James laughed. “Fine. Fine. I really am tired.”
“Come on. I’ll tuck you in and everything.” Jacob urged James forward.
“Yeah.”
Jacob directed James toward the big bed. “I’ll set the alarm for eight. That will give you time to play, eat breakfast, and then get ready for work.”
“That would be great. Thanks.”
He nodded. Of course. Jacob wanted to take care of everything for the boy. “Any request for breakfast?” He set the clothes on the mattress then reached for James’s shirt.
“Cape on or off?” Jacob asked.
“Off. But I want it.”
“No problem,” Jacob didn’t comment about that. The cape was like a security blanket, so he wasn’t too surprised. “So breakfast?”
James hummed as he lifted his arms. “The French toast was good.”
“How about strawberry crepes?” Jacob offered. He got the shirt over James’s head.
“Really?” James groaned. “That sounds wonderful.”
Jacob tugged on the button of James’s jeans. “With bacon?”
James’s eyes sparkled. “I love bacon.”
“Who doesn’t? Only a heathen.” Jacob kept the conversation going while he undressed James. By the time Jacob had James in his pajamas, the boy was now complaining about having to wait for breakfast.
“Does that mean breakfast before playing?” Jacob teased. He pulled down the top blanket before gesturing James to climb onto the mattress.
“It is so mean to make me choose,” James complained.
Jacob pulled the blanket up James’s chest before he picked up the cape from the bottom of the bed. He passed the cape over.
James’s face turned red as he shoved the cape under his pillow.
Once the boy was more comfortable, Jacob would make sure to show James that he had nothing to be embarrassed about. Leaning down, Jacob kissed James’s forehead. “You were a very brave boy tonight. I’m proud of you.”
Jacob tried to straighten but James caught his shirt in his hand. “Do you really mean that?”
“Even if you’d hated playing and decided that it wasn’t for you, I would be proud because you tried.” Jacob sat on the side of the bed so he could ensure that he had James’s full attention.
“I feel…like something inside me just clicked together.” James huffed out a breath. “I don’t know how to explain it.”
“You don’t have to explain it,” Jacob assured him. “Not to me.”
“I still have questions,” James said.
“I suspect so. One play session isn’t going to fix everything. Is there anything you want to ask right now?” It was late but Jacob would give James all the time in the world.
“What do you get out of it?”
“It?” Jacob needed clarification.
“Being a Daddy,” James said. “Taking care of me. You fed me then watched me play for hours. Doesn’t seem fun from your position.”
Jacob nodded. “That’s a good question.”
