Page 38 of A Little Bit Naughty

“I know. And I told you it would be the best thing ever.”

“It looked weird and it tasted weird and it was sooooo good.” Daddy had just had a regular sandwich, but he’d snuck a bite from Isaac’s plate.

“I know. And did you like me cleaning you up?”

God, did he ever. Remi had to have used a dozen baby wipes, and Izzy had been in heaven. “I was very sticky,” he commented with innocent eyes.

“You were, sweet boy. Daddy likes taking care of you, though.”

That sent a shudder running through him. “So I should be more messy next time?” He could always hope.

“I didn’t quite say that. Though that does give me some ideas…” Remi looked positively gleeful, until a dark cloud passed over his face. “Or I guess it would if we had more time. We can’t make too big a mess in Jamie and Sebastian’s nice hotel.”

That dark cloud was the fact that all of this was ending on Monday.

Isaac didn’t like it either. He wanted to get messy with Daddy, or whatever else he’d been thinking of. Being a responsible grown-up sucked.

Which is why he was doing his hardest not to think about it. “I liked playing outside, Daddy.” They’d found a basket with a plastic ball and bat, a few frisbees, and a bouncy ball on the lodge’s porch, and Izzy had spent hours racing across the lawn after his nap.

“Even though I made you put the toys away?”

Isaac sighed. “I didn’t like that part.” He might have pouted a bit. But not too much. It was nice having a Daddy to notice when he got hungry.

“You were a very good boy for Daddy, though, when you put them back.”

“Thank you, Daddy.”

Remi held up one finger, pausing their conversation just as a waitress came their way. They quickly put in their orders for two deluxe burgers, and Remi encouraged Isaac to get a milkshake. Isaac had hesitated, since he usually tried to eat pretty healthfully, but when Remi added a salad to their order, he figured it would be worth it. This weekend was about indulgence, and he liked the idea of Daddy treating him.

When the waitress went away, Remi picked up his hand, rubbing his thumb over the backs of his knuckles.

“I like that, too,” Isaac told him.

“Hmmm?”

“This. Holding hands. In public.”

“Ah, I assumed you were out and I actually didn’t think much about it, since this is a pretty accepting area. I like people knowing that we’re together, even if it’s just for now.”

“I… I guess it’s kind of new for me.” For so many reasons.

Remi nodded encouragingly.

“It’s just...” he dropped his voice to a dramatic whisper as he looked around the nearly-empty restaurant, “all of these people think we’re on a date.”

Remi laughed. “That’s good, because I was thinking we were on a date, too.”

“Yeah, but they think we’re two gay guys on a date.” That was a good segue into some of the things they needed to talk about.

“Ahhh… I see. Well, that’s also convenient, because I was thinking that, too.” Remi pulled Isaac’s hand to his lips and kissed his knuckles. “So how does it feel to be a gay guy on a date?”

He let a grin spread across his face. “Kind of amazing? It’s just… I feel like I’m finally in this secret club that I was always watching from the outside.”

“Well, welcome to the club of gay men who go on dates.” Remi laughed, sounding pleased and not the least bit put off by the fact that his date had an alternative history to getting there. “If you like, I could take you out dancing tomorrow night, too. As long as you promise to dance just with me.”

As if he would ever consider dancing with anyone else. “I would but… really I’m just enjoying this. I probably looked like I was pretty calm this morning when we were canoeing, but, well, being recognized as male and as someone who’s worth dating by another man is kind of a big deal to me. I think I wanted this way back before I even knew what I wanted.”

“Well, it is my great pleasure to give that to you then. I hope it’s everything you were looking for.”