Page 40 of Atlas & Miles
“No, Miles. Let. It. Go.” His face crumpled like he was fighting a breakdown again, so I stroked his hair and kissed his forehead before continuing. “It’s time to live.”
At that, he sobbed even harder, wrapping his arms around my waist and holding on tight. I whispered and cooed soft reassurances as he cried himself out, my heart breaking for him. He’d been through so much as a kid, and he hadn’t had anyone to help him through it. He’d had to be so strong for so long, but who was strong for him?
Me. I could be strong for him now.
When his tears finally stopped, he pushed himself up on his hip and gazed at me from inches away. His face was positively wrecked, but he’d never looked more beautiful.
Cupping his face in my hands, I leaned in and kissed each of his watery eyelids, both tear-stained cheeks, then his swollen lips. When I pulled back, everything I was feeling just came out.
“I know you said I see you, but you seeme, Miles. Most guys don’t want to be with a gendersparkly human like me.” He gave me a wet laugh at that. “But you haven’t been ashamed of me,haven’t been bothered a single bit to be seen with me around town. You can’t know what that means to me.”
He smiled sweetly. “It’s a privilege to be with you. I need you to know my struggles around coming out aren’t about that at all.”
I nodded, pressing a quick, chaste kiss to his lips. “I know that, sweet boy. I understand. But I wonder—would it be helpful if I, as your Daddy, helped you work through this? That is, if you want help.”
Miles nodded excitedly. “Yes, Daddy, I want that. I want to be with you, and you deserve to be loved out loud.”
I chuckled. “‘Loved out loud.’ I like that.”
Then, as if we both realized what we’d said at the same time, we froze, eyes wide as we stared at each other.
Miles hurried to speak first, stumbling over his words. “I just meant . . . I . . . not . . . you just deserve . . .”
I pressed a finger to his lips, shushing him. “I know what you meant, baby.” I wasn’t ready to admit the feelings I had for him‚ the feelings I suspected he had, too. Hopefully I would be soon. “You are the most incredible man I’ve ever met.”
He shrugged, so I reached around and playfully tapped the one side of his ass that was exposed.
“None of that. You’re begging for a spanking, aren’t you?”
Miles blushed so prettily, turning his head down and looking up at me through his eyelashes. “Maybe.”
I laughed, throwing my head back. “Okay, then, boy. Time to get over my lap.”
We went to bed with my hand and his ass on fire. Though his ass was worse.
Chapter twelve
Miles
Mid May, One Week Until the Reunion
“No, that doesn’t work here. Let’s try back over there.”
I grumbled under my breath at Vanessa as I dutifully hefted the massive photo booth arch and carried it back across what everyone called the “large gym,” though it was exactly the same size as the “small gym.” Small towns were weird sometimes.
Once I’d settled the all-wood piece I’d crafted for the Totally ‘80s! reunion prom in exactly the same spot it had been before she’d had me move it the first time, I wiped my hands on my jeans, mopped my sweaty forehead with the bottom of my T-shirt, then eyed Vanessa to make sure she was satisfied.
She nodded emphatically, not even noticing my inadvertent abs flash. “Looks great, thank you, Miles.”
I offered a polite smile and nod. “No problem. Happy to help.”
She smiled back as she reached for her chiming phone. “Thank you. We’ve moved the PE classes outside until the reunion . . .”
When her voice trailed off, I just stared. That wasn’t a complete thought, was it?
After typing furiously on her phone and tapping what I thought wassend, she glanced around the gym briefly. “. . . but I wouldn’t want the kids to damage this gorgeous work of art. Maybe we can find something to rope it off.”
I nodded, not even given the chance to follow her gaze around the chaotic gym before I heard her huff. She started her furious typing again, somehow more emphatically this time. I just stood there like an asshole, watching her, waiting for her next instruction.
