Page 29 of Santa Has Tentacles

“Yes.” I didn’t have to think about that before an answer popped out. “You’ll get in too?”

Wait.

Turning my head, I looked over at the tub. “We won’t fit.”

And I wasn’t sure how we’d fill it up either.

Or how we’d drain it.

Yeah, I had questions.

“That is a secondary bathtub that is not for bathing.” His thinking sound made me smile. “Is there a human word for bathtub that is not for bathing or washing?”

“Everything I can think of has water or cleaning connections.” There had to be a word but I needed more information first. “What do you do with it?”

I’d dated a guy for a couple of weeks who had a toilet in his living room, so I was prepared to keep a straight face for something weird.

“Our bodies do not have the same internal structure as humans.” He rippled one limb like it was an ocean wave. “Our density is alterable. There are times when complete relaxation dictates containing ourselves.”

He needed a bucket.

Like Odo from Star Trek.

Okay, that made sense.

“We’re going to have to think of a good word to describe that, but I get it.” And it wasn’t as weird as toilet guy, so I leaned in and gave Saint a quick kiss.

As he grinned like a kid at Christmas, I focused on our original discussion. “So you have another tub that we’ll both fit in? One for bathing?”

Did we have a word for sleep tubs?

Nap vats?

No, that sounded like we were in a horror movie.

I wanted a steamy romcom date…not one in the slasher genre.

Chapter 9

Colby

Before I could get distracted even worse and end up giving myself nightmares, Saint wrapped me tighter and moved us toward the edge of the bed. “Yes. Our bathing rooms have been designed with additional necessary space.”

As he carried me around like I weighed less than a toddler, he waved a few loose limbs. “We require more volume.”

Oh yeah.

“I’m glad they thought about that then.” But thinking about how much space he needed made me realize my own shower would never fit the both of us…and I didn’t even have a bathtub. “It’s okay if we need to shower together instead.”

Saint picked up another bottle of water before turning and heading to a door on the other side of the room. “That will not be necessary, but your consideration is admirable. You do not have to ignore your desire, however.”

He always took what I wanted so seriously and never seemed to think it was ridiculous or unimportant. Part of me worried that I’d take advantage of that without realizing it, but part of me just wanted to revel in how important he thought I was.

It was going to be addicting.

“You have to tell me if what I want isn’t reasonable or practical. Once I get used to how wonderfully you treat me, I might not realize if something I’m asking for isn’t doable.” I thought that was a reasonable way to see things but his whole body twitched.

He was quiet for a few seconds as we walked into the bathroom, but as I got distracted by the over-the-top space, he figured out a response. “No.”

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