I returned Nate’s wave as he walked Red out of the apartment. Alone with Miller and Lee, I set about cleaning up.
“Do you need any help?” Miller asked, his fingers picking at the table and his eyes begging to be useful.
I nodded, seeing Lee was still on his phone, furiously texting someone.
“Sure.” I rolled up the map and handed it over. “Follow me.”
I slipped the strap of my bag over my shoulder and then grabbed the stack of books from the table. Without a word, I turned down the hall toward my game room. I listened for the sound of Miller following. With a smile, I entered the room and gestured to a shelf by the door. “You can set it down there.”
Offloading everything on my desk, I turned to find the map on the shelf and Miller gone. With a small sigh of disappointment, I moved to return to the dining room when Miller reappeared in the doorway with a stack of boxes in his hands.
“Thanks.” I approached slowly and took them from him.
“I’ll be right back with the rest,” he said, turning without waiting for me to respond.
“Sure.” I watched him skip out of the room and let him go, not wanting to deny him the simple pleasure.
I placed the boxes on the shelf next to my desk where they belonged. When Miller returned a minute later, he was walking slowly as he watched the boxes stacked neatly in his arms. With a glance around the room, he moved toward the shelf and unloaded his burden next to the rest.
“I think that’s everything,” he said, stepping back from the shelf and me.
I felt conflicted. I wanted him. I wanted him in every way, but knowing why Miller had distanced himself from being a little and the lifestyle, I wasn’t sure what to do. Being a Daddy was such an intrinsic part of me, I wasn’t sure I could ever turn it off, even for someone as sweet as Miller. And for all my talk and confidence, I wasn’t sure dragging him back into the lifestyle was the right thing to do.
“I know I said it earlier, but I am glad you showed up,” I said, testing the waters.
He looked around the room, his foot digging into the carpet as a blush stained his cheeks.
“There you are,” Lee said to Miller as he walked into the room, his body practically vibrating in excitement. “Law just called. He’s downstairs and said he has news about the competition.”
“You guys got it?”
“I don’t know. Law said he wants to tell me in person.” Lee smiled as his leg bounced in place. “That has to be good, right?”
“I think that means you got it.” Miller hugged Lee who returned the gesture. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks. I wanted to ask you if it was okay if I go downstairs for a bit to talk to Law. I need to know for sure.” Lee gave Miller his famous puppy-dog eyes. “Please.”
Miller shot me a questioning glance. “It’s okay with me.”
Lee turned his eyes on me. “Carson?”
With a happy sigh, I waved him away. “Get out of here.”
“Yes!” Lee danced out of the room, pausing in the hallway to point his phone at me. “Take care of him,” he commanded and then made his escape. “I’ll be right back!” he yelled, the sound of the front door closing punctuating his words.
“He’s not coming back for a while, is he?”
“Gods, no,” I said, leaving the room. “Lee’s easily distracted, and downstairs there’s… ugh… there’s a lot to be distracted by.”
Entering the kitchen, I opened the refrigerator and perused its contents. “Are you hungry?”
“What do you have?”
I looked over to find Miller perched on one of the chairs at the counter. “Lasagna?”
“Yummy.” He looked away, his face a picture of embarrassment as he registered his childish answer. “I mean, that sounds good.”
I said nothing as I pulled the lasagna out of the refrigerator even as my heart hammered wildly in my chest.
That was a good sign, right? That his little was coming out in response to me?
I placed the tray in the oven and then turned it on to reheat our meal. Hungry for more than just lasagna, I pulled out the stuff to make us a couple of salads.
“Can I help?”
I looked down at my side, smiling at Miller as he stood next to me anxiously. I was going to have to watch him. He was sneaky when he wanted to be. I hadn’t heard