Page 37 of Learning to Run

“Yes.” Bates worked hard to get it down to random chuckles,though, so I had to give him props for that.

And I decided he deserved something extra special when hereached for my hood and held it up. “You are going to be so cute.”

I really was.

“Let’s get our pup naked first, though.” Bates leaned overand kissed Cash’s cheek that time. “Will you start taking off his clothes whileI check the curtains?”

That was probably a good idea, so I wasn’t surprised whenCash nodded. “Of course.”

Getting me naked or maybe just having something else tofocus on did wonders for Cash. He looked confident and sexy and almost happy ashe started taking off my clothes and even helping me strip out of my pants.

He didn’t even blush when he saw my penis.

I was so proud of him.

I was proud of Bates for thinking of the curtains too, butit didn’t seem to be the time to praise them since I was supposed to work on thewhole not-talking thing.

Dogs got the praise, they didn’t do the praising.

But I could cuddle them and play with them and give themlots of attention in other ways.

Yes, I could take care of them and make it so they could seethey didn’t have to worry. I just had to relax and find the space in my headwhere my pup was hanging out. I’d just never realized I was supposed to lookfor him.

It made me wonder how Brady knew he was supposed to look forhis little side.

No, I had to stay focused on not thinking about anything butmy pup.

Deciding that might be the hardest part about finding him, Ilet out a deep breath as Bates gave me another forehead kiss. “You’re doinggreat, pup. Just relax and get down on all fours for us.”

I could do that.

And it’d make Cash feel taller.

Perfect.

Yeah, he looked a lot taller from the floor.

“Give Cashel your font paws, pup.” Bates sat down beside meon the floor and ran his hand over my head as Cash put on mitts that gave mecute paws. “Good boy, pup.”

As the mitts came on, Bates kept petting me. “Now, yourcolor safewords still apply, but if you can’t find the words, you can alwaysraise up one paw and we’ll know that we need to pause and figure out whatyou’re thinking.”

“Raise my hand like I’m in class. Got it.” I could rememberthat. “Oh, that feels…I’ve got paws.”

I was going to look so cute.

I’d never played dress-up before and I had a feeling thatwas part of why my pup had stayed mostly hidden. He’d never been invited out,so he’d just peeked out sometimes when he made me wiggly.

This was going to be so much better for him.

“Look at Cashel, pup.” Bates’s instructions made me realizeI’d gotten distracted because I hadn’t even seen Cash grab my hood. “Good boy.”

Bates started stroking my back as Cash slipped my hood onand it was like it called to the pup even more…and it called to Cash becausehis eyes were back to being wide, but it was like when I’d gotten him hisfavorite books for our first Christmas as real adults.

For some reason, he’d thought that just because our parentsweren’t going to buy stuff for us anymore, Santa wouldn’t come, so I’d madesure he knew he was still special.

Did my being his pup make him feel Christmas special?

Aww, I was going to be his present.

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