by M. A. Innes
To Mason, it had seemed like Edward wanted to be the best daddy he could be and he was going to do anything that was necessary. Mason had just melted right then. He was pretty sure Edward hadn’t guessed how much it meant to him but what guy wanted to hear on the second date that you were starting to fall in love?
Maddy seemed stunned into silence. “I don’t know what to say to that. It’s really unexpected.”
“I know.” She wasn’t stunned very often, so Mason just enjoyed it.
“The visual of him talking to the therapist about your…” She looked around at the busy shop this time and lowered her voice again. “Well, you-know, it’s kinda funny.”
Mason just shook his head and smiled, “He seems like a keeper. We’re going to that Arts in the Park thing this weekend. His firm is sponsoring the event so he has to go to show his support.” He paused, waiting for Maddy to connect the dots.
It only took her a minute to process what he’d said. Her mouth just dropped open and she screeched again. “He’s going to introduce you to his employees and the other partners at the firm? On the third date?”
“Yup. And it might be the fourth depending or not if you count the dinner where we met.”
“That would make dinner at his house the third date. Did you put out? Isn’t the third date the magic number these days?” Maddy grinned and leaned back in her chair.
Mason blushed, “Not unless you’re a ho.”
“Ha, look at that blush. Who’s the ho now?” Maddy teased, as her voice grew louder again.
Mason blushed even redder. God, these people were getting a show today. No more telling her shit in public. “I’m not a ho, but I’m not a prude. That’s all I’m going to say.” At least until he had a few drinks. Then he knew he’d start telling her everything. It was how things usually worked. That’s why they usually met for dinner.
Laughing as he blushed, Maddy leaned back in her chair, coffee forgotten. “So you had fun but not too much fun is what you’re saying?”
“Basically.” Mason fought the urge to squirm as she looked at him.
“Did you guys play?” Maddy leaned forward again. “That’s the right word, right?”
“Yes, that’s fine. And yes, a little but we’re not rushing things. He’s making a big effort to get to know me and take things slow.”
“Slow as in 1950’s slow or slow as in we-didn’t-screw-’til-the-third-date-aren’t-we-mature?”
“Somewhere in the middle.” Mason laughed, but he was secretly hoping it wasn’t going to be the 1950’s version. His fantasies were making him crazy and he wasn’t sure how much longer he wanted to delay the physical side of things.
Edward getting him off last week had been incredible and he wanted more. He also wanted to see more of Edward in his daddy role. Listening to Edward’s voice—his daddy’s voice—in the dark last weekend almost had him coming in his pants before Edward even touched him.
She gave him a serious look. “But he seems to be getting what you want…really understanding it?”
Teasing aside, he knew Maddy wanted him to have a good relationship as much as he did. “He does. He’s really thinking about things and figuring out what he wants and what I want.”
Mason was doing better about sharing what he wanted but it was still hard. The therapist’s idea to talk in the dark had been amazing. They’d also found that Mason talked better on the phone rather than in person, but the darkness had been the easiest by far.
“Is he looking for a long-term relationship or something more casual? I know most guys who sign up at my service are looking for serious but this kind of relationship isn’t what Edward set out to find.”
“You’re right.” Mason laughed. “It is totally not what he was looking for but he seems to be very open about it and taking things seriously.”
“Are you looking at something long term with him? You’ve kept the last couple of guys you dated really casual. Not hook-ups but not much more than that. With this guy, you seem to be really serious. I don’t want to see you hurt.” Concern showing on her face, she leaned forward and started playing with her coffee cup.
“It’s hard not to see things as serious when he’s talking to a therapist about my needs and he’s taking me to a work function. It just seems to be going that way. Not forced but just naturally serious.” He paused trying to figure out how to explain it. “I just don’t see getting hurt. I see a kinky version of a white picket fence when I look at him.”
****
A firm knock on the door pulled Edward away from his work. Looking up from his desk, he frowned at the interruption. “Come in.”
As John walked in Edward’s frown deepened. “At what point have you decided that knocking was required? You haven’t knocked on my door in years.”
“I figured I’d try and be polite. Besides, now that you have your boy I’m not going to barge in anywhere unannounced. I get the feeling it would be a bad idea.” With a wicked grin and laughter in his eyes, John walked over and sat down on Edward’s couch spreading his arms out and sinking in.
“I have no idea what you are referring to.” Well, maybe that was a bit of a lie. Edward hadn’t brought Mason to the office yet but they had phone conversations daily. Many of the conversations were while he was at work, but he didn’t feel that anything they said was anyone else’s business.
“Of course you don’t.” John’s grin grew.
“Did you have a purpose for your interruption? I am in the middle of preparing the contracts for the Pitman merger.” Edward had finally managed to get his brain back on track and he had to make up for the time that was lost while he was mooning over Boy like an obsessed teenager.
Edward found that short breaks to call Mason during the day were necessary to stay focused; it was a bit disconcerting. Although he was slowly starting to accept the need to check on his boy, there had never been anyone in his life that made him feel this way.
