Page 2 of For the Love of a Boy

“Hey!” Seth glanced over his shoulder as he made his way to the bathroom. “I thought that was for after breakfast.”

“Can’t blame me for wanting to get my hands on that muscular behind, can you?”

Seth grinned, then entered their master bath, not bothering to shut the door behind him. In some respects, Seth had accepted their Daddy/boy dynamic quicker than Malcolm had expected. Sure, there were plenty of activities and other kinky pursuits that he would likely struggle with for a while, but overall, Malcolm was more confident than ever that Seth was made to be a boy.

Once both he and Seth were done in the bathroom, they donned their robes and slippers and padded their way to the kitchen. Malcolm had prepared a new recipe of morning oats the night before and hoped Seth would enjoy them. He wanted Seth to have everything he loved—within reason. As his Daddy, it would be his job to verify that whatever Seth desired was also good for him. If Seth’s wish went against what was best, then Malcolm would step in and offer guidance to keep him moving in the right direction.

Seth set the table while Malcolm squeezed some fresh orange juice. The fruit had been a bit on the sour side lately, so Malcolm planned to switch over to cranberry once they finished up the citrus they already had. Perfect for the season and one of Seth’s favorites. He smiled as he washed the stickiness from his hands, recalling their first dinner out together and how Seth had opted for cranberry juice instead of milk.

Later, after they’d confessed their feelings to each other, Malcolm had thought back on several small moments between them, how those seemingly innocuous interactions had been a foreshadowing. Seth might need someone to care for him, but he didn’t want Malcolm to view him as a child.

“Here you go, baby. Something new.”

Malcolm set the Mason jar of oatmeal in front of Seth. He regarded the mixture Malcolm had given him with a furrowed brow.

“Are those pecans?” Seth wrinkled his nose just enough that Malcolm noticed.

Malcolm pressed his lips together to keep from smiling as he took a seat with his own oats. “Yes. Are you allergic? If you are, it’s important to let me know. That can be serious, but you already told me you don’t have any allergies.”

Malcolm took a sip from his mug of coffee, the very first thing he’d prepared when they’d entered the kitchen. He was certain Seth wasn’t allergic but was curious how he would respond.

“Um, no. I was telling the truth when I said I’m not allergic to anything that I know of.” He bit his bottom lip as he regarded his breakfast with suspicion. He lifted his eyes. “But what if I am now, and I don’t know it yet?”

Malcolm sighed for dramatic effect. “That would be too bad. You were so looking forward to my pecan pie I told you I was making for Thanksgiving.”

Seth’s shoulders dropped and he frowned. “Oh yeah. I forgot.”

Malcolm scooped up a hearty spoonful of his own oats, eating them with gusto. “Mmm. The blueberries are so fresh and sweet. Perfect.”

All berries, but especially blueberries, were a favorite of Seth’s. Malcolm had hoped to entice him to try something different than the plain oatmeal his father had forced Seth and his siblings to eat. He’d already had great luck with basic ingredients such as apples and peaches. But more ‘exotic’ ingredients such as nuts, seeds or almond milk were ones he’d decided to introduce more slowly.

The same had been true of all foods, not just breakfast. Malcolm wanted Seth to be as healthy as possible—which wouldn’t be as likely to happen if all he ever ate was meatloaf and potatoes, the way he’d been raised. Now and then was fine, but not every meal. In addition, broadening Seth’s experiences mattered too. Whenever Seth discovered he loved something he’d never tried before, it made Malcolm’s heart swell. The joy in Seth’s eyes, his happy and easy smiles, were precious to Malcolm.

Seth tentatively reached for his spoon, then started picking at the oats, careful to scoop around the nuts and only take the bites that contained blueberries.

“Sweetheart?”

Malcolm raised his eyebrows as he regarded Seth. Once again, he had to control his mirth at the worried expression Seth radiated back at him.

“Yes, Daddy?”

“You know what I’m about to say, don’t you?”

Seth lowered his gaze, his shoulders dropping once again. “Yes, Daddy.”

“It’s good for you, baby boy. I wouldn’t insist otherwise or have gone to the trouble of making the new recipe. But more than that, it’s very tasty when the flavors are all mixed together. Not only are the pecans very healthy, but they add some crunch. You liked the granola, remember?”

“Well…yeah.” Seth lifted his eyes and tilted his head. “But why would anyone put nuts in regular food instead of only pie and cookies?”

Malcolm was barely able to hold in a snort. “Didn’t you once wonder why anyone would put Gorgonzola cream sauce on a steak? And how did that turn out?”

Seth averted his gaze. “I loved it.”

“Exactly. Now eat up. I’d like to get our day started. If you finish every bite, we can go out to a movie later.”

Seth narrowed his eyes. “Can I get some candy? I’ll pick one with nuts.”

Malcolm barked out a laugh. “Deal.”

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