Chapter Ten #2
Luckily Jacob had made a trip to the grocery store earlier once James had left for his shift at the fire station.
He’d picked up snacks that should appeal to James’s little persona.
He’d also stopped in a department store to pick up some fun and comfortable clothes for the boy.
Just a few outfits since Jacob thought James might eventually want to pick out his own clothes later.
James was on the older side of a little but below a middle from Jacob’s perspective.
The clothes were laid out on the guest bed, freshly washed and dried. All ready for the sweet boy.
Jacob hadn’t missed the way that James had tugged at his jeans the prior night.
With James’s excitement for regression, Jacob had suspected that another playdate would be happening soon. Maybe not this soon but Jacob was already getting ahead of himself, so why not go all-in?
Pulling ingredients out of the fridge, Jacob fixed a snack for his boy.
The new plastic colorful superhero divider plate had been drying on the rack beside the sink.
Using the sections, Jacob filled them with cheese squares from the deli.
Then he cut off some of the summer sausage he’d purchased before adding a stack of crackers in another section.
Some carrots and homemade ranch dip rounded up the snack.
Grabbing the matching tumbler with a straw, Jacob filled that with ice and water.
He was just placing both the plate and cup on the table when he heard the familiar motorcycle engine approaching.
Jacob hurried to the door, barely having it all the way open before he was outside.
James had the bike turned off and had removed his helmet already. The boy flashed him a grin before scurrying from the back of the bike.
He ran.
James ran right for him. Helmet in one hand and backpack bouncing over his shoulder.
Had anyone ever been so excited to see him? Jacob couldn’t remember. His own excitement bobbed to the surface. Jacob opened his arms as James flew into them.
Closing his arms around the boy, Jacob lifted him off his feet. “Hey, baby.” Damn, he really needed to stop using pet names.
Tilting his head back, James grinned. “Hi! Did you miss me?”
“Of course I did,” Jacob replied honestly. Spending the day gathering what he thought James needed filled the time that they’d been apart.
“I missed you too,” James said. He rose to his tiptoes to kiss Jacob’s cheek.
All of Jacob’s warnings to himself were gone. He knew he needed to keep distance between them. It was just so hard as James really was the perfect boy for him.
“Thanks for letting me come over,” James said.
“Anytime,” Jacob told him. “You are always welcome here.”
James laughed. “I am so going to make you regret telling me that.”
There was no possible way. “Come inside. I made you a snack.”
“Really?” James released him and began to bounce.
“Come on, brat.” Jacob towed James toward the back door and got him inside. Closing and locking the outside world away just felt right.
“Snack!” James dropped his helmet before sliding off his backpack.
Jacob caught the backpack and set it on the counter. He bent and retrieved the helmet from the floor as James slid out the chair.
“Dude!” James exclaimed. “Look at this plate! And the cup. These are so cool!”
Jacob had been reaching into the backpack to pull out the cape and Kane as he knew that James would want them. He turned to check that James was really taking the gifts as well as he sounded.
To his absolute amazement, James was sitting in the chair, giving a little wiggle as he admired the cup in his hand. Jacob had been prepared to coax and barter in order for James to use the dishes. The plate and cup were obviously made for someone much younger.
Remembering what he was doing, Jacob grabbed the cape and action figure before walking to the table.
“Do you like them?” he asked quietly.
“So cool!” James repeated. He took a long drink from the straw.
Jacob grew emotional. He quickly blinked away the tears. It was silly. He was the Daddy and wasn’t new to the scene. He’d played with boys several times at the club. None of them had ever made Jacob realize how much he wanted this. A partner. A happy boy. His entire world.
He shook himself then wrapped the ends of the cape around James’s shoulders and clipped it into place.
“Thanks!” James told him cheerfully.
If Michael did start wondering what happened to that cape, it would devastate James to have to return it. Maybe Jacob should go ahead and buy a few more. Just in case.
He snorted as he walked around the table.
“What?” James asked around a mouthful of carrot and dip.
