Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73498 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 367(@200wpm)___ 294(@250wpm)___ 245(@300wpm)
He paused, blushing again and dropping his voice low. “And fun stuff like bath time.”
I wasn’t sure if he meant to say it privately to Bishop or not, but the words carried in the quiet parking lot. Bishop was back to smiling at his boy like he was the cutest thing he’d ever seen, and I couldn’t help smiling at the pair.
They were…
They were right for each other, but I didn’t feel like an outsider watching from a distance. I wasn’t removed and alone. I was taking in two sweet men who were somehow mine. We were simply going to have to work on labels and the relationship dynamics over dinner.
I needed structure, and to get there, we had to figure out where to start and what questions needed to be answered first.
“Alright, you two lovebirds. Time to straighten up and stop making love with your eyes.” I pretended to look stern and glare as we approached the door. Turtles would’ve moved faster than we had, but eventually even they would’ve made it to the door too.
“Unless you want attention?” Raising one eyebrow, I loved the way Ian blushed and Bishop grinned. “But this isn’t that kind of establishment.”
And that had Ian going fire engine red, but Bishop waggled his eyebrows like an evil villain. “Hmm, that’s a conversation we should have soon, too.”
I rolled my eyes as Ian gaped. “There are a few other conversations we should have before we get to that one.”
Ian’s head nodded so fast he looked like a bobblehead doll. “Like if we’re on a date?”
The words had barely cleared his lips before his face seemed to morph into an anime character. His eyes went wide, and he slapped his hand over his mouth like he couldn’t believe what he’d said. He was horrified, but he couldn’t have looked any cuter.
Oh yes, I was definitely starting to see what my pup saw in his boy.
Bishop’s grin almost split his face as he leaned down and kissed his shocked boy’s cheek. “I’m voting yes on that answer, but I think Uncle Cohen here needs a vote, too.”
Uncle Cohen?
Cheeky pup.
“Uncle Cohen says that it’s only a date if he gets a kiss at the end of the night.” I shrugged, doing my best to look nonchalant. “So I think that’s going to be up to Ian.”
And we were back to his shocked anime face.
Bishop was nodding like the overeager pup he was, but he didn’t verbally push Ian to give the answer he clearly wanted. However, he did give him a nudge, kissing his cheek and whispering softly. “Deep breath, cutie. There are no right or wrong answers here.”
Nodding, I rubbed my fingers over Ian’s hand and tried to project a relaxed and reassuring manner instead of the slightly predatory one that kept trying to sneak out. “Bishop is right, and it’s not something we have to answer right now, either.”
Ian managed to bring his hand down and gather his wits about him as the door opened and a cheerful couple nearly bounced out, clearly eager to get somewhere. I thought he’d take it as an easy way to change the subject, but as he let out a steadying breath, he nodded slowly. “Yes. I want it to be a date.”
Studying me as he paused, he seemed to be thinking again, so we both waited for the cutie to work through whatever he was processing. Finally, he gave another decisive nod that was so cute I had to fight back a smile. “I don’t want to wait.”
He stretched and leaned in, kissing me softly and grinning as it was my turn to give him a shocked anime face. “There, now we don’t have to worry.”
Sometimes there were moments where everything seemed to stop and life literally changed course right in front of your eyes. Seeing Bishop across the room the first time we’d met had been one of them, and I knew that Ian’s sweet honesty was another.
I just wasn’t sure what the end of this new path would look like or how windy it would be getting there.
****
“What do you mean you’ve never had key lime pie?” I was so shocked Ian giggled as he shrugged, delighted with my reaction.
“Well, it’s kind of green and I like ice cream?” He looked excitedly down at the dessert menu. “And cheesecake. Oh, I like chocolate cake too. Why don’t more restaurants do cookies for dessert?”
The way Bishop’s gaze quietly softened said little Ian might be closer to the surface than I’d expected to see on our first date. For a moment I expected him to step in and help his excited boy narrow down which dessert he wanted, but Bishop just turned his tender look to me and raised one eyebrow.
Clearly, he was not going to rescue me…it was definitely a spankable offense.