Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 42796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42796 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 214(@200wpm)___ 171(@250wpm)___ 143(@300wpm)
Rogan looked at him in shock. Ten seconds of heavy silence later, he nodded. “Yes. That’s what I believed. Until now.”
“You mean me?” Brooks asked, completely taken by surprise.
“Yes. We are fated mates because I needed you. Perhaps more than I’ve ever needed a mate.”
“Because I’m a guy?”
“Because you are the total package—intuitive, adventurous, fearless, sexy, and curious. I needed someone to make me see the world in a different way. Someone who would challenge me. Ian did that in his way.”
“I’m a replacement for him?” Brooks asked, shaking his head.
“Absolutely not. Ian was what I needed at that time. He wouldn’t be now. Just like you wouldn’t have been right in his time.”
Brooks relaxed. That made sense. “So now, this is what you want? A woman wouldn’t be better?”
“Have you met any woman like you, Adventurer?”
After allowing an audible puff of air to escape his lips to express his doubt, Brooks admitted, “Probably not. I’ve always strayed away from the paths most people find comfortable.”
“Exactly. Obviously, fate knew that you are who I needed in my life now.” Rogan stepped forward and drew Brooks close. “When you closed that second lock, I couldn’t feel you. Dragons don’t get scared, but that shook me.”
“I’m sorry.” Brooks wanted to kick himself for causing Rogan pain but forced himself to ask again. “Are you sure you wouldn’t want to be with a female mate?”
“I want to be with you, Adventurer. You are everything I need and so much more to enjoy. Think carefully. Have I given you a hint that I wished you were something other than yourself?” Rogan’s gaze blazed into his.
“You stockpiled tampons,” he blurted.
“Yes. I have collected many things to care for my mate. Dragons hoard more than money, jewels, and swords. Come. Let me show you,” Rogan said, stepping to Brooks’ side as he wrapped his arm around his back.
Rogan guided him to an arched doorway where an ancient wooden door guarded whatever was on the other side. His mate pressed a stone into the wall and uncovered a thick skeleton key. Unlocking the door, he pushed it open and ushered Brooks inside.
“It was much more impressive when the florescent lights worked,” Rogan mentioned before walking inside to roam around lighting torches. “Grab a basket and fill it up.”
After watching the torches illuminate the ceiling that seemed to extend forever, Brooks stepped into the aisles. He scanned all the things loaded onto the shelves. Facial tissue, toilet paper, make up, athlete’s foot cream, slightly under-inflated footballs and soccer balls, golf clubs, sunscreen, gummy candy…. Brooks couldn’t spot the end of the supplies gathered in this area. The rows kept going and going.
Rogan reappeared at his side and peered into the basket Brooks carried. “You didn’t find anything you wanted?”
“This is overwhelming, Rogan. How did you get all this down here?”
“There’s a door where trucks used to pull up to with deliveries.”
“Does it fill the entire mountain?”
“Of course not. It’s only this level,” Rogan assured him.
“Only on this level,” Brooks repeated, stressing one word as he leaned to the side to see if he could spot the end of the row. He could not. “There’s so much here. Why’d you pick up lubricant and bubble bath?”
“Habit, I guess. Collecting is my thing.”
“Do you have any guy things stockpiled?” Brooks asked suspiciously.
“I have a bunch of action video games and systems. Those don’t work anymore. I do have a section of those building blocks that snap together to make famous buildings. Is that a guy thing?”
“You have Legos?” Brooks asked in amazement.
“Yes. Those still work, don’t they? Some of those sets have so many pieces. It would be fun to put those together as a team. Want to go check them out?”
“Please.” Brooks had loved Legos since he was a kid. His traveling lifestyle wasn’t convenient to carry the enormous sets around with him. Becoming a mate allowed him to travel with Rogan and return to Wyvern as his home base.
When Rogan stopped in front of a massive display of toys, Brooks couldn’t believe it. “You have so many fun things here.”
“Yes. I hope so. Taking care of my mate is vital. If you can’t find it here, we’ll put it on a list and go exploring to find it,” Rogan assured him.
“So, the tampons weren’t because you were focused on having a female mate?” Brooks double checked.
“No more than the hemorrhoid cream reflects my need to have a mate that doesn’t eat enough fiber,” Rogan joked.
“I really messed up, didn’t I?”
“Only if we hadn’t worked together to fix this. If something bothers you, talk to me, Brooks.”
“I will, Daddy,” he promised.
“I love to hear you use that name for me. Let’s sit down and open those locks again. My heart hurts from being separated from you,” Rogan shared.
“Mine, too.”
Rogan settled on the ground and drew Brooks onto his lap. He held him close as Brooks retraced his steps to that door. This time, Brooks tore the second lock off. He never wanted to separate them again.