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)
“How about if I order it for my dessert and you can try it? That way you can see what it tastes like and still have your favorite dessert.” The win-win scenario had Ian’s eyes widening, and I got another peek at the mischievous innocence that Bishop had talked about.
“What if I like it too?” Laughing would’ve been the wrong response, so I shrugged and did my best to keep a neutral smile.
“Then you get two desserts?” Any other date would’ve thought I was being ridiculous, but Ian nodded slowly, like it made perfect sense.
“Da—Bishop said you don’t like dessert as much as we do.” Ian’s slip had him peeking over at Bishop, who just smiled and reached under the table to squeeze his boy’s thigh.
The touch, and I thought my lack of surprise in general, gave Ian a boost of confidence, and the flash of worry that had gone through him faded quickly. “So…so you wouldn’t mind? I mean, just in case?”
Oh, there were a whole host of things I wouldn’t mind happening with the cute sub, but for now, I stuck to the topic at hand.
“I wouldn’t mind at all.” Shrugging, I subtly pointed to another couple who had a piece of cake that looked like it would feed three people. “They have huge desserts here. I can share.”
Ian gave the cake a longing look and took a deep breath, like he was trying to shove his little side back into the bottle it’d escaped from. “They are very big.”
He looked over at Bishop, swallowing and sitting straighter. “Right?”
I could almost hear the unsaid honorific as he turned to his Daddy. Bishop was just Bishop and took it all in stride, knowing what his boy needed. “I think that sounds like a great idea.”
“It…it wouldn’t be greedy?” I wasn’t sure if big Ian or little Ian was worried about asking for too much, but something about the way he phrased the question and the fact that he’d asked, in general, said little Ian was peeking out again.
“No.” Bishop ran a hand over Ian’s head, smiling at his boy. “It wouldn’t be greedy since Uncle Cohen offered. He wants to share something he likes with you.”
Hmm…
He was right.
“Okay…yes…” Ian stumbled over the sentence, not wanting to say Daddy, but his brain clearly wasn’t on board with that decision.
“Ian?” I wasn’t sure it was my place to address it, but I was going to anyway.
Control issues?
Who, me?
He swallowed and watched me nervously. “Yes?”
“First of all, I’m glad you checked with your Daddy when you had a question about something I said.” The shy cutie looked like an overthinker, so I wanted to make sure that question wouldn’t pop up later when he was obsessively going over our first date.
His cheeks pinked faintly, but he managed to nod. “Thank you.”
It didn’t give me much to go on, but since I hadn’t seemed to have upset him, I pushed my luck again. “And second, I like sharing, so when I give you something or ask if you want something, you don’t have to worry about paying me back or taking too much.”
When his flush deepened, I knew he understood I was talking about more than just the desserts on the menu.
“Thirdly.”
Before I could continue, Bishop chuckled. “Uncle Cohen likes lists.”
Snorting, I ignored our cheeky peanut gallery. “I know you might not want to call him Daddy out in public.” Sometimes people just didn’t understand that. “But you don’t have to censor yourself around me. Alright? What you call him is up to you, but don’t worry about me.”
He went very still before faintly bobbing his head. “Yes…Yes, Sir?”
Hmm…
I couldn’t hide how much I liked that, even though I knew I couldn’t have explained why…not yet, anyway.
But was it really up to me?
Ian’s expression was volleying between nervous and looking like he wanted to giggle, but I had to turn to Bishop. Raising one eyebrow, I leaned back. “What does the cutie’s Daddy have to say about that?”
He gave an artful shrug, barely holding back the way he wanted to crow and strut. “I think it’s perfectly reasonable.”
Bishop leaned closer to Ian and squeezed his leg again, giving him an approving, pride-filled smile. “I have a very good, brave boy.”
And the brave boy had a confident Daddy.
That confidence seemed to be contagious because as we ordered dessert and kept up the comfortable conversation, Ian’s little side kept peeking out before it’d hide again. It wasn’t something I was used to noticing, but it was starting to feel like a game.
And I liked winning, so paying attention to the clues was my goal for the evening.
“What do you think? How is your cake?” Picking dessert had ended up being a Daddy decision because Ian hadn’t been able to narrow down the choices. However, Bishop had taken it in stride and stepped in without seeming to realize how easily he helped Ian.