The therapist wasn’t concerned. Dr. Turner seemed to feel it was a logical extension of Edward’s dominance and need for control. As long as Mason felt that their level of contact was acceptable, then Dr. Turner said it was fine.
Something about Mason brought out a possessive streak that was liberally laced with a need to control. He continually found himself grateful that Boy not only tolerated his domineering tendencies but actively embraced them.
Mason needed someone to exert at least a moderate amount of restraint over him just to keep him on track. Edward had found that when left to his own devices, his boy forgot to eat and worked ridiculous hours on his projects.
In general, Edward approved of a good work ethic but Boy had a tendency to push things too far. He seemed to need someone to remind him to pull back and arrange his schedule into one that was more moderate.
“I actually wanted to remind you about the Arts in the Park event this weekend. My secretary mentioned that you had not picked up your ticket yet and I wanted to make sure you hadn’t forgotten. Were you still planning on going?” John’s grin had a decidedly wicked look to it now. “Or have you made other plans?”
“I have merely been exceedingly busy. I will stop by and collect my tickets shortly. Finishing this paperwork has priority over planning for social events. From what I’ve gathered, it is much more organized this year.” Edward wasn’t directly involved with the arrangements. However, because his name was associated with the event, he kept a close watch.
“From what I can tell, everything is going fine. The organizers seem to have the details well in hand. And tickets? Did I hear you say you needed more than one?”
Edward found John’s smirk annoying. “Yes. Mason has agreed to accompany me.”
“I’m impressed. Only a couple of dates and you’re already bringing him to meet everyone. I can’t wait; we’re finally going to get to see him.”
Edward frowned, “Why wouldn’t I bring him? This should be interesting and there will be a variety of local artists and craftsmen. I think he’ll
enjoy it.”
“There’s nothing wrong with bringing him. You’ve just never brought anyone to a work function unless you’ve been seeing them for months. Even then, you have a tendency not to bring them. Something about keeping your work and personal life private?”
Edward didn’t really know how to respond. John was correct; he usually went to great lengths to keep both parts of his life separate. Mason was just different. With his boy, Edward couldn’t imagine keeping him out of any portion of his life. There wasn’t an acceptable way of communicating that to John, however. Anyway he tried to phrase it, the explanation sounded oddly personal.
Giving John a blank look, Edward simply said, “This situation is different.”
John just shook his head and tried to hide his smirk. He wasn’t successful. “I completely agree.”
“Thank you.” Edward didn’t hide his sarcasm.
“So I take it things are going well between you two?” John watched Edward intently, clearly interested in his response.
“Yes. I would say so. We’ve had several dates and things seem to be moving along nicely.” It downplayed the complexity of their relationship but it was true nonetheless.
“That feels like a bit of an understatement, but I won’t pry.” John’s look made it very clear how much he would like to inquire into Edward’s personal life.
“Thank you.” The sarcasm escaped again but Edward didn’t fight it. Hopefully, if he gave John a few details he wouldn’t push for more than Edward wanted to share.
“I think you were correct. My own issues and Mason’s needs coexist nicely.”
Laughing, John leaned back and just shook his head. “I’m glad. I had a feeling they would.”
Edward was actually very surprised at how well things were going. Aside from some initial awkwardness as they both came to terms with how their relationship would be structured, they were actually moving easily into a relationship. They talked daily if not multiple times a day which also seemed to help their progression.
Mason was a bit frustrated that Edward refused to text but he was gradually coming to terms with having actual conversations. Boy had found Edward’s firm belief ridiculous and had made his preferences clearly known. Edward thought Mason’s reaction had been incredibly humorous but he hadn’t been willing to budge on his stance.
Edward didn’t text, but it wasn’t because he was old-fashioned or didn’t like technology. No, Edward had seen too many legal issues arise from mishandled text messages and other similar methods of communication. He was incredibly careful about what he emailed and wrote when dealing with his work and he was not going to be any less careful in his personal life.
Besides, with Mason, it was much easier to read his responses when Edward could at least hear him. Due to the lack of facial expressions and other physical responses, texting did not provide enough clues as to how Mason felt about a discussion.
His boy was still very disinclined to discuss certain topics. It was one of the subjects he was going to bring up with the therapist at some point Edward found that being able to discuss issues and concerns with the therapist gave him insights into Mason that he might have missed otherwise.
“I won’t ask for specifics because it’s really none of my business. I’m just glad you’re happy.”
“Thank you.” This time, his thanks were sincere. He was glad that John wasn’t going to push for more details as to how their relationship worked because it was not anyone else’s business.
Edward found that while he wasn’t going to hide his relationship or some of the quirks that may differ from other more traditional couples, he was reluctant to expose Mason to others who might scrutinize his needs. Mason would also not approve of sharing details of their relationship.
Boy had worked through his issues about the therapist, although Edward was still somewhat confused on that topic. It seemed it would take some time before he would be comfortable with Edward sharing things about their life. Eventually, Mason would get there but Edward was willing to wait until he was more accepting.
