Page 38 of Mouth to Mouth

Brad was expecting Dawson to scowl or rip them away. Instead Dawson’s shoulders relaxed and he nodded while dropping his arm back down.

Luca wiggled and squeezed Dawson’s hand before pointing toward the locker room. “We’ll be back!” he yelled.

Josh nodded, motioning toward a hallway that led to the back. His gaze followed the two boys as they disappeared inside the locker room.

After Brad’s confession earlier Josh had shared some things of his own. How much he liked Dawson and how he thought that age regression could help with the PTSD episodes. Apparently Josh had been doing research, joined online forum chats, and had made friends with veterans that had experience with people like Dawson.

Brad had promised to help however he could.

Josh had grown sad then, stating that Dawson had to accept his help first.

Following Josh, Brad adjusted the bag he brought, wondering how he’d missed Josh’s interest in Dawson. Had Brad been that tied up in whatever had been happening with Luca? Well, apparently, he had. Brad promised that he’d be a better friend going forward.

Josh leaned against the wall, appearing comfortable and willing to wait all night for the two boys’ return. Brad’s nerves weren’t as calm. He didn’t know how Luca was going to react to his offer. Luca might have wanted to push at Brad to test him, but was Luca ready for the full Daddy experience? Was Brad? Could he still do this? What if Brad had lost his touch?

Jacob, James, Cal, and Scott entered the same way as they had and waved when they spotted Josh and Brad. Okay, James waved jumping up and down while Scott looked around with big eyes and Cal hovered close.

As they made their way over to Josh and Brad, a few people came up to Jacob, shaking his hand and greeting him. James never stopped bouncing. The foursome finally reached them at the same time that Luca and Dawson exited the locker room.

Dawson didn’t look any different, still sporting the adorable noise-cancelling headphones. Luca had changed.

Brad swallowed hard.

Luca wore tiny red shorts and a black and red tank top with red Vans. The tank top had a picture of a giant yellow bird that was just adorable. Brad just wanted to grab hold of Luca and cuddle the sweet boy close, especially when Luca turned, revealing the top of a pullup under his shorts.

Clutching the cup that Dawson had brought in the car with him, Dawson was looking around with panicked eyes. Josh crossed over to him before pulling Dawson down the hall.

Luca raced over to James and Scott, grabbing their hands and leading them in the same direction.

Jacob shook his head and was the next to go.

Brad caught Cal’s eye. “Are you ready for this?”

“No.” Cal was frowning. “Scott doesn’t belong in this club.”

“He’ll be in the nursery with the rest of the boys,” Brad offered. “He should be safe enough.”

“Assholes were already checking him out,” Cal mumbled before stomping after the rest of the group.

Brad turned and brought up the rear. The music dulled the farther they traveled from the main part of the club. The thick dark walls working as soundproof and allowing Brad to hear the laughter coming ahead of them.

He was the last one to enter the room and into pure chaos.

Theirs wasn’t the only group in the nursery slash playroom. Three young men dressed as pups were wrestling on a blue mat. Boys and girls in cute outfits, pajamas, dresses, and play clothes ran around, were in beanbag chairs, or on the floor playing with toys.

Along the walls were big black leather couches where some Daddies sat. One even had a young woman on his lap as he gave her a bottle.

Breathing in, Brad waited for the memories to hit. For the pain.

He’d spent plenty of time in rooms just like this when he’d had a boy of his own. Brad had loved little night at the local club, hoping that by making friends, his boy would become more comfortable with their dynamic. It was only after it fell apart that Brad realized Jordan wouldn’t have been comfortable since he hadn’t been a real little. Just pretending so that Brad would continue to give him everything.

But there was no pain. No ache from the loss. There was too much laughter and pure joy in the room.

Luca pushed Dawson into a large beanbag chair close to where James was sitting cross-legged on a rug. Dawson still wore the headphones even if it wasn’t as loud in here. He clutched the cup in his hand before accepting the book that Luca shoved at him.

Dawson set the cup between his legs before opening the book. That seemed to be what Luca had been waiting for since Luca walked off toward the back of the room. Scott was standing in front of the giant bookcase filled with colorful plastic containers.

Luca spoke quietly to Scott before he nodded and grabbed two. He led Scott back to James, leaving him with the two containers.