Unlikely Hero

by Sean Michael

She waved it proudly at her daddy.

  “Yep, it looks like she’s ready. Now you’re going to have to wait for me to get my bathing suit on.”

  “Me, too?” Eric turned hopeful eyes on him.

  “You can come up with us and sit in the lovely deck chairs. They’re very comfortable.” He was not letting Eric swim. No way.

  Eric stuck his tongue out. He stuck his out, too.

  “Bad daddies. Not nice.” The proclamation was as serious as it could be.

  He had to bite his tongue hard to keep from laughing. He tousled her hair. “Sorry, honey. Let me go get changed and we can go find the pool.” He gave Eric a fond look, blew his lover a kiss.

  “Daddy, can I have a juice?” He heard the idle chatter fading behind him.

  It took him a few minutes to remember where his swimming trunks were, but he had them on soon enough. He pulled on a T-shirt as well and grabbed a couple of towels before heading back into the kitchen.

  Josie was on the kitchen floor on her towel, on her belly, swimming. Eric was standing and laughing at her.

  “Wow, look at your form!” Brock chuckled and moved in to support Eric if his lover needed it.

  Eric leaned against him, panted, and laughed.

  “Come on, you silly geese, let’s go swim.”

  They headed outside for the first time without worrying, without stress. Not that they were going far, just to the elevator and up a floor. Still, it felt good to do.

  He hit the call button for the elevator.

  “Daddy Bee! I push the button!”

  “Oops. Sorry, honey. Why don’t you press it again? I bet it’ll come quicker if you do.”

  “Push the button!” She bounced, pushing the button again and again.

  “Good save, Bee.”

  “Thank you.”

  The elevator doors opened and they went in. “You can push this button, too, honey. It’s the very top one.”

  “The tippity-top one.” She pushed it and laughed, dancing in the elevator, watching herself in the mirrors.

  “How’re you doing?” he asked Eric quietly as the elevator doors opened out onto the pool level.

  “I’m sore today. Glad to be alive.”

  “That makes two of us.” He kissed Eric and then led them off the elevator into the pool area.

  Josie squealed, heading straight for the water.

  “Jo!”

  “Josie!”

  They spoke together, and then Eric squeezed his hand. “You can lay down the law. I’ll go watch.”

  He swept Josie up. “There’s some rules here, honey. And these are important rules. If you don’t follow them, we leave. Okay?”

  Her eyes were wide, and she nodded.

  “No going in the water without Daddy or me being in the water. I know you want to play, but no playing in the water if you don’t have a daddy in there with you.”

  “Okay, Daddy Bee. I promise.”

  “And you never come up here alone. Not ever.”

  “No. No, Josie doesn’t go outside by herself.”

  “Good girl.”

  He went over to the edge of the pool and toed off his sandals. “You wanna go in?”

  “You first.”

  “That’s right. Although I have a better idea. How about we go in together?” He stepped right to the edge.

  “No. No, you first. I scared.”

  Oh. So much for jumping in with her. She was probably used to one of those tiny kiddie pools, not a full-sized adult one. “Okay, honey.” He set her down and jumped in, biting back a shout—it was cold.

  He held his arms out to her and she breathed deep, twice, then jumped.

  He caught her before her face could go in, laughing. “Way to go!”

  “Cold!” She laughed and squealed, climbing up his chest while Eric snorted.

  “A little bit. We’ll get used to it quickly, though.” He started to bounce, bringing her in and out of the water.

  She splashed with him, laughing happily, hands banging at the water.

  “You wanna try swimming, honey? Face in the water?”

  “You hold me, Daddy Bee?”

  “Of course I will. One hand on your stomach, the other ready to swoop in and catch you.”

  She grabbed on to his arm and held her nose. “Like this?”

  “That’s a start.” He moved in big circles, dragging her around in the water. “Kick your legs!”

  She squeezed her eyes closed tight, lips puckered as she flailed. God, she was cute. He glanced over at Eric, smiling. Eric was watching, eyes warm. Eric looked good. Brock kept “swimming” with Josie for a while, and then righted her again. “Good job, honey.”

  “I swimmed, Daddy!”

