Total pages in book: 220
Estimated words: 212755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1064(@200wpm)___ 851(@250wpm)___ 709(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 212755 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1064(@200wpm)___ 851(@250wpm)___ 709(@300wpm)
Just as I started to ask how his day had gone, he sighed again. That wasn’t a happy sound. It was definitely a thinking sound, bordering on frustrated. And since it was an ask me what’s wrong, Daddy sound, I obliged. “Hmm, I can almost hear your brain whirling from here.”
He let out a soft laugh that was happier. “Where are you?”
Scoffing, I looked out the window. “I’m in trees and grass? But at least it’s not swamp or one house after another.”
This was the most boring ride ever…but it kept me on the ground, so I wasn’t going to complain too much.
“Thank you for thinking of me, but I’m wondering what’s got you worried or just overthinking?” He wasn’t little or rambling a thousand miles an hour, so it couldn’t have been too stressful.
I got a dramatic huff from my cutie, but he broke faster than a cheap pretzel. “Um, Daddy?”
It had to be the slowest start to a point ever, but it was something, so I tried to sound positive and relaxed. “Yes, cutie?”
I might’ve overplayed it based on how he tried to cover up a laugh. “I…well…how often is too often to see Cohen?”
Huh?
I wasn’t sure I understood the question, but I made a guess based on what I thought he was worried about. “Do you mean how often is too often to sleep over or for a date?”
Was he worried about being little too much?
Was he horny?
Lonely?
Bored?
Did he need someone to make him dinner?
“Do you want more pancakes?” They were going to die of malnutrition before I got home.
Laughter poured through the phone making me want to reach through and hug him tight. “Daddy, that’s ridiculous.”
I was definitely right.
“You need vegetables and fruit and something other than flour and whipped cream or syrup.” That got more giggles from him, and from the sounds he was making, I had a feeling he was twisting back and forth in his chair.
With the tension broken, his sigh was much less stressed this time and I could almost hear a smile in his voice. “Blueberries are a fruit, Daddy.”
“Sassy boy.” I’d threaten him with a spanking but he’d enjoy it.
He was too much like his Daddy.
“Well, if it’s not pancakes, it must be orgasms. Right?” As he made a delightfully embarrassed squeak, I had to fight not to laugh. “Yep, it’s orgasms. Well, unless Cohen has told you that you can’t come without permission—”
“Daddy.” Ian’s shocked tone had me barely holding back a giggle. “That’s not it.”
Just as I started to worry that I’d pushed him too much, his voice dropped to a whisper. “You know I came this morning, so that can’t be it. You’re just teasing me.”
Yes, I was…and it’d worked because his voice was no longer laced with worry.
“I don’t know.” Grinning, I had to drive him just a little more insane. “You might be a horny little thing that requires more attention than I realized. I was worried that I was going to need to come in every day on your lunch break and get you off. It would be exhausting.”
His groan was delightful. “Daddy.”
And the way he dragged out my name was even more perfect.
“Yes, cutie?” Pretending not to know what he was talking about got me another long-suffering sigh.
“I meant all of it.” He huffed, finally getting more of his thoughts out. “I see you every other day, but I see Cohen just a few times a week. Mostly. I mean, not all the time, but he’s—”
“Oh.” I hadn’t thought about that.
“Yeah.” Ian took a breath and something about the way his tone shifted had me imagining him sitting straighter. “So, am I overthinking this?”
“Yes and no.” My answer had him snorting. “I’m serious. Yes, you’re overthinking it in general because I can hear how fast your brain is going and you’ve probably been stewing over this all afternoon.”
His sigh without an accompanying comeback said I was right.
“But no because it’s not something I really thought about and clearly we need to make sure you and Cohen get more time together so that you feel comfortable enough asking for what you need.” So both.
And most of this might be my fault. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize this, cutie.”
“No, Daddy.” His voice softened and I could hear a tender smile in it. “I didn’t realize how I was feeling until you were on your trip. This is…new, and we don’t have any experience with something like this.”
Oh, how true.
“You’re right.” But how to fix it? “The first thing I’m going to say is that I know without a doubt Cohen would love to have you around more, and his focus is making you happy, not having loads of time to himself.”
He didn’t seem to be the type to need alone time, aside from work, of course, but he wasn’t the type to ask for attention either.