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“Meals. I’ve said it a few times, and so have you…your eating habits are atrocious. Coffee, sugar, and the occasional granola bar are not enough sustenance for a grown man. Especially when you’re running yourself all hours of the day, adding stress from your cases to it.”
“I know, but I seriously don’t have time to cook or meal prep. It’s so much effort, and I just…” Tanner’s eyes well up.
“I understand, but that’s where I can step in as Daddy.” I smile at him triumphantly. “I love to cook. It would make me happy to prep meals for you. I can even make you easy-to-grab breakfasts and lunches to take on the go. Easily microwavable meals that are healthy and filling are simple to whip up.”
“But what do you get out of this? I mean, right now, it sounds like a personal assistant and private chef. How does this make you happy?”
Leaning forward, I cup Tanner’s trembling chin in my hand. “I already told you. Seeing you happy makes me happy. Although, I would like one concession here.”
“Okay,” he breathes.
“Once a week, I want to have a meal together. It doesn’t have to be dinner. Any meal will do as we learn your routine and schedule together. But during this meal, there will be no phones allowed at the table. One hour minimum. During our meal, I want us to talk about everything, nothing, anything.”
“I-I can do that.” Tanner’s cheek hollows again, clearly gnawing the inside of his cheek. There’s a question there, one for some reason he’s nervous to ask.
Then it hits me.
“Ah, you’re curious about playtime. Will you be able to have little time, right?”
Still looking at me, he nods slowly. “Yes. I want it so much.”
“It’s part of the routine and the area I’m most excited about helping you find. I’ve seen it for myself: little time helps you relax and decompress. I will do everything in my power to give you what you need. That’s my role as Daddy.”
Tanner’s body sags, relief seeping from his pores. “Do you-do you think this will be enough?”
“More than.” I lean forward and press my lips to his forehead. “We’ll explore together, find what works best for us and only us. Each Daddy/boy dynamic is unique, and there’s no harm in trying, failing, and adjusting as we go. So long as it’s what we both want and we commit to communicating openly and honestly with each other about what is and is not working.”
“I’d like that.”
Fucking finally.
“I’m not asking for everything, Tanner, only a chance to show you that having a demanding job doesn’t mean you can’t have someone in your life to care for you.”
“Sounds like a dream,” he says with a soft sigh.
“What do you say, sweetheart? You want to give me a shot as your part-time Daddy?”
“I really do.” Tanner smiles brightly enough to light up the room. “I may not be one hundred percent confident this will work, but if you mean it, I’m willing to give this a chance.”
“That’s all I can ask of you.”
“Okay, Daddy.” Tanner bats his eyelashes at me. “Can we seal it with a kiss?”
TWELVE
Dean laughs.A full belly rumble that has him covering his mouth with one hand and clutching his stomach with the other. It’s a joyful sound, and I can’t help but join in with my own giggle.
“Have a one-track mind, do we, boy?”
Giving him a silly, unrepentant grin, I shrug. Truthfully, I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t have a trillion questions, a running list in my head of every possible scenario around Daddy Dean’s offer, and a need to have each question answered in explicit detail.
But I’m trying not to let my spinning mind show. I’d rather have a little fun. Getting to taste Dean’s lips, well, that’s an epic bonus. I’d be lying if I said I haven’t been thinking about his lips on mine on and off throughout dinner and our little talk.
Besides, aren’t all the kisses a perk of having a Daddy?
“I can see my baby bat is distracted,” Daddy says with a chuckle, drawing my attention back to his face.
“Baby bat?”