  “I saw you, Jo! You’re a natural.”

  “You want another go or do you want to play with your toys on the deck?” Brock asked.

  “Want more, Daddy Bee!” She was getting tired; he could see it in her eyes.

  “Just a little bit, honey. And then we’ll get out and keep Daddy company.”

  She nodded, kicking and splashing. Soon, though, her sounds were frustrated, tired.

  “Okay, let’s go keep Daddy company. He looks lonely there by himself.”

  The pout was stopped by his words, and she went, bare feet slapping as she barreled toward Eric.

  “Careful, honey. Remember his stomach is sore.” He hauled himself out of the water.

  She looked at him, frowned thunderously. “Not your daddy. My daddy.”

  “I know, honey, but he still isn’t feeling very well and you need to be a little bit careful of him.”

  Josie pouted, then suddenly burst into tears. “No! No careful! No bad boys! No! No no no!”

  “Whoa! Honey!” He grabbed her up and held her close, patting her little back. “It’s okay, honey. It’s okay. The bad boys are gone.”

  He met Eric’s eyes over her shoulder. Eric nodded to him, sighed softly. He carried her over to where Eric was sitting and sat down next to him, still holding her tight. “It’s all right, honey.”

  “No. No. No bad boys. No hurting. No more, Daddy Bee. P’ease.”

  “I know, honey. No more. I promise. The bad boys are gone. Daddy just has to get better now, okay?”

  She bobbed her head, leaning into him and crying hard. He looked at Eric, who nodded and mouthed, “She’s got to let it out, Brock.”

  Right. Brock nodded back. He held her and let her cry, rocking with her and gently patting her back. Eventually she just eased off, falling asleep against his chest.

  “God. She breaks my heart, baby.”

  “She’s got to work through it, I guess.” Eric sighed. “I’m glad she trusts you.”

  “Do you think something happened to her while they had her? Do you think she needs to see someone?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think so, no one found anything. Do you think my mother instigated all of this?”

  “I don’t know for sure, but it’s kind of looking that way, isn’t it? I mean, she had the connection to the day care. Tim said she’s the one who told them you were hurting Josie. Why would she do that if she didn’t want something like this to happen? Hell, Josie said she was supposed to come get her.”

  “Why? Why does she hate me so much?”

  “I don’t know, baby. I don’t understand it. Parents are supposed to love their kids.”

  “I don’t, either.” Eric’s eyes were on him. “You’re her parent, you know? Through and through.”

  “Well, I love her. And I can’t imagine my life without her, and you, in it.” Unbelievable as it might seem, that was the truth.

  “I bet your business wishes we’d go away.”

  Brock laughed, surprised by the comment. “Maybe. Too bad.”

  “I love you.” Eric reached out, stroked his cheek.

  He nuzzled into the touch, nodded. “Me too.”

  “Come on. Let’s take her home. We’ll slip a Pull-Up on her and let her nap.”

  “Okay.
” He got up, still holding her in one arm, and held his other hand out to Eric. To take his family home.

  Chapter Nineteen

  BROCK WOKE up slowly, his morning hard-on snugged up against Eric’s ass.

  He could get used to this. In fact, he was pretty sure he already was. Good thing he was keeping Eric this time. He wrapped his hand around Eric’s hip and tugged his lover back as he thrust forward. Damn. Good.

  “Brock.” Eric groaned, arched, ass pushing against him.

  “Baby. I don’t want to hurt you.” He wanted this, though.

  “Okay. Don’t. Love me.”

  “You’re supposed to be healing.” He kept thrusting, though, Eric’s warm skin feeling so good.

  “Uh-huh.”

  He reached down, finding Eric’s cock as eager as his own.

  “Love morning sex.”

  He knew that. “You say something the minute anything hurts.” If he made things worse now, he wouldn’t have sex with Eric for weeks. Maybe even months.

  “I promise. No acrobatics. I’ll just let you do the work.”

  “Okay. Don’t move.” He wrapped his hand around Eric’s cock and began to tug.

  “You’re not asking for much.” Eric’s laugh filled the room.

  He squeezed the pretty cock. “I’m not.”

