Page 27 of Schooling Little Sage

“Yeah. You’ve seen me nakey at bath time. I’ve seen you nakey, yet we never get nakey together.”

Ah, this subject again. The only problem was I couldn’t figure out why I’d put off sex with Sage as long as I had. But now he’d mentioned it enough times that second guessing if he was ready wasn’t fair of me.

“Daddy likes-likes you more than you know and I apologize for making you wait. You’ve just had so many big changes in your life that I didn’t want to rush you into anything sexual.”

“I-I’ve, I’ve been thinking about it a lot.” The nervous stutter returned. “I’m just not sure about the whole”—he swung his hand around—“um, bottoming thing.”

“Understood and it’s something that we will gradually work up to if you want to try. It’s not for everyone and if that never happens for us it doesn’t matter to me.”

“It doesn’t?”

“Nope.” I booped his nose. “You can top Daddy if you want.”

“You’d let me do that.”

“Sweetheart”—I pressed my lips to his in a gentle kiss—“don’t you know by now that your Daddy would do anything for you?” Sage shrugged. “We should’ve had this conversation already and it’s totally on me that we hadn’t. Do you know what being vers means?”

“I-I read about it.”

“Well, your Daddy is vers. I have no preference for being topped or doing the topping. For me, all that matters is that you enjoy it, well, that we both enjoy it.”

He grinned.

“There’s my boy’s sweet smile. I want you to know that even though Daddy had been a fool about this, you can come to me any time with anything. Okay?”

“Yes, Daddy, and I do, just with the whole sex thing.” There went that hand waving through the air again. “I thought maybe you didn’t like me that way.”

“My love, Daddy not only likes you in all ways, but he loves you in all ways. You’re it for me. You’re my forever. Remember, no take-backsies.”

Sage giggled and held his finger out. “Pinky swear, Daddy?”

I tangled mine with his. “Pinky swear.” I sealed the deal with a kiss. “Guess what’s for dinner?”

“What?”

“Homemade buffalo mac ’n’ cheese and dino chicken nuggets.”

“Yay!” Sage may be a Little-Middle hybrid, but he was the perfect hybrid for me.

“Why don’t you color a new picture for our fridge while I get dinner going?”

“Okay, Daddy.” He gave me a big, wet smooch and hopped off my lap and straight to his coloring bin. That storage container shelf set up we got for his toys was perfect for the small space we had. I wonder if, now that we were living together, it would allow us to qualify for a two bedroom. I’d love for Sage to have his own play space. I’d email Master Derek and see how that worked. There may have been a wait list we’d be put on but it was worth a try.

While the noodles boiled, I fired off the email and got to work assembling the rest of dinner. Sage sung along with the cartoon he had on as he colored, and I danced to the beat as I mixed the cheeses in. Light, jovial, the once grouchy ranch hand was no more.

It was time for the parental meet and greet, no more putting it off. I’d never introduced anyone I dated, aside from my senior prom date, to my folks before, but it was time.

“Dinner’s ready.”

His hand flew up, waving his latest creation around. “Your picture is too, Daddy!”

“Let’s hang it up first. Pick the magnets you want to use.” I had bought him a couple of different sets. Turtles and sea life plus one of various butterflies.

“There.” He rearranged the others so the new one of a colorful butterfly perched atop a giant sunflower hung front and center.

“I love it, and I love you. Now, let’s fill that tummy of yours.” These last couple of months Sage had gone from a thin, pale, quiet boy to the loving, happy, chatty, healthy one in front of me and I was beyond elated. They might have fed him three meals a day, or so Sage led me to believe, but they’d definitely limited how much he was allowed. Two bowls of mac and countless nuggets later, my boy was finally full.

Now on to an equally as important step for the evening.