Gareth sucked in a deep breath. “Baby? Look at me?”
Kit raised his head and was met with Gareth’s uncertain expression. Now Kit was getting anxious, and it felt as if his throat was closing.
Gareth cupped his cheek. “There’s something else I was going to bring up when we got off the road, but as long as we’re discussing all this other stuff…” Gareth cleared his throat, clearly as nervous as Kit was. “Will you officially wear my collar? Let everyone know you’re my forever boy?”
Kit’s jaw dropped. That was not what he’d been expecting.
“Seriously? For real?”
Gareth grinned. “For real.”
Kit threw his arms around Gareth’s neck without thinking and was mortified when Gareth yelped in pain.
What a way to ruin such a special moment.
“Oh my God, I’m so sorry. I’m such an idiot!”
Gareth growled. “Stop that. I won’t have you saying anything negative about yourself, got it?”
Kit shrunk in on himself. “Yes, Daddy. Sorry.”
Gareth grabbed Kit’s hand and kissed the inside of his wrist before twining their fingers together. “Do I at least get a yes to make up for it?”
Kit smiled, relieved that Gareth wasn’t upset at him. Of course, Gareth had never truly been upset with him, but Kit supposed he was still dealing with the aftermath of living with Ted for so long.
“A huge yes.”
Gareth took his mouth in a toe-curling kiss, embracing Kit in the possessive way he’d grown to crave from his Daddy. Never had he felt so seen, so wanted—so cared for. At last, Gareth broke their connection but stayed close enough that they still shared breaths.
“Thank you, baby boy. You honor me.” He pecked the tip of Kit’s nose. “I want to get you something this week, before we leave. It can be a chain, or whatever my sweet baby wants.”
Tears burned at the backs of Kit’s eyes, his heart swelling in his chest. His love for Gareth was so big, he sometimes didn’t know what to do with it.
“Can we get something with a little padlock on it? I’ve seen those kind before.”
Gareth chuckled. “Someone’s been doing some research.”
Kit’s cheeks burned. “I was just curious, that’s all.”
Gareth rubbed slow circles on Kit’s back, touching their foreheads together. “Don’t be embarrassed, I’m teasing you. I love that idea. Then everyone will know you’re mine and no one else’s.”
Kit sighed with contentment. “No one else’s.”
“Hey!” Dev’s voice bellowed in the living room. “Should I order us a pizza or something?”
Kit straightened. “Oh no. I forgot about the dough.”
“The dough?”
“It was supposed to be a surprise.” Kit poked out his bottom lip. “I was going to have homemade pizza ready for you guys when you got back.”
“You were?”
Gareth ran his palms up and down Kit’s back as he gazed at Kit with affection. Kit was selfishly beginning to wonder if maybe Dev could find someplace else to spend his time for the evening.
“Yeah, but that’s okay. I didn’t actually start mixing things together yet, so I can do it tomorrow instead.”
“How about we order something different tonight then? Dev won’t care, he eats anything.”