He let out a laugh and wiped his eyes. “God no. No more torturing myself.”
He leaned over so quickly, grabbing my face and tugging me to him for a kiss, that all I could do was enjoy the moment of sheer bliss he was going through right then. I gripped the back of his neck as we drew apart and then pulled him back in to kiss his forehead, murmuring against his skin. “I’m so glad you made this decision. I think you’re going to be so much happier. Come on. Let’s not sit out in the car any longer.”
Stepping out, I rounded the hood and held out my hand for him. He clasped it, an easy grin on his face. “God, I’m just thinking of all the free time I’ll have. I’ll be able to see her more and spend more time with friends.” As I turned and met his gaze, a wide smile on my face, his grin only got bigger. “Spend more time with you.” And then my shy boy was back as he looked down and blushed. “I mean, if you want to spend more time with me.”
I stopped just inside the house and pulled him to me. “I can’t wait to spend more time with you, sweet boy. You make me so happy, and I’m really proud of you for making this decision. It was a tough one, and I know you’ve had some really rough years since your mom got so sick. I think you’re going to feel so much better without the weight of her expectations hanging over you.”
He nodded, his face in the crook of my neck. “Me too. Thank you.” He pulled back and met my gaze. “I mean it. I hadn’t been able to look at it like that for some reason, and I can’t tell you how relieved I feel. Thank you, Daddy.”
His shy smile drew me in, and I couldn’t stop myself from kissing the daylights out of him. When we pulled apart, we were both grinning at each other and then the boy got a glint in his gorgeous eyes and asked, “So… kinks?”
I threw my head back and laughed. This boy was going to keep me on my toes. “Yes. Kinks. We do need to have that conversation, don’t we? Where would you like to have it? Kitchen table, family room couch, sitting room upstairs in the loft?”
He bit his lip but couldn’t hide the cheeky grin I was growing to love. “How about we have the discussion naked and in your bed?”
I couldn’t help but grin. “I like where this is going.”
He grinned back at me, and I leaned down to grip his waist. When I picked him up he took the cue, wrapping his long, beautiful legs around me in a vise grip I found both impressive and sexy as hell. “You’re so strong, baby. Stronger than you look in so many ways. Physically, mentally, emotionally, so fucking strong.”
He wrapped his arms tight around my neck, buried his head there, and hummed when my grip tightened. I headed up the stairs, my boy comfortable in my grasp, and entered my bedroom. I loosened my grip as he slid down my body until he was standing before me, flushed. “I think you’re the strong one. It’s not like I’m a lightweight even if I am a spaghetti noodle.”
“And that segues rather nicely into this discussion,” I said conversationally as I began to undress him. Pulling off his shirt, I leaned down and kissed the soft curve of his shoulder. “Your skin is beautiful.” I continued kissing over to his neck. “I love how it pinks up whenever I touch it, letting me know you’re enjoying yourself.”
I kneeled down to take his shoes and socks off and stayed down there to undo his pants and pull them down with his underwear, looking up into his eyes. “You’re not a spaghetti noodle, baby. You’re a beautiful work of art,” I said as I let my eyes roam down his long, lithe form. “Every inch of you is gorgeous, and I’m so lucky you’re mine.”
He reached out and cupped my cheeks, playing with my beard, but didn’t respond, so I asked, “And you are…right?”
I stood, and he watched me until I lifted a brow. “I am what?”
“Mine.”
Sanders sucked in a breath and nodded. “Yes. I want that. Are you mine as well?”
“Of course, sweetheart.”
I ran my fingers through his hair, and he leaned into me. Unbuttoning my dress shirt, I slipped it off my shoulders and tossed it onto the chair beside my bed. “I think I’ll have you wear that in the morning.”
He glanced at the shirt and then back at me as I smiled. “And only that.”
Sanders blushed and shook his head. “You seem to want me naked a lot.”
“Fuck yes, I do. If I thought it wouldn’t mortify you, I’d have you be naked here all the time.”
He covered his face with his hands, mumbling into them. “Oh my god, no!”
Chuckling, I drew him close, nibbling on his neck as our naked bodies touched. I turned, keeping his hand in mine as I walked us to the bed, lying down on it and pulling him after me. “Okay, maybe just occasionally then.”
“I’d freeze my ass off.”
I grinned at him. “That’s what the heater is for.”
“But… my butt… on the furniture and stuff.”
I threw back my head and laughed at his horrified tone. “You’ll get used to it gradually. And before you know it, you’ll love it just as much because I won’t be able to take my eyes and hands off you.”
“You’re serious?”
“I mean, I’d love to be able to look at my beautiful boy naked just for me. I could pull you down on my lap and touch you everywhere without clothing getting in my way. Do all sorts of naughty things just so I can hear those sexy as fuck moans and whimpers.”
I pulled Sanders toward me, kissing him gently. “You know I wouldn’t force you to do something you didn’t want to do. That’s why we need to talk about our preferences and our limits.”
Sanders nodded and moved more fully on top of me, arms stacked on my chest, chin resting on them as he gazed down at me. “Can I ask you a question?”
I reached up and carded my fingers through his hair, and he closed his eyes and leaned into my hand like a cat needing affection. And god, I wanted to be the one dishing out affection to this touch-starved boy. “You can ask me anything, anytime, anywhere.” His shy smile had me clasping the back of his head and drawing him closer as I leaned up to kiss his forehead. “Now, what is it, sweetheart?”
“You’re constantly praising me. Always telling me how good I am, how wonderful I feel, how happy I make you. All sorts of stuff. Do you feel like you have to do that? I don’t want you to feel like I’m too needy.”
I knew this was something he really needed to understand, and I didn’t want any confusion about it. I sat up, probably a little too abruptly, carrying him with me so he was straddling me and holding onto my shoulders in surprise. Once we were on the same level, I wrapped my arms around his slender body and pulled him even closer. He wrapped his arms around my neck and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as if my hug was exactly what he’d needed.
It probably was.
“You are the farthest thing from needy. You handle everything on your own, and you don’t ask for help. Truth be told, I really love a needy boy, so never feel like you can’t show me that side of yourself. I’m the type of Daddy who needs to help you, needs to take care of you, needs to make you feel good. I praise you because you deserve it. I praise you because when I do, your face lights up, your body softens and relaxes, and the worries I see in your eyes seem to drift away.”