Page 65 of Tutoring Mr. Hotshot

“Ok, ok. I might have done that. I just wanted him to get plenty of sleep. I didn’t think he’d go this long. Geesh.”

Finn shrugs. “It’s Raymond. You know how he is about sleep sometimes.”

I ignore the conversation as I check in with Rodney. “You doing ok? Did you really want to come or were you convinced to?”

“I wanted to come. Anywhere you are is where I want to be, if I’m honest.”

“Even the stinky locker room?” I ask as a joke.

He scrunches his face up all adorable like. Shaking his head, he tells me, “Maybe not there. I’ve smelled dirty gym clothes for years. No need to submit myself to that any further.”

“Hey! You don’t smell like a field of daisies yourself sometimes!” Aries shouts.

We all burst out laughing at his ridiculous comeback. Bellamy is the first to catch his breath enough to ask what we’re all thinking.

“Who the fuck do we know that smells like a field of daisies? What does that even mean?”

The confusion on Aries’s face is priceless. “Isn’t that what some of the bottles say? Maybe it’s something else. But yeah, you don’t always smell good, little bro.”

“Hun, I think the moment’s passed now,” Finn tells Aries in a delicate tone.

“Yeah, man. No daisies here. Let’s get inside before the others come looking for us.”

With that, they turn to go through the open doorway behind us. I stay back with Rodney for a moment since I want a chance to soak him in alone.

“Missed you, little genius,” I say softly.

It’s honest.

I did miss him. More than I probably should at this stage. I can’t help that I’m already addicted to all things Rodney Merry.

He smiles up at me, then raises on his toes until he can press a soft kiss to my lips. When he drops down, he says, “Missed you too, Daddy.”

No matter what happens in this arena, my day is already made. Rodney wanting to be around me is the greatest gift I can have.

And soon, I think he might fall in love with me.

Wouldn’t that be something?

CHAPTER23

Rodney

Ice skating has never really been my thing. Maybe it’s because my brother was always out on the field tossing around a football instead, and that’s what I grew used to.

But being on the ice with Andry is different.

He’s so happy simply standing in the arena. When he steps out onto the ice, his smile takes over his whole face. It’s fascinating to watch.

“He’s a natural,” a voice says from beside me.

I turn to find Jake Bellport wearing a curious look.

“Hey Jake! What are you doing here? I didn’t know you were coming.”

He points across the ice to where his partners Leon and Maddox are talking with the photographer and the media team. “The guys said that if Andry got to bring his boyfriend, then they should be able to bring theirs.”

“I’ve already texted Raymond. He is indeed up and on his way.” My brother pops up on my other side, a smirk in place.

---