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And with himself, but we weren’t at the point where I could say that yet.

“I will.” It was his turn to take a breath and look like he was pushing something down. “And in that spirit, I’m going to vaguely say that I will do my best to approach the other issue with the same honesty.”

Well, that sounded like he was making progress at the very least.

Taking a sip of my drink—Austin was definitely the best at remembering what everyone liked—I tried to think of how to phrase what I was thinking. “I’d also like you to remember that in the same way you understand my desires, I don’t see anything wrong with you. Quite the opposite.”

I really hoped that hadn’t come out in a fetishy kind of way, but I didn’t want him worrying about what I thought.

Tyson barely nodded as he took another drink, but he wasn’t silent long. “I will admit that I never expected anyone to…to enthusiastically appreciate my issue, so I might have a few mental roadblocks with it.”

If we’d been in an old cartoon, a flashing neon sign that said understatement would’ve been going off over his head.

“I think that’s understandable. No one thinks about something like that differently in the blink of an eye, and…and I think if I were in your shoes, it would take seeing my partner’s reaction to really accept it.” I hadn’t intended that to come out like I was propositioning him, but I knew that was what he was thinking when he flashed me a wicked grin.

“So you’re saying you want to prove you’re into me? Well, I’m not going to argue about that. You’re very attractive and very sweet.” He was much more comfortable aiming his teasing at me, so I let him and didn’t change the subject.

“Well, if we’re talking about being attractive, let’s talk about you.” I’d have never said anything like that on a first date with anyone else, but Tyson wasn’t like anyone I’d ever met. “A big, strong alpha. Muscles everywhere.”

And he filled out the front of his pants like no alpha I’d ever seen.

They were so perfectly tailored I was pretty sure I’d seen a hint of his knot.

The sexy grin he was wearing just got wider. “Everywhere, huh?”

Maybe my glance hadn’t been as subtle as I’d thought.

“Everywhere.” Brazening it out since he seemed to like that, I didn’t hide what I was thinking. “In all kinds of fun places.”

His bark of laughter filled the yard and eased another layer of stress inside me. When he finally shook his head and grinned, he looked years younger. “Well, I guess you’ll just have to make an effort to get to know me so you can find out. But you’ll have to work for it.”

Because he wasn’t looking for anything casual.

Austin’s words about how lonely he thought Tyson was floated to the back of my mind as I returned the sexy alpha’s smirk. “I don’t know. My Daddy would want to take care of me and not make things hard for his sweet boy.”

And the sexy smirk was filled with curiosity again.

“But if my Daddy took good care of me, I’d be a good cuddler and I’d be very sweet.” The last time I’d tried to tease a Dom like that he’d shut down fairly quickly after it, but as I did my best to smile and not hold my breath, Tyson chuckled.

“I think I’m going to be the type of Daddy to be very easily bribed.” He frowned and pretended to look serious. “I wasn’t expecting that and I think it’s your fault.”

Enough to spank me?

Oh wait.

He’d been thinking about what kind of Daddy he’d be?

“What…what had you been imagining?” Swallowing, I tried to sound flirty still but I wasn’t sure it was working. “What did you think your Daddy side would be like?”

Thankfully, the question didn’t make him nervous or uncomfortable, but he gave me a slightly sheepish shrug. “I’mgenerally fairly serious and a bit of an asshole. You bring out a different side of me and I like it.”

I was different?

It was the first time anyone had said that and it’d sounded nice.

“You aren’t like anyone I’ve ever met.” Slowly reaching out, he ran his fingers over the back of my hand where I was still holding the glass. “I want you to understand that’s a good thing, though.”

I did, but the words weren’t cooperating, so I nodded.

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