Page 18 of Awakening His Daddy

“Because you never cook.” Izzy points with his fork.

“But that doesn’t mean I can’t.”

“Just won’t,” I add.

“I hate the cleanup, but since I was cooking for you two, I figured you could clean up. It’s only fair.”

“But I hate washing dishes,” Izzy whines, and I try to hide my smile.

“I’ll wash, you dry.”

“Fine.” He pouts but continues eating. “Did you get any sleep after I left?” he asks Leo.

“Plenty. After I got naked.”

Izzy puts his fork down and turns to Leo. “You did not!”

“Fine, I didn’t.”

Izzy eyes him sideways, and I don’t think he believes him, and honestly, I don’t think he should.

“I’m going to drag my balls all over your pillow,” Izzy counters, and I snort a laugh.

“Eww. I swear I didn’t.” Leo shoves him back.

“How are your holiday projects going, Izzy?” I interrupt, not wanting to hear about balls dragging over dinner.

Izzy lights up. “So good. I can’t believe I finally got the chance to run the Christmas decorations.”

Izzy works as a landscape architect, and he specializes in electrical and lighting. Every year more and more clients want to have their homes decorated for them, and Izzy enjoys making it fun and easy for them to control.

He did my cabin last year and got a few jobs up there too.

“I got to use the nail gun.”

“What?” I snap back to his talking.

“It shoots nails so hard, and it’s so cool. I was up on the ladder and hanging permanent hooks so it will be easier for the homeowners or us to do the lights next year, and it was freezing, but I barely noticed because I was having so much fun using the nail gun.”

“Remember that you need to take breaks to keep yourself warm and always be careful on the ladders?—”

Leo cuts me off. “Ugh, that’s what OSHA is for. Stop babying him. He might like it in the bedroom, but he doesn’t need it outside of it.”

“If he doesn’t like it, he can tell me.”

“Yes, sweet quiet, Izzy will tell anyone that something is bothering him.” Leo’s sarcasm is strong now.

I’m about to answer when Izzy whispers, “I don’t mind. It’s nice to have someone worry about me.”

Leo reaches over and gives him a single-arm hug.

“Oh, sweetie. You know I worry about you all the time.”

“I do.”

This poor boy really doesn’t have any family, which is why he spends so much time with us. I was so proud of him when he bought his own house.

He’s so much farther ahead of me when I was his age.

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