Page 26 of A Little Christmas 4: Teller
“I’ll state it plainly. I’m a man who goes after what I want without shame or deterrence. I wouldn’t be where I am in life if I’d let someone tell me I couldn’t do something that I really wanted to do. I had Sabrina contact the sellers on Friday morning to rent the place to me until we can close on December first.”
Teller’s grin made my heart sing. “Daddy, you didn’t have to buy the house because of me.”
On Saturday afternoon, after I checked out of the hotel, Barrett came out to see the house. He told me it was time to fish or cut bait because I was letting Teller’s acceptance or rejection of me dictate the business decisions we’d started to discuss. I wasn’t able to decide one way or another regarding the properties he suggested we divest. It was as if my brain had become paralyzed. “Briggs, seriously, you’re letting this kid drag you around by your dick.”
I laughed. “Oh, and Maizie doesn’t do the same to you? It’s no different whether it’s a guy or a girl, Barrett. When you fall in love with someone, it is all-consuming, right?”
He stared at me for a long moment before he nodded. “You’re not wrong, Briggs. I’d do anything for her. Hell, if you can get him to move out here, I can get her to move to my place, and they can share the ride. Let’s go pick out a car.”
We did, and I took Barrett’s advice and bought the Bronco because it had four-wheel drive and they’d be able to safely get from one place to another in the winter. That was our biggest worry, living in the Midwest—the weather could turn on a dime.
I shook aside the memory and turned to Teller. “Come look at this. If it’s not right, tell me what’s wrong, and I’ll fix it.”
We walked into the other primary bedroom, where I had placed a dressmaker’s mannequin, a serger, and a fancy sewing machine that was almost a damn robot. Thank heaven for Madeline and her knowledge of the needs of a tailor. Her grandmother was a seamstress.
“Daddy!What have you done?”
The excitement in his voice made me smile. He was mine, whether he knew it or not, and I was his protector, lover, supporter, Daddy. I’d be everything he needed, but I’d grow with him as he came into his own. I’d never hold him back. His success would be my greatest joy.
“Will you move in so we can begin the remodel on the units? We can pack you up tomorrow morning and get you settled before we get too close to Christmas. My parents will be gone over the holidays—some sort of senior cruise they always go on to celebrate the holidays. Jakob will have the perfect place to wear that ugly Hanukkah tie I gave him at Thanksgiving. I’m usually not around anyway, and I didn’t want them to change their plans for me this year, so it’s just you and me, but I think that could be fun. It’ll be our first Christmas together? What do you say?” I crossed my fingers in the pocket of my jeans like a twelve-year-old, hoping he’d say yes.
“Yes, Daddy. I’ll go home now and pack my stuff and bring it out tomorrow before I go to work at Bloomfield’s,” he responded.
I scooped him up. “I’ll go with you in the morning and help. Please stay tonight. I want to wake up next to you. Say you’ll stay.” Yes, my desperation was showing, and it wasn’t pretty.
Teller laughed. “Okay, I’ll stay. The sewing room is perfect. I won’t hate getting rid of my old sewing machine. It doesn’t work as well as I’d like, anyway. I’ll donate it to a charity.”
I hugged him and took his hand, leading him down the hall to the primary bedroom. “I’m buying all the furniture with thehouse. I already bought new sheets and towels for us. Barrett and I went shopping today, which is how they ended up coming for dinner. I hope you didn’t mind.”
I’d made a pork tenderloin with mashed sweet potatoes and green beans, and I was delighted to say there were no leftovers. I’d tossed the doggy bag Mom had sent for Teller because I’d forgotten it in my car Saturday night when I returned to the house alone.
It had been the longest, loneliest night of my life, but I’d talked myself into not giving up hope. After putting together all of the things Teller had said about his childhood, I knew he had abandonment issues. The only way he’d learn to trust that I wouldn’t do the same to him was for him to trust me, and being together in the same space seemed the best way to prove it.
“Do you prefer to shower in the morning or in the evening?” Did my voice sound shaky? I felt as if I were walking a tightrope, and I damn well didn’t want to stumble.
“Usually, I shower at night because I smell like the store or a brewery, plus, it helps me relax to go to sleep. I have trouble sleeping because my mind doesn’t shut off, but I find I sleep better with you beside me,” he admitted, making my breath hitch.
“Shower with me?” I sounded like a mouse. God, now I was afraid of him leaving me behind.
Teller walked over and touched my cheek. “Gladly.” His touch made everything right in the world.
We disrobed and went into the bathroom. “Extra toothbrush in the small drawer to your right,” I said as I turned on the water in the large gray-and-white marble shower. The pan had penny tiles with gray grouting that flattered the aesthetic the previous owners hoped to give.
“Uh, Daddy, there are five different kinds of body wash in here.” He held up the five varieties, trying to keep from smirking.
“I wasn’t sure what kind you used, so I bought one of each,” I answered. No covert agenda, only trying to please my man.
He opened a sunflower yellow one and tossed the trash in the can. “Thank you, Daddy.”
I smiled as a warm feeling washed over me.
The two of us got into the large shower, and I shifted on the dual showerheads. I picked up the body wash and walked over to Teller, who had his eyes closed and his face turned up to the spray.
“Body wash?” I asked.
He wiped the water from his eyes and chuckled. “Please, Daddy.”
I stepped closer and squirted soap into my hand, washing his lithe body as he raised his arms in the air, winking at me. Without hesitation, I washed his whole body down to his toes, and then I reached for the shampoo.
