Nine
Shaun
After I submit my order for a few things and place an order for online grocery delivery, my phone vibrates in my palm.
Unknown: Hey, Stranger!
Unknown: It's Amber. We met at the fundraiser a couple of weeks ago.
I update the contact information in my phone and smile. Thinking back on that night, and playing with Ben for a little while. He was such a sweet boy. Looking down at Kai, my heart feels fluttery knowing I have the boy who is meant for me.
Me: How are you? Thanks for reaching out.
Amber: Are you free to chat for a few minutes? I could use your help with something.
Me: Unfortunately, I'm not.
Should I tell her about Kai? We haven't made anything official, and I don't want to break his confidence in me by sharing something he doesn't like the world to know.
Me: In the middle of something right now. We can text, or I can give you a call later if you'd rather.
Amber: Text is fine. Will you be in the city anytime soon?
Me: I'm here now. I will be here for a couple of days. What's up?
Amber: That's wonderful. I mean, if you're free. We are hosting a community fair at the shelter on Wednesday. Could you come? We could offer free basic health services to our clients (blood pressure, temperature, etc). Talk to them about safe sex. That sort of thing.
Me: I would love to help. If I had more notice, I could have set up a small clinic to conduct more thorough exams.
Amber: Sounds great. Maybe in the future? I'll text you the information. It's Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Me: thumbs up emoji
Kai stirring next to me causes me to put my phone away and give him all of my attention. The movie was long forgotten by both of us as the ending credits scroll up the screen. Poor guy slept through the whole thing.
"Sorry I crashed on you," he says in a groggy voice, sitting up. His little persona is nowhere to be seen.
"That's okay. You had a rough morning." I tell him, checking my watch because the grocery delivery is expected to arrive soon. "Are you hungry? I ordered some groceries for us, but since you're out of little space, maybe you would want something else."
"Pizza sounds good, if you don't mind saving the groceries for later." He stands, picking up the bottle from the coffee table and heading into the kitchen.
I follow.
"Pizza sounds perfect." And it will give us a chance to
talk.
He stands at the sink washing the bottle before tilting it upside down in the rack to dry. With his hands on the counter, I can tell he's deep in thought about something. I let him take the time to process whatever it is that has him deep in thought.
"Whatever happens between us," Kai starts, "I just want you to know that I will fight my hardest for you in this case."
"I know you will. I trust you, Kai." I tell him in all honesty.
He turns and faces me. Tears already filling his eyes, and I cross the room in a few steps.
"I trust you, too. It's been years since I slipped into littlespace so easily. Most of the time, I'm hovering, but I never allow myself to fully immerse in the lifestyle. I’ve miss it so much. It’s the only time I can fully relax. "
"Oh, baby boy." I hold my arms out, and he steps into them willingly. I wrap my arms around him, and he lets me hold him for as long as I want. Unfortunately, the doorbell ringing breaks the moment.
He opens a drawer and hands me a takeout menu for pizza. "This is the best pizza in the area. Order whatever. I like it all. I also have cash for the delivery driver, so you don't have to pay. I'll check the door."
Hanging up the phone, "Pizza will be here in about forty-five minutes." I tell him.
"What did you do?" He asks with a mock-stern expression on his face, holding a mid-sized box.
"Just a little something to tell you thanks for representing me in the case and allowing me to be your daddy again, even if it was just a one-day thing." I don't know why I added that last part, and Kai's mock-sternness takes on a real contemplative one.
"One time," he whispers. Looking defeated. "Is that what you want?" He asks, looking like I kicked his puppy.
"No. Not at all. I would like to get to know you again.
I know we can't pick up where we left off because we have both changed over the years, but it would be nice to learn about the new you.
" I tell him, and his shoulders visibly relax.
"I want to take care of you. I enjoyed this afternoon very much, but I wish we had played more.
You don't have very many little things here. "
He looks down at the box he set on the table. "I have a few things in the closet, but I never allow myself to enjoy them."
"What? Why?"
"Just been focusing on my career, never allowing myself to enjoy what I like because I work so much." He tells me, and I nod my understanding. I was there too when I first started in the clinic.
"I understand that. But, maybe together we can both find some balance so we can explore this old-new dynamic together." I walk over and put my hand on his back.
"I'd like that." He tells me, and this time I don't kiss him on the temple. His eyes tell me that he is longing for it too, so I lean in and brush my lips softly across his. When we pull back, he whispers, "I missed you, Daddy."
"I missed you, too, butterfly. Now, open your prezzies."
Kai walks over to the drawer from which he got the menu and pulls out a pair of large scissors.
"I think not, little one," I tell him before holding my hand out for the scissors. He places them in my hand. "Thank you. That is a daddy's job. Scissors are dangerous and can hurt you." I give him a little wink and walk over, slicing through the tape on top of the box.