“You are going to be so spoiled,” Jacob confessed. It was exactly what he’d been thinking. It wouldn’t just be one cape that Jacob bought for him. James would have every color available. And with Jacob’s money, the possibilities were endless.
James grinned. “Not going to complain about that.”
“I’m sure you won’t,” Jacob replied. He pulled out the chair next to James and sat while still holding on to Kane.
“Good snack,” James said as he began to stack his crackers. Cracker, sausage, cheese, cracker, sausage, cheese, cracker.
“You don’t need to stack everything into one,” Jacob advised.
“But…” James pushed out his bottom lip while adding sausage and cheese. “It’s like the giant sandwiches that Scooby eats. Haven’t you seen those episodes?”
“You are not an animated dog. You’ll choke.”
James glanced at the stack and cocked his head.
“One at a time,” Jacob told him. “Cracker, sausage, and cheese.”
James sighed but did start to rearrange the stacks. Once he had the stacks in line, he picked one up and shoved it into his mouth.
The boy was still going to choke.
Jacob shook his head. “If you choke to death, you won’t see what else I have for you.”
“What?” James asked. Pieces of his food flying over the table. “Oops!”
“Boy,” Jacob said sternly.
James picked up his cup and took two large swallows. “Sorry, Daddy.”
Just like the night before when James called him that, Jacob grew warm.
“What else did you get?” James asked.
“Finish your snack,” Jacob ordered.
James narrowed his eyes.
“I have all night,” Jacob warned him.
Picking up another stack, James carefully bit into this one.
“Good boy,” Jacob praised. He set Kane on the table in front of him. He still wasn’t sure where the name came from. Not that it mattered. James naming his superhero action figure meant he had a connection with it.
There was still a little dancing while James ate every bite of his snack.
“You did eat dinner, right?” Jacob asked, standing and picking up the plate.
“Cal made lasagna and garlic bread and chocolate cake,” James told him.
“And how much cake did you eat?”
“Just a little piece,” Jacob said. That bottom lip came out again. “He wouldn’t let me have more.”
“I’ll try to remember to thank him,” Jacob joked.
James’s eyes grew wide. “No! The two of you…working together? No! I would never get away with anything.”
Jacob rinsed off the plate and set it aside. “You don’t get away with anything now.”
James huffed.
“Am I wrong?” Jacob asked. He returned to the table to grab James’s cup. Refilling it with water from the fridge, Jacob held out his hand. “Come on. Let me show you what else I got you.”
“I could get away with something,” James mumbled. “If I really want to.”
That didn’t require a response.
James leaped up from the table. The cape around his shoulders whirled as he skipped toward him.
Jacob grabbed James’s hand to pull him down the hall.
“Is it playtime?” James asked, nearly tripping along.
“Not yet.” They passed the playroom and into the guest bedroom.
“It’s not sleepy time,” James said firmly.
Jacob turned, pulling James closer to the bed. “How about a play outfit?” He pointed toward the two outfits on the bed.
James made a weird squeaking sound that Jacob had never heard a human make before. He was nearly vibrating as he stared at the clothes.
“Is that a yes?” Jacob questioned.
“Yes! Yes!” James bounced.
“Okay, we have two options. The blue lounge pants and red shirt or the green shorts and yellow shirt.” The shorts were more for a little while the lounge set could have been bought by any adult that wanted to have something fun to hang out in.
“Shorts!” James said quickly.
That was perfect. “Now, next question. And there is no right or wrong answer. Just tell me what feels right.”
James stilled.
Reaching under the shorts, Jacob pulled out the thick dark blue underwear with the wide white stripes around the waist and leg openings.
James gurgled something.
“No pressure,” Jacob reminded him. “You can wear what you have on now. We can save these for another time. Or never. It’s completely up to you.”
James looked up at him.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jacob patted his knee. “Come sit, baby.”
The boy moved fast. Okay. James was still there with him. Not freaking out. Maybe curious.
