Page 15

"Oh, yummy. Thank you." He leans into my side and I wrap an arm around his shoulders.

"Are you getting into any trouble over there with your friends?"

"No, Daddy." He rolls his eyes. "I promise to be good tonight."

It's Friday night and we both have tomorrow off.

He's coming back to my place and we're going to spend the day together.

I glance behind us at my empty chair, thinking of what Rachel said.

I don't think Tyler is ready to move in after just a week of dating, but I can always look for a two bedroom.

Sharing the rent with someone would save us both money. It's a thought.

"Here is the hot chocolate," Austin says. "And the cup for the drip coffee."

"Thank you, Austin." Tyler wraps his hands around the cup and smiles. "Are you joining us?"

"In just a few. I'm keeping the espresso machine on for another couple minutes and then I'll be over."

"We'll save you a seat," Tyler says. He takes a small sip and hums his appreciation. He looks at me. "Is that vanilla?"

"Sugar free, too." We walk back to the table where I was sitting. Mark has joined their table. The conversation stops and they all turn to Tyler and myself.

"Hey, Tyler." Mark is the first to speak. We're all adults, I remind myself. Even if a smidge of jealousy is settling at the pit of my stomach. "I'm glad you could make it tonight."

"Thank you," Tyler says. Mark's eyes flick to me and then Tyler looks at me. "Um, this is Brandt. We're, uh…"

"It's okay, Ty." Mark stands and holds his hand out to me. "I've heard through the grapevine. I'm happy for you both."

I shake his hand and sit back down. Tyler asks if he's okay to go back to his friends. "Of course, baby. Have fun."

"He's doing okay, right?" Mark asks when Tyler is out of earshot. "He spent a lot of time feeling drained or actually sick when we were together."

I can appreciate the genuine concern in his words and on his face.

I think back to Tyler telling me what happened between them, how he felt bad for always cancelling plans when he didn't feel good.

"He's had his moments throughout the last two weeks, but I'm making sure he keeps up with what he needs. "

"Austin has said he's doing a lot better on his shifts too." Remington looks between Mark and myself as he says it.

"Enough talk about Ty," Rachel says. She steeples her fingers together and fixes her eyes on me. "Tell us more about yourself, Brandt."

"I'm a nurse at the hospital," I start. I can see the lightbulb go off in a couple of their eyes. "I've been there for a couple years now, working in the Emergency department. I have a brother and a niece who I adore."

The questions about my life continue. They aren't invasive, just normal questions you'd ask to get to know someone.

At some point, Austin announces that food is ready and then disappears into the bathroom with Remington.

A few minutes later I see them emerge and Austin is wearing a onesie and has a stuffed koala in his hand.

I notice that the Daddies, Mommies, and Masters are all making plates for themselves and their partners.

A few of the people here are unattached, both Daddies and Littles. I see Tyler sitting at the table, his eyes catching mine for a moment. It's a silent question of if he needs to get up and make his own plate. I hold up the second one I grabbed and see him relax.

I'm grateful that there is a variety of foods to choose from.

I go for a roast beef sandwich for myself and a turkey and cheese for Tyler.

I also add a few slices of cucumber and a spoonful of hummus to Tyler's plate before adding some carrot sticks to mine.

He already has his hot chocolate, so I grab a water bottle to round out his meal.

It isn't much, but it's balanced enough for the simple foods they have.

"Here you go," I say quietly as I reach around him to set his plate down. "Please make sure you eat those cucumbers, okay? It's good for you."

"Thank you, Daddy." Tyler says it quietly but I feel a rush being called Daddy in front of others. I hear Orion snicker and I know he's going to tease Tyler, but all in good fun.

"You're welcome. Don't forget to take your medicine with this, okay? It's in your pocket."

He promises to do as I asked and I kiss the top of his head before walking back to the other table. We keep conversation light while we eat. I know on the agenda tonight is a guest speaker on the Daddy lifestyle, one of the many reasons I wanted to come.

Rachel tells me about the application process for Club Thrive.

I pull the website up on my phone and save it as a bookmark to remind myself to look more into it.

They all share stories from the club— which is where Garrett and Orion actually met before Orion got the job here— and from their experiences in general.

I enjoy listening to them, grateful that the way I'm feeling toward Tyler seems to be normal in a relationship with a dynamic like ours.

When the guest speaker, a man by the name of Uri, stands up and starts talking, I'm mentally taking notes.

He hits a lot of good points, some things that I still had questions for.

He's informative, descriptive, and even takes questions at the end.

Garrett is the first to ask a question and that seems to open the floor for others to speak up.

I don't ask anything, but I do get a lot of good information.

I told myself I'd observe tonight and see how things went. It’s close to ten when we all part ways.

"Ty?" I take his hand as we walk toward the car.

"Yeah?" He squeezes my hand and I look into his eyes. They're reflecting the lights around the parking lot.

"I'm definitely a Daddy."

Tyler lets out a quick laugh at the bluntness of my statement. It makes me laugh too, but I'm serious. After talking with the group, learning more about the lifestyle and scene negotiating, the clubs, and family that can be built within the kink community, I want all of it.

"Does this mean that we can go home and I'll get to have my Daddy take care of me all day tomorrow?"

"Definitely, my Prince." I push him softly against the side of my car and kiss him deeply. To my delight, he lets out a surprised little squeak as our lips connect and my hands roam of their own free will.