Page 78 of Roll With The Punches

“No, you made the right decision.” He let out a heavy-sounding sigh. “I thought I could trust them to always be honest with us. At least about big stuff.”

“Any orders?”

“I’ll be home in about thirty minutes. Have you taken your meds today like you’re supposed to?”

Brandon had changed gears so quickly Jeff had to think for a moment. “Uh, yes, Master. What?”

“You sound like hell.”

“I feel like hell. I need to drag my pillow out there and curl up on the couch to chaperone them, I suppose.”

“No, it’s okay if you’re feeling bad. Go back to bed.”

“I’d actually prefer to chaperone them until you get home.”

“They werereally…” Brandon seemed at an uncharacteristic loss for words. “There wasnomistaking what they were doing, huh?”

“I’m notthatdelirious, Bran. They thought I was asleep and were out by the pool. Grace was definitely rounding third base and heading home.”

“Okay, okay. I believe you. I don’t need sock puppets.”

Finally, something that shook his unflappable Dom’s composure.

Although Jeff couldn’t blame him. He wished there was eye bleach he could use to wipe the image from his mind. The one constant most children and parents universally shared was a desire to never see the other in a sexual situation.

“And can I please sit through your conversation with them?” Jeff asked.

“Sure, but why?”

“Because I told them they hurt my feelings. And they did. I know we agreed to always defer to you, but…” He sighed. “They’re my kids, too. I love them. I want to be a parent to them. Well, to Em. Grace is like a bonus kid we don’t have to pay for.”

Another long moment passed before Brandon spoke. When he did, his voice sounded choked with emotion. “Do you know how much I fucking love you right now, boy?”

“What’d I say?”

“Just…you’re perfect. Yes, of course you can be part of the conversation. It affects you, too.”

“What about Stu?”

Another sad sigh from Brandon. “Yeah. I don’t know if he’ll be able to come home, but I’ll call him while I’m heading that way to let him know, at least.”

When Jeff got off the phone, he grabbed his pillow, then a second one from the bed, and headed out to the couch, part of a large and comfy sectional unit. The girls would still have another section of the couch and two comfy chairs to occupy, even with him stretched out.

He grabbed the TV remote and curled up on the couch, closing his eyes for a moment. He startled awake to the feel of Brandon’s lips kissing his forehead, his Dom kneeling in front of him, a worried look on his face.

He’d never even heard him come in.

“Holy shit,” Jeff muttered, looking around. “I didn’t realize I fell asleep.”

Grace and Em sat next to each other on the smaller sofa section.

They were dressed, their hair damp, and they looked guilty.

“Are you okay?” Brandon asked him.

“Yes, Mas—I mean, yeah, I’m fine. Sir.” He mentally swore and didn’t miss the slight quirk at the edges of Brandon’s lips.

Instead of sitting at the far end of the couch Jeff occupied, or in one of the chairs, Brandon sat right there on the floor next to Jeff and reached up to lace fingers with him with his right hand.

For a long, quiet, uncomfortable moment, Brandon stared at the girls, who finally started staring at their hands.

Jeff had to hand it to him, Brandon had mastered the art of discomforting quiet as an effective tool.

But could the girls ever repair what they’d efficiently razed to the ground?