Mark looked up as Curtis and Cecil came back and saw his son studying Caden lying against him. Mark just watched as his son walked back over, pulled his chair to the other side of him, opposite his mate, and took his seat. He smiled up at Mark, and then looked around him to Caden.
“I’m going to take these two upstairs.” Mark stood, his arm still around his mate as his son followed.
“What room did Cecil put you in?”
“I don’t remember, but he said yours was right across the hall.”
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Mark led them to his room. “Go on in yours, I’ll be right with you.”
Curtis nodded, staring at Caden once more before closing the door behind him.
Mark led his mate into their room. “I don’t know how long I’ll be.
No leaving the house with Cecil, got it?” He cupped Caden’s face.
“Thanks for being so understanding.” Kissing Caden softly on his lips, Mark led him over to the bed. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Take your time. Just remember, he’s probably waited his whole life to meet you, and he has built up an image in his head of who you are. Go gentle with him.”
“Yes, Mother.” Mark chuckled as he kissed Caden again.
“I’ll give you mother.” Caden mock punched Mark in his arm.
“Be back, baby.” Mark walked across the hall, blew out a breath then knocked. His son cracked the door, looking up at him hesitantly, then stepped back to allow Mark entrance. He looked around the room. They would have to take a trip to the mall to get things a fifteen-year-old would want in his room. Curtis would need more clothes, too, if he was staying the summer.
Taking a seat in one of the cushioned chairs, Mark was at a loss of what to talk about.
“Is he, uh, your boyfriend?”
Great topic for an ice breaker, Mark thought. Might as well get it out of the way first. “Yes.”
“Oh.” Curtis sat on his bed, looking down at his hands. “Is he mad that I showed up?”
“Not in the least. He likes you.”
Curtis looked at Mark from under his eyelashes. “And you? Do you like me?”
“I really don’t know you, but I like what I’ve seen so far.”
* * * *
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Curtis chewed on this. He had waited his whole life to meet his father, was impressed with what he saw. The guy was huge, with tattoos everywhere. His dad was being understanding, didn’t turn him away. It was true, he didn’t know him. Curtis hoped he could change that. It shocked him that his dad was gay, having had a baby and all.
Would Caden be jealous, be mean to him? He was so nervous he didn’t know what to say to the man.
“What do you do for a living?” That was a good question. Not too personal.
“I own my own auto shop. Ran my own tattoo shop, but I sold it and moved here to be with Caden.”
Curtis nodded. “Can…can I call you Dad?” Curtis watched as his father grinned. His dad was handsome. “I’d be more than honored if you did. You know I didn’t purposely stay out of your life?”
“I know. Mom explained it to me.”
“How did you find me?”
Curtis smiled, proud of how he did it. “We had this junior detective club at school, and it taught us how to people search on the web. I dug through records until I found that you owned a garage in the city, and some guy named Leo gave me this address.”
“I’ll have to thank him. Leo worked for my grandfather until my granddad passed. Leo’s a nice guy.”
“I wish I could have met your grandfather.”
“Me, too. He would have liked you.”
Awkward silence again.
“I don’t care if you’re gay. I, uh…”
“What is it, son?”
Curtis closed his eyes. He had waited his whole life to hear that word from his real father. Terrance was an okay stepdad, and he was nice, but he wasn’t Curtis’s real father. “I think I do, too.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m trying to understand what you’re saying. Can you be a little more specific?”
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Curtis cleared his throat, his heart hammering behind his chest. He hadn’t even told his mom this. “I think I like, uh, you know, guys.” He had struggled with it for the past year. David, a guy in his junior detective’s club, had kissed him one night when they were up in his room studying. He felt ashamed for liking it. “David kissed me and…”
“You liked it?”
Curtis nodded. “Mom doesn’t even know.”
“Not my place to tell her. Just kissing?”
“Yes. Nothing happened, just a kiss.” Curtis’s stomach was in knots. Although his dad was gay, he felt like he would be judged.
“You have a few years to figure it out, son. No need to rush things.”