I set them down on the counter because I'm not sure if I will need them to cut tags and open the smaller boxes. I may have gone overboard.
Kai lifts the flaps on the box and gasps. "What's all this?" He looks at me with wide eyes.
"I wanted you to have a few things to play with while I was here. We can always order you some more stuff, or maybe we can go shopping together. I hope you like them." I offer an explanation.
"It's all so perfect," he says, lifting the items from the box one at a time. "I love this doll. I see it all the time at the store, but never allowed myself to buy it. She can go in the water and will be great in the tub at bathtime." He tells me, holding up the Ariel doll.
"And her tail changes colors depending on the temperature of the water.
When it starts to turn green again, you know the water is getting cold and it's time to get out of the tub.
" I thought it was a clever idea, so we didn't have to argue about bath time limits in the future.
He pulls out a stuffed animal, Flounder with blue sparkles, a new princess coloring book, three storybooks all about mermaids, and a set of mermaid-themed plastic items, including a plate, bowl, sippy cup, and bottle.
"Is that all that's in there?" I ask him because a few more toy items are missing.
Kai looks into the box. "Yep. That's all, Daddy. Was there supposed to be more?" He asks like he can't believe it.
"Yes. A few items are scheduled to be delivered later. In the meantime, how about I wash your new plate so you can use it for your pizza while you take your new toys to the living room and play while we wait?"
"Sounds perfect," he says, gathering up his two new toys and bringing them to me. "Tags, please." Ah, yes. I cut the tags before he’s running off toward the living room. He's not entirely in littlespace, but I know he's relaxed and letting me take care of him.
Once dinner is cleaned up and all the toys are in the basket under the coffee table, sans the mermaid doll in the bathroom for the next bath time, we sit back on the couch, and Kai is nowhere near littlespace.
"I think now would be a good time to talk," he tells me.
"We have a lot to talk about." I agree.
"Should we talk about us first, or the case?"
"How about we talk about the case first. Once we get that stroke of business taken care of, we'll know what we're doing and can enjoy the rest of our evening before I head out," Kai's brows pinch together.
"You're leaving?" he asks, rushed.
"I have a hotel room for the night and need to get an Uber to pick up my car," I inform him.
"Oh, right." He tells me with sadness in his tone.
"What's going on?"
"Nothing. It's just…I was hoping… you'd want to stay here." Oh my sweet boy.
"Thank you for being brave in telling me. Now, is that an invitation?" I smirk. "Because that didn't sound like a question."
"Shaun?"
"Yes," I say teasingly.
"Would you stay here while you're in town? Please." He says it in the most ridiculous mock-seduction voice I've ever heard.
"Well, when you put it like that, how can I resist?" Our laughter dances together, breaking the tension from the discussion that still needs to take place.
We spend the next hour going over our game plan for the case.
Kai tells me about all his findings, and we collaborate on what some of these things might mean.
Of course, he tells me it's all speculation and he'll have to dig a little deeper.
We agree not to delve too deeply into it tonight and that we will start fresh on it tomorrow.
He tells me that he has a meeting on Wednesday morning that he can't miss.
I say to him that I have one, too, and then I will be heading back to Rockport Ridge on Wednesday afternoon.
"Do you want to come back with me? To Rockport Ridge that is." I ask with hope in my heart.
"I could do that. I can work on the case from there, and I have nothing keeping me here." He looks like he wants to say more, but he doesn't.
"Great. We can caravan down so we're driving together, but not together.
" I tell him. "I mean, I would drive you, but I don't want you to be without a car while you're there, and I do have patients on Thursday and Friday.
Typically, I have a half day on Fridays, but since I was out, they are booking me for a full day. "
I would offer him a place to stay, but I don't want to…screw it… "You can stay at my place if you'd like."
"If I'd like? That doesn't sound like an invitation to me." He winks.
Touché.
"Kai, will you stay with me in Rockport Ridge?"
"O. M. G. You're starting to sound like a stage one clinger." His voice emulating a blonde valley girl from a cheesy nineties movie.
Before I can lean over to tickle him, he's already laughing and running out of the living room to the bedroom, which I presumably think is to hide.
He only makes it as far as the bed before he stops abruptly and turns around, only for me to run into him, chest to chest. Instinctively, I grab him around the waist to prevent us from falling, and his normal light blue eyes turn Navy.
I press his body against mine and feel his cock hardening, pressing against mine.
His warm breath feathers across my lips from his short, labored breaths that aren't caused by the exertion from that little run.
Our eyes lock in, and for a few beats, we stare into each other's eyes. I swear I can read every thought going through Kai's mind. When his lips part, I think he's going to kiss me, but instead, the softest sound escapes.
"Please."