going to your house. I might need to keep a closer eye on you until I know you’ll come home to me if you don’t want to go to your apartment.”
“I wasn’t trying to hide anything from you,” I protested. “I’ve been studying in the office for so long, it’s commonplace to me. It’s easier to do it there than try and focus when I’m at my place, because I don’t have to worry about the guys being obnoxious when they’re playing whatever video game they’re addicted to.”
“I still wish you would have told me.” Theron took the keys out of my hand and unlocked my car. He stopped me when I tried opening the door, pinning me to the side of the vehicle. “It made me look bad when I was sitting there trying to convince William I was ready to take care of your needs and he slapped me with the news that you’re not where I thought you were when we’re apart.”
Theron kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around his waist, hoping the fact he was holding me meant I hadn’t screwed up so badly things couldn’t be fixed.
“I just wish you would have said something, sweetheart.” Theron rested his chin on the top of my head. “I miss the hell out of you on the nights when we’re apart, and knowing you were here instead of at your apartment is like a knife to the gut.”
“I didn’t want to take over your entire life,” I explained. Theron’s laughter was unexpected. “Why’s that funny to you?”
“Oh baby, we’re definitely going to have a long talk in the morning. I absolutely love looking around the house and seeing traces of you when you’re gone,” he admitted. He spun us around, so he was leaning against the car. I stepped between his legs and rested my head against his chest. I usually got annoyed by anything that reminded me how much shorter I was than the typical guy, but there was something oddly comforting about Theron’s chin on my head. “If I had my way, I’d have already cleared out half the closet to make room for your things, and I would have set up a desk in the guest room for when you needed to work undisturbed. But I know that’s not a healthy way to start a relationship, so I’ve been holding back. I suggested that you go home on the nights you had to work so we could spend time together, but you didn’t feel like I was taking over your entire life.”
“I want you to take over my life,” I admitted. The best part about him being Daddy was when I didn’t have to think about anything or make decisions. I had enough of that between school and work, and it was comforting to know my life wouldn’t fall apart if I didn’t have the brain power to do all the things. “I thought you wanted time to yourself and that’s why you didn’t want me coming over after work. Or that you didn’t want me waking you up in the middle of the night.”
Theron wrapped his hands around my biceps and pushed me back far enough that I could meet his gaze. “There has never been, and will never be, a time when I don’t want you with me. It’s still early days, but I would hope that it will eventually be our home.”
Maybe hearing him speak so frankly about the future should have scared the shit out of me but it didn’t. Hell, I’d seen couples who moved from awkward first meetings to commitment ceremonies at warp speed. There was just something about relationships that involved elements of power exchange that seemed to make them progress rapidly. “I’d like that too, Daddy.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page. When you get home, pull into the driveway. This weekend, you’ll have plenty of time to think about whether you want to withhold information from me in the future while you help me clean out the garage to make room for you.” As far as punishments went, I could think of worse. I wasn’t looking forward to organizing when I could be playing, but it beat some of the alternatives. And him telling me I wasn’t parking on the street felt symbolic, like he wanted me to remember I had a permanent place available for the taking.
Daddy opened the door for me, leaning in to help me buckle up. We’d