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CHAPTER FOUR

LEVI

I hated divorces, but didn’t everyone? Nope. My current client loved them. She wanted to wrap them in bows and give them as presents under the Christmas tree. If she could have married a damn divorce, she would’ve. That was the only reason she wanted every delay and expense she demanded. This had been, by a wide lead, the most contentious divorce I’d ever handled. It was exhausting. And why I sat in my car unable to work up the energy to go inside my house.

Neither of the spouses had been faithful to the other, but they wouldn’t give an inch. It was entirely possible they hated each other when they walked down the aisle because the cheating started immediately. Both whined like obnoxious children who weren’t allowed to run roughshod over the people around them. Unfortunately, my client’s husband had found an attorney who was precisely like himself. Opposing counsel was as much of a dick as his client. And mine.

I’d spent the last week out of town doing depositions on everybody who had ever met this couple or schemed with them. As best I could tell, no one liked them any more than I did. I was billing thousands of dollars so they could fight over Tupperware and tchotchkes. I’d approached my managing partner about withdrawing from the case. Since none of them ever practiced family law, they didn’t see why this case was so problematic. Or maybe they did but liked the billable hours I was accruing for the firm, so they didn’t care. It was likely the latter, not the former. My stint as in-house family counsel was rapidly becoming untenable and beyond miserable. At some point, something would have to give.

I’d been so busy that I hadn’t even had a chance to text Sweet Boy, and that pissed me off too. We’d gotten into the habit of sending each other messages back and forth, sometimes about hooking up and occasionally about meeting at the club late at night, but mostly it was just stupid memes and how were your days. After a week, I missed him. I hated that I didn’t know what, or who, he was doing. It was unreasonable for me to be jealous, but I was anyway.

I wanted more from him than the occasional hookup. We hadn’t discussed any of that—fuck, I didn’t even know his name—but I knew he was funny, sassy, and sweet. I knew he liked to dip his french fries on both ends before eating them and was secretly obsessed with video games. It was beyond me why he felt he needed to keep it secret. I knew his favorite color was dark magenta, and he looked fucking amazing in it. I also knew he had twin older brothers he didn’t think he could compete with, although every time he called them Copy and Paste, it made me laugh. I got the impression they wouldn’t think it was funny, but I sure as fuck did. The little time I’d spent with Sweet Boy had made me happy. I wanted more of it.

Unfortunately, all that would have to wait now that I was home. The first thing I needed to do was introduce myself to my new tenant. Shit . I hadn’t even texted the guy. Owen was a great judge of character, so I wasn’t worried about that part. We’d known each other for years, were from the same town, and our mothers were best friends. If he liked the guy, then it was fine.

Still, I should’ve at least said hello, but it hadn’t even crossed my mind while dealing with the client from hell. I glanced at my phone, and even though it was nine o’clock, the lights were on in his place, so I figured it’d be all right. I forced myself out of the car, dumped my stuff in the entryway of my house, and headed out to the bungalow in the back corner of my yard. The tenant had already put out a small table with a chair to enjoy the spring blooms.

I heard what appeared to be video games on the inside, so he must have been home. However, I didn’t hear any voices. I knocked on the door and waited for him to open it within a few seconds. My new tenant appeared before me, and I was struck speechless.

“Holy shit, it’s you .”

“Sweet Boy, what are you doing here?”

“Me? What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

“Well, I wasn’t stalking you. I’m your new landlord. Uh…Levi.”

“Oh. Yeah, Owen told me your name, but, uh, yeah, okay…I’m, uh, I’m…” I wasn’t the only one struggling with speech.

“Nico. Owen told me yours too.”

And then we just stared at each other. After a few beats, Nico stepped back and beckoned me inside.

“Yeah, come on in. Let me shut off my game.” Nico was dressed differently than I’d ever seen him. Gone were the fancy suits and shiny shoes. In their place were sleep pants with Coyote and Roadrunner blowing each other up and a T-shirt with the motto I’d Rather Be Gaming . The blanket I guessed he’d been under looked like a giant tortilla with a bite taken out of it. Owen had left most of his furniture behind, but the room was strewn with clothes and the mess typical of move-ins.

“I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch. The case I’ve been working on has been kicking my ass.”

