Page 6 of Sandcastles & Sunburns (DKAG Summer Shorts #6)

Liam

“Like, he sat there and played in the sand with you?” Nicky asked.

Liam grunted. “Dude! You can’t stop pushing.

I’m going to throw my back out.” He was going to be so sore the next day.

The playroom was almost put together though.

Nicky proved to be much better at putting things together than him.

Nicky read the instructions. Liam, yeah, not so much. Reading instructions was boring!

“Sorry!” Nicky held up his hands. “Let’s get this dresser against the wall and then we’re done.”

“Pizza and movies?” Liam asked. He’d worked up an appetite.

“That’s the plan! Then after our bellies are full and we watch at least one shark movie, we’ll come play.” Nicky even clapped his hands in excitement.

“Let’s do this!” Liam shouted.

It took another twenty minutes but once Liam had declared the playroom perfect, they separated to get changed into more little clothes for the real fun.

Nicky skipped down the hall to the guest room where he’d left his bag.

Liam was so excited as he grabbed the shorts and T-shirt that he’d laid out on the changing table. He eyed the stack of diapers on the shelf above but decided against putting one on. Maybe soon, but he wasn’t quite ready to admit defeat and start diapering himself.

There had to be the perfect Daddy out there for him. Liam just needed to find him. He couldn’t help but wish that Jude was interested in more than friendship. Jude had every Daddy tendency that Liam wrote about. He was the perfect natural Daddy.

Pushing down his shorts, Liam knew that he needed to stop his wishful thinking. Even though he’d had a wonderful afternoon with Jude, it hadn’t lasted.

Earlier when Liam had been enjoying his first cup of coffee, he had offered his daily greeting and had received a low grunt with Jude basically ignoring him. At this point he was getting whiplashed with Jude’s mood changes.

He wasn’t going to worry about it now though. Liam had a little weekend with his best friend and they both needed this time. Neither of them had a Daddy but they’d learned a long time ago how to mesh their little sides for playdates.

Liam hurried to finish dressing then raced down the hall.

Nicky already had the extra blankets and pillows pulled out to make their fort. His onesie was just as cute as Liam had imagined. Liam was totally buying himself one for the next time. He’d surprise Nicky on their next playdate.

“I ordered the pizza before I changed,” Nicky told him. “Should be here any minute.”

“Cool, I’m starving.” Finishing the playroom had taken more energy than Liam had thought.

He was glad to have his new room finished and couldn’t wait to spend more time in it.

In his previous apartment, Liam hadn’t had a dedicated space for his little stuff.

Now he had a whole room and could totally little out! Life goal achieved!

Taking the other side of the blanket, Liam helped Nicky with the first layer of their fort. It took twenty minutes before the fort was perfect, they had their drinks, and the laptop set up inside the blankets.

The doorbell rang.

“I’ll get it!” Liam called since Nicky was already inside the fort with Hades in his lap. Of course, Hades loved Nicky. Everyone always did, even Liam’s evil cat. He raced for the door and yanked it open.

Flabbergasted, Liam stared at his visitor.

“Your pizza was delivered to my house,” Jude told him.

Liam blinked. Jude was there. Jude was there!

He slammed the door.

Shit! Shitty shit shit! Jude had seen him in his little outfit. There was no way to hide the fact that his clothing was not made for a grown man.

There was a knock on the door. “Liam?” Jude called.

“What’s going on?” Nicky shouted. “Is the order wrong?”

Oh no! Liam did not need Nicky to add to this disaster. Nicky would be even more obvious in his onesie.

“It’s fine!” Liam shouted.

Jude knocked again. “Liam, answer the door!”

Liam cracked the door. “Can you just leave it on the mat?” he asked hopefully.

Instead of answering, Jude lifted a brow at him.

“Please?” Liam tried.

“Your pizza is getting cold,” Jude told him.

He was going to have to open the door. This was so unfair. Liam remained mostly hidden by the door as he stuck out his hand.

“Boy,” Jude growled. “That is not going to work.”

“Why not?” Liam whined. “Just give me the pizza. And why didn’t you just tell the delivery person the right address to begin with?”

“I wanted to talk to you,” Jude replied.

Now? He wanted to talk now? What about when he ignored Liam this morning? “Uh, it's not really a good time. I have a guest.”

“I know,” Jude said. “Can you please stop hiding behind the door?”

Liam sighed. This was probably the end to any kind of friendship that he would have with Jude. If Jude had any idea of littles, then Liam’s secret would be out. Nothing he could do about it now.

Liam pushed the door all the way open before crossing the threshold.

Jude held two pizza boxes with a plate on top.

“What’s that?” Liam pointed at the plate.

“My apology,” Jude said.

Liam didn’t understand.

“I was a jerk to you this morning,” Jude said. “I’m sorry. I didn’t sleep well, not that it’s any kind of excuse. I know I can be a bit of an asshole. You don’t deserve that.”

He nodded. Liam didn’t deserve it.

“So, I made you and your friend some homemade cookies,” Jude said, passing the pizza boxes and plates to Liam.

“What kind of cookies?” No one had ever made him cookies before. Especially not homemade.

“Chocolate chip,” Jude said with a smile. “Is there any other kind of cookies for a playdate?”

Liam nearly dropped everything. “What?” he shrieked. Playdate? That meant that Jude totally knew what was going on. Not good. Not good at all.

Jude shook his head. “Careful, don’t drop that. Pizza might not be a proper dinner, but it’s okay as a treat now and then.”

“Okay.” What else could Liam say? He had no idea what to do.

“Now get inside. Make sure you lock your door. I didn’t hear you unlock it to get the pizza.”

“Yeah.” Liam might have forgotten since he’d been so excited when Nicky arrived.

Jude took a step forward. “Everything’s okay. Have fun with your friend and I’ll talk to you later.”

Liam nodded. Later. That was the best idea ever! He’d deal with this later. “Thanks?”

“You’re welcome.” Jude turned and started walking down the steps.

Liam stood there and watched until after Jude had returned to his own house.

“He is hot!”

Liam jumped again.

Cackling, Nicky rescued the pizza and plate of cookies.

“Jerk!” Liam stomped his foot. “That wasn’t nice.”

“It was funny though.” Nicky headed into Liam’s house. “Come on, I thought you were hungry.”

Liam closed the door then turned to follow.

“Don’t forget to lock it,” Nicky said. “Daddy’s orders.”

“How long were you standing there?” Liam questioned.

“Long enough to know you have it bad for that man,” Nicky said.

“You already knew that!”

“Yes, but now I know that the attraction isn’t one-sided,” Nicky said.

“You don’t think…” Liam trailed off, not knowing what he wanted to ask.

“That your neighbor is a total Daddy?” Nicky finished.

Liam nodded.

“He is a total Daddy,” Nicky said. “Now you just have to decide if he’s the Daddy you’ve been waiting for.”

“I…”

“Should at least try his cookies first,” Nicky joked. “What if they’re terrible? No one wants a Daddy that makes bad cookies.”

Liam did. He could not care less if his Daddy made good cookies or not.

Nicky shoved a cookie in Liam’s mouth.

Liam chewed.

Of course, the cookie was amazing and the best that Liam had ever had. Nicky might have a point. It would be a damn shame if his Daddy made yucky cookies. Thankfully, Jude seemed to be just as talented at baking as he did anything else.

Liam reached for another cookie, but Nicky pulled the plate away.

“Not until you eat dinner,” Nicky said. “Your Daddy seems like a stickler for rules.”

“He’s not my Daddy,” Liam argued. They were his cookies. He could have another if he wanted.

“Not yet,” Nicky said with a smirk.