December 15

DECEMBER 15

Who was I, even?

I blamed Daddy!

In what universe did I get off work early and go to Daddy’s place to tidy up and clean? Not that it needed much tidying, but I caught myself several times. I was straightening pillows, making the bed, ordering more coffee capsules for Daddy’s coffee machine… I made a batch of snickerdoodles for him, I steamed the suit I knew he wanted to wear for my birthday dinner tonight, I made him a card that said Best Daddy Ever and hung it on the fridge, and I even did his laundry! Well, our laundry. I had half my wardrobe at his house now.

He was being a sneak. Slowly but surely incorporating structure and simple rules, and I…I was soaking it up. Every boundary we discussed pushed me to a new level of submissiveness. I wanted to serve him, cater to his every need, and make sure he could relax the moment he came home from work.

I’d thought I was working hard—and I was—but at least I could clock out at four most days. Meanwhile, we’d left Culver City at the same time today, shortly after two o’clock, and I had borrowed his car to go to his place, while he’d called his driver to take him to corporate. He had meetings… So many meetings. But even when he worked so much, he made time for me. Like my birthday lunch today? He’d called for takeout to be delivered to his office, and he’d presented his “first of two” presents for me.

The friggin’ blanket fort! And a cute little stuffie, a blue bunny with the softest ears.

He’d confessed that he’d picked out the items himself, but then he’d had a personal shopper bring it over to the office. He’d been contrite about that, which was weird, because it was no different from ordering something online and having it delivered by UPS.

He’d given me my blanket fort. And a key to his office so I could take a nap whenever I wanted and he wasn’t there.

No wonder he was drawing out the submissive in me, more than I thought was possible in the beginning. Thanks to his setting the pace with easy-enough rules for me to follow, I was falling into a new role that brought me a sense of serenity. I couldn’t explain it any other way.

And these rules…

I chewed on my lip, wondering if I could call them that. Sure, some of them, but most of all, it was just a healthy everyday structure that made me feel better. My bath time? He washed my hair and my body. Thoroughly. His shower time? Either I washed him, or I sat outside the shower and enjoyed my view. And I made sure his towel was warm and coming straight off the towel rack. He prepared my breakfast while I prepared his espresso and biscotti. To prevent stress in the morning, he wanted me to pick out my clothes for the following day before I went to bed. When he had to work extra in his home study, I checked in on him once every hour to make sure he had coffee—decaf after four o’clock.

I had to text him once I’d arrived someplace, just so he knew I’d gotten there safely.

I had to eat all my veggies…

Pout.

I wiped down the kitchen bar and did a final scan of the house. Everything looked great! Now I just needed to shower and find something nice to wear. I’d brought over a few less-casual outfits since Daddy and I tended to eat at fancy restaurants here and there. Okay, partly my fault, because the upscale Vietnamese place not far from here was so good that I could die.

Goddamn, I was getting spoiled.

* * *

Daddy finally came home a little after five, and I helped him get ready. He was all kinds of endearing, asking questions about my parents and wanting to make a good impression. But he had nothing to worry about. My mom was excited to meet him, so was Emmy, and he didn’t have to do much to impress Dad and my sister’s boyfriend. Levi was climbing the ranks at a studio and probably already knew of the Abrams family, and Dad was a money guy. He was a financial adviser or something equally boring and defied Florida’s heat in nice suits every day. I was sure they could bond over that.

Daddy chuckled as he buttoned up his shirt. “That’s all I am, a suit.”

I grinned. “Don’t forget the yacht club!”

Too funny, that one pushed a button every time. He narrowed his eyes and came at me too fast for me to react, and he tickled my sides and nipped at my neck.

“Fuck! Quit it!” I laughed, squirming out of his hold.

“Damn brat. I ought to spank you till your ass is red.”

Threatening me with a good time?

“Promise?” I smiled goofily.

He hummed approvingly and kissed me hard. “Good to know. Now—let’s go before I make us late. I already want to bend you over for everything you’ve done here today.” He cupped my cheek and kissed my smile. “My wonderful boy. You don’t know how much you please me.”

Oh God, that was the stuff right there.

* * *

I grinned, spotting my folks outside the restaurant as soon as I stepped up on the curb. The valet accepted the key from Wyatt, and I aimed for Mom and Dad. It was the same place we’d gone to last year, an Italian restaurant in Venice, near the beach.

Mom threw out her arms and beamed at me. “There’s my baby! Twenty-six years old—you’re getting awfully close to thirty, Parker!”

I laughed and jogged over to hug her. “Hey, Mom.”

“Hi, sweetie.” She made that hug sound that only moms and grandmothers made when they embraced someone. The “ohhhoh!” as if they were trying to squeeze you half to death. “Oh, he’s handsome,” she whispered in my ear.

I chuckled and eased back, then hugged my dad quickly.

“It’s good to see you, son.”

“You too, old man. How’s the leg?” I noticed he’d gotten a walking cast now, but he still had one crutch.

“Eh, apparently it’s become your mother’s excuse to ban me from the garage,” he replied.

I scratched my nose. “Harsh. I would’ve just banned you from working on your car when it was stuck in reverse.”

He snorted in amusement and shook his head. “You’re supposed to be on my side, you know.”

“I totally am!” I laughed. “Anyway—” I took a step back and brought my sexy man into the fold. “Mom, Dad, this is Wyatt. Wyatt, meet my parents, Lynette and Keith. Dad’s usually not in a cast, but he was crawling underneath his ancient Chevy one day, and it sort of rolled over him.”

Dad instantly gave me a cutting look of betrayal. “You’re not on my side. The accident sounds ridiculous when you spin it that way, you little terror.”

I cracked up.

“I mean—he ain’t far off,” Mom drawled. Then she turned her charm on Wyatt and extended her hand. “It’s lovely to meet you, Wyatt. Parker’s been telling his sister so much about you. She, in turn, tells me.”

“Yeah, where’s that terror anyway?” I looked around us.

“They’re on their way,” Dad said.

“It’s great to meet you too,” Wyatt replied, shaking Mom’s hand.

Dad was incredibly supportive of me when it was his turn to shake Wyatt’s hand. “Parker’s your problem now.”

“We love one another very much in our family, contrary to what you might believe,” I told Wyatt.

The look in his eyes was too funny. He was relieved, presumably at the banter going on, but he was also a bit overwhelmed. At least that’s what it looked like.

“Hey, birthday boy!”

I peered out on the traffic—there. My sister was crossing the street, jogging in between cars that were stuck at the light.

Now that we were both with others, we didn’t see each other at home…well, barely at all since I was shacking up with my hot Daddy at the moment, but we texted a lot. Even if it was just to check in briefly or call each other idiot or loser, she had my back, and I had hers. And yeah, it was possible I’d rambled about Wyatt to her.

Emmy reached the curb, while her boyfriend was just about to begin crossing the street.

“Happy birthday, you crusty sock!” She threw her arms around me.

I patted her back awkwardly and looked up at Daddy. “I don’t know who this is. Ma’am? Please release me. Can I take you to the nearest hospital?”

“Ugh.” She pushed me away. “Ma’am? Freaking ma’am?”

Daddy grinned to himself and scrubbed a hand over his face.

Welcome to the family!