“Owen mentioned you were out of town, but not why.”

“Yeah, a divorce that’s taking a lot of time and energy. Too much of it.”

“Cool. Cool.” Nico’s body language told me he was resisting the urge to reach out. His hand twitched, moved toward me, and then returned. Since we’d met, he’d been a touchy-feely guy. In the car, he always sought contact. In a hotel, he slept cuddled until it was time for one of us to leave. When we met for a bite to eat, he was always quick to pull me to the same side of the booth.

One of us had to get in the water first, and it needed to be me. I stepped forward and grasped his hands. I brought them up and kissed his knuckles. I felt a little tension leave his body. “I’m sorry, I’ve been MIA.”

“Oh, it’s fine. You don’t owe me an explanation. I was pretty busy myself.”

“Yeah, but we might’ve saved a potentially awkward introduction.” Nico relaxed a little more.

“It’s fine, Babbo.” Nico’s cheeky smile that I loved so much popped out. I wasn’t ready to say hello and bail, so I scrambled for a way to prolong the visit.

“What are you playing?”

“A World War I game.”

“Oh, fun.”

Nico shuffled his feet like he was embarrassed. “Do you maybe want to play with me?”

“I’d love that.”

Nico’s grin pushed my exhaustion to the back of my mind. He unearthed a second controller from the messy box and handed it to me. He offered me a drink, but I declined anything but a glass of water. He returned with my glass and a tallboy-style energy drink. The Daddy in me bristled at him drinking such an unhealthy drink so late at night. But I wasn’t Nico’s Daddy, and I wasn’t foolish enough to think our occasional hookups gave me any say about his life outside our brief scenes.

“All right, Babbo, be prepared to be destroyed.”

“Don’t get too cocky.”

* * *

After an hour or so, Nico had destroyed my confidence in my video-game abilities. He was an absolute pro and crowed his victories at the top of his lungs. In the house with his messy clothes and even messier living room, I saw the boy Nico tried so hard to keep under wraps. Gone was the frighteningly efficient man with suits he wore like armor. He’d been replaced by a boy who craved affirmations and touch. I happily gave him both. Tonight, when I was too exhausted to even remember my name, wasn’t the time to have a discussion about moving anything forward. Now that I was his landlord, the situation was complicated. But did I want to fuck my tenant? Absolutely.

Over the last fifteen minutes, Nico’s phone had pinged almost nonstop. He’d paused only long enough to answer quickly and return to our game.

“Hey, do you need to call them or something?”

Nico looked guilty. Interesting. “Uh, I’m supposed to go out tonight.”

“Family obligation?” I kept my voice even and neutral. Score one for me.

“Nah, some guys I know from the club. We go out a few times a week.”

“You must be close to them then.” A shadow of something that very much resembled sadness passed over his face.

“We’re club friends, not real friends.”

“I don’t think I understand what you mean.”

Nico rolled his eyes, and I bit my tongue to avoid telling him he was treading in deep water. “It means we hang out for a good time or a hookup, but that’s it. We don’t hang out when we’re not there.”

“Do you want them to be real friends?”

“Don’t be dumb.”

I was shocked by the switch in him. Nico’s shoulders hunched and sarcasm dripped from his words.

“Pardon me?”

“You heard me.”

“I guess I did, but I’m not sure where it’s coming from.” Again, I kept my voice even. Nico’s flashing eyes seemed out of place.

“It’s just lame to think I’d want to hang out with them. We aren’t littles, and we don’t need tea parties. We just like to have a good time. And sometimes we fuck each other.”

“Thanks for clarifying that for me.”

“Uh, speaking of that, we won’t be doing that anymore.” What the hell was Nico talking about?

“We’re not? Mind if I ask why?”

“Because now you’re my landlord, and I don’t need messy in my life. Maybe it won’t get weird, maybe it will. Either way, if we aren’t hooking it up, the problem is solved.” Nico nervously glanced down at his phone during his monologue. “Yeah, I need to go.”

“I see. If that’s your decision, that’s that. Please let me know if you need anything.”

I let myself out of the bungalow and headed back to my house. The crap I’d dumped in the entryway still waited on me to put it away. The files I needed to work on tonight mocked me too. Instead of handling any of that, I grabbed a beer from the refrigerator and threw myself onto a living room couch. What the hell happened?

