Page 81 of Learning to Run

“That’s not how it’s supposed to work.” I knew I was right,but Gareth gave a full-body shrugging wiggle. “He’s supposed to explain whathe’s comfortable with and then we all discuss what our family limits on thatkind of stuff will be.”

“I still think that means he needs to know what everyone iscomfortable about first.” Gareth smiled as his mitts went on and his wigglinggot more pronounced. “How about you pretend I’m right and tell him? You can goout for coffee this week and figure out what you’d both be happy with medoing.”

That was definitely not how it was supposed to work, but Igave up pointing that out. “Fine. We’ll go out and see what we can both agreeon.”

Gareth licked my nose. “Thanks.”

“Stop trying to distract me.” He just grinned, so I decidedI wasn’t going to get him to behave. “Your Doms will figure out if you’re goingto play with other pups and who you can be a naked pup around and if you canwag that cute inside tail in front of other people.”

But probably not Brady.

He wouldn’t care but his Daddy might not make it.

Gareth wasn’t thinking about that, though. He was justfocused on us making all the decisions for him. “I love it when you take careof me, but when you take care of me and I don’t have to make decisions too,well, that’s the best.”

That would never be something I would say about myself, butI knew Gareth was being completely honest.

Giving him another kiss, I reached for his kneepads andstarted putting those on. “If you’re a very good pup, we’ll work it all out andnot tell you until we’re ready to show you off.”

That earned me the melty smile.

Of course, I was putting on his knee pads so he had to turnnearly all the way around to do it, but it was still cute. “No, stay.”

The simple order seemed to bring his pup closer to thesurface because the romantic smile shifted slightly and turned into somethingplayful and distracted. “Good boy, pup.”

Petting his head, I decided it was time to put on his hoodand help him sink deeper into the headspace before I promised him somethingridiculous. “Such a pretty pup.”

With the hood in place, I ran my hands over his head andnuzzled against his muzzle. “Yes, you’re going to have so much fun playing,pretty pup. Brady is going to have so much fun with you and you’ll get to runaround and chase the ball.”

Full-body wiggles and a low whine said his pup was ready tocome out and play.

“He’s going to think you’re so cute.” I had no idea how Judewould respond, so I stayed focused on what I knew. “And Bates is going to giveyou pets and hugs and you’re going to make him smile.”

That earned me a bark and he nudged me toward the bed.

“I know. I know. Tail time.” Yep, another wiggly bark said Iwas a very smart Handler. “You’re going to have so much fun. Brady’s going tobe so excited.”

Getting the tail on just right while he was shifting andsquirming was like trying to catch a greased pig, not get a pup ready to play.But I managed it without killing him and without telling him to stand still,mostly because I wasn’t sure he could do it.

We were definitely going to start practicing commands…sitand stay being some of the first.

With the right reward, I had no doubt he’d be a veryeager-to-learn pup, but I knew I’d have to do some research because the onlythings I knew that would work as rewards were cookies and orgasms.

“All set.” Running my hands over his head and down his back,I just soaked up his innocent excitement for a minute and did my best to relax.

I knew there was nothing to worry about, but logic and feardidn’t go hand in hand.

Jude didn’t want to hurt Gareth, so I knew he wouldn’t sayanything wrong, and Brady was too excited for me to worry about anything. Itwould be fine, but it was technically the first time anyone outside of ourimmediate family had seen Gareth as a pup and me as his Handler.

It was the closest that anyone had ever seen me be a Dom andit was weird.

Not bad…but really strange.

I didn’t know how long we sat there and I petted Gareth, butbefore I knew it, the front door was opening and I heard voices in the livingroom.

“You remembered the curtains.” Jude didn’t seem pissy, so Itook it as him actually being grateful. “Brady wouldn’t mind the neighborsgetting an eyeful, but I’m tired of the weird questions.”

Hmm.

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