Page 70 of Wrestling with Daddy
“If it was up to me, I’d just cram in with you at the suite, but I feel bad asking my niece to cat-sit when I’m right here and she already had to deal with Plum for two weeks.”
“You’re a good cat-daddy,” Nathan teased, rubbing his palms against jean-clad thighs. “I think that works. From what I saw, all the training and stuff happens in the mornings. I wanted to be there for the welcoming thing Friday, though.”
“That’s okay.” Ken nodded. “Do you want me to join you?”
Nathan whipped his head around, poked Ken’s arm with one finger even if he’d probably be scolded for doing that while Daddy was driving.
“What kind of question is that?” Nathan’s nostrils flared, rage taking over for a second that passed by fast enough to give him whiplash. “Why wouldn’t I want you there? Because if you’re trying to get yourself off going, you don’t have to–”
“Easy,” Ken warned, barely sparing him a glance before he was focusing on the road again. “I’d love to go to the welcome party. I’m sure it’ll be fun.”
Nathan huffed, but he didn’t complain. Instead, he stared at the landscape passing them by until they reached the place. So it wasn’t so surprising he’d been a tiny bit distracted when Ken killed the engine after he’d pulled into a spacious parking lot and leaned in to give him a squeeze.
Squeezes were always good, though.
“Did I tell you I’ve been spending quite a lot of time here this past week? I plan to be helping out a bit this week, too. It can get a bit hectic with so many pups.”
“I thought it wasn’t just puppy play this weekend.”
“No, this place is packed with ponies, kittens, dragons, and even a dove.” Ken chuckled. “But in my experience, pups are the number one troublemakers when they get overexcited.”
“That’s very biased.” There was no heat in it, but Nathan still felt the need to protest.
“I guess you’ll have to prove me wrong.”
Nathan was going to retort, but Ken was already getting out of the car, rounding the vehicle to open the door for him like a gentleman. Nathan swooned more with the gesture than he was willing to admit.
His attention was quickly taken by the imposing resort before them, however. He’d, of course, obsessed over the pictures and quick tours of the suites on the website, but the place was gorgeous with the sun reflecting off all the tall windows. Nathan was suddenly way too eager to investigate all the outdoor areas that weren’t visible from the front and all the rooms he’d only seen a few angled photographs of.
“Ken!” A woman by the receptionist’s desk cheered up when she saw Daddy.HisDaddy. “I didn’t know you were coming in this early.”
“Hey, Micki.” Ken’s smile made Nathan relax which was… wild, but so… right, too. “This is Nathan, I came by to drop him off but I have to run.”
“Ohhh,theNathan?” Micki’s dark eyes glinted with mischief.
“Good luck,” Ken whispered in his ear, a hand on his lower back. “I swear, you spend way too much time with Ash.”
“That’s not a bad thing.” She chuckled. “But, anyway. What name’s the reservation under?”
“Nathan Hunter.” He cleared his throat while searching for the driver’s license he’d packed in the messenger bag he carried his laptop in.
Once, he’d forgotten and put it in his suitcase, and it had been a pain for everyone involved.
The process was quick and painless, and he soon had his keycard and instructions on how to reach the room, the resort’s restaurant, spa, and a laminated list of all the activities he could sign up for while he was there.
“You’ll really pick me up later?”
“I wouldn’t lie to you,” Ken said with a frown.
Fair enough, it had been a strange question, but Nathan would’ve probably spent the rest of the afternoon wondering if he didn’t get the reassurance before Ken left.
Then again, if he’d known that Ken had planned to kiss him in the resort’s entrance with everyone able to witness his claim on him, he might not have been so worried.
Nathan really needed to do something about his tendency to overthink and come up with the worst scenarios possible.
Perhaps time wouldn’t pass him by so fast, then. He’d only realized he hadn’t left the room in hours after Ken had texted him to say he shouldn’t wait for him, and suggested he tried the restaurant downstairs.
Keeping in mind that Nathan had spent most of the afternoon giving his suitcase the stink eye—because unpacking was no fun but it also reminded him this was temporary—he’d barely noticed his stomach rumbling in complaint.