Looking at the clock, Edward knew he needed to get back on track or he’d spend the rest of the afternoon thinking about Mason. It was really entirely too easy to become distracted over how things had gone on their previous dates or what other things he wanted to try with him.
“Okay, back to work, no more distractions. While you are here, there are several points I want to discuss with you about the contracts.”
Back to work so he wouldn’t count the hours until he could reasonably call Mason again. Back to work so he wouldn’t obsess over their date this weekend. Back to work so he wouldn’t spend the rest of the afternoon picturing the stimulating items he’d ordered for Boy online, now that they’d arrived.
He couldn’t wait to show Mason what he’d found.
CHAPTER 9
His daddy certainly was a control freak, but that was one of the things that Mason liked best about him. It was also one of the things that was the most fun to poke at. Making Edward meet him at the park instead of allowing Edward to pick him up was silly but he liked making his daddy just a little bit nuts. One of these days Edward was going to figure it out but Mason thought Edward’s reaction then would be just as humorous. Just in a much naughtier way.
He wouldn’t have done it if it would have really upset Edward but just knowing that he was pushing his daddy’s buttons was incredibly entertaining. Walking into the park, Edward was easy to spot. Standing by the fountain in his pressed khaki slacks and button-down dark blue shirt, Edward looked every inch the lawyer trying to appear casual.
Scanning the crowd, Mason knew the exact moment Edward saw him. Edward’s cool mask of professional detachment faded and warmth filled his face. True or not, it was a look that Mason always felt was just for him.
When Mason had said he would meet him at the park, Edward had just cleared his throat. Then proceeded to give Mason extensive directions on where they would meet. It was so cute; Mason just couldn’t resist.
Poking at Edward’s control also served as a good distraction for his crazy emotions. It had taken nearly the entire day to get ready for the casual date. Three changes of clothes and endless pacing around the apartment had his nerves strung tight. Just knowing he was going to be meeting Edward’s partners and the other employees at the firm was making him crazy.
Edward hadn’t made a big deal out of it but some of the things that he’d said made Mason suspect that he didn’t bring guys to work events very often. Just knowing that had Mason even more nervous. He’d tried to hide it from Edward but he had a feeling his daddy knew how anxious he was.
He wasn’t worried about the date or Edward; he was worried about everything else. What would the other partners in the firm think of him? Would he fit in or would they think he was just a kid?
Would they think he was just after Edward for his money or something equally ridiculous? Would they know that he and Edward didn’t have the most traditional relationship? Where they even okay with Edward being gay?
It was one thing to know someone was gay but until you actually saw them with a date out in public, it didn’t really connect for some people. He didn’t want to make things weird for Edward or embarrass him. He would be glad when the date was over just to keep himself from getting an ulcer.
There were endless things he could worry about but he was also bouncing off the walls excited. Edward wanted him here. He wanted him to meet his co-workers and be together in public.
That said more to Mason about how Edward felt than just about anything else his daddy had done. A man like Edward didn’t parade his boy-toy or casual hook up around town. No, he took his boyfriend to meet his friends and associates.
Or at least something like a boyfriend. It was one of the things that was making Mason crazy. How would Edward introduce him? He hadn’t wanted to ask Edward because that would make him look nuts or clingy and nuts. Either way, it would look weird.
Mason knew that Edward was h
is daddy. But beyond that how would you label what they were to each other? He really didn’t need another label when it was just them but how would Edward describe their relationship to someone else?
Weaving through the crowds of people and dodging excited vendors, Mason finally reached Edward. “Hi.”
Edward stepped closer, leaned in, and kissed Mason’s forehead. “You had to park too far away. I knew I should have picked you up.”
“I didn’t have to park too far away. Traffic wasn’t too bad.”
Frowning, Edward cocked his brow and gave him a look. “If you didn’t have a problem parking then why are you late?”
Mason just laughed. “I’m not late; I am right on time.” He looked down at his watch. “See? Two o’clock on the dot.”
Frowning at Mason, Edward simply shook his head and then stepped back, grabbing Mason’s hand. “No more arriving for our dates separately. You are my boy, and as your daddy, I will be picking you up.”
Mason could tell Edward was expecting an argument but he was too thrilled at Edward’s possessive speech to argue about anything. A soft sound escaped Mason and he was going to pretend that it wasn’t a moan. This was not the place to get a hard-on. Answering at nearly a whisper, Mason leaned in closer to Edward. “Yes, Daddy.”
With a skeptical look, Edward cocked his head and studied Mason. “No arguments, Boy?”
“No arguments.” He’d find something else to drive Edward crazy about.
“Very well then. Have I mentioned that I am very pleased you could come today? I think you’ll enjoy this immensely.” Edward was back to his careful, formal speech. It made Mason feel better to know Edward was just as nervous as he was.
Was he worried Mason might change his mind? Was it something else? It settled the last nerves in his stomach, whatever it was. Squeezing Edward’s hand, Mason smiled. “What should we look at first?”