Jacob held up the undies. “Would you like to touch them?”
James nodded.
When he didn’t move his hands, Jacob chuckled. Holding the undies in his left hand, he grabbed James’s wrist with his right. “I’m right here with you. You are safe.”
“Thick,” James whispered as he ran a finger over the band around one of the legs.
“I think we can both agree that you are an older little. I thought about picking up some training pants. Those didn’t seem like an everyday fit though. Maybe if you have a bad night or a hard shift, we can try them. For everyday play I think these fit my boy better.”
James sucked in a breath as he jerked his head up. His bright gaze met Jacob’s.
“What’s wrong?” Was Jacob pushing the boy too fast?
“You said your boy,” James replied.
“I did.” Jacob winced. “I’m sorry. I won’t do it—”
“I told Josh!” James nearly yelled.
“I’m sorry. What?” Jacob wasn’t sure what James was talking about.
“I told Josh about us,” James repeated. “My friend at the station that is a Daddy.”
Jacob nodded. “I remember you telling me about him.”
“We were talking about another friend,” James said. “And since Josh is a Daddy, we were talking about stuff and I told him. About us.”
“I fully support this,” Jacob said. “I think it is wonderful for you to have someone other than me to talk to.”
“You do?” James chewed on his bottom lip.
“Yes,” Jacob assured him. “I always want you safe and happy. Since I’m the caregiver in this…relationship, it is important for you to have support. I’ll support you. Other who can watch out for you are just as important.”
“Even if I talk about personal stuff with him?”
“Everything between a Daddy and a little is personal, don’t you think?” Jacob questioned.
“True.” James gave him a small smile.
“And Josh gave me some very good advice,” James told him.
“What advice?” He was curious. Jacob stood behind his words. One benefit of being part of a club was having other dominants and people who looked out for the boys.
“That I need to be able to communicate with you.”
“You do,” Jacob told him. “Communication is key between any Daddy and boy.”
“Communication is key in every relationship,” James retorted. “Brothers, co-workers, lovers.”
Jacob smiled. “That’s very true.”
James took a deep breath while wiggling a little on Jacob’s knees to face him better. “You’ve agreed to be my Daddy. To help me explore my little side which we can both admit that I have.”
He opened his mouth to respond but James shook his head.
“I’m a little. I want you to be my Daddy. Only you to be my Daddy,” James said firmly.
“Okay.” The word wasn’t enough to reflect how Jacob really felt. “I’d like that.”
“Except you get close then back away,” James accused.
“I…” Jacob cleared his throat. That was accurate.
“I don’t want you to do that,” James said.
“Do what exactly?”
“Back off!” James said with a huff.
“I…” He still didn’t understand. What was James saying? What did the boy need from him that Jacob wasn’t providing.
“I want you to kiss me like you did that night in the apartment,” James told him.
Jacob stiffened. What the…
“I want you to take me to bed,” James continued. “I want you to rail me.”
And his body flamed to life. Jacob’s reaction was so fast that he grew light-headed. He shook his head, unable to believe the words James was saying.
“I want—”
“Woah!” Jacob finally managed to get one word out. “Hold on.”
James smirked while still sitting on his knee. “Do I have your attention now?”
“You always have my attention,” Jacob returned.
“No,” James drawled. “As more than a little that you’ve taken under your wing.” He grabbed Jacob’s face with both his hands. “Do you see me as the man that is sitting here on your knee communicating with you?”
Jacob nodded. “Yes.”
“And?” James flexed his fingers.
“I’ve wanted you since the day we met.” Jacob confessed the words coming from his soul. “I was such a dick to you. It was because I didn’t know how to talk to you. I respect you so much. You are such an amazing man.”
“You want me?” James asked.
“Yes.”
James beamed. He looked so happy. “Then what are you going to do about it? Daddy.”
Jacob laughed. “Give you everything you want.”
“Good answer.” Leaning forward, James teased his lips against Jacob’s. “Very good answer.”