Page 51 of Bossy Baby

Hayley laughed. “Daddy’s hungry.”

“Yes, I am. And you need to eat, too.” Hayley was favoring his injured arm. Even if Hayley didn’t notice it, Mac knew that his boy was starting to hurt. “While I’m starting dinner, you can finish playing. Then I’ll help you clean up.”

“K!” Hayley grabbed one of the aliens and walked it over to the spaceship’s crash-landing site.

Mac had been delighted and amused by the stories Hayley had come up with. He kissed the top of Hayley’s head before he strode out of the playroom. If he’d looked back, Mac would have returned to his boy’s side. That was not what Hayley needed, though.

Heading out from his room, down the stairs, and into the kitchen Mac thought about what he could make for Hayley. Something light. Something he’d be able to eat with his left hand.

Mac grabbed his iPad off the counter and did several quick searches. Deciding on grilled chicken and a salad, Mac went to the sink to wash his hands. After he was cleaned up, Mac began prepping dinner.

Setting the iPad against the fruit bowl so he could leave the recipe open, Mac found himself happily cooking for him and his boy.

This warm feeling in his chest had to be pride.

He was providing for his boy. A safe, warm house. Clothes and food. Toys and playtime. For all his faults, Mac believed that this was the one thing in his life he was doing right.

“Daddy?”

Mac whirled around. He’d almost finished dinner and had been about to check on Hayley. Looked like his boy had found Mac on his own, though. “You okay?”

When Hayley shrugged, Mac knew he’d been right about Hayley’s arm starting to hurt.

“Pain?”

“A little.” Hayley dug the tip of his toe into the tile.

Mac had the perfect idea.

“Okay, hold on.” Mac couldn’t resist giving Hayley a quick kiss on the cheek as he passed the boy. He quickly went to the living room and grabbed one of the large cushions off the couch, then picked up Cookie and Tyson from their tree house.

Returning to the kitchen entrance, he dropped the pillow on the ground. “How about you sit here and love on the kitties. Maybe give them a treat?”

“I’d like that.” Hayley dropped down on the cushion before he held his arms up.

Crouching in front of Hayley, he set the two kittens on Hayley’s lap. “Remember to shake the bag and maybe Socks will come out too.”

Hayley’s bottom lip came out in a pout. “How come Socks doesn’t like me?”

“Oh, baby,” Mac caressed his cheek. “Socks is just scared. She’ll get used to you and then I bet you’ll be her best friend.”

“K.” Hayley nodded. “I’ll save the best treat for her.”

Such a sweet boy. Mac rose and retrieved the bag of kitten cookies and handed it to Hayley. Then he went back to the sink to wash his hands again. He’d learned how Hayley’s mind worked, and if keeping everything clean, including himself, helped ease Hayley’s anxieties, Mac was going to do it.

Behind him the bag of treats rattled.

Mac hoped that Socks would indeed come out.

Returning to the stove, Mac turned over the chicken breast. He was shocked at how perfectly brown the skin had turned. It looked almost exactly like the picture. Pleased, he went about setting the table.

Would this be in their routine? Work, play, dinner, bath, and bed. It might seem boring to other people but for Mac, yeah, that was the kind of routine he yearned for.

A simple life with a man he loved and who loved him in return. It was a lot to ask of Hayley. Especially with the boy not knowing who Mac truly was. Hell, Mac wasn’t even his birth name, although it was the only name he would answer to.

Oh well, he answered to Daddy now, too.

Since he’d first learned about Daddy/ boy relationships, Mac had been trying to figure out what drew him to that particular kink. Did Hayley bring it out in him or was he attracted to Hayley because he wanted to be Hayley’s Daddy?

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