Page 62 of A Little Bit Naughty

Isaac let himself imagine for the millionth time that he wasn’t flying back tomorrow. That he could stay here with the man whose sister just said “welcome to the family” to a guy she’d never met, just because he was holding her brother’s hand.

No, better to think of something else. “So if you’re Dani… does that mean that Carlos and Nina are yours? And your husband is José.”

“Ooh! You’re good!”

Remi squeezed his hand. “I don’t know how he does it. He probably knows everyone’s name by now.”

“Well, come on back and meet everyone!”

Isaac stepped into the fray. In no time he had a plate piled high with burgers and salad—there turned out to be more than just kid food—and settled down in a lawn chair next to Remi and his other sister, Marcy.

She was just as warm as Dani, asking him questions about his program and chatting about her experiences as an occupational therapist in the public schools. Isaac told her that he’d considered going down that path—he loved kids—but he ultimately realized he wanted to work mostly with neurological challenges and recovery, which was more common with older adults.

At some point a few of the kids stopped by. A dripping wet toddler—baby Ellie he was guessing—crawled into Remi’s lap like she belonged there.

Remi set her down promptly with the instructions to get a towel if she wanted to cuddle. She ran off, chubby legs pumping, to return a minute later trailing an enormous towel across the lawn behind her.

Remi wrapped her up expertly and settled her on his knee, somehow ending up in a game that involved a lot of quacking and giggling while Remi’s hand tried to “eat” her toes.

Isaac wasn’t sure why it surprised him that Remi was so good with children—after all, Daddy Remi loved his little side—but the two didn’t necessarily go together. Even when Isaac was in little space, exploring the world with the wide-eyed awe and excitement of a preschooler, he wasn’t an actual child. He was an adult who enjoyed giving his responsibilities to someone else and letting his cares slip away for a few hours. That choice to give over control to his Daddy and Dom was what attracted a lot of people to the lifestyle, not necessarily anything to do with children. If anything, a lot of Caregivers didn’t want kids because it meant they couldn’t devote as much time to their littles, and they would have to hide a huge part of their lives. The two were completely separate.

But did Remi want children? Isaac reminded himself that it didn’t matter. He was literally getting on an airplane tomorrow morning and might never see him again.

Some of the older kids passed by in a swarm a few minutes later, and Ellie toddled off after them. Marcy got up to get ready for the cupcakes, leaving the two of them alone.

“How are you holding up?” Remi asked.

Isaac reached out—daringly he thought—and brushed Remi’s hand. He couldn’t say how much it meant to him that Remi took his hand in return. God, if only things were different. “I’m having a good time. Your family is lovely. But I am a little impatient to get back…” He gave Remi a hopeful look.

Remi’s eyes burned into him. “I was thinking that, too. I think we’re about to sing, and then we can go.”

“Perfect. I know we should stay longer–“ He dropped his voice. “–but I’m greedy for you, Daddy.”

Remi leaned in a little closer. “Well, that’s good, because I’m greedy for you too, sweet boy. Usually I keep my Daddying completely separate from the rest of my life, but all I’ve been able to think about all evening is giving you a birthday party with a sprinkler and cupcakes. We’d have to invite Tommy over, and you two could splash around in your swimsuits.”

Isaac had to close his eyes. He wanted that so desperately it burned. “My birthday’s at the end of September,” he murmured.

He didn’t know what he was proposing. Maybe nothing. Maybe just an impossible dream.

Daddy squeezed his hand. “Let’s take our cupcakes to go. I think maybe my baby boy deserves an early birthday. I don’t have a sprinkler, but you could put on your swimsuit and splash around in the shower. And then I might just have a special present for you.”

Isaac pressed his free hand to his eyes. He wasn’t going to cry. He wasn’t.

And the T made it so much easier. He blinked a few times, but he was still dry-eyed when he took his hand away.

“Sorry, sweetheart.” Remi was kneeling in front of him now, concern etched across his face. “We don’t have to do that. We don’t have to do any of it.”

Isaac shook his head. “No, it sounds perfect.” He forced a smile. “I want my early birthday.”

It was the only thing he was going to get, and he was damn well going to enjoy every second of it. “Let’s go sing to Lotte. And then I want my pressies.”

“Good plan.” Daddy pressed a kiss to his lips, right there on the lawn.

14

Remi

Remi woke up to the sweetest feeling in the world, his darling boy sleeping on his chest. Isaac’s weight made it a little hard to breathe, but he relished it.