Page 2 of Bossy Baby

If Mac wasn’t interested in him, then Hayley would just have to keep fantasizing.

Maybe if he figured out exactly what he wanted in a Daddy, then Hayley would recognize that person when he came around, instead of daydreaming about Mac taking care of him.

The problem was that Hayley sort of already knew what he wanted. No one he’d ever met had come close to how he pictured his Daddy would look, act, and treat him. No one until Mac.

Hayley wanted the absolute devotion he saw Jace give to Avery, the protectiveness Grant had of Caleb, and the wickedness Byron and Mitch shared. All of what he saw his friends experience, but wrapped up in one package that was meant for only him to unwrap.

That brought his thoughts back to Mac. Where had he gone? Hayley lifted onto the tips of his toes and peered back out of the window.

There!

Just outside his shop door, Mac was pacing as he spoke on the phone. He didn’t look happy, though. Hayley wanted to run outside and throw his arms around the big man. That probably wasn’t a good idea, though. Mac always stiffened when Hayley touched him. He didn’t pull away though. That had to mean Mac didn’t really mind Hayley’s touch, right? Crap, Hayley was starting to doubt himself again.

To get his mind back in the game, Hayley picked up his favorite cleaning solution and a micro-cloth and went around the counter.

He started with the shelf closest to the counter and began to clean.

Not that his shelves ever got dirty—Hayley was a cleaning freak. But the rhythm of spray, wipe, spray, wipe, relaxed him. He let his mind wander and just let the world flow around him.

“You are always cleaning.”

Hayley squealed and jumped.

Mac stepped back. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have…”

Hayley pushed his spray bottle and cloth onto the shelf and grabbed one of Mac’s hands. He didn’t want the big guy running already. “It’s okay,” he tried to reassure Mac. “I got lost in my thoughts and didn’t hear the bell.”Stupid. Stupid.He’d known that Mac was outside the door.

“I’m sorry. I know I can be…scary.”

“You aren’t scary,” Hayley rushed to say. He beamed up at Mac. Hayley loved just gazing at him.

Mac shook his head. “I should go.”

“Go?” Hayley practically shouted. He tugged on Mac’s hand. “You just got here. Didn’t…didn’t you need something?” He squeezed Mac’s hand.

Mac stared at him for several long moments. “Blood,” he blurted out.

“Blood?” Hayley cocked his head in confusion. He needed more than one-word answers from Mac. But blood? Hayley didn’t know what to do about that.

Mac shook his head. “I…” He lifted his free hand, the one Hayley was not hanging on for dear life, and rubbed the back of his beautiful bald head. “Do you have something that would get rid of blood?”

“I do!” Hayley bounced on his toes. “I have a gallon mixture that you can add to the washing load or a spray bottle to help rub out the blood. Both work really well.” Hayley dragged Mac behind him to the other side of the store. The back.

Wicked thoughts invaded, with Hayley knowing that he and Mac would be out of the view of customers walking by. Damn, he could get down on his knees and show Mac what a good boy he could be.

Sadly, Hayley was certain that would have the big guy running for the door even faster than normal.

“Here.” Hayley pointed to the right shelf. “Is it just a little blood? You didn’t hurt yourself, did you? You have to be careful. Especially around the house. I heard that most hospital visits are from people who had accidents at home. It’s probably a good thing that my apartment is right upstairs. I don’t have to worry about a yard or making home repairs.” Hayley knew his mouth was running away, but he couldn’t stop. He just wanted to keep Mac there with him. “Do you have a house?” He took a deep breath when he finally stopped talking.

He expected Mac to be annoyed. A lot of people were when he went off on one of his chattering tirades.

Instead, when he peered up at Mac, Mac was smiling at him.

“I have a house in the new Hillcrest development,” Mac shared.

“Oh, that’s a nice neighborhood.” A really nice neighborhood. Like way past anything that Hayley would ever be able to afford. Mac was rich. Damn, what did he have to offer a handsome, rich guy? He deflated.

“I haven’t been there long,” Mac said. “I just finished decorating it, in fact.”

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