Curtis smiled. His dad was real cool, understanding. He liked him and wanted to be around him. He was everything he had dreamed a dad should be. “Thank you for understanding.”
“Just so you know, since you’ll figure it out anyway, there’s no females in this house except little Melonee, Tangee’s little sister.
There are a lot of couples here.”
Curtis nodded. So maybe he wouldn’t be judged by everyone.
That was a relief. He still didn’t know what to think. His sexuality had baffled him, but it would be easier to figure out with a house full of understanding people. It may have just been curiosity. He wasn’t sure yet.
“I’m going to head to bed. Would you like to come to the shop with me tomorrow?” Mark stood and stretched.
Curtis’s felt his face lit up. He nodded. He was happy his dad wanted him around.
“I’ll wake you up in the morning.” Mark walked over, kissing Curtis on his forehead before heading toward the door. “Do me a favor. If a guy name Cecil tries to talk you into going anywhere with him…run.” With that, Mark left him to settle in for the night.
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Curtis held his fingers over the kissed area, his heart light and his chest bursting with joy. He was going to be the best son ever and make his dad proud of him.
* * * *
Mark and Caden, along with Curtis, met Sandy and her husband at the airport. It had been years since he’d seen her, but she didn’t look as though she had aged that much.
“Mark.” Sandy hugged him, and then turned to Curtis. “You have a lot of explaining to do, young man.”
“Yes, ma’am.” Curtis and Terrance grabbed the luggage as they stood there.
“This is Caden.” Mark introduced his mate. “He’s my partner.” Sandy’s eyes widened slightly but smiled warmly at Caden. “It’s nice to meet you, Caden.”
“Likewise.” Caden smiled at Sandy as they walked toward the exit.
“I never would have thought.” Sandy shook her head as she smiled. “He’s a nice-looking man, Mark.”
“Thanks.” Mark was still unsure if he was pissed at Sandy or not.
Although he had relocated when he opened the tattoo shop, and hadn’t left a forwarding address, he felt she should have tried harder to find him.
He set that feeling aside. This was about Curtis. It still felt too surreal to believe, and he was going to concentrate on bonding with the young man. If there was friction between him and Sandy, that may make Curtis uncomfortable, and that was the last thing he wanted to do.
“A friend of mine has agreed to lease his apartment out to you while you’re here.” Lewis, the detective, still had the keys to his apartment, and Maverick thought it best that Curtis’s mom and
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stepdad not stay at the Den. It was going to be hard enough keeping the secret from his son.
Something Mark didn’t like but understood.
He drove them back to Brac Village, giving the couple a tour of the house Curtis wanted to stay at. With Sandy and Terrance’s approval, Mark took the couple over to the apartment.
* * * *
Caden chuckled as he watched Curtis follow Mark around the shop as if he were studying his every move. He could see idolization in Curtis’s eyes. His mom seemed to have raised him well.
His mate was patient, and he explained things to Curtis as he moved around. Mark almost seemed just as excited to show his son the trade. Caden knew they would be all right. Curtis seemed to be adjusting. He had been here a week, following his dad around like a puppy.
He even came to Caden one day this week, asking him questions about what he did here. Curtis confessed to being worried that he wouldn’t like the young man for monopolizing his dad’s time. Caden assured him it was fine, encouraged Curtis to get to know his father, and he promised Curtis things would settle into a routine. Curtis seemed to accept that, and he started talking Caden’s ear off every chance he got.
“Is Mr. Forester here?”
Caden looked over his shoulder. Billy had shown up ten minutes early for work. “Call him Mark. He’s in the shop with his son. Go on in.”
Caden watched as Billy was introduced to Curtis, and he saw the spark in Curtis’s eyes when he met the redheaded kid. Billy seemed to smile a little longer than normal at Curtis.
Caden chuckled when Mark glared at Billy, obviously catching the look as well. When Billy filled out his employment forms, he had
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written down that he was sixteen, which was an age in human males when their curiosity in sex was at its strongest. He would have to warn Mark to give them their space while still keeping an eye on them.
“I think that kid has his eye on our son,” Mark grumbled as he walked into the office.
