I had been planning our carousel trip since I heard the carnival was back in town, but I didn’t want to ruin the surprise by making Corey suspicious.
“It does and the kids love music.”
I pushed and locked the stroller in the stroller parking section and took my mate’s hand. “Let’s grab some tickets.” Which was easier said than done thanks to kids day beginning in an hour. Everyone was looking to buy the “ride all afternoon for one price” bracelets, which in a way was great. It meant we’d get the seats I wanted, the kids all waiting until they could use their bracelets.
“Perfect timing.” I pointed to the non-existent line.
We handed our tickets to the attendant who made it very clear we were seat-only riders while we were wearing the kids.
“Inside or out?” he offered, and I immediately took inside.
This particular carousel had rings mounted on the center column, not in the same way as the ones in the days of old, but as a throwback. It was exactly how I remembered it. It was perfect.
We settled into our seats, Corey nuzzling Tec as I said to our daughter, “See the pretty horses? Real horses are not that color. These are magical horses.” Diona reached for my nose. Noses were more interesting to her than fake horses. Tec, started to stir in his omega daddy’s arms. “Your brother finds this so interesting he is waking up for it.” I pretended to eat my daughter’s finger, and she giggled.
“Ladies and gentleman, please remain seated while the ride is in motion.” This was the part I wasn’t completely looking forward to...the moving. Corey’s hand settled on my thigh and he scootched in close.
“And over there,” we began to move, the music a bit louder. I begged my stomach to behave. “Those are brass rings. It used to be that if you leaned over and were able to grab one, you got the grand prize,” I explained as I unzipped the tiny pouch on the side of Diona’s carrier designed for pacifiers and felt inside until I reached the ring, sliding it on the tip of my finger.
It was showtime.
“Hold on, little one, I’ll show you.” I made an exaggerated sound as I stretched out a bit, reaching over the side of the chair towards the wall of rings. “Look here!” I exclaimed, “I got one.” I outstretched my arm to Corey whose eyes widened as he saw the ring on the tip of my finger.
“What?” he asked, reaching for it, then stopping midway. “Is this what I think it is?”
“I got the brass ring, and that means I get the grand prize, and I can think of nothing I’d rather have than you as my husband. My darling Corey, you are my omega, my mate, the father of my children, my best friend, and the light of my life. Will you make me the happiest alpha alive and add being my husband to that list?”
Diona cooed and reached for the ring, but Corey snatched it from my finger and slid it on his own. “You will get your own ring one day, little one. This one is mine.”
“Does that mean you’re saying yes?”
“As I see it, you’re my alpha, my mate, my baby daddy, my…” he wiggled his eyebrows up and down to avoid words alluding to our sexy times, “and the keeper of my heart. How could I not add husband to that list?”
He leaned, kissing me briefly as the announcement about not getting out of our seat until the ride stopped interrupted us.
“I can’t believe you went through all of this and even went on a ride to propose.” His eyes glistened with tears. “Should we try the Ferris wheel next?”
“I want to go on this crazy ride called life with you, but how about we do it with our feet close to the ground.”
“Sounds like a plan to me.” He allowed the few people on the ride to file past us. “Come on, fiancé, let’s get some hotdogs.”
“And now you are speaking my love language.” I got up, taking his hand in mine. “I love you.”
“As I love you, alpha. As I love you.”
Also by Lorelei M. Hart and Colbie Dunbar
Sometimes a vacation fling isn’t a fling at all
After a long court battle over his people’s land, Alpha Iver needs a vacation—a long one. When he travels to the lake for some beach relaxation, he expects to soak it all in. Instead, he finds himself bored. He wasn’t made for lazy days on the sand or with a fishing pole. Good thing Love & Hate, the shifter dating app, is now nationwide. He can find a little fun for his trip.
Nothing more.
Omega dragon Ajax loved his life in the small tourist town. He makes his art glass pieces, runs his small shop, and during the off season, he even teaches glass blowing classes. It’s a good life—or at least it would be if it wasn’t so lonely. He sees the other shifters in town finding their mates and settling down. If only dragons did that. So, instead of looking for Mr. or Mrs. Right, he uses an online dating app when it’s time to scratch an itch.
Nothing more.
When Iver and Ajax meet, their connection is instant and something awakens in Ajax he doesn’t understand. Suddenly, his dragon is talking to not only him, but also the panther he took home for just one hot night that somehow morphed into a hot weekend. He confides in his uncle, who fills him in on a little secret; true dragon’s mates are rare but what he's feeling means he not only found his, but he is about to lay an egg.
If only he knew where the sexy panther lived.
Matched To His Dragon is the fourth book in the sweet with knotty heat Dates of Our Lives series, an M/M mpreg shifter dating app romance brought to you by the popular co-writing duo of Lorelei M Hart and Colbie Dunbar. It features a panther who needs a vacation, a dragon who loves to create things with fire, an adorable baby, a little bit of flying, true fated mates, an annoying uncle who thinks the only thing worse than a human is a cat shifter, and a guaranteed happy ever after. If you like your shifters hawt, your omegas strong, your mpreg with heart, and your HEAs complete with true mates and a bundle of joy, one-click today.
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Matched To His Panther Page 13