  “Brock. Oh, lover….” Eric’s laughter faded into a moan.

  Yeah, he could derail Eric like that. Brock kept stroking, Eric’s prick hot and silky on his palm.

  “Love you. Don’t stop.” Eric tried to shift, to push back against him.

  He did stop as soon as Eric began pushing. “No moving. I’ll take care of you.”

  Eric groaned. “Evil old man.”

  “Oh, yes. So evil, I’m going to make you come.”

  “Uh-huh. Vicious.” Eric’s laughter was husky.

  He chuckled as well, stroked a little faster.

  “Did I mention evil?” Eric’s cock started to leak for him.

  “You did. If I was evil, would I do this?” He twisted his hand, let his thumb drag over Eric’s cock.

  “N… no. Oh, fuck that’s hot. Do it again.”

  Chuckling, he did it again, rocking forward this time to rub against Eric’s ass.

  “Yeah.” Eric’s skin was warm, soft, smooth. He licked at Eric’s neck, humming at the pleasure that flowed between them.

  “This is perfect.” Eric moaned softly. “Perfect.”

  “Almost,” he groaned, hips rocking harder.

  “Oh. In me. Fill me up.”

  “Not this time, baby.” Not until Eric was better.

  “Brock.”

  “That’s right, that’s my name.” He kept rocking, kept stroking Eric’s cock.

  “Want you. Fuck. Need.”

  “You’ve got me, baby. I’m right here.”

  “Love you.” Eric gasped, rocking back against him.

  “No moving, baby.” He didn’t have the heart to stop, though, not when they were this close.

  “Don’t stop.”

  “Then you don’t move.” He growled, his own hips working hard against Eric’s ass.

  Eric nodded, moans becoming tiny little cries.

  He squeezed the head of Eric’s prick, pressed into the slit. Heat answered him, Eric shooting, spunk splashing on his fingers. Groaning, he closed his eyes and breathed Eric in, let that and the hot skin he was rubbing off on make him come.

  They rested together, breathing hard. “Morning.”

  “Mmm….” He licked at the sweat on Eric’s shoulder. “Morning, baby.”

  Eric nodded. “A good one, too.”

  “You need a shower.” He rubbed his hips forward, his cock sliding easily in the mess along Eric’s ass. He chuckled. “I’ll get up and keep the princess occupied while you deal with taking a careful shower. No bending for anything, though, so don’t drop the soap.”

  “I can probably pick up soap.”

  “No bending, baby. Promise me.”

  “I swear. I’ll just let the soap melt.”

  “Okay. Then you can take an unsupervised shower.” He gave Eric’s neck another kiss. “You need help getting up?”

  “I don’t think so. I’m better today.”

  “No pushing it, okay? I know you think I’m fussing, but if you aggravate it again, they’re going to have to get you back in surgery, and I’d kind of like to avoid that.”

  “No. No, I’ve had enough surgery.” Eric let him help this time, let him get them both out of bed.

  He walked Eric to the bathroom and turned on the shower for his lover, grinning when Eric rolled his eyes. “It doesn’t hurt to indulge me.”

  “No. It doesn’t.” Eric looked at him. “Do you think we could ask Lacy to stay one evening, watch Jo while we go out to dinner?”

  “Oh, that would be nice, baby. We haven’t been out on a date in a very long time.”

  “I know. I’d have to go to the house and get decent clothes, but I could dress for you.”

  “Gordon said all your clothes were destroyed, remember? Besides, I don’t want you going back there ever again. I’ll have Stephanie send over catalogs and we’ll reoutfit you and Josie.” He wanted to the place stripped, cleaned within an inch of its life by a service, and sold.

  Eric sighed. “I have to go at some point, love. I have to deal with all this.”

  “No, you don’t. It can be dealt with for you. That’s the advantage of me being your hero—I can afford to keep this off your shoulders.”

  Eric looked at him, then drew him down into a long, hungry kiss.

  He returned the kiss, nearly deciding to take a shower with Eric, but they had other responsibilities now, too, so he ended it and pressed their foreheads together. “I do love you, baby.”

  “I know. I’m so happy.”