Caden would never get enough of hearing the word “our.” Curtis accepted it, even started calling Caden dad as well. It was strange at first, but he got used to the idea. “Puppy love. A crush. They’ll be fine.”
“I don’t like it. Curtis is too young,” Mark grumbled as he looked out of the office window at the pair.
Caden laughed. “Listen to you, falling into that dad role pretty well, I see.”
“I’m keeping my eye on him. I won’t let him pressure Curtis.” Mark glared at Billy when the young mechanic looked over at him.
Billy hurriedly looked away, taking a few steps away from Curtis.
Curtis didn’t seem to notice. He stepped closer to the redhead, looking at him as though he was golden. This father stuff was more complicated than either of them thought, and Caden mentally chuckled.
“They do make a cute couple,” Caden teased.
Mark growled.
Caden threw his hands up. “I’m just teasing.”
“Not a couple.”
“Just don’t crowd him. That will push him away,” Caden warned.
Mark grumbled as he went back out into the shop, sliding between the two.
* * * *
Mark thought about his son and the mechanic. He didn’t like the idea. His son was too young to know what he wanted right now. He
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planned on making sure Curtis stayed a virgin for as long as possible.
Crap, he did sound like an overbearing parent. He wasn’t even a virgin at fifteen. It wasn’t easy knowing Curtis would do what he wanted regardless of Mark’s wishes. He would probably have some influence, but the ultimate decision would be Curtis’s.
“Can Billy come to dinner?”
“No.” Mark watched his son’s face fall. He knew he was being unreasonable, taking a deep breath. “He can come but keep him in the den.”
“I will.”
Mark would have the warriors and mates keep an eye on them and make sure they didn’t sneak off into a room anywhere.
Sandy had come by everyday to see how Mark and Curtis were getting along but left the two to bond. The Den had even invited her and Terrance over a few nights for dinner.
Everyone seemed to get along great, which eased Mark’s worry about Sandy not approving of the Den and taking Curtis home with her before Mark and Curtis had their time together. She was only staying another week. Mark hoped in that time he could convince her that Curtis was safe here so he could remain for the summer.
* * * *
Curtis watched his dad walk out of the den, and he knew he was just being protective. It made him feel warm inside that his dad even cared what he did. He liked Billy. The boy was funny, had a nice smile, and he was hot. Even though he was questioning his sexual preference, he wasn’t blind.
“Hey.” Blair bounced on the couch next to him, grabbing the remote and turning the television on. Curtis would never tell the guy he had been attracted to him when he first got here. Besides, Blair was too old, and he had Kota.
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“Too bad you can’t stay past the summer.” Blair set the remote down, kicking back.
Curtis had thought about that. He didn’t want to leave. He liked it here. He didn’t want to leave either of his dads. He and Mark were just getting to know each other, and Caden seemed to want him around. “Yeah, too bad.”
Blair smiled at him. Curtis blurted out, “I met someone.” Blair cut the television off, turning around to face him. “Oh yeah, who?”
“Billy, my dad’s mechanic.” Curtis blushed as he confessed.
“Really, do you like him?”
It was easy to talk to Blair. He may be older, but he seemed to love to talk to Curtis. “I’m not sure yet. He seems nice.”
“Just promise me you won’t move to fast.” Blair’s innocence was taken forcefully at a young age, which made him a big advocate of keeping your virginity until you were positive you were ready. Curtis knew this. Caden had told him all about it. Maybe that’s why the guy was so easy to talk to.
Curtis rubbed his hands down his jeans, staring up at the good-looking man. “What if I’m ready?” He wasn’t sure if he was, but wanted advice.
Blair watched him for a moment. “Then I have one word for you.
Condom. Never, ever, ever have sex without one.”
“Do you have any?” It wouldn’t hurt to have one just in case.
Blair shook his head vehemently. “Oh, hell no. You are not having either of your dads skinning my neck. And your mom doesn’t look like she is someone to mess with. Ask one of them.”
“Okay.” Curtis left Blair in search of either one.
* * * *
“Harder, Mark,” Caden pleaded as Mark rammed into his ass.
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