Page 18 of Myths and Shifts

It was strange.

We both sighed at the same time.

“Will you please check the diner for anything that would increase people’s susceptibility to answering stupid questions the next time you go in?” It should’ve been a ridiculous request but Merritt let out a long breath and nodded.

“Yes.” The change in topic somehow made him feel more confident because he stopped wanting to hide and wiggled closer until his head was right under mine and he was snuggled into me. “I wasn’t thinking about that when I went in before.”

“Me neither.” He’d touched me first, so I was fairly confident when I brushed my fingers over his head. “But I’m pretty sure the locals who aren’t insane haven’t thought of it either, so we can’t feel bad about it.”

Grumbling softly, he rolled over and hid his face high on my chest, tucking his head under my chin. “It might be something subtle?”

Oh, my boy didn’t like missing something like that.

“I’ll admit that there is too much dragon in my background for me to have paid any attention to Magic 101 kind of stuff.” I had to ignore his snickers since it was the truth. “But if there is something, I’m betting it’s something that makes people relaxed or want to chat. Something subtle like you said.”

The stiffness was starting to go out of his shoulders and he seemed more relaxed as he gave a faint nod. “Some kind of hospitality spell. Like one my grandma would’ve used to make guests more comfortable? My mom had to be the one to tell her that was manipulating people.”

I was the one snickering that time. “That generation used magic for that kind of shit on a regular basis. There were several church lady friends of my grandmother’s that she wouldn’t go over to their house because they used those kinds of spells to get the best gossip.”

Sure, the most recent generations were slightly reckless with magic, but if our grandparents’ generation had had cell phones with cameras everywhere, we’d have been outed a long time ago.

“They were devious.” Shifting like he was shaking his head, Merritt stayed pressed against me, so I started making long strokes from his head down his back. “You know. The old men aren’t devious.”

He had a point.

“I really don’t like thinking of them as innocent.” I huffed as Merritt laughed quietly. “It would explain a lot, though.”

“They’re not innocent. They’re naughty everywhere they go.” Merritt made another good point.

“Thank you for pointing that out.” In worrying about the diner, I’d overlooked the obvious. “I feel much better now that I can still find them annoying.”

Merritt made another happy sound, but he pulled back enough to give me a soft peck before snuggling back into me. “You’re welcome.”

Hmm.

“Daddy is still an appropriate title when you’re not little, you know. Unless you want to call me Pierce?” That got a silly giggle from him even though I knew he was still big. “I thought so. Daddy it is.”

“You’re kinda bossy…Daddy.” There was enough laughter in his voice that I knew he was playing with me.

“Only when I’m right.” I was flexible otherwise. “And I was right about kisses coming before food.”

I waited for a few seconds, wondering if I’d need to be a little less subtle.

No.

He pulled back, doing his best to look frustrated with me. “I’m right about you being bossy.”

Yes, but I got more kisses, so as his mouth came back to mine, I decided being bossy was working for me.

Chapter 6

Merritt

“I just think an audience would’ve added spice that we don’t need in our lives.” Pierce said it with a completely straight face as he shrugged, but I’d have never been able to pull it off. “I think one of those dirty old men is into voyeurism.”

He was insane…but he might’ve been right.

“I didn’t ask about spice or kinks.” He made me say the most ridiculous things in conversations. “I asked what you thought about how safe eating there was.”

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