  “Good. Then everything else is just details, right?”

  Eric nodded. “That’s right.”

  “All right, then. Let me go deal with a certain detail before she paints my walls with her crayons.” Smiling, he took another kiss and then went and put on a pair of briefs and his robe.

  “Yeah. Boredom is a terrifying thing.”

  Chuckling, he went out to look for his little girl. She was sitting outside his bedroom door with her little stuffed animals in a row in front of her and a book.

  Brock smiled and crouched down next to her. “Good morning, Josie.”

  “Morning, Daddy Bee! I reading to my babies.” That smile just warmed him all the way through.

  “What story are you reading to them?”

  “Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in!”

  He sat down next to her. “And are you the big bad wolf?”

  “No! No, the wolf is a meany beany greenie.” She giggled. “I the piggy with the good house. You and Daddy can stay at Josie’s house.”

  He laughed. “Thank you very much, honey. So Daddy’s the piggy with the straw house and I’m the one with the wood one?”

  She nodded. “The bad boys and Grammy is the wolf. I don’t like the wolf.” She showed him her book, where the wolf had been eradicated, blacked out with heavy strokes of crayon.

  He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed. “I’m sorry your grammy’s the wolf, honey.” He’d like to knock her into next week, old lady or not.

  She nodded. “I sorry she’s mean to my daddy.”

  He gave her a hug. “You have a good heart, honey.”

  She hugged him back. “Can we have waffles?”

  “We can if we go out to have them.” He didn’t have a clue how to do them at home.

  “’Kay. Daddy comes, too?”

  “Of course. He’s just having a shower—you know, getting clean. We’re all going to need to get dressed first.”

  “Uh-huh. I go get a dress.”

  “Okay, honey. I’ll get some clothes on too, too.” He kissed the top of her head and slipped back into his room.

  He could hear Eric, singing happily at the top of his lungs.


  Chuckling, he made his way back to the bathroom. “Madame has asked for waffles, so we’re going to go out.”

  “Oh, yum.” Eric grinned at him, hair all shampoo-y.

  “I’d offer to help, but I’m guessing it won’t take long for Josie to find a dress and get it on.” He wanted to, though, his cock taking the sight of naked Eric as an excuse to perk right back up.

  “No. No, she’s focused.”

  “You’d better hurry up, then.” He gave Eric’s ass a wet slap and headed into the bedroom to find some clean clothes.

  He was humming. Humming. Yeah, he was pretty happy.

  “Daddy Bee! Daddy Bee!” Josie ran in, tears streaking her face. “My pink flower dress is teared!”

  One of her half dozen little dresses was thrust up at him, a long tear in one seam.

  Oh God. Could he tape it back together? There was duct tape in one of the kitchen drawers. “You could choose a different dress?”

  “I want flowers!”

  “If you go find another dress to wear, maybe after we’ve finished eating we can go to the store and buy you a new dress with flowers. Or I could fix this one with the big gray tape.” He figured it was a fair deal.

  “New?” She tilted her head. “Can it be yellow?”

  “I don’t see why not.” They had to make little-girl dresses in all colors, right?

  “Okay!” She handed him her dress and bounced her naked butt out of the bedroom.

  Eric chuckled, peeking out of the bathroom. “Man, I wish all problems were that easy to solve.”

  “I was just going to say, if only all problems were that easy to fix.” He chuckled and smiled. Leaning a little, he admired the view. He’d managed to get his jeans on before Josie’d shown up, but he was still only half-dressed himself.

  Eric pulled on jeans and a T-shirt, smoothing the cloth over his belly.

  He reached out to stroke as well. “You feeling okay?”

  “Sore. A little tired. You know.”

  “You up to this? I could take her on my own.” Oh God. Could he survive a whole meal out at the restaurant with her and not Eric?

  “No way. Waffles.”

  “Oh, good.” He chuckled and patted Eric’s belly before throwing on his T-shirt and a pair of socks.

  “And shopping, apparently. I need to stop at the bank, and…. God, who’s picking up my mail?”

  “I’ll bet Gordon and Max have taken care of that. We need to call Gordon anyway and make sure they got Max sprung.”