Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39596 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39596 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 198(@200wpm)___ 158(@250wpm)___ 132(@300wpm)
Just the way he liked it.
Hopefully, Callan wasn’t a neat freak who would go slowly insane among the piles. Lonnie looked at him from the corner of his eye. Seemed fine—just maybe a little overwhelmed.
“Come on in and make yourself comfortable.”
Callan stayed silent a couple of moments, then gave him a strange sort of grimace. “I might knock over your… toys.”
Lonnie snorted. “Toys. I suppose that’s what they are. But it’s okay if you do. The more delicate ones are on the top shelves—I knock things over all the time. I really do want you to feel comfortable here. You can even sit in my favorite chair.” He pointed to the recliner. “It’s sturdy enough for you. But so is the couch if you like spreading out. Always did have a thing for big, comfy furniture.”
“And toys. So many toys.” Callan’s eyes were wide.
Since they were all dear to him, he could only laugh. “I told you I love anime. These figurines are from a lot of different shows. I don’t have all the ones I want yet, and some are a little hard to get ahold of, but I’ll never give up.” Lonnie walked toward his kitchen, which was open to the living room. Someday, he hoped to install an island to give the area more of a separate feel, but he’d have to stop spending all his extra funds on his…toys. “Would you like something to drink? I have soda, tea, coffee, and of course water. But feel free to get anything out of the kitchen you want. My refrigerator is a bit chaotic. Just don’t put anything in the bottom drawers if it’s for me. Those are the forgotten realms where veggies go to slowly die.”
Callan just blinked at him, frozen in place.
“I have ADHD, so I come with a few quirks.” He’d never felt the need to apologize for that. He was who he was, and his disorder was a part of him; he took medication to help him focus but had otherwise embraced his neurodivergence. It had driven his last boyfriend a little up the wall, but then so had his padded body. Why they’d even dated in the first place was a mystery.
Callan finally moved, though he held his arms tight to his body and walked slowly. He chose the couch, which was probably the best choice because he’d be kind of squished in the recliner even though it was one of the larger models available.
Since the demon hadn’t answered his question, Lonnie grabbed him a big can of green tea. “This good?” he asked as he handed Callan the can.
“Yes, thank you.” Callan popped the top and took a long swallow, then looked at the can. “I like this.”
“Great, because I buy it by the case. There’s an entire shelf in my pantry dedicated to it.” He chuckled, but it quickly faded to awkward silence, and he just stood and stared at Callan. He was reeling over having an actual demon in his home. “I’m just so excited to meet you,” he blurted. “You have no idea. Well, you will when you see the third bedroom. In fact, let’s get that out of the way now. You’ll understand why all the gushing.” He held his hand out to help Callan get up, but the bodyguard just stared at it for the longest time before he smirked.
“I weigh over two hundred and fifty pounds, Lonnie.”
Lonnie dropped his hand, laughing. “Yeah, I’d probably be no help. But come with me. I want to show you something.”
Callan easily got up himself, showing surprising grace for one so large. He followed Lonnie into the hall and on into Lonnie’s…well, shrine for want of a better word. He was a little embarrassed but figured it would be better to show Callan now rather than have the demon waltz in there without warning.
He flipped on the light, and Callan gasped.
“Er,” Lonnie murmured, shuffling his feet a little. “I like demons.”
Callan grunted. “Understatement.”
“Yeah, probably so.”
Callan walked into the center of the room and turned in a slow circle. More shelves filled every available space of wall, with the exception of a table in the corner that held Lonnie’s winged Bahamut from Final Fantasy X, standing by itself because he loved it so much. It had been the first one he’d purchased as a teen. He’d mowed a lot of lawns to save up enough for it.
“This room is all about my kind?” Callan gently touched the horns on one of his collectibles.
“Yes. So you can understand why I’m so excited to meet you. And you’re so gorgeous. Not scary at all.”
Callan puffed out his chest, frowning. “I’m scary.”
Uh-oh, was that some kind of insult for him? “Oh, I was scared at first, I promise.” Lonnie really hadn’t been. He’d been too thrilled to see one of his obsessions walking into his classroom. But he could see where the fierce-looking supernatural would be frightening to most. And that chest puffing was just so damn adorable. “Do you call yourselves supernaturals?”