeling awkward.

Leaning forward on my elbows, setting my chin atop my folded hands, I widened my eyes and lifted my eyebrows. “And that would be?”

Leaning towards me like he had something important to divulge, he bent his head, met my gaze head on, and rumbled out as he reached out to flick the tip of my nose with his index finger, “Spicy.”

Understanding just how Rek feels when I flick his snoot, I grinned even as I jerked back and cupped my hand over my nose instinctively.

Kooky grinned as he settled back.

“There is something I’ve been curious about…” Running my finger along the rim of my mug, peering down into my tea, I glanced his way through the corner of my eye.

Grunting, he sat back and gestured for me to continue.

“Is your name really Kooky? It’s just a feeling, but Rek always says I’m kooky whenever I mention you.”

“Rek jealous. Green eyes, as Rothy say.” Tapping the side of one of his smoky blue-grey peepers, his lips twitched.

“Do you think I’m stupid for still holding out hope for Rek, Gopher, Fuck and Run, and to a growing but currently small extent, Bum-bum?” Just putting it all out there, I held my breath and waited.

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