Page 47 of Just a Little in Love

“Let’s wait and see what happens, baby boy. I’m pretty sure her phone records or her IP address will prove only she had access. Between Eric’s family and me, we can say for certain where you were when she bought the ticket.” Daddy nuzzled the top of his head. “I doubt if you even have a banking app on your phone.” Rowan looked up. “That isn’t a criticism, baby.”

But he still wasn’t a hundred percent sure.

“I also forgot to say Daddy Patrick has made you a therapist appointment for tomorrow, and I will take you. He’s kink-friendly.”

“You can go?” Rowan’s mood lifted a little.

“I will go in with you, then wait in the reception once you’re comfortable, while you talk.”

Rowan tried not to appear doubtful, but he must not have done such a good job, because Daddy pulled him in so he was on his lap. Rowan opened his mouth to say he was too heavy, but caught the stern look Daddy gave him, and winced a little at his tender ass. Daddy smiled, clearly knowing what he’d been about to say.

“I’m not going into the office tomorrow. I have to be on hand if I’m needed remotely in the morning, but now that the boss has gotten my job covered with a transfer from another office who knows the company, he’s not being such a hard-ass about everything. So,” Daddy moved a little under him and Rowan took a hurried breath in because Daddy was getting hard again. “I want to go look at a house tomorrow. It’s a rental, but it’s not too far. I’m going to email and get my deposit back from the builders. When we’re ready I want us to choose something together.”

Rowan gazed up at Daddy wondering if it was possible to love him any more. “I was going to offer you my money but I can’t now.”

“Brave boy for telling me, sweetheart, but I want you to keep any money from your dad until you decide what you want to do. It’s not any hardship to wait another year. I actually wondered when we got settled how you felt about us getting a dog?”

Rowan’s heart seemed to stop, then beat really fast. “Really? You’re definitely getting a dog?” He’d always wanted a dog, any pet really, but a dog would be great.

“We’re getting a dog, baby boy,” Daddy corrected him. “I thought we’d visit a couple of local rescues.” Rowan beamed and lunged forward to kiss Daddy, which Daddy seemed to thoroughly enjoy. “How about you go get your PJs on? Get comfy. I know you took a shower earlier.” Rowan beamed and carefully climbed off Daddy’s lap. “Oh, and there’s something for you on the bed.”

Rowan glanced back at Daddy, but then rushed into the room and stared at the huge box on the floor.

“It was delivered this afternoon and was outside when I got home.” Rowan turned to see Daddy leaning on the door frame.

“For me?” he said in awe. But Daddy waved a hand as if to say have at it, so Rowan got his jammies on as fast as he could without even thinking about a pad, then practically fell on the box to unwrap it. He gaped when he opened it.

“If you don’t like it, we can send it back.”

But Rowan was entranced. It was a huge wildlife park, complete with animals, pens, and different habitats to construct, with buildings like feed stores and animal nurseries. Each animal had a special card that gave living and feeding instructions. There was even a large veterinary hospital, all the equipment plus all the information on possible problems for each animal. He got out the instruction cards on the Giant Pandas and before long, Daddy had helped him unpack everything and Rowan was sitting on a big cushion assembling their habitat. They needed bamboo trees and access to shade, and he didn’t know that they spent twelve hours a day eating because they only digested about five percent of what they ate.

Wow.

He glanced up when Daddy put down his water bottle with the special top, which meant it wouldn’t spill if it was knocked over, and fished about in the bag because that reminded him his pandas needed water access, and…

Gabriel had trouble swallowing his own water past the annoying lump in his throat as he watched Rowan become completely absorbed in the toy. He remembered Rowan’s reaction to the Toy Story figures and knew his clever boy needed more stimulation than that, and then a safe-space to cuddle Bear. Many littles were fluid in their ages, and Gabriel couldn’t wait to see Rowan really relax and be who he wanted. He’d talked to Patrick before, and they’d wondered if Rowan’s little side was older than Dash and more Charlie’s age of around nine or ten, or even older. The zoo hadn’t been cheap, but it had all these expansion packs you could get, and one of the houses they were going to look at in the morning had two bedrooms plus an office feature. He had every intention of making Rowan a playroom. If or when he had to get another job, he intended it to be a remote position so he could spend a large part of his day with Rowan, even if he was working.

And it couldn’t have come at a better time. If there was ever a day Rowan needed to be taken out of his head, it was this one. His phone rang. “I’m just going in the kitchen,” but he doubted if Rowan even heard him.

It was Philip. “Gabriel, can you talk in private?”

He walked into the kitchen. He doubted Rowan could hear while he was so caught up in the animals, but he could see him if he came out of the bedroom. “Yes, Rowan’s grabbing a shower.” It was a lie, but he wasn’t about to say what he was actually doing. He wasn’t ashamed, but he knew Rowan was sensitive after the way Janice had ridiculed him constantly.

“Good, look I don’t know a lot more, but if they prosecute, the defense could easily call Rowan even if the prosecution doesn’t, and I’m just not sure how that will go. Any attorney she has will obviously try to blame Rowan.”

“But phone records, surely?” That seemed obvious.

“It’s the evidence to prosecute certainly, but it’s the trial I’m worried about. It’s a class C felony which, for no priors, is likely to be a sentence of four years but not much higher. The detectives are going to interview the neighbor tomorrow and we both know she’s a piece of work.”

“He’s got his first therapist appointment tomorrow afternoon,” Gabriel said. “His new family doctor appointment to recommend a new urology specialist next week and prosecutions and trials take time. Hopefully, by the time it kicks off, he’ll be more settled. We’re going to see a different rental tomorrow morning. Something with a yard so he can get a dog." Philip was quiet for a couple of beats and Gabriel winced. Too much?

“I think that’s an excellent suggestion. I’ve set up a different account for Rowan, and—”

“He doesn’t need one,” Gabriel interrupted. “I mean, he needs one for himself, obviously, but I’m quite capable of paying rent.”

Philip chuckled down the phone. “I didn’t mean to imply otherwise, I’m simply hoping you will allow me to make up for lost time.” He fell silent for a moment. “Gabriel, I know full well I’ve messed up with Rowan, and I can’t alter history. I just wanted to say that I'm sure it will make Rowan feel better if he knows he can contribute to household expenses without rushing out to get a job. Rowan has an innate need to please and hates confrontation, which is how Janice got away with everything.” Gabriel’s eyebrows shot up. Did Philip know Rowan was a submissive? “He has zero self-confidence, but if you allow him to help with at least the rent it will take the pressure off him. I don’t want him to rush into a decision about tutoring because he thinks he needs to pay his way.”

“Tutoring? One on one would be perfect for him.”

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