I landed on the platform, turned around, and immediately ran back to the other side where Clay was staring at me from the opening. As I approached, he stepped to the side and I jumped into the tree house. I hopped around a little and then I turned and looked at my mate.
“You really are adorable. You were before, but now you’re just absolutely the most adorable person I know.”
I walked over and rubbed on my mate again.“At least I have that going for me I guess.”
Clay picked me up again, and when he placed me on his shoulder, I held on.“You have a lot more going for you, but I understand it’s going to take time to get you to understand that. Not to worry though. We have time.”
Clay went out another opening in the tree house and started to climb. I leapt off of his shoulder and wrapped my legs arounda branch. I climbed up and looked over at my mate. He didn’t look amused. He would get used to me jumping around and climbing on the tree. Hopefully.
Chapter Eleven
Clay
I had thought that Charlie’s little koala was cute. Then I met Duncan’s red panda and there was no contest in my opinion. His little red panda was the most adorable thing I’d ever seen. And so very fitting for him. Even from what little of him I’d gotten to know, I could see a lot of his personality of his panda in his human form.
It was concerning that he’d not gotten to shift in so long though. My brothers and I only ever went a few days at most without shifting. I couldn’t imagine having to deny my gorilla for over a month.
I watched as Duncan got the zoomies again and ran out of the tree house and across the bridge. I was completely surprised when he decided to go down the rope ladder on that side though and immediately my gorilla became concerned. I rushed across the bridge and quickly followed. Only, my added weight to the ladder caused it to sway and Duncan squeaked before he wrapped his arms around the rung that he’d been on. Without athought, I jumped, landing on the ground with a thud. I reached up, holding out my arms to my mate.
“I have you.”I didn’t really. But he was only a few feet above me. Duncan looked down at me and I swear that little guy glared at me.
“You’re the reason I almost fell.”
“I know. Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. My gorilla was worried you would fall and he didn’t think about the added weight and how it would make the ladder swing.”
I would need to look into putting in stairs like Silver had. He too had rope ladders. Before Charlie. After he met his mate, he’d made a few changes to the backyard.
Duncan got his feet under him and then simply fell backward. I caught him easily and quickly cradled him against my chest. I wrapped him securely in one arm and then we were off to the house. It was time to show him the hot tub room.
“Where are we going?”
“Inside. Did you want to run around out here more?”I looked down at the little panda in my arms.
“No. Actually, I’m hungry now. Can we go have that lunch?”
I chuckled.“Absolutely.”I was hungry as well, but I wasn’t going to push to eat. At the deck I set Duncan down beside his clothes. I took another long look at him and then shifted back into my human form. I reached for my jeans and pulled them on before I sat and held out my arms. “Will you come here for a moment?” I asked when he’d not shifted back yet.
Duncan came to me in a hurry and immediately curled up on my lap. I ran my fingers through his fur, finding it soft underneath but coarser toward the ends. That was expected though. “You truly are adorable.” I ran my fingers through his fur more. “I thought Charlie was cute when I first saw him shifted, but you are by far cuter and I’m not just saying that because you’re my mate.”
Duncan looked up at me before he moved off of my lap. I watched as he shifted and then smiled over at me. “I’m glad you think my panda is cute.”
“Adorable. I love that you didn’t have any issues with me carrying you either.”
Duncan stared at me. “Were you planning on dropping me?”
I shook my head. “Nope.” I wrapped my arms around Duncan and stood up. It took a bit more effort since I was sitting with my legs crossed, but once I was on my knees, I was able to stand easily.
“My clothes,” he said with a laugh.
“You don’t need them. We’re going to be in the hot tub soon enough.”
Duncan gave me a wide-eyed look. “But we’re eating first. I don’t know about you, but I’m not that comfortable eating completely naked.”
I set Duncan down on his feet. “That’s a shame,” I told him and watched as he rushed back and grabbed his pants. He pulled them on, which truly was a shame since his body was gorgeous. “We will have to experience that soon.” I had so many ideas racing through my mind. There were going to be so many firsts for Duncan, and he’d get to experience them with me. That made me happier than I could say.
He came back to me, a huge smile on his face. I held out my arms, and when he walked into my embrace without hesitation, I pulled him close and kissed the top of his head before laying my cheek on his hair. “I’m going to fall so hard for you,” I whispered. I’d already known I was going to fall for him. As we’d spent the day and night together yesterday and then today, I’d seen a different side of the man that had been chosen as my mate, and he was amazing. He’d been given a shitty start in life, but he’d worked hard to make sure that he didn’t let that define him.
Duncan moved a step back and stared up at me with wide eyes. “That’s the way it should be though, right?”
