Page 35 of Mouth to Mouth

Brad blinked himself back to the conversation happening around him.

Josh and Luca were both leaning forward, talking excitedly. James had found a seat on his Daddy’s lap, who looked intrigued as well. Scott and Dawson were huddled close together, not appearing half as excited, while Cal frowned.

“Let’s go tomorrow,” Luca declared. “How often are we all off on the same night?”

With the end of the holiday weekend, everyone at the fire station that had been working received the next day and night off. A skeleton crew would cover the next twenty-four hours.

Josh shrugged. “Sounds good to me.” He glanced over at Dawson and Scott. “What do you two say? No pressure. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want. It might just be fun to get out. You could dance or just meet people.”

Dawson snorted. “Meet more people. Sounds great.”

“I don’t know.” Scott shrugged. “What if someone wants us to be…” He leaned forward whispering, “Like little or something.”

“No one will make you do something you don’t want,” James declared firmly. “Plus we’ll be there.” He turned to his Daddy. “Right?”

“If you want,” Jacob responded.

“You don’t have to go,” Cal told Scott. “It’s okay to stay home.”

“Maybe I don’t want to stay home.” Scott lifted his chin in challenge. “I’m in.”

“Yay!” Luca clapped. “This is going to be so fun. We’ll meet as soon as the coffee shop closes. We can carpool.”

The club? They were going to the club as a group. Which of course meant if Brad went along, there was a good chance that the secret he’d been keeping would get out. Only Luca knew that he’d once been a Daddy.

Was Brad ready for his other friends to know?

The answer came faster than Brad wanted to admit. Yes, he was ready to share that part of his past. With Josh and Cal by his side Brad might be ready to admit that he was dying to give Luca what the boy was begging for.

Luca raised his eyes to Brad and smiled. “I can’t wait to revisit the nursery. It’s the best place ever.”

The challenge was thrown out.

Brad smirked as he leaned back in his chair, never breaking eye contact with Luca. Luca wanted to test Brad. To push him? Brad was the type of Daddy that used a firm hand while doting and spoiling his boy. It had been a long time since he’d fully embraced that side of him, yet excitement filled Brad instead of dread.

Luca wanted a Daddy?

Brad would show the boy just what he’d been missing.

* * *

Luca

Excitement stayed with Luca all day until he and Dawson were locking the coffee shop behind them. They had fifteen minutes to change before meeting everyone else. He’d made sure that both Josh and James had texted Brad, ensuring Brad would be coming along as well.

Luca’s plan was playing out just like he’d expected.

Sure Brad might spend his time on the dance floor, avoiding the nursery, but the look that Brad had sent Luca’s way the previous night told Luca that Brad might surprise him. Surprise them all, since no one else knew about Brad’s past.

And Luca was even getting Dawson and Scott to tag along with him and James. It was going to be the best night ever.

“I’m glad you’re coming,” Luca told Dawson. He was also shocked. Dawson had always balked at going out. He didn’t like crowds or loud music.

Dawson shrugged. “It’s one night.”

They started up the steps, but Luca grabbed Dawson’s wrist, stopping him. “We have the code word if things get too much. Use it if you need to.”

Dawson nodded. “Josh explained that there are quiet rooms available. He even said that he rented one just in case.”