Page 30 of Wrestling with Daddy

“So helpful, Parker,” Nathan groaned.

The last thing he wanted was everyone’s rapt attention on him, or a reminder of what had happened last week.

The intense scene was what had stirred up all these…feelings. Nathan was convinced that if he hadn’t had that moment of weakness where he asked to talk with Ken on the phone, Ken wouldn’t be coming to visit him. He wouldn’t have considered Nathan as anything other than the weird journalist who’d texted him on an app he wasn’t a fan of.

“Thanks, darling.” Parker blew him a kiss. “But is that it? Do you and Marcus need to talk things out or something?”

“I’m with someone else, you dumb fuck,” Nathan blurted out before both Marcus and Luke—Parker’s Dom—could get on Parker’s ass about his lack of manners.

Which then meant Luke was on Nathan’s ass about vocabulary and not throwing insults to members of the community even if we were frustrated or whatever.

Nathan couldn’t say he’d heard the whole thing.

Brunch had been a terrible idea, and no amount of mimosas was going to change that.

Time passed by faster, though, and the alcohol meant he didn’t have the brain power to dwell on what he’d said—on the fact that he was definitely not seeing anyone, no matter what he dreamed about, and he’d do good to drill it into his head before he made a fool of himself on Monday.

Was Ken even coming in the end?

He didn’t look like the kind of person who would back down at the last minute, but Nathan couldn’t be certain.

After all, Sacramento wasn’t precisely small, and Ken hadn’t said a word about where he’d be staying.

* * *

Nathan had told himself that he wouldn’t text Ken, that he would wait for the older man to do it instead.

His resolve crumbled around seven p.m.

The alcohol had already left his system after a nap and a takeout order to Subway that had his stomach bloated with way too much bread.

Nathan

this would be the time to tell me if you’re not coming tomorrow

Daddy

I’ll be there for lunch. I know a few places downtown, but I’m open to suggestions

Nathan

I don’t even know where you’re staying

Because that answer, Nathan thought, sounded definitely saner than asking if that meant he was being invited to lunch.

Daddy

I was thinking of lunch before committing myself to a hotel. It’s not high tourist season so I’m not too worried about bookings

Nathan

that’s the most irresponsible thing I’ve ever heard you do, Daddy

maybe I should check your temperature tomorrow

Daddy

Maybe