“Dad, I’m not judging,” I assure him, holding my palms up. “And if that’s what works for you, then go for it.” I’m wellaware of Dad’s struggles with Generalized Anxiety Disorder; the last thing I want is to make him feel uncomfortable about his chosen coping mechanism. I consider telling him about my own strategies for shutting off my brain but I’m not sure hearing about my preference for sensory deprivation kink is what he needs right now. “I’m assuming this guy was the one with all the kissing and the freaking out?”
He nods. “Yeah, but I got over that. Things were going really well.”
“So, what happened to fuck it up?”
He hesitates for a moment, glancing down at Izzy with a familiar frown. And my hackles start to rise because I already know what he’s going to say. “He found out about Natalia. And when I tried to explain the situation, I just…froze. The anxiety just took over and I couldn’t get the words out. And all he heard was that I’m married and I don’t plan to divorce her.”
I bite down on my jaw and draw in a slow breath, for once managing to hold my tongue instead of railing on the psycho bitch who’s still ruining Dad’s life even though she’s not here. “Have you tried talking to him since then?”
“No.”
“Dad, what the fuck?” I throw my hands up in exasperation. “You’re supposedly really into this guy, and yet you’re not even going to fight for him? You’re just going to let him think you’re an asshole cheater?”
Dad lets out a defeated sigh, his expression miserable. “It’s not that simple. Deacon…he’s…good. He’s a really nice guy. He’s not going to want to be with me while I’m married, no matter the circumstances. I should have been upfront with him from the start. Now I’ve turned him into a cheater, and I don’t think he’ll be able to forgive that.”
I can’t help letting out a derisive huff. “Sounds like a fucking snoozefest if you ask me. Is he at least hot?”
Dad rolls his eyes. “I’m not answering that.”
My lips curve into a wry smirk. “A non-answer always means yes, Dad. Everyone knows this.”
He lets out a huff of amusement, shaking his head. “I’m sorry you came all the way back here to deal with this. But I really don’t think there’s anything that can be done about it.”
I eye him for a long moment as I mull the situation over. I’m sure most people would say I should just stay out of it and let Dad take care of his own business, but I’m not sure I can do that. He’s far too accustomed to sacrificing his own happiness; he’llnevertake proactive steps to work this shit out.
I finally nod, having made my decision. It’s clear I need to have a chat with this guy myself. “Yeah, we’ll see about that.”
Dad looks doubtful but I decide not to clarify. Instead, I get to my feet and stride over to the sofa, collecting my baby sister from his arms. The unavoidable jostling causes her to stir a little, a small smile touching her feverish face as she sees me holding her. “Jazz?”
I grin back at her. “Hey, beautiful. Go back to sleep. You need to be all better for our special brother-sister day tomorrow.”
She promptly closes her eyes and snuggles against my chest, falling asleep again in mere moments. Of course, we’ll spend the day together and have a sleepover whether she’s feeling better or not—I haven’t seen her in weeks and Dad clearly needs a break—but it’ll be much more fun if she’s her usual, sunny self.
“Go take a shower,” I tell Dad. “You look like shit.”
“Gee, thanks,” he says with a wry huff, but there’s appreciation glimmering in his sapphire gaze.
“Just for clarification purposes,” I ask as he moves across the living room, “is this some other Deacon or is it the kindergarten teacher you wouldn’t let me meet because you thought I’d try to seduce him and make things weird for Izzy?”
It’sclose to four by the time I get to Izzy’s school and the place is completely quiet, causing me to let out a frustrated sigh. Fuck…I was really hoping to get this done today…
I’m just contemplating the wisdom of breaking into the Principal’s office to find out this guy’s home address when I see someone moving around in the classroom I’m passing.
And what do you know? It’s the kindergarten classroom.
I have no idea how many kindergarten classes this school has, but if this isn’t Deacon then whoever’s in charge of staff hiring is clearly on a mission to make a “sexy teachers” calendar.
I can see why Dad might have been concerned about me meeting him, because he’s exactly the kind of guy I’d be into—tall and fit with an air of easy confidence about him. And best of all, even though he looks toppy as fuck, if I didn’t know better I’d read him as a guy who loves to get dominated—my absolute favorite kind of sub.
Unfortunately, I do know better, which makes him so much less appealing. Probably a good thing since my dad’s all in love with him and shit.
But still, two sexy as fuck guys in one day—Welcome back to New York.
I tap on the door frame to alert him to my presence, prompting him to turn to the door, abandoning the poster he’d been pinning to the wall.
Damn, I was enjoying that view of his abs.What? I already said I wasn’t going to make a move. I can look, can’t I?
“Are you Deacon Stapleton?”
