Page 100 of Love Unlimited

Landon felt that he was suddenly very small. And I wanted to watch the movie with you.

Zhong studied him carefully, like he was trying to peer inside his mind. Daddies were scary sometimes. In the best possible way.

Come here, Zhong motioned.

Landon didn’t budge.

Zhong raised one eyebrow, wordlessly asking “are you really going to do this?”

Apparently he was.

Zhong stepped toward him and wrapped his thick solid arms around him. Landon held himself stiffly. It was so different from Daddy holding him, and from snuggles with Ash, too.

There was this unspoken line, though, where Landon and Zhong had never gotten physically close before.

All of his earlier thoughts came rushing back. He’d watched Ash, almost enviously, melting into their Daddy’s arms. And now that the two Daddies had a relationship together, it seemed like they were touching all the time.

Landon knew he would have been welcome any time. The first time they’d met, even, Dustin had affectionately termed Zhong a cuddle slut. He knew Zhong liked him too. He could see it on his face when he brought Landon little gifts, like the pair of action figures that now sat on his desk. Landon knew they had to symbolize something mushy that made him feel all tingly every time it happened.

So this wasn’t about Zhong. It was all about him.

Zhong didn’t break his grip, arms locked around him. Trapping him. It was like he was some immovable stone, willing to just wait Landon out. Unyielding.

It wasn’t that Landon hated it. If anything, it was the opposite. It left him feeling too open and needy.

He trusted Zhong in his head. But there was a storm brewing under his skin. He wanted to snap and fight and make Zhong calm him down.

Which wasn’t fair at all. Zhong wasn’t his Daddy, and that wasn’t his way of doing things.

Landon grit his teeth, muscles still tense, waiting to see what would happen.

Zhong paused for a slow, even breath, unmoving. Then he pressed one strong hand to the back of Landon’s neck and just pushed, holding Landon hard against him until he had no choice but to rest his cheek on those powerful shoulders and curl up into those muscular arms.

When Landon squirmed a little, Zhong pulled tighter. His other arm squeezed so tightly around Landon’s back that he almost couldn’t breathe.

It was heavenly.

Zhong smelled good, something sweet and a little spicy, and his shirt was soft under Landon’s skin. No wonder Ash liked it when he wore the cozy t-shirts. Zhong’s arms were perfect too, almost like being tied up but with the warmth and pulse of life. Zhong wasn’t letting go.

Landon’s hands slowly drifted up. He didn’t hug Zhong back, though. He clenched his fists around Zhong’s shirt and held on.

Zhong nodded, a brush of stubble against his cheek, and it felt like a wordless affirmation. An agreement that he was doing the right thing, and that Zhong would be there for him. Just like a Daddy should be.

Sparks swept through him, a needy sort of desire that was just for this moment, to give himself over fully and let Zhong take care of him. He could feel everywhere their bodies were pressed together. His body was so attuned that he felt like he was memorizing every breath that expanded Zhong’s chest. It wasn’t quite sexual—a small part of his mind knew that was a limit—but it was something gloriously close.

He let himself cling, squirming a little more just to see if Zhong would squeeze harder. He did. Landon’s ribs couldn’t quite expand, and that fluttery, tense breathlessness swept through all of the other stress of the day.

Daddy Zhong would keep him safe, and he could lose himself in the sensation.

Some indeterminate time later, he noticed Zhong’s grip changing. It felt good, though. He ran one soothing hand down Landon’s back and massaged his scalp and neck with the other. Landon melted a little further, feeling floating and clingy. There was a hyper-awareness of everything that was Zhong, while everything else faded to the background.

He didn’t usually need comfort like this. Or maybe he did all the time, and Dustin was fulfilling those needs before he even knew he had them. Yeah, that was probably it. It was like Dustin had cracked him open and let all of his messy, difficult needs out.

And now Zhong was here and close and getting it just right.

Obviously Zhong wasn’t his Daddy. But he was just a step away from it, a gentle protector and warm supporter, gifted with the power to take Landon’s hurricane of feelings and exhale them as a calm breeze.

Zhong pulled back just far enough to sign. Now I think we can talk. Do you want to go home or see the movie? Which would be better for you?