Page 18 of Lane's Lost Kitten

Soon was a couple of hours late, and my pasta was a little congealed, the salad maybe shouldn’t have been dressed until he got there, but when he walked in and saw the table all set with flowers and candles, he gave me the most satisfying squee. “What did you do? It’s not my birthday, is it?” He thought for a second. “No, it’s not.”

“You really did have a long day, didn’t you.” I gave him a big hug and kiss. “Want a glass of wine?” Ever since that first night he stayed over and we never got around to drinking the wine, I kept a bottle in my fridge. Neither one of us was a big drinker, but a glass with dinner was a relaxing pleasure.

“Yes, please.” He sank into his seat at the table. “Nothing bad at work. It was just busy and I’m wiped out, so if I fall asleep with my face in the soup, try to understand?”

“Good news. We’re not having soup.” I tousled his hair, something I enjoyed doing. “So we don’t have to worry about you scorching those cute cheeks.”

“What are we having? Can we eat fast and go to bed?”

I went into the kitchen and came back with bowls of salad and the big enameled cast-iron pot I’d cooked the pasta in. “If you’re trying to seduce me, I promise you’ll succeed.”

I gave him a few minutes to sip wine and enjoy his only slightly wilted salad before bringing in the garlic bread and serving the pasta. “I also made a cheesecake,” I told him. “So save room.”

“Okay.” He set his fork down. “Not that you don’t always cook great, but this”—his wave took in the room—“has special all over it.”

“Open your present.”

He blinked. “I didn’t see it.” Reaching for the box, he gave me a tired smile. “I really am sorry to be so low energy after you’ve gone to so much trouble.”

“Don’t apologize for having a heavy work day. If I’d realized, I’d have saved all this for tomorrow, so maybe I should apologize.”

“Look at us being all polite and stuff.” He was working the ribbon on the small box. “Coming home to you is the best part of the whole day.” With the ribbon undone, he finished unwrapping and opened the little brown box. “What is…ohhh, Daddy!” He pulled out the paci inside. “It’s engraved with our initials. All three of us, even Cat-terine.” Hopping up from his seat, he came around the table and climbed into my lap. “That’s the sweetest gift. Thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, but you’re right about this being a special occasion, at least I hope it will be.”

Resting his cheek on my shoulder, he traced circles on my shirt with a fingertip. “What kind of occasion? We haven’t been together for a year, so it’s not our anniversary.”

“I want to ask you something.” We already were being daddy and little, so was it necessary to do this? I stroked a lock of hair back from his forehead and knew that it was. “If you’re not too tired.”

“No, I’m good. What’s going on?” His voice was soft, tired. My timing sucked. “Please, Daddy?”

“When can I ever say no to you?” I drew in a deep breath. “Lane, would you officially be my little?”

He sat up straight on my lap, eyes wide and every trace of tired gone from his face. “You are proposing that I be your little? Forever?”

“For as long as you want to be.”

“And you’ll be my daddy. Forever.” His lower lip trembled.

“For as long as you want me to be.”

“Then I now pronounce us Daddy and little.” Lane pressed that trembling lip to mine and kissed me. “I didn’t really think about it before, but it’s so wonderful that you did. This is why you’re the daddy. You take care of me and give me what I need. And I need to have you be my daddy.”

“I love you, Lane.”

“And I love you, Daddy.”

“Want cheesecake?”

He bobbed his head, riding the line between big and little. “I want a big piece.”

“Okay, then.” I stood up, bringing him with me, and set him on his feet. “Finish your dinner and then you can have the biggest piece of the cheesecake with a big dollop of blueberry compote that I also made.”

“Gee, Daddy, you’ve got chef skills.” He returned to his seat and picked up his fork. “And after dessert, maybe we can seal this deal in the bedroom.” He met and held my gaze. “I mean with sex.”

I laughed so hard I blew wine out of my nose. One of Lane’s gifts was knowing when things were getting too serious and needed to lighten up a little. “I think that’s the best idea I’ve heard all day.”

“No, Daddy, it’s a good one, but the best idea is that you’re my daddy forever.”

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