Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 78043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78043 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 390(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“Oh, a date?” Brady skipped over the scene bits. “That’s fun. Where are you going?”
Before Joel could answer, Brady turned and smiled at his Daddy. “That’s just polite conversation. It’s not being nosy.”
Maybe?
“I don’t know if it’s a date.” Joel didn’t seem to mind admitting that but it made Tate’s eyes go wide. “We’re going to Olive Garden because I’m special.”
Olive Garden special.
His parents were so weird.
“Oh, I’m glad you’re special.” Brady managed to say the strangest things without realizing how odd they were. “Have fun on your maybe date.”
As he let his Daddy drag him around us and up the stairs, Brady did a terrible whisper. “How do they not know they’re dating? If they’re living together and one is his Daddy and one is his Dom, they have to be at least dating, right?”
Ugh.
“I’m Olive Garden and board game special.” Joel rolled his eyes. “That’s what counts.”
So he didn’t need a label?
Did he want one?
Tate seemed to have turned into the overthinker based on how many expressions were flashing across his face, and it made me wonder if he needed a label.
Did I?
“Yes.” Ignoring everything else for the moment since Joel couldn’t have two overthinking Doms at the same time, I kissed his head and took his hand. “You are. And you’re also dessert special because you thought about our privacy.”
Tate’s brain finally slowed enough to chuckle. “Yeah, that was very good considering the whole thing was really unexpected.”
Oh yeah.
“Thank you.” Looking very pleased with his praise, Joel nearly bounced as he dragged us to my car. “I realized I couldn’t remember if we had the what do we tell the neighbors conversation, so I decided to be careful.”
That was actually amazing for him.
“We appreciate that.” It got Tate’s brain working again too because as I unlocked the door, he gave Joel an odd look. “What have you told your mother?”
Joel could sense something was off because he cocked his head and glanced between us, but he didn’t seem to understand why Tate was asking. “That I’m your sub and I’m board game special and that I’d let her know if we were dating.”
Huh.
We were dating, right?
When Tate looked at me and I could see the same question in his eyes, I decided it wasn’t stupid and shrugged. He sighed. “Okay, we need to have more conversations, but yes, I’m going to say we’re dating.”
“Okay.” Joel seemed fine with that answer. “That’s good to know. Can I have cake for dessert?”
Tate was back to doing his best not to laugh, so I took that one. “Yes, as long as you eat something green first.”
I didn’t think they had green pasta so that seemed like a safe rule.
And when Joel sighed, I knew I’d been right.
“I like Olive Garden salad.” The admission was painful but he got it out. “That’s green.”
Light green…but we’d count it.
“You’re right.” My response got a smile and a cute cheek kiss from Joel. “Thank you. Oh, and thank you for manipulating me better than Brady does to his Daddy.”
Barely holding back a giggle, he blinked at me with wide eyes. “He’s naughty, Daddy. I’m your good boy.”
One who hadn’t even admitted to manipulating me.
“What was I thinking?” Pretending to be shocked got a snicker from Joel. “You’re such a sweet good boy. That’s why you’re getting dessert.”
Nodding excitedly, Joel bounced between us and gave us each cheek kisses. “I’m Olive Garden dessert special and dating you guys. Best night ever.”
He needed a higher bar for that, but since his low one was making me look good, I decided not to say anything.
Chapter 2
Tate
At what point had we gone from friends with questions to actually dating?
I knew Joel had been very clear about the fact he felt special and he was happy with how things were going. He might not have defined out loud what he thought we were doing but he knew he was important to us, and judging from the amount of smiles and laughter he’d given us over the past week or so, he was fucking delighted about everything we’d done.
But clearly we’d jumped from friends doing shit and being happy about that to dating. Being Olive Garden special was some kind of level of dating and even Dean hadn’t blinked at the idea, so chances were that he thought we were dating too.
It kind of made sense in a weird circular logic kind of way because if we were doing shit together and sleeping together most nights and going out to dinner where Joel felt special that had to mean we were dating. But it also brought up a lot of questions I hadn’t really thought about.
What would push us from dating to being something like boyfriends?
What were the other levels of dating if being Olive Garden special seemed to be a solid first step?