Chapter 21
NATHAN
The snow fell softly as I bundled my little bird into his coat and ushered him to the door. I’d had some worry about the weather, but the forecast had said there should only be a few flurries in the morning leading into the afternoon and taper off before most people sat down to eat.
“Are you sure about this, Nate? Maybe we should just stay home.” Aiden stopped and turned around in my arms, casting a wary glance up at the overcast sky. When he looked back at me, and his gaze caught mine, I leaned in and pressed my forehead against his.
I wanted to give him whatever he wanted, but I also didn’t want to let him hide. He still had a lot of anxiety over what had happened the last time we went to his parents’ house and the idea of going back there with me played heavily on his nerves. It wouldn’t do anyone any good to put things off.
Not that I particularly wanted the first official meeting with his parents to end up being this farce of a holiday meal. Though, as I gazed at Aiden’s face, no matter how anxious he was, I couldn’t deny that this year I had plenty to be thankful for.
He grimaced and walked out the door, stopping to stare ahead. I nearly bumped into him as I walked behind him and pulled the door closed.
“Aiden?” I wasn’t sure what had stopped him and I scanned the street, but I didn’t see any potential threats.
The look he gave me as he turned around was… confusing. A lot was going on there and I wasn’t sure how to read it.
“Is that your car?” He almost choked on the last word. Which, I guess the suped up SUV could barely be classified as a car.
I chuckled and kissed his head, grabbing the keys out of his hand and turning back to look at the door.
“Baby. It’s Thanksgiving. This is your family’s holiday.
We can do whatever you want to do, but I know that you want to spend the holiday with your parents and your sister.
But tell me now, am I locking the door or are we going back inside?
” I looked over at the car, already loaded up with the goodies we were taking with us, before I turned back to him, waiting him out.
As I stared into his eyes, a thought struck me that chilled me worse than the snow swirling around us ever could. “Little bird? Do you want to go to your parents’ alone?”
His head snapped up, eyes wide and his forehead creased as he stared at me as though I’d spoken in tongues and couldn’t quite decipher what I’d said.
“I mean, we’ve only been back together for a week, so if it’s too soon for you to want to bring me around, I’d understand.”
Aiden launched himself at me, covering my mouth with his hand. “Don’t be silly. Of course I want you to come to my parents’ house with me. This is our do-over. Our opportunity to do it right this time.”
He sagged against me for a moment, like a deflated balloon that lost all of its air.
I wasn’t sure what was up with him, but I could tell something was bothering him.
And since we had a little bit of a drive, I hoped I could get it out of him before we got there so we could settle it and not have an uncomfortable meal.
He leaned back and chewed his bottom lip, until I reached up and tugged it free. I leaned in, pulling him close to me, nuzzling against his ear. “Now, now, little bird. We’ve already discussed this. I’m the only one allowed to give you pleasure or pain.”
A soft gasp ripped from deep within his chest as his head shot up, eyes glazed. Maybe it had been a little mean to tease him, but it was better than him being in his head, needlessly worrying about how his parents were potentially silently judging the fact that I was his Daddy.
Little did he know, he had much bigger worries when it came to me with his parents. But hopefully, no one would ever be the wiser about those fears he should have been focusing on.
I booped his nose and smirked at his obvious arousal. “Later. First, we need to get through dinner with your family, baby. Now, let’s go before we’re late.”
Aiden groaned and stomped toward the SUV, but he didn’t put up a fight, despite his petulance. I smiled and shook my head at his antics. I loved how he had a bit of a bratty side. He made my hand itch to punish him and I wondered if he’d be into that.
It still amazed me how things had worked out.
Getting in the SUV, I quickly turned it on and cranked up the heat, knowing he got cold easily. He eagerly leaned forward, holding his hands up to the vents, and cast me a grateful smile. “Thanks, Daddy.”
I brushed a stray lock of his hair aside and my heart slammed into my ribcage as the depths of my feelings for him overwhelmed me. Staring into his eyes, I wondered how he had managed to captivate me so completely. “Of course, little bird.”
We made our way to his parents’ house in a comfortable silence, and my hand found its way to his knee. My fingers gently stroked him through his jeans, attempting to soothe his unease. He stared out the window, still with an anxious look on his face, and sighed.
