Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77949 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
He did seem to second-guess his own sanity as he kept going, though. “But…but the most stable tower…the most stable tower under six inches tall gets to pick a prize later.”
Eyes as wide as saucers said he knew the kind of shenanigans he was risking, but he pushed through whatever fears or dirty fantasies were racing through his mind. “But…but everyone has to be nice. Good winners and losers.”
Huffing, Dally shot both of us an adorable glare. “I’m always nice and always a good winner.”
Bullshit.
However, we were currently not in a location I could use that word, so I made a low snort. “I’m sure you are.”
Our banter had successfully distracted Harley into a less stressed state, but I wasn’t sure it would last long. Just walking toward the room with the Legos and exhibits on the science of architecture had him taking a subtle, but still deep breath.
It’d been his idea, though.
That meant I wasn’t supposed to ask if he’d lost his mind…right?
Dally’s excitement might end up being contagious and then we’d all make ridiculous decisions.
“Dally’s the type to cheat, so in the future, we need clear rules written down for situations like this.” Fine print was just as important as a limits list. “General rules. Acceptable rewards. We’re not playing loosey-goosey just so Dally wins.”
Harley was pretending to take the situation very seriously. “What if I win? Do you think I’ll cheat?”
“In a heartbeat.” Narrowing my gaze at him got a giggle from both of them. “You’d use that cuteness and bamboozle us both.”
Harley’s eyes lit up but he curled in on himself and gave me an adorable pout. “Oh I…I wouldn’t do that.”
He really was a better actor than I’d given him credit for.
“Remember that expression.” Dally did a wiggle that seemed to mean his thoughts had turned wicked. “We’re going to come back to that when I win. I know what I want as my prize.”
Something naughty.
“See why we need to negotiate?” I gestured toward the troublemaker as Harley blushed and grinned, dropping my voice low. “You probably meant dessert and his mind went to the gutter.”
Blushing again, Harley looked out at the displays and buildings that surrounded the tables full of more Lego bricks than I’d ever seen in one place. “Um…I didn’t mean dessert.”
With that admission, Harley swallowed hard and released our arms. “I think…I think I’m going to go play.”
As he escaped, Dally flashed a grin. “He’s so cute.”
And definitely not as innocent as he sometimes appeared.
“If we’d already had his limits list then we could help reward him without him having to push outside his comfort zone and talk about it.” We really were doing some of this backwards.
“If we’d already gotten his limits list, he’d be dead of a heart attack.” Dally shrugged, not worried about it. “And I think he needs to learn to trust us a bit more before any of that will come out easily.”
“So when he wins, we’ll just wing it?” That was a terrible plan.
“Yep.” Dally’s ridiculously bright smile said he wasn’t seeing it the same way. “It’ll be fine.”
Hopefully.
“So are we making sure he wins?” Going into situations without even the basics organized was not helpful.
“Or I win and then I ask for something from him as my reward.” Dally’s selfish glee had me mentally debating what kind of supervillain he’d be. “Either way, we’re all going to have fun.”
As long as he won?
“And when I win, I’ll talk to him and carefully figure out what his limits are so I can ask for that as my reward.” If we weren’t going to let Harley win then I could make sure to wipe Dally’s ass in the contest.
“You’re crazy.” Shaking his head, Dally started his bouncy, excitable walk over to the table where Harley had found some space. “I always win. It’s not hard to arrange.”
Because he cheated?
Was he really bragging about that?
At what point were we going to come back to the Dally needed a Dom conversation?
13
DALLY
“Kids shouldn’t be taught to cheat.” It was just rude. The adults were supposed to cheat. “What kind of upbringing did he have?”
Harley sighed, thankfully understanding the severity of the situation even though Santos just kept snickering.
“He deliberately pushed the table and braced his own tower. It wasn’t nearly as good as yours.” The tiny hitch in his voice said he’d wanted to call me Daddy, but he’d held it back as we walked out of the museum. “Some kids are just sociopaths. It’s not something we could’ve predicted.”
“You’re the one who told him about our contest.” Santos rolled his eyes. “You kept pumping up the competition.”
“Between the three of us.” And I hadn’t mentioned anything inappropriate about a prize. When the brat had asked about what the winner would get, I’d said dessert. It wasn’t my fault he thought if he won I’d buy him shit. “He was just a sociopath like on one of those FBI shows.”