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Colby accepted the refusal with surprising grace. He eyed Syrus solemnly as he sipped again at his pouch, almost as if he’d understood and was taking Syrus’s words to heart.

Luke sighed. It was already bad enough that the merman was beautiful and flirtatious and determined to crowd Luke with his naked body—did he really have to be weirdly good with Luke’s kid too?

“Your clothes,” Luke said shortly as he gave the pile to Syrus.

Syrus rifled through the items and grinned at Luke. “No underwear.”

Luke’s cheeks went hot, but he met Syrus’s gaze evenly. “No underwear.”

Syrus’s eyes flashed, and Luke’s mind immediately went back to their kiss in the kitchen, and the way Syrus’s bare erection had dug into his stomach. His belly swooped, and his mouth went dry.

Ah, fuck. He was in so much trouble.

Syrus swept past him with a lascivious grin, his arm brushing Luke’s as he walked by. Luke supposed he should thank his lucky stars Syrus wasn’t stripping down to change right there in the living room. Small mercies and all that.

It wasn’t much longer until the three of them were dressed and ready to go. “We’re heading to a friend’s bakery first,” Luke warned Syrus as they packed into the car. “Colby likes the donuts there.”

“Do-nuh!” Colby concurred happily from his car seat.

“That’s right, bud. And how do we ask nicely when we get there?”

“Do-nuh peez!” Colby shouted.

Luke laughed and put the car in gear, heading out into the cold, damp dark.

“And what do you like, Luke?” Syrus asked after a moment. “From this bakery you frequent?”

“Um, a little of everything, I guess. Seth’s pastries are amazing. We’re lucky he moved to town.” Luke felt only the slightest bit disloyal saying it. The former bakery in town had been…fine, but it hadn’t quite matched Seth’s abilities in the kitchen. Luckily, the owner had happily retired, so Luke didn’t have to feel completely guilty for switching sides.

Syrus hummed thoughtfully, widening his legs so his thigh was brushing into Luke’s territory. “So he feeds you, this Seth? You and Colby both?”

“I mean, it’s kind of in the job description.”

Syrus didn’t say anything to that, but when Luke glanced his way, he looked vaguely disgruntled. Something about his question brought the conversation from last night up in Luke’s mind.

“Why, is that part of the protector’s job description?” Luke goaded. “Feeding me?”

When Syrus didn’t say anything, Luke coughed. He’d been joking, of course. It wasn’t like Syrus even knew how to cook human food—was he really expecting to feed Luke and Colby raw fish on the daily?

“Anyway, wouldn’t I already be the protector in this situation?” Luke asked.

Syrus swished his blond hair over his shoulder as he cocked his head at Luke. “Why?”

“I mean, as the father.”

“How so?”

Luke came up short with an answer. He’d strayed somewhere, hadn’t he? The point he was supposed to be arguing was that he didn’t need a protector, not the gender stereotype of it all.

Syrus propped his head on his hand and stared at Luke, his eyes crinkled in amusement. “Sweet Luke,” he cooed. “I’m stronger. Deadlier. You’re a nurturer. A healer.”

Luke wasn’t either of those things. Sure, he’d slapped some bandages on Syrus out of necessity, but it wasn’t like he went around tending to people’s hurts and wounds. “I’m a woodworker,” he stressed.

“Yes,” Syrus agreed, as if that was somehow part of his point. “You create. You don’t destroy.”

Luke was too baffled by the sentiment to argue anymore. And besides, they were pulling up at Coastal Crumbs and didn’t have the time.

Luke climbed out of the driver’s seat and grabbed Colby from his car seat. He set him down, taking his son’s small hand so he could walk on his own two feet.