“With bubbles and toys?” I chuckled because he’d asked several times about the bubbles and toys. Apparently, they were a necessary part of bath time.
“Yep,” I confirmed, pulling him onto the bed between my legs. I was hard again, thinking about everything I had planned for the night. I’d come over earlier in the week to set up some supplies so everything would be perfect. And after hearing Chase’s fears that I didn’t want him enough because I wasn’t pressuring him into sex, I hoped he’d see that the exact opposite was true. I rubbed my hand over his stomach. Chase hummed as I slipped my hand under his t-shirt. “You’ll be able to play, but not for too long. Daddy needs to have time to get his boy clean before the water gets cold. And then I’m going to take my time making sure you’re dry.”
“And then bedtime?”
“Not tonight, buddy,” I corrected him. “I thought you might want to stay up after bedtime tonight. There won’t be anyone here to interrupt us or listen to what we’re doing.”
He twisted around to look up at me. The only thing keeping his binkie in his mouth was his teeth. There were exactly zero words for how cute he looked with a huge smile on his face, still keeping the pacifier in place.
My hands drifted lower. “Are you sticky, buddy?”
“Mm-hmm,” he confirmed, lifting into my touch. “It’s hurty, too.”
“I’m sure it is.” I considered reaching into his undies to straighten him out but pulled my hand away instead. As desperate as he was, he’d beg me to get him off, and then be horrified when the endorphins waned. “Tonight, I’ll be sure to give you kisses and make your owies all better.”
“And I get to give you kisses, too?” The binkie fell out of Ash’s mouth when he licked his lips. “I like special kisses. But you get too loud, Daddy. I think maybe you need a binkie, so you remember to stay quiet.”
I banged my head on the wall as I laughed. This was the silliest, most ridiculous conversation about sex I had ever had, and yet it was perfect. For us. “Then it’s a good thing no one will be around tonight. It’s not my fault you make Daddy feel so good. Tonight, you’re going to get to be loud, too.”
Chase jumped, burying his blankie under my pillow when Mom knocked on the bedroom door. “Boys, can you come and help me with the last couple of plants so I can get out of your hair for the night?”
“Your mom’s the best, Daddy.”
Yeah, she really was.
* * *
Chase was curledup on the couch with a book as I let Mom run me through what needed to be done for dinner. It was like she forgot I’d been taking care of myself since I was twelve and she started working a part-time job at night. “Make sure the crock pot is turned off and you soak the liner, otherwise it’s going to be impossible to clean. If there’s any left, feel free to pack it up to take back to school tomorrow night. Lock the doors—”
“Mom, this isn’t the first time you’ve left me home alone,” I complained. I wanted her to hurry up and get the hell out of there. And the doors weren’t going to be an issue because I planned on locking all of them and drawing the curtains as soon as she was gone so Chase would feel comfortable. “We’ll be fine. You sure Mel doesn’t mind you crashing at her place tonight?”
Mom and I didn’t have a typical mother/son relationship. As I’d grown older, we shifted from parent and child to friends. The hardest part about being a teen was having friends over who couldn’t help but talk about how hot Mom and her friends were. Mel was the closest thing I’d ever have to an aunt, and I was pretty sure she knew why Mom was bailing for the night.
“It’s fine.” Mom kissed my cheek and hugged me tight. “We love you and want you to be happy, Jayden. She’ll be happy when I report back that your boyfriend actually exists and he’s the sweetest boy ever.”
“Mom, you’ve gotta quit calling him a boy,” I whined. “I know you don’t mean anything by it, but he doesn’t know you.”
“It’s okay, Jay.” Chase shuffled into the kitchen. “I don’t mind it. Your mom’s nice.”
Mom shot me asee what I meanlook. I rolled my eyes. Fine. She won.
“Thank you, sweetie.” Mom kissed him on the cheek, just like she had with me, but the hug she gave him lasted longer. “If you boys go back to school before I get back tomorrow, I hope you have a great week. And youwillbe coming home next weekend. Both of you.”
“Yes, ma’am,” we responded in unison. I was the only one who got a glare for referring to her as ma’am. Shehatedthat.
Mom picked up her bag and we walked her to the sliding glass door that led to the deck. She made it to the stairs before turning back. “Make sure you put the bar in. You wouldn’t want your uncle to come in when he gets home from the club.”
Good point. And I wouldn’t have put the bar in the door because we rarely did unless we were leaving the house empty. “Thanks, Mom.”
I slid the door closed and immediately braced it before turning back to my boy.
This was it.
My heart raced. My stomach churned. And my palms were so sweaty I had to wipe them on my pants.
I wanted to help Ash find his happy space, and that meant I was going to push him further than I had this morning with the training pants.
“Come on, buddy. It’s time for your first surprise.” I wasnotexpecting him to jump up and wrap his legs around my waist. We both laughed as he planted kisses all over my face. “Someone’s excited.”
