Page 14 of Baby Boy

“I don’t want to scare you off,” Jace admitted.

Avery made a sound that encouraged Jace, he hoped.

Jace chuckled. “You sound like you’re getting comfy. I bet you’re snuggled in bed, aren’t you, boy?”

“Uh-huh,” he said around his thumb.

“I’d love to tuck you into bed,” Jace said. “Make sure you had soft jammies on, a stuffed animal, or blanket—”

Avery hid his gasp.

“A sippy cup full of juice or bottle of milk.”

Avery hummed.

“Daddy would hold his boy and read you a book.” Jace lowered his voice. “Then once my boy was sleepy and couldn’t keep his eyes open another moment, I’d carry you to bed and make sure you were tucked in. In the morning I would make a good breakfast while you sat at the table in your jammies and colored.”

Avery closed his eyes.

“After breakfast, it would be time to get you all cleaned up.”

Jace had gone from talking about a hypothetical boy to talking about Avery specifically. Avery loved that.

“I’d get your bath all ready,” Jace continued.

“With bubbles?” Avery asked softly.

“Bubbles and toys,” Jace said with understanding.

Avery exhaled happily.

“I’d let you play and just sit by in case you needed me. That way you didn’t have to worry about anything. Then I’d get you clean. After your bath, Daddy would pick out your clothes so you didn’t have to worry about what to wear.”

“Yes,” Avery hissed.

“Then depending on our schedules, I might let you play in your special room for a little bit. Everything in your room would be just for you. Handpicked by your Daddy.”

Daddy.Avery repeated the word in his head. Would he ever be able to say it out loud?

“What do you think, Avery?” Jace asked gently. “Is that something you might be interested in? Enough to meet me for dinner?”

Avery removed his thumb from his mouth, wincing at the sound it made. Hopefully Jace didn’t notice. “I want to go to dinner with you.”

“Good. That makes me very happy. We can talk more tomorrow night about what else we both want. You need to let me know what you’d like to explore in our relationship as well.”

That didn’t sound right. Avery knew he was tired, but Jace couldn’t be saying what he thought. “In public?”

“Oh, Avery, I would never embarrass you,” Jace assured him. “I won’t bring up anything you don’t want me to.”

Diapers, Avery thought.

“But I also want you to know that there is nothing wrong with what you or I desire. If it makes you happy, feel safe, and loved, then it’s not wrong. I belong to a club that allows people like us explore things like we’re talking about.”

“I don’t know if I want to do it…in front of people,” Avery confessed.

“That’s why we’ll talk about everything we do beforehand,” Jace promised him.

“Okay.”Daddy.Avery wished he wasn’t a coward.

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