Page 38 of Wrestling with Daddy

However, as easy as it was to use the label when they were texting, when he was in front of him, his throat dried up and his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth at the mere thought of using the honorific as if it was nothing.

Sir was safe, though.

Slightly disappointing, but safe.

“You may.”

Nathan exhaled. He hadn’t even noticed he’d been holding his breath, so caught up on his inner voice trying out the words and the possible responses Ken might give as they walked out of the restaurant.

Scared that Ken would change his mind, though, Nathan turned on his feet so he was facing him, hands curling around the belt loops in the dark washed jeans Ken was wearing.

He didn’t want to take too long, but he wasn’t as rushed as he’d been before, when his brain had literally shut down and he couldn’t quite say he’d been in complete control of his body, one second doing his best not to drool at the sight of Ken, and the next second pushing himself on him.

Truth be told, Nathan had been battling with shame for a good portion of their lunch.

When they were finally touching again, though, and Ken’s tongue traced the shape of Nathan’s easily parted lips—seeking entrance Nathan was too happy to grant—his mind settled. All the thoughts that had been running around, fighting for first place paused, too enthralled with the present moment.

Ken’s hand moved to his head, his fingers threading through the hair he’d spent too long disheveling for the perfect look. It had Nathan moaning, not quite caring they were in the middle of a street.

“Where are you gonna stay?”

At the moment, Nathan couldn’t process the idea that Ken might not stay the week, let alone the day.

“Let Daddy worry about that,” Ken spoke softly against his forehead.

A part of Nathan missed his lips against Ken’s, his mouth tingling with the need for more. Another part of him let that comforting lilt of the authoritative, Daddy voice wash over him, blanketing every cell that had still been afraid of what would happen once they saw each other.

At least he hadn’t been imagining the chemistry, the way his body begged to inch closer to Ken’s, to explore all the skin that was covered by the stupidly polished clothes.

Ken looked so well put together, and Nathan didn’t know how long he could last without ruining that whole attire.

“But…”

“No buts.”

“Is that another rule?” Nathan frowned.

“No.” Ken chuckled before Nathan could protest and make his case about the unfairness of it.

“Good.” Nathan bobbed his head up and down, probably with more force than he’d first intended, fingers still intertwined with Ken’s belt loops and stopping him from taking even a step back. “Should we go to my apartment then?”

“And what’s waiting for us there?”

Nathan swallowed. That morning, while he got ready, he’d read through their earlier texts, remembering Ken had been adamant about not looking for a hookup or a one-night-stand.

For better or worse, that wasn’t what Nathan thought when he pictured the man in his head, but it had left him anxious, unsure about how they’d spend the day or the week or however long they had together.

“We can just talk,” he hedged. “You said we had to go through rules and stuff anyway.”

He wasn’t looking forward to it—at all—but he thought adding it would ensure that Ken accepted the invitation.

“Okay. I’ll trust that you’re not gonna be trying anything.”

Nathan spluttered. “But… Isn’t misbehaving kind of my job, and yours to make sure I don’t?”

He’d thought Ken would laugh. To be fair, Nathan did catch the way his eyes crinkled and one side of his lips pulled up for the shortest time.

As soon as that hidden show of enjoyment appeared, it vanished into a scowl Nathan couldn’t decipher if his life depended on it.