The quiet rumble of Nico’s car broke my brooding and snapped me out of it. He was leaving, and I wasn’t thrilled that it was after he’d been upset, but I couldn’t figure out why. Asking about his plans was an innocuous question that got asked a dozen times a day. I replayed the conversation over and over until it struck me.

Nico didn’t get upset over the question about going out. His agitation came after I asked if he wanted them to be real friends. That revelation sent me thinking back to the times we’d hung out. Canceling his plans was never a problem, and it seemed like he was always available. Nico was lonely.

* * *

Sweet Boy

Babbo, I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened to me tonight.

Levi

You seemed pretty upset.

Sweet Boy

Yeah, I was… Shit, I don’t know what I was.

Levi

Apology accepted. Are you at least having a good time at the club?

Sweet Boy

Yeah, it’s all right, I guess.

Levi

You don’t have to stay if you’re not having fun.

Sweet Boy

Won’t they be mad at me if I leave?

Levi

Friends would understand that you feel out of sorts.

Sweet Boy

And if they’re not?

Levi

Not friends? Then it doesn’t matter anyway.

Have you had anything to drink tonight?

Sweet Boy

A little bit.

Levi

Then you can’t drive.

Sweet Boy

I never, ever drink and drive. I was going to leave my car and call an Uber.

Levi

I need a break anyway. I’ll come get you. Send me your location.

Sweet Boy

Okay, Babbo.

* * *

Nico waited outside the club. It made sense that he wasn’t dressed for the weather, but I wasn’t thrilled to see him shivering outside. He was dressed in cute little boy shorts and a brown leather harness. At this point, he was begging for pneumonia. He must have been freezing because the minute he spotted me behind the wheel, he moved to the curb to wait for me.

“T-t-thanks for picking me up,” Nico squeaked out between shivers. The heat was already up, but I turned on the seat warmers, quickly shrugged off my jacket, and tossed it over to him.

“Here. Put on my coat.”

“Babbo, I don’t…”

“Don’t argue with me. You’re freezing, and I’m not.”

Nico decided to save his disagreement for another time. Either that, or he was worried about frostbite. Whatever the reason, he put on the jacket without another argument. Nico leaned back against the seat and closed his eyes. His sigh was bone-deep.

“Sweet Boy, what’s going on?”

“Have you ever gotten what you wanted and then decided maybe you hadn’t thought it all the way through?”

“Yes, that’s how I ended up doing family law.”

“Do you still enjoy it?”

“Occasionally. I like the adoptions and surrogacy contracts I get to do.”

“I thought family law would mostly be divorces and custody.”

“Yeah, that’s most of it, but I don’t think most people enjoy divorce.” My mind quickly conjured up the client currently eating most of my mind. “Usually, anyway.”

We both lapsed into silence for the short drive home. I had so many questions, but Nico’s body language made it clear that he wasn’t in the right frame of mind for an in-depth discussion about what happened earlier in the bungalow. Still, after the last few weeks, it felt like we had the beginnings of a friendship, and I wasn’t thrilled about letting him go back home and stew. I pulled into the driveway and killed the engine.

“Hey, Sweet Boy?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you want me to walk you to the bungalow, or do you want to come inside with me?”

Nico peered at me through his hooded eyes. His closed-off expression gave no hints at what was running through his mind. He looked exhausted, sad, and a far cry from the excited boy dropping bombs earlier this evening in silly sleep pants. He remained silent.

“All right, with me it is.” Decision made for him, Nico let himself out of the car and walked next to me on the path. “I’ll loan you something to sleep in after your shower.” Nico accepted my instructions without argument. We both headed upstairs after we stopped in the kitchen to get him a water bottle for his bedside table. When we reached the top, he had a decision to make. “Do you want to sleep alone or in my room?”

“Yours.”

“All right, Sweet Boy, let’s get you a quick shower and sleep.”

Nico nodded and followed me through my bedroom and into the attached bathroom. Now that we’d known each other for six or seven weeks, whatever earlier shyness had existed between us had disappeared. Nico stripped like he’d been in my room a million times before. Given his outburst earlier, I wasn’t touching him until we cleared the air about that and the added complication of him renting from me. It was fucking hard not to look at luscious ass.

