“I’m right here, bud.”
“Don’t leave.”
The plea went straight to my heart. “I’m not going anywhere. Let me just get changed, okay?”
He nodded, already drifting off.
I quickly stripped down to my own t-shirt and boxers, then climbed into bed beside him. Immediately, he curled into me, seeking warmth and comfort. I wrapped my arms around him and pressed a kiss to the top of his head.
“Sleep, bud. Daddy’s got you.”
His breathing deepened almost instantly, his body finally giving in to the exhaustion it had been fighting.
As I lay there holding him, listening to the storm rage outside, I felt something I hadn’t felt in years.
Peace.
Complete and total peace.
Wren had been right. My heart had made room for more love. And Tanner had walked right into that space like he’d been meant to be there all along.
I’d spent two years healing from loss, learning to live with grief, finding my footing again. And now, with this sweet boy in my arms, I understood that healing didn’t mean forgetting. It meant growing. Evolving. Making space for new joy without diminishing what came before.
“Thank you,” I whispered into the darkness, knowing Wren could hear me wherever he was. “Thank you for this.”
Outside, the storm howled. But here, wrapped around my boy, I’d never felt safer.
We’d figure out the details tomorrow. Work out rules and expectations and all the practical things that came with a Daddy/boy dynamic. But tonight, this was enough.
CHAPTER
ELEVEN
Tanner
I woke up wrapped in warmth.
For a moment, I didn’t remember where I was or why I felt so content. Then Simon’s steady breathing registered, his arm heavy and secure around my waist, and everything from yesterday came flooding back.
My Daddy.
The words echoed through my mind, and I felt my cheeks heat. I’d actually said it out loud. Had actually claimed what I wanted and asked for it.
And he’d said yes.
More than that—he’d been happy to take on the role. Taking care of me appealed to him. It was a big win.
I shifted slightly, turning in his arms so I could see his face. In sleep, he looked peaceful. The worry lines that sometimes creased his forehead were smooth, and his mouth was soft and relaxed.
He was handsome. I’d always known that, but seeing him like this—vulnerable and unguarded—made something warm bloom in my chest.
Mine,a voice in my head whispered.My Daddy.
As if sensing my stare, his eyes fluttered open. They focused on me immediately, and a slow smile spread across his face.
“Morning, bud,” he said, his voice rough with sleep.
“Good morning,” I whispered back, suddenly shy.
