Page 20 of Ethan’s Dazzling Daddies

Ethan was brought in to sign paperwork, given his all-access badge, and told to make his own schedule. His Daddy was delighted by the fact that they could plan their days together. He'd been quietly upset about Ethan returning to his own place, though he said he understood. Ethan wasn't entirely a fan of it either, but he knew diving in all the way immediately was a recipe for disaster, especially with the new and still-uncertain connection with Ash.

By the second and third week, they had a comfortable routine in place. Ethan had half-expected Ash to drop out by then. Three weeks. Twenty-one days. Many of them working days, and yet every time, Ash was there on time. When he couldn't make it, he sent things instead: small gifts for both Ethan and Jacob or he would sponsor an event at the club.

Ash had also signed up for membership immediately after groveling in the office that first day. Briar had put him through his paces, vetting him through multiple sources and questioning Manny at length about Ash's character. She knew enough about his history with Ethan to know it wasn't a simple yes based on a credit and background check.

Ethan woke up every morning with a sense of wonder about his life. It had gone nothing like he'd planned, and every minute of every day he had to remind himself to keep his cool. The world wasn't ending. Things weren't falling apart. The people in his life wanted to be there. In fact, they were vying for his attention.

The end of the first month brought Ethan to a crossroads. If he was going to pursue anything with Ash, he wanted to get the ball rolling. It wasn't impatience. He simply didn't like the idea of continuing on in this half-state. The sooner he could decide whether being with Ash would be romantic or only platonic, the better.

Honestly, he was amazed to be in this position. A few weeks ago he wanted to curse Ash’s name. Now he was considering if the man was meant to be more.

Ethan texted his Daddy first thing and asked if they could get breakfast to chat. Jacob agreed and knocked on his door twenty minutes later, a bag of food in hand and a cautious expression on his face.

“What's wrong?” he asked as soon as he had Ethan seated with his food cut into pieces.

“Nothing, Daddy,” Ethan said. “I just thinking about stuffs.”

Jacob's shoulders dropped and he let out a sigh. “I have a feeling I know what you want to talk about.”

“You do?”

“Yes. I suspect you've been watching Ash and know now that he's serious about changing.”

“Is he, though?” Ethan questioned in a soft voice. “Because last time, I thought it was real too.”

His Daddy hummed. Then he placed his hands on Ethan's knees and turned his boy to face him.

“I think the time before was already tenuous. Ash made it clear in that room that he had always considered you part of his work environment. He had no idea he even had a chance with you, so he self-sabotaged in a way that doesn't make sense to us but made sense to him at the time. The man I've seen these last four weeks, the man I've spoken to more than once in private. He's a complete 180 from that. This Ash is dedicated and loyal. He's committed to delegating tasks at the office and trusting others to carry them.”

Ethan heard what his Daddy said, but he was hung up on one particular part. “You’ve been talking? Without me?”

“Yes, we have. I couldn't possibly allow him to grow closer to you without knowing more about him. As your Daddy, it's important for me to vet the people in your life. Not in a controlling way, but in a protective one.”

Ethan gave a happy wiggle at that. He loved the idea of his Daddy being in charge, but knowing that his safety was a top priority made him feel cherished. He was still getting used to the idea, but thankfully Jacob was dedicated and consistent.

Just like Ash.

“Do you think it's silly for me to cave already, Daddy?” Ethan whispered, ducking his head.

Jacob put a finger under his chin and lifted his face until they were looking at one another. “Sweetheart, this life is short, and sometimes people have to hit rock bottom to understand that they were wrong. They have to lose everything to wake up and see the world around them for what it really is.”

“Lonely,” Ethan said quietly. “He's… lonely.”

It wasn't a question, so Jacob didn't answer, keeping quiet as Ethan turned the idea over in his mind.

“He was a workaholic and lonely, so he did what he knew,” Ethan continued. “And yeah, it wasn't right, but he has been better.”

“He has,” Jacob agreed. “And I think it will only get better with time. You could always take it slow with him. Maybe start by holding his hand, or giving him a hug. Something that involves touch and closeness, but doesn't go as far as a kiss or anything more. Let it build.”

Ethan wanted to groan at the picture his Daddy painted. Something more was still up in the air. While he and Jacob often took care of one another in tender ways, they had not yet gone all the way. He'd wanted to hold off, to clear his mind about Ash first and make sure he wasn't jumping into anything because he'd just left a difficult situation.

The movies always claimed that relationships built on high adrenaline were the best kind. He didn't fully believe that, and he didn't want to risk being a statistic.

“I think I have to try,” Ethan said.

Jacob squeezed his knees and sat upright. “Then we try.” His Daddy made it sound so easy.

Three days later, Ethan got his first real chance to try out this new connection with Ash. They were heading to the club but had decided to get brunch together first. Brunch on a weekday meant Ash would be missing quite a bit of work. It wasn't meant to be a test, though it definitely had the characteristics of one.