forbid someone eats his yogurt.” Once the steak was warm, he placed the pan on a trivet on the table and sat across from Tay.
Before he got distracted by Tay’s wide shoulders or his erect nipples, he shifted on the bench seat and cleared his throat. “About Andy.”
“I’ll be out of your hair before he gets back,” Tay said, waving his fork in the air. “Unless he’s going to be back in the next half hour or so?”
Dakota stared at him. “Uh, no. Calder’s dropping him off at preschool straight from his place.”
“Okay. What about him then?” Tay’s brow scrunched. “Is he okay?”
“Yeah, he’s fine. Just . . .” How did you tell the guy you were seeing that you didn’t want your kid to know about him yet? “I haven’t told him about us.” Apparently, blurting it was just fine.
“I figured.” Tay put his fork down, crossing his forearms on the table and leaning forward. “He won’t hear it from me. We’re on your timetable for that.”
Dakota slumped back against the seat, the leather of the bench cold against his back. “Why are you so understanding?”
“I never meant to date a single parent, you know?” Shrugging, Tay picked up his fork and pushed his eggs around on his plate. “But like I said last night—I like you. A lot.” He shrugged again, smile lopsided, pink dotting his cheekbones. “And you happen to come with a kid. I’m okay with that. I like Andy too. I’m actually kind of bummed I won’t get to see him this morning, but I get it.”
“Do you want kids?”
Pouring a little bit of maple syrup onto a portion of his eggs, Tay took a bite. “Damn,” he said, eyes wide as globes. “That is good. Hats off to the little man.”
Dakota forked a slice of apple off the plate of fruit in the middle of the table, unaccountably disappointed that Tay hadn’t answered his question.
“Yes,” Tay said. “To answer your question, I do want kids.” Oblivious to Dakota’s slight pause, he continued. “Not, like, a gaggle of them or anything. But I always thought I’d have one or two. Did you and Fiona plan on having more? Before the whole . . .” He waved his fork around again as if that would encompass the whole not-wanting-to-be-a-mom thing.
“We had wanted two, close in age. Or, at least, Fiona did. She had a few friends who were single children, and she thought they were all self-absorbed and lacked a certain degree of empathy. She didn’t want that for our kid.”
Tay frowned. “That’s some messed up logic. I’ve known single children who were awesome. Besides, Andy’s not like that. He’s great.”
Dakota’s chest grew two sizes. “I think so too, but I’m biased.”
After breakfast, they cleaned up quickly, and in no time, Tay was dressing in last night’s jeans and sweater, declining the use of Dakota’s shower. “I’m going to be so rank in a couple of hours that I’m going to need another one anyway.”
“You say the sexiest things.”
It made Tay laugh, and Dakota did so love seeing that smile on his face.
In the foyer, Tay dressed in his outerwear while Dakota propped himself against the wall.
“What are you going to do now?” Tay asked. “Get some work done?”
It was barely six. Not having to drop Andy off at preschool meant that he didn’t need to leave for the office for another two hours. Two and a half if he really pushed it. One if he wanted to hit the gym before work.
That wasn’t looking likely.
“Don’t judge, but I’m contemplating a nap.”
“I don’t judge.” Finished lacing up his boots, Tay planted a small kiss on Dakota’s lips. “I take naps all the time before a game.”
“Yeah, but you probably also spend the entire morning at practice or working out.” Winding his arms around Tay, Dakota nipped his nose. “All we did was have sex.”
“Oh, all we did.” Tay’s teasing eye roll was massive. “Should we perform an acrobatic routine next time?”
“Hm.” Dakota’s blood heated, and he let it, despite knowing he was teasing them both unnecessarily. But it was oh so fun. “I bet you’re plenty flexible.”
Tay’s voice dropped to a rough whisper. “Oh, you have no idea how bendy I can get.”
When Tay’s mouth met his, it was slightly minty from the glob of Dakota’s toothpaste he’d run over his teeth with his finger. Tay’s hands ran over his bare chest, and Dakota shivered, wanting more and more and more, wanting Tay writhing beneath him