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“Seriously?” Madam rarely lets us cut out early because she schedules us down to the minute to support the club’s needs without overworking her staff.
“Yep. Now scoot!” Aspen waves me away with their dainty fingers.
I don’t have to be told twice. I’ve been gunning to get home since I got here. Tonight, Tanner and I have scheduled a little night, and I can’t wait to have him cuddled in my arms again. Three days with nothing but his face on a glitchy video call isn’t enough.
Blowing a kiss to the window of Madam’s office, I dash out of there like my ass is on fire.
SIXTEEN
“Have a good night!”Jeanine calls from the reception desk as I reach the front door of the office. It’s the first time I recall actually leaving at a reasonable hour. My boss has been on vacation, and this place has been wonderful in his absence.
“Gary out again next week?” Another colleague, Jim, asks when I step inside the elevator.
“Yep. Gone until Thursday,” I say with perhaps a bit too much enthusiasm.
“This place has been different with him gone,” Jim says, pressing the button for the ground floor. “Any big plans this weekend?”
“Just hanging out with my boyfriend.” Whether or not Dean and I have defined a relationship title other than Daddy/boy, that’s not something Jim needs to know. “What about you?”
“Tonight is the first time in months I’m going to be home to the wife and kids before sundown. I’m thinking about dinner and a movie treat for the family. Maybe catching a Rockies game this weekend if I can.”
“Sounds like fun,” I say as the elevator dings and the doors open. “Have a great weekend!”
Jim waves goodbye, and we part ways in the parking garage. I have to make a concentrated effort not to skip my way to my car, energy I can’t remember having bursting inside me. While I could attribute it to my boss being gone all week, I know it’s more than that.
This combination of joy, energy, and straight-up excitement is all thanks to Dean. Not only has his schedule helped me find the missing hours of sleep I never could, but I’m doing better in almost all adult areas of my days. I’m eating regularly, sleeping normally, and finding myself able to do chores around the apartment in the evenings with plenty of time before bedtime.
And what’s more? Dean hasn’t been demanding anything more from me. Not more time, more attention, any of it. Even with the hundreds of times I’ve asked, he’s assured me he’s getting exactly what he needs right now. He’s happy, I’m happy, and life is fantastic.
Who knew a part-time Daddy was exactly what I needed?
Sure, it’s only been a week, and it’s not always going to feel like sunshine and rainbows are shining out of my ass, but I’ll take what I can get. These days have made me lighter. Even if it all goes to hell when my boss returns from vacation, this is enough to hold me over for a while.
When I get to my car, I consider sending Dean a text to let him know I’m off work. Pulling my phone out of my bag, I hesitate, my finger hovering over the message icon.
Dean says he doesn’t need anything more right now, but would it be so bad if I were to do something for him?
I was promised little time tonight, but what if I gave him a bit of adult Tanner first? He’s given me so much. I think he deserves a little bit of his own spoiling. Now that I’m off, I glance at the time on the screen.
Dean’s not due at the apartment until eight, giving me plenty of time to run to the store and make him dinner. Plans begin formulating in my head of ways to spoil Dean as more than my part-time Daddy.
Remembering a comment he made during one of our video chats, I change course on my phone and open the Pinterestapp to look up a recipe for homemade scalloped potatoes. Dean said he was a steak and potatoes guy, but his all-time favorite is a good cut of beef, scalloped potatoes, and lemon-thyme asparagus.
I’m still unsure why I chose to memorize that one sentence, but it’s about to pay off in dividends. Switching back and forth between Pinterest and my notes app, I jot down all the ingredients I’ll need, then set my GPS for the specialty grocer in Aurora.
Visions of a fancy dinner by candlelight and a back massage for my Daddy dance in my head during the twenty-minute drive. It’s Daddy’s turn to be treated like a king by his prince.
??????
“Hi, Daddy.” Standing on my tiptoes, I press a kiss against his cheek in greeting. “You’re just in time.”
Dean sniffs the air, then picks me up, burying his face in my neck. “Jesus fuck, what is that heavenly smell?”
I laugh, smacking his arms to let me down. “I made you dinner!” I tell him once I’m set on my feet.
“I thought I was cooking for you,” he says as he kicks off his shoes and shuts the door. “What’s all this?”
My eyes follow his hand, gesturing to my purple-and-black striped apron. “It’s my turn to spoil you. Now, please sit at the table. I have a surprise for you.”