Once in the bathroom, with my eyes above shoulder height at all times, I gave him a towel and an extra toothbrush from the cupboard. He acknowledged it with a subtle nod and stepped over to the shower. “Hey, I’ll just toss the clothes on the counter, okay?

“All right, Babbo.”

His answer sounded world-weary, and I didn’t know where it came from. I hated it. Nico had kept our encounters so compartmentalized that I knew almost nothing about his troubles or concerns. I desperately wanted to know more but sensed that the quickest way to get Nico to clam up was to push him when he felt cornered. As promised, I cracked the bathroom door to toss the clothes. Nico’s muffled thanks sounded more like what I’d come to expect from him.

I sat on the bed and waited for him to emerge from the bathroom. It wasn’t long before he came out in a cloud of steam, clad in my baggy law school T-shirt and flannel pants. His face was obscured by the towel he used to scrub his hair. The temptation to touch him overcame my good sense.

“Here, Sweet Boy, let me do that.”

I directed him to the edge of the bed and took over the task. Once he was situated, I gently massaged the water out of his hair. His sigh and relaxed shoulders were a welcome change from his surly tenseness early tonight.

“I’m sorry about the way I went off, Babbo.”

“I already said apology accepted.”

“You haven’t asked what happened.”

“I figured you’d tell me if you wanted me to know.”

His hair wasn’t sopping wet anymore, so I laid the towel across the bedpost and resumed my scalp massage. His soft sighs were welcome sounds.

“They’d gone out to dinner for someone’s birthday.” I made noncommittal sounds but kept my mouth shut, hoping he’d continue. My restraint was rewarded. “They messaged me and mentioned it, but that part was an accident. And I got to feeling some way about it. I couldn’t cancel because I’d look like a baby.” The grumpy had returned to his voice by the end of his explanation.

“Why do you think it’s an accident?”

“Because they said so.”

“Ouch. I didn’t mean to add to your hurt feelings, but I did, and I’m sorry for that.”

“S’kay, Babbo,” Nico answered quietly. “I felt like a kid again—like an actual kid, not a middle. Copy and Paste always had plans together. When I was invited, it was an afterthought or forced by our parents. I was a pushy, obnoxious kid, and that didn’t go over well in third grade or any of them. Know what I mean?”

“I do, but I like your pushiness, and I’m a divorce lawyer, which kinda sorta makes me pushy by definition, so I’m not the right one to ask.”

“Now you’re being silly.”

“Just honest. Unfortunately, it’s late for me, and I need to work tomorrow. And you do too, right?” Nico nodded. “So, are you sleeping in here with me? Or do you want the guest room?”

“With you, Babbo. But, umm, I’m not really in the mood…”

“Stop right there,” I interrupted. “We’re not doing anything until we’ve hashed it all out at a decent time with clear heads. Sleep means sleep.”

The remaining tension whooshed out of Nico’s body and left a soft, compliant boy who just wanted to be cuddled behind. Done.

“Thank you.”

“You don’t need to thank me for not being an asshole. All right, you, get under the covers so we can get some sleep.”

“No matter how late it is, I can’t sleep without reading a little. I like to put on audiobooks, so it feels like I’m getting a bedtime story,” Nico admitted sheepishly.

“Fantasy, right?” Nico nodded eagerly at my question. “All right, get comfy. We can read at least part of a chapter.”

With Nico tucked beside me, I opened my book app and found a proper tale of heroes and dragons. He was asleep before I got five pages in. Snuggled next to me, Nico’s guard was lowered. His face relaxed and a small, contented smile curved his lips. Everything was going to be all right.

* * *

Sweet Boy

Thanks for letting me stay over.

Levi

No worries. That’s what Daddies are for.

Sweet Boy

So I’ve been told. But, yeah, about that…

Levi

About what?

Sweet Boy

Daddies. I said it really shitty, but I meant what I said.

Levi

Can you clarify so we’re on the same page.

Sweet Boy

No more fucking around.

Levi

Yeah, got it.

Sweet Boy

Thanks for understanding.

Levi

No worries. Let me know if you have any trouble with the house.