Page 116 of Love Lessons: Expanded Edition

Maybe because Landon kept calling him Daddy.

So he made a point of doing it more often. Every time he did, it made his chest feel light and warm.

When they got home, Daddy teased him about being sweaty and told him to take a shower so he didn’t smell. In any other context it might have sounded mean, but instead it felt affirming.

Daddy made it clear that he wasn’t going to give Landon more than a quick kiss, but he also showed in a lot of small ways that he didn’t want to shake Landon out of the middle headspace that he’d slipped into this morning.

It was even better when Daddy told him that he couldn’t touch himself in the shower.

When Landon got out and walked innocently past Daddy wearing only a towel slung over one shoulder, Daddy just laughed, told him to get dressed, and gave him a soft slap on the ass to get moving. He hadn’t realized how comforting it was to not have his seduction efforts taken seriously.

Or at least when he didn’t mean them, which he hadn’t that time. Daddy was hella sexy, but he mostly wanted to see what would happen.

While Daddy took his shower, Landon got to figure out his clothes. He could make it a Lena day, but he kind of liked who he was right now. He just wanted more of it.

He found a pair of jeans at the back of his drawer. They had too many holes for him to usually consider wearing when anyone would see him. He should have thrown them away, but he kind of loved how they fit. They were cozy, but they also made his ass look good.

Then, he found a black mesh shirt from what would normally be the Lena section of his closet and pulled out two black, leather wrists cuffs from his kink bin—fashionable and functional.

He completed the look with heavy black eyeliner and checked himself out in the full-length mirror. The cuffs felt a little edgy and the holes in the jeans and tantalizing mesh made him feel sexy and wicked. Apparently middle Landon shopped on both sides of the aisle and was a little goth.

He liked how he looked. He really liked it. This was how he’d wanted to dress in high school but hadn’t quite been confident enough to attempt.

He just hoped that Daddy liked it, too. It shouldn’t have been a big deal—Dustin hadn’t blinked when he presented as female, but Lena’s clothing was usually much more mature and elegant. And even though his typical Landon outfits weren’t so elegant, they were at least appropriate for a man of his actual age.

Right now, he wouldn’t look out of place at a club. But it was barely ten in the morning.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw the bathroom door opening and he rushed over to close his bedroom door. Maybe he should change clothes. Maybe this wasn’t what Dustin wanted at all.

Of course, a closed door didn’t actually keep Dustin out.

He only poked his head in at first. May I come in?

Landon jerked his head to assent, but he was clutching his hands together and couldn’t bring himself to look up again.

Dustin’s feet entered his view, droplets of water clinging to his hairy legs and tracing patterns down the arches of his feet. Landon thought about kneeling there, whether to beg forgiveness or hide or just be close he didn’t know.

Dustin tugged up his chin. God, you’re adorable. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you. And it looked like he meant it. Like he was starstruck just watching Landon in his silly black makeup.

Landon felt his breath rush out in a whoosh. I’m not adorable, he argued. Why the hell couldn’t he accept a compliment? Or let Daddy know how much his acceptance meant to him?

Oh? What are you, then? Daddy seemed to find him amusing.

I’m dangerous. He wanted to say that he was sexy, too, but he didn’t have the nerve.

You couldn’t be more right. You’ve been dangerous to me since the moment I met you. Daddy leaned forward and gave him a lingering kiss, using his hand on Landon’s chin to keep him from moving any further.

But just that simple, soft kiss combined with those controlling fingers had him melting inside.

You want me like this? He’d meant to ask if Daddy liked his clothes, but it hadn’t quite come out that way.

Daddy grinned broadly. I want you every way. However you want to present yourself and whoever you want to be. But especially like this when you let me know how much you need me to keep you in line and take care of you.

Daddy’s expression sobered. I’m sorry that I took so long to figure things out. I was trying so hard to keep you safe in one way that I wasn’t giving either of us what we needed. I wasn’t being your Daddy. Do you think you can forgive me and let me start again? The right way this time?

Landon made a show of considering it. He was going to say yes, because he would be an idiot to turn down such a perfect man if he could have him as his Daddy too, but he wanted to hear it first. What does that mean exactly?

Daddy sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled Landon into the circle of his arms, so that he half stood and half perched on his knee. It made signing awkward, but sitting in Daddy’s lap more than made up for it.