Page 8 of Asher's Answer
His words make my heart sing, but I still feel my face flame and I shake my head. “I’m a freak,” I mutter, repeating one of my dad’s less disturbing descriptions. I’d already been feeling abnormal, but his bellows of rage had cemented my worries.
“No, baby, you’re not.”
“Says the hot cop who doesn’t wonder what it’s like to wear a diaper.” My stomach turns to lead, the words having bypassed my filter entirely.
Jesus fucking Christ, who is in control of my mouth?
Charlie chuckles and rubs my back. “I don’t want to wear one, no…but I like changing them.”
Dead. I am officially dead. But, before I can say anything, his brother’s voice offers, “What about a hot cop thatisinto wearing them occasionally? Am I a freak?”
“What?” I squeak, pulling my bright red face away from Charlie long enough to stare across the room at Josh.
He’s leaning against the archway that separates the living room from the dining area, casual as you please. He shrugs. “It’s not a lifestyle thing for me, but I like to play occasionally.” He gestures to Charlie with a jerk of his stubbled chin. “This one’salwaysin Daddy mode, but you’ve probably realized that by now.” He cocks his head, eyes flitting back to his brother. “Dinner’s good to go, by the way.”
Still in a state of shock, I allow Charlie to push me up and lead me to the kitchen with his hand on the small of my back. My eyes dart between them. Far be it for me to judge, but… “Do you two ever…?”
“No,” Charlie’s reply is quick and vehement. He helps me climb up and sit at the middle stool before I notice that’s what he’s done, then walks around the kitchen island, gathering plates and cups for dinner. “Nope. He’s my brother. That’d be weird because, for me, being a Daddy’s always gone hand in hand with my sexual relationships. But,” he adds, and I suspect it’s more for Josh’s benefit than mine, “if he ever needed me to, I’d be his caregiver in an emergency.”
Josh smiles back at him softly. “It’s appreciated, big brother.” Then Josh leans in and nudges me with his shoulder. “So…am I a freak?”
“No!” I frown. “I wouldn’t ever think that.”
“Cool,” he smirks, “so what’s the difference? Why’s it okay for me and not you?”
“I…” I stop. I don’t have an answer to that.
A child sized melamine bowl of spaghetti with a rich tomato sauce is slid in front of me, and I look across the counter to meet Charlie’s sparkling eyes.
“Exactly,” he says, then produces a sippy cup of milk. My stomach flip-flops, a strange surge of affection washing over me. His next words only make the feeling stronger. “So now you just have to work on reminding yourself that you’re perfect as you are.”
* * *
Josh gives me a hug after dinner, then hugs his brother and leaves after saying something about visiting a grove by himself. I don’t really follow, but Charlie tells him to have fun and call if he needs to. I wipe my mouth on a napkin and insist on helping Charlie with the dishes, and he relents when he realizes that I’m not going to be swayed.
“So…you’re a twenty-four-seven Daddy, then?” I ask when we’re back in the living room.
I feel braver now. Josh talked about his little experiences all through dinner, allowing me to ask questions -even when they felt silly- and the whole conversation made me feel normal. Or, at least, like maybe I’m somewhere where I’m safe to indulge in my weird fantasies. I decide to latch on to this newfound confidence and freedom to talk about it while I can. Before my insecurities get the better of me again. I can feel a simmering temptation when it comes to this man, so keeping conversation going seems like the safer option here. I mean, we only just met, and I know next to nothing about him.
Charlie shrugs. “Yeah…I guess? It’s not something I can switch on and off. I mean, I don’t expect to be in a relationship with someone who’s little in every waking moment. In fact, I don’t want that at all. But even during adult time, I like to look after my partners, I guess.”
My lips tug upwards because, yeah, I can definitely see that in him. Still, I can’t help but wonder whether my being here is going to throw a spanner in the works. “Will my being here interrupt something?”
“Interrupt something?” he asks, frowning. I resist the urge to smooth my thumb over the crease between his dark eyebrows.
I look at my lap, twiddling my fingers. “Like a pre-existing relationship?” The words come out quiet and cautious, and I feel a pang of jealousy at the very thought. Which is ridiculous, because Charlie might have taken care of me today, but he’s not mine to be jealous over.
He’s silent for a minute. “Baby,” he says, and once again he’s tilting my chin up and forcing me to look at him. “There’s nobody. But I’d like to explore our connection if you’re up to it.”
“Our…” I trail off, gesturing between the two of us. “As in…” I swallow. “You and me?”
My dick twitches at the very suggestion. That simmering temptation threatens to boil over.
He cups my cheek and my heart thumps wildly. “Yes.” His expression is almost painfully tender. “You and me.”
“Y-you don’t even know me,” I protest, but I’m leaning into him anyway. It’s magnetism.
Yes, I just got out of a relationship (one which my heart wasn’t ever in, because otherwise Cooper’s cheating would have actually hurt) and I’ve only just met this man…but I can’t stop myself from wanting him.
