I feel like I’m holding back, and I don’t like it.”
“Then from now on, naptime will be in my bed where you belong,” I said, hugging him tighter. It
was hard to believe it had been less than two months since the first time I’d walked in on Corey
napping at the club. Less since I’d realized how badly he wanted to be little. The way he slipped into
his role without even realizing it made it seem like we’d been doing this forever. “You’ll call me
when you’re leaving the store, and I’ll make sure to have a snack ready for you.”
“I’d like that.” Corey let out a huge yawn. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” I eased him back onto the mattress, pulling the covers over him. I bent down, pausing
to contemplate if this was the right time for the surprise I’d hoped to give Corey. I could always wait
until tomorrow, but I was eager to see the look on his face.
I unzipped my bag, wrapping my hand around the gift I’d chosen for him. I’d gotten more than a
few curious looks when I’d stopped by the mall, but there were zero fucks to be given. Since Corey
and I were apart more than we were together, I wanted him to have something to remind him I was
always there with him. Now, I was second-guessing myself.
“What are you doing, Daddy?” Corey slid his hand under my elbow. “If you want, you could lay
down to take a nap with me. It would probably help me sleep faster.”
I chuckled at today’s attempt to get me to lay with him. As much as I’d love to, I knew he’d be
mortified if anyone snuck in and caught the two of us sleeping together.
“Tomorrow,” I promised him. Tomorrow, there would be no reason I couldn’t indulge a little bit. I
might even spend tomorrow buying a few more surprises for him now that he seemed to be warming
up to the idea of spending time together when he didn’t have Willow.
Now seemed like the perfect time to give him his first present. I wouldn’t want him overwhelmed
tomorrow, after all. I pulled the toy out of my bag and handed it to him.
“What’s this?” Corey held the bear at arm's length before hugging it tightly to his chest. “This is so
cute, Daddy! Where did you find him?”
“I went to the mall today.” I’d debated stopping by to see Corey at work but, again, I was trying to
respect whatever speed he wanted to take things. For all I knew, his coworkers at his other job
thought he was straight as an arrow, and I didn’t want to jeopardize that.
“The stuffie store is right down from my work,” he told me, as if I didn’t know that. I wasn’t the
type to spend my free time in the mall, so when I’d gotten there, I had scoped out where his store was
