James groaned. That was nice.
“Have a bite, baby,” Jacob ordered quietly.
He opened his mouth for a bite of apple.
“Good boy.”
Oh, he couldn’t hold back the shudder.
“You can turn your brain off,” Jacob told him. “Just relax and let me take care of you. I promise that nothing more than this will happen tonight. Just the two of us cuddling while you eat, drink, and watch cartoons.”
While James’s cock might not like the statement, James’s mind was easily on board. Releasing the tension of his body, James allowed himself to sink more heavily against Jacob.
When Jacob held up another piece of apple or a cube of cheese or a small purple grape, James would open his mouth to accept the offering. Jacob would nudge the water bottle and James would drink.
A new episode of the same cartoon started and James pointed. This was one of his favorites.
“I like this one,” Jacob agreed.
Cartoons were cool because by the end of the thirty-minute episode, everything would work out. The teenage superheroes would stop the bad guy. Everything would be right in the world.
With a sigh, James rested his cheek against Jacob’s chest.
Under his ear, Jacob’s heart beat at a steady pace.
He closed his eyes again even as he continued to listen to the cartoon. Jacob stopped trying to feed him and instead wrapped both arms around James. That was even better.
With the thump thump thump of Jacob’s heart, James let himself drift.
Chapter Eight
Jacob
Turning his head, Jacob tried to get away from whatever was tickling his face. A giggle had Jacob opening his eyes in shock.
James grinned back at him as he peered at Jacob from where he rested his chin on Jacob’s chest.
Jacob licked his lips and cleared his throat. “Morning, baby.”
“I can’t believe that you slept all night on the couch with me.”
Neither could he. As Jacob struggled to sit up, his body was already protesting. He groaned. That had been a bad idea. Not that he could regret the choice when James appeared so much better than the previous night. And the boy had slept hard. Had been comfortable.
“What’s wrong, old man? Sore?” James teased.
And the brat was bratting. Jacob had to hide his amusement. “If you’re not nice to me, I’m not going to make your breakfast,” Jacob warned.
“What kind of breakfast?” James batted his lashes as he asked.
The boy was pushing boundaries. Jacob wasn’t certain if it was out of defense or if James was showing how comfortable he was. Until he knew for sure, Jacob needed to tread carefully. “I was considering making you French toast and sausage.”
James’s stomach growled loudly, cutting off whatever James was going to say. James’s cheeks turned pink as he nodded. “That sounds so good.”
“Then help me up,” Jacob ordered with a scowl.
“Fine.” James slid off him and Jacob didn’t miss the feel of hardness that had been pressed against his thigh.
The boy’s reaction was natural. They’d been lying against each other, so Jacob didn’t need to call attention to James’s morning wood. The previous evening Jacob had noticed James’s erection as he hand-fed the boy. Again, he hadn’t said anything. James needed a safe space and Jacob wanted to be able to offer that to him. There should be no embarrassment when bodies react to stimulation, or something that made either of them feel good. He just needed to be careful how he handled things between them.
