Page 85 of Love Lessons

Ash: i’ve seen you give advice like this to other people. you just suck at doing it for yourself.

Landon: That’s why I have you. I’ll buy you a cupcake.

Ash: Go get your kink on.

Ash: And then tell me all about it.

Landon shoved his phone into his pocket, feeling like he at least had a plan. Thank God for Ash.

Should he ask Dustin to cancel the dinner plans so he could have a Lena day? Or maybe some Daddy time? Or better yet, some time for Lena to be with her Daddy? He felt shivery just thinking about it.

Tentatively, he pulled out his phone again.

Landon: I might be Lena tonight.

Dustin: Lucky me. You never have to tell me though. Unless you want to get me excited.

That was the other problem with Dustin. He was so perfect in so many ways.

Landon: I’m not sure I’m comfortable being Lena in a new place.

Dustin: I’ll support you whatever you want to do. You just let me know.

Landon: Too many decisions.

Would Dustin pick up on that? He really needed him to step in and take charge.

Dustin: Go get dressed up, pretty girl. I’ll order something for us to eat and see you at 6.

Thank God. That was exactly what he needed.

Landon: Thank you.

He thought about adding Daddy to the end. But would that be too much? Maybe they should talk first? He didn’t think that Dustin had changed his mind about what he wanted, Landon just couldn’t figure out how to make it happen.

Fuck, he didn’t really want to think right now.

But makeup? Makeup he could do. After a nice long shower. At least he could be all soft and smooth and sweet-smelling when Dustin came over.

◆◆◆

By the time Dustin arrived, Lena was feeling a bit more relaxed. The conversations with the parents today still weighed on her, but they’d been pushed to the back of her mind. And hopefully with Dustin there, they’d be pushed away entirely.

He arrived a few minutes before six with a take-out bag, and after he gave her a lingering kiss, he asked about her day.

She let it all pour out, all of her frustration with the situation and fears for her students. While she talked, he led her to the couch and snuggled her up on his lap.

When she finished, he snuggled her for a while and planted tiny kisses on her forehead. It was nice getting the comfort, but the part that she loved best was that he hadn’t asked her anything. He’d just moved her where he wanted her and held her tightly even when she squirmed a bit to test his hold.

No more thinking tonight, pretty girl. Let me take care of everything.

God, yes. That was what she needed.

He moved her gently to the side and went to retrieve their food from where he’d left it near the door. He pulled out sushi, edamame, dumplings, and seaweed salad and laid them all out on the coffee table. It was a beautiful spread, even in the inelegant white Styrofoam containers, and she reached out hungrily.

He caught her wrist and pulled it back to place a gentle kiss on her palm. Then, he moved her hand to her lap. She felt a spark of desire race down her back and felt her shoulders relax.

He prepared a piece of her favorite eel roll with wasabi, soy sauce, and absolutely no ginger, and then held it up to her lips. She accepted it, licking around his fingers.