so you can pick out your own bag,” he reminded me.
“I think they forgot weddings aren’t baby showers, Sam.”
“I think they did, too. Almost. The lingerie and handcuffs leads me to believe they were actually aware they were attending a wedding.” My husband chuckled, fetched a pair of red fuzzy handcuffs, and spun it around his finger. “And I don’t have to worry about using my work cuffs on you now.”
Whee! “Gorgon-incubus doohickeys are the best doohickeys.”
“I’m certainly glad you think so. I did order new tack for you, but it won’t be ready for a while. I also put in official orders for your work tack, which will be ready soon, as that was a rush order so you can work. I’m going to have to get measured now, too.”
“Do I get to ride you?”
“Obviously.”
“Is now a bad time to say I don’t have any idea in hell how to ride a horse or unicorn?”
“You’ll be trained, as you’ll have to possibly ride on mounted patrols. Or if we’re required to ride in a parade.”
“No parades.”
“We’re chiefs, Bailey. We can’t avoid the parades, especially if the civilians demand one.”
“But why would anyone demand a parade?”
“They like to show us off during the Christmas parades. This year is the first year since I started I didn’t ride in the parade, but apparently, we got an announcement of our wedding instead. I refused to watch the videos, as I saw no need to embarrass myself.”
“Oh, great. Now everybody knows we’re married?”
“So it seems.”
“Okay. I can live with that. The world now knows you’re claimed. I can handle this like a mature adult.”
My husband grinned at me. “Are you sure about that?”
“I will try to handle this like a mature adult,” I corrected. “I didn’t even run for the bathroom this time.”
“While claiming your life was over because how dare anyone believe you’re an affectionate fire-breathing, meat-eating unicorn capable of love,” he teased.
“I’m so bad at this.”
“You’re exactly what I want and need in my life, so you’re going to have to get used to it, Mrs. Samuel Quinn.”
“Mrs. Samuel Quinn definitely sounds better than Mr. Bailey Gardener.”
“It really does, but I’d tolerate it for you.”
“I successfully got rid of that name, and you will not bring it back. No. I refuse. I’m still mad I can’t change the name on my birth certificate. How rude is that? And I can’t even get a new one issued with the proper parentage on it because they cap out at three. Why can’t I get an exception? Gorgons have one.”
“There are also enough gorgons to make it worthwhile to set up birth certificates for their offspring, whereas you’re a rather unique entity.”
“Just because the good parents had to get creative doesn’t mean they should be excluded from my birth certificate. Then my birth certificate wouldn’t be such a shitty document.”
“I see you have embraced your divine parentage with full enthusiasm.”
“He climbed under a table, Sam. For me.”
“It’s worth mentioning I would happily climb under the table with you, too. I even considered it at the reception, but the cops apparently wanted to talk with me. Well, us, but they found you climbing under the table to get some breathing space refreshing and amusing. You didn’t miss much beyond some snarky commentary about how I’m slow, it was about time, and questions if you’d make them coffee.”
“It’s good to be wanted.”
“Well, you make the best coffee in Manhattan. Or anywhere, really. I can’t even lie, my beautiful, but I miss your coffee and can’t wait to go home so you can reward me for my excellent behavior. With coffee.”
“Obviously, learning how to make good coffee was my ploy to catch your attention.”
“It was quite successful, although you really caught my attention by disliking me from the start.”
“You’re a sucker for punishment.”
“It’s not a punishment if I like it, Bailey,” he reminded me.
I loved my gorgon-incubus doohickey. “Did we get anything we can use immediately?”
“You got that really nice red leather notebook with organizer.” Quinn rummaged through our gifts until he located it. He handed it to me before digging out one of the fancy pen boxes we’d also received. “You’ll definitely like it, as it has pockets, a place to put your new pen, and it’ll fit nicely into that tote someone gave you.”
“Oh! The tote.” I joined my husband in searching the gifts until I found the black leather bag with extra-long adjustable straps. “I can wear this as a unicorn. It’s magically fireproofed,