My little bird rolled his eyes and gave me a soft, indulgent smile. “They’re my parents. I’d be fine. It’s not like you’d be leaving me in the middle of the desert with no way to get back to civilization.”
I pulled him close, wrapping one arm around his waist, and cupped his cheek. Staring into his eyes, I gave him a soft peck, aware we were in the middle of a well-populated neighborhood where there were most likely nosy neighbors peeping through their curtains.
Leaning in, I brought my lips to his ear and whispered softly, “They may be your parents, but I’m your Daddy.”
His breath hitched and a satisfied smile spread across my face as he pulled back and watched me. I booped his nose before lacing our fingers together and tugged him to turn around. “Come on, baby. Let’s do this.”
Aiden nodded, his eyes glassy as he practically tripped over himself to get back to the door. His mother must have been one of the nosy women at the window, watching from behind a curtain, because we hadn’t even gotten back to the door yet, and it opened to reveal a smiling woman in casual loungewear, with an apron.
“Oh, good! You made it!” Her smile seemed sincere enough, though I was never a good judge, but Aiden instantly relaxed at my side, so it set me at ease.
“Hey, Ma.” When he went to move forward, his hand slipped from mine, but he gave it an extra squeeze before he let go and moved into his mother’s tight embrace.
I’d never been one who needed affection or reassurance about anything. But something in my heart surged over the way Aiden had taken that extra moment for me. It grounded me in a way I’d never needed before.
“And you must be Nathan.” My brow quirked, realizing that must have been one of the things he’d been furiously texting to his mother as I drove us over to his parents’. He hadn’t beenvery discreet about texting her, despite the fact that he kept saying it wasnothing. I’d wondered what he was warning her about, and it had left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.
My gaze roamed over to him, and he just smirked. Cheeky little bird.
“I am. Thank you for the invitation, Mrs. Cooper. Though, it wasn’t necessary.” Even I knew my words were stiff and uncertain as I held my hand out for a handshake. But I couldn’t help it. This was way beyond out of the stratosphere of my realm of comfort.
His mother looked at my hand with a frown, and for a moment, I thought she was going to refuse. And for another terrible second, I thought she might hug me. She looked back at Aiden, but he held her gaze firmly, but I couldn’t decipher their silent communication.
When she turned back to me, her smile was as warm and pleasant as could be. But I thought it was as much a mask as mine.
“Please, call me Ellie.” She reached out and shook my hand, but only held it for a moment before dropping it.
Turning toward the door, she waved us inside. “Well, let’s get out of the cold. Breakfast is waiting.”
Aiden watched her go before he turned and looked back at me with a pensive expression. “Are you okay?”
I cocked my head to the side as I walked up to him and put my arm around his shoulder and led him into the house. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
The truth was, I was so far from okay, but I could never tell him that. He wouldn’t understand. But I would smile and do whatever I had to in order to get through breakfast with his parents, because it was important to him, because he wanted me there.
And apparently, I’d do anything for Aiden.
Including forcing his parents to dine with a monster.
He shrugged as he kicked off his shoes inside the front door, and I followed his lead. “I don’t know. You seem… tense.”
I let out a breath and my gaze wandered down the hall to where his mother had disappeared. “I suppose I am. I’m sorry. Just, I’ve told you I don’t date, so I’ve never really done the whole meeting the parents thing until now. It was just… easier.”
Confused, he slipped his hands into mine. “Easier?”
My thumbs stroked his hands. “Yeah. Easier. To not think about what I’d lost. What I didn’t have anymore.”
Realization dawned on him and he took a step back. “Shit. I mean, I knew… You’d told me. But… I’m sorry.”
“Hey, hey. No.” I pulled him against me, wrapping my arms around him. He trembled against my body and I felt like the biggest asshole in the world. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Aiden. I could have said no to coming here. I meant what I said, about wanting to take care of you and to give you everything you need and want.”
“Not at your expense, though.” The wobble in his voice nearly broke my heart. “It shouldn’t hurt you.”
“Oh, sweet boy.” I breathed the words against his tear-stained cheek, wishing I could take all of it back. It wasn’t worth his pain. “It’s a long-healed scar. Just one I’ve never had to look at before. I’m okay. I promise.”
Like the spider monkey I knew he was, he pulled himself up and wrapped his legs around my hips and clung to me, with his head on my shoulder.
“Daddy,” he whined, burying his head in my neck.