But I didn’t stop. I’d never stop offering comfort to my little bird when he needed it.
“You don’t have to worry about your parents. You know that. Right? They love you and just want you to be happy.”
He let out a slow breath and turned to look at me, and the expression on his face made me second-guess everything. I glanced back at the road before my attention wandered back to him. “Aiden? You are happy…right?”
I didn’t know what I’d do if he said no. There was a whole life I’d never thought I’d have, or even want, but that I had started to envision with him. If he said he didn’t want that, it might actually destroy me.
“What?” He looked at me in shock, mouth hanging open. “Of course I’m happy! No, fuck. Why would you even say that?”
I shrugged. It wasn’t like I was a relationship expert. He knew about my inexperience. “Just checking.”
He wiggled in his seat as he turned to fully face me. It was distracting, and difficult to keep my attention on the road, but somehow I managed.
“I’m sorry, Daddy. I’m just all in my head. Of course I’m happy. You make me so happy.” A smile lit up his face as he leaned against the seat and watched me drive.
A new worry wiggled its way into his brain as his smile slowly morphed into a frown, the line deepening between his eyes. When he finally spoke, his voice came out a soft whisper. “You’re happy, right, Daddy?”
Worry was one thing, but at the sound of distress in my little bird’s voice, I quickly pulled into an empty lot. The building looked long abandoned, so we wouldn’t be disturbed.
My breathing was ragged, as though I were breathing through a sponge or something was obstructing it. The idea that he thought I wasn’t happy was unfathomable. There was worry in his eyes as he glanced around the overgrown lot, biting his lip.
“Daddy?” A low growl ripped from my throat at the tremor in my boy’s voice.
I yanked the seat belt off and flung myself across the console, tugging him against me.
My lips crashed against him, his breath caught in his chest in surprise.
But it was only a moment before his hands were on the back of my head, clutching into fists in my hair as he held me like he planned to never let go.
Fuck. He better mean it because I was never going to let him go.
Teeth clashed as we kissed in a frenzy, hands roaming over each other’s bodies, mapping each other like we were works of art we were just discovering for the first time.
“You make me the happiest I’ve ever been, sweetheart.
” I breathed the words into his mouth, quiet as though afraid that saying them too loud would shatter the perfect moment.
That if they were too real, it would all be over.
Because it could be over in the snap of a finger if he ever discovered the truth.
But I’d do anything to keep that from happening. To keep him forever. And the thought scared the shit out of me.
“I love you, little bird.” I hadn’t meant to say it, but once the words were out, I couldn’t take them back. Didn’t want to take them back.
He pulled away, eyes wide as he stared at me in wonder. “You… you… you love me?”
For a moment, a swell of panic threatened to rise. Had I pushed too far, too fast? But as I looked into his face, all I saw was the eager and hopeful little bird I’d fallen for, staring back at me. In his eyes, I saw all of my feelings reflected back at me and my heart soared.
“Of course I do,” I whispered as I slid my palm around his head and into his hair. “How could I not? I knew from the first time I saw you, that you were meant to be mine, no matter what.”
Tears threatened to spill as he craned his neck up and captured my lips in a searing kiss that left its claim on my soul. “I love you too, Daddy.”
Pulling back, I smiled at him and cupped his cheek. If I could have, I would have stayed forever in that moment with him. But as nice as my SUV was, it wasn’t made for living in. Plus, I didn’t want to disappoint his family by making him late.
Wow. Look at me. Concerned about impressing the parents. I chuckled at the thought, ignoring the unease that rolled through me. Guilt had no place in my world.
I shimmied back into my seat and smiled at the way Aiden was left all flushed and debauched, before putting the car in gear and pulling back onto the road.
The snow had continued to steadily come down while we had stopped, and there was a thin layer on the street, but it wasn’t anything my new snow tires couldn’t handle. I hoped.
Thankfully, we hadn’t been far from his parents’ house and in less than fifteen minutes, I turned down their street, with plenty of time to spare before it was time to eat.
What I didn’t like, was the way Aiden seemed nervous once again, twisting his fingers in his lap. I didn’t want to say anything, but with the way the snow kept coming down, I almost wished he would tell me to turn the car around and that he wanted us to have a low-key Thanksgiving at his house.
“What’s wrong?”