grabbing another water bottle for me on your way back up?”
“You don’t sound spoiled. Are you thirsty right now?”
“It’s no big deal. I can wait.”
Silver shook his head. “One of the first things we’ll need to discuss is you expressing to me what you need without holding back or apologizing for it.”
Donovan furrowed his brow. “You keep talking about that, about need. And about explaining to me what you’re all about. I’ll confess that I’m dreadfully curious.”
Silver supposed he was being a bit cryptic. He couldn’t help being who he was, but at the same time, didn’t want to overwhelm Donovan with too much information. So far, he’d spent the evening hinting around to Donovan so as to hopefully soften the blow when he explained his lifestyle.
“I know. Not my intention to frustrate you. But you need rest right now, everything else can come later.”
“When you say later…” Donovan gave him a teasing smile. “Is that something I should put in my planner?”
Silver bristled at how Donovan had fallen back into his snarky banter, then decided he was being too critical. There was a difference between playful and sarcastic, and he shouldn’t always assume Donovan was being passive aggressive. After all, that impishness Silver had picked up on from when they’d first met was part of the attraction.
He considered what was going on behind Donovan’s words. It’d been a long time since he’d been in Papi mode. But his mijo needed a response, judging from his crestfallen expression. He was likely reading Silver’s hesitation as disapproval.
Should I be thinking of him as my boy yet? Silver wasn’t sure he could help it.
“It’s okay to ask me directly when we can get together again. I’ve already told you I operate without games, that honesty is what I require.”
Donovan sighed. “Fair enough. It’s just that I’m already mortified at how blatant I’ve been with you, so I suppose I’m trying to dial it back a bit.”
Silver cocked his head. “Blatant? How so?”
Donovan hugged the pillow tighter. “I normally control how things go with a man, and part of that control is making sure they know I’m not all that interested in them, that whatever is happening between us is in the moment and nothing more.”
“I see.” Silver nodded. “So, asking me about later strips away your control and leaves you open to rejection.”
Donovan groaned and pressed his face into the pillow before glancing up at Silver again. “Pathetic, isn’t it?”
“Not in the slightest. Were you intending to go to work tomorrow? Because I was already planning on insisting you didn’t.”
Donovan’s features brightened. “You were?”
“Yes. You need another day to rest up after hitting your head.”
Donovan’s features went slack. “Oh.”
Silver mentally kicked himself. He should’ve made sure Donovan also knew he was hoping to spend time with him as well. Yup. It was going to take him a minute to get back into the Daddy swing of things.
“I don’t know enough about your job responsibilities, but if you can take the time off, I’d also like us to spend the day together. I make my own hours here, and my hands are tied on my current project until my boss makes some critical decisions about some car parts.” Silver smiled, hoping to reassure Donovan some more. “I don’t go into the diner until six, so we can have all day to hang out.”
Donovan seemed to relax. “I’d like that. Will I also get a deeper insight into the mysterious Silver Cruz?”
Silver chuckled. “I promise.”
Donovan grinned. “It’s a date then?”
“It’s a date.” He pointed at Donovan. “I’m going to grab that water for you then you’re going to get some sleep. Got it?”
“Yes, sir. I’ve got it.”
Silver sucked in a sharp breath. If only the man knew.
He will tomorrow.
After trotting down the stairs to get Silver’s water then bringing it back up to him, Silver finally got in the shower. Since his robe was out of play, he’d grabbed a pair of boxers and some sweats. Normally he’d free ball it, but this way, he could drop the sweats before he crawled into bed, or rather, on the air mattress.
For tonight, as least.
If they were going to start up a relationship, keeping his hands to himself would be impossible. His only real hesitation, other than Donovan’s injuries, had been making sure that sex wasn’t the only thing Donovan was after. However, he was certain Donovan was silently pleading for so much more.
After finishing in the bathroom, Silver padded up the stairs, careful to stay