My Home Is With You [LGBT+]

Twelve

I'M EXHAUSTED. My arms hurt from kneading the dough and stretching it this way and that. I feel a bit hot, and the heat gets worse when I near the ovens and the fryer. I'm covered in flour and sweat. My feet ache from standing so much and I'm starving.

I bite lip when the smell of freshly made donuts and pastries wafts toward me and I clutch onto the table before I fall from the intense hunger pangs.

Fortunately, Charlie stops by, but the expression she wears isn't her normal cheerful one.

"W'as wrong?" I ask tiredly.

"Someone's here to see you," she answers before she wiggles her perfectly sculpted brows as a sly grin slowly takes over her face, "it's Mr. Sexy."

My cheeks heat up and I slowly take off my apron before walking outside where the smell of coffee hits me like a truck.

And she's right. Maximilian is sitting in the back where we sat yesterday, waiting patiently with what I assume is a cup of bitter coffee and another with chai. I'm tempted to ignore him until he goes away, but without even realizing it, I'm crossing the room and find myself standing right in front of the man.

His face instantly lights up and I can't help finding it endearing. It's like time slows down and a small smile of my own tugs on my lips.

He stands, ready to pull the chair out for me before I stop him, my hand barely wrapping around his. Suddenly my smile is gone as I dig through my pockets, making him look on in confusion.

"Here," I whisper, handing him what I counted to be over a thousand dollars.

He stares at the money owlishly, unwilling to take it.

"Look, I don't know what impression you got from me or why you did what you did, but I nearly had a heart attack when I found that in the bag of donuts. So, please take it back, I'm perfectly capable of-"

"Stop," he interrupts firmly, kindly.

I shut up and stare at him with wide doe eyes.

He cups my cheek in his hand, thumb caressing my flushed skin as he sighs.

"You gonna explain?"

He nods, "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, I realized it wasn't a great move, but I didn't want anyone giving you trouble if they saw me just handing you money."

My lips press into a firm line, knowing he's not quite done.

"I simply didn't want anyone giving you a hard time. This money isn't anything bad, I promise. It's just me paying you for your company and your time. It's what we both signed up for, and I counted yesterday as the beginning of whatever this could be," he waves vaguely between us.

"You mean...?"

He steps around the table and closer still to my body, his breath practically ghosts over my ear causing a shiver to crawl up my spin. Voice thick and husky, he whispers, "I mean, I want to be your daddy."

Holy shit.

Those words are enough to stir something I haven't felt before, or at least, haven't had the time to think about. Arousal. I'm fucking aroused and he pulls back smiling at me all innocent as if he didn't just make my knees weak with that proposal. And that infuriating smile only makes me want to melt in his hands.

"I..." I don't know what to say, but the words are spilling without my consent in an instant, "I want to be your baby."

And that's enough to make him chuckle in delight, to have him wrap his arms around my waist and pull me close to him.

My breath catches when I feel his... his manhood. Carefully hidden, but without a doubt hard.

He lets me go and apologizes even though he's not sincere. He's smiling from ear to ear like the Cheshire cat.

He pulls out the chair for me and finally I relent.

"I'm not going to demand anything from you," he begins a bit more sober, "I want your comfort and safety above all else. This means, that if there's something you don't like, then you need to tell me."

I nod, biting my lip.

"What is it?" He demands..

"Just... I've never... I'm not comfortable with having sex," I shrug, "I don't want money in exchange for sex... I'm not like that."

"Hey," he whispers, lifting my chin up so I can peer into his beautiful blue eyes, "I'm not going to demand anything you can't give. I want your companionship. I want your friendship and above all else, I want to get to know you. I'm not doing this for sex, I'm not like other vulgar men on the site. I have my self-worth, and you have yours. Whatever happens, happens. But I will never force you into something you do not want. Understood?"

I breathe a sigh of relief, "yes."

His grin is back, " Now, do you mind if I see your phone?"

A bit embarrassed, I take out my crappy phone and hand it over. He doesn't comment on it, simply takes out an expensive looking iPhone from his breast pocket and hands it to me as he tucks away what was mine.

"This is for being with me today, but also because I figured this would be a better way to communicate. I really think we should talk and meet up more when you're not working, so we can figure things out. Just know that I really like you Joseph."

I raise a brow and he laughs embarrassedly, shoulders tensing, "Shit, sorry, I meant, Oseias."

I snort, "dude, relax." 

He relaxes again, "I'm really glad I got to meet you," he says sincerely.

I take the phone and stare at the black screen before muttering a soft, "I'm glad I met you too and it's okay, you can call me Joseph if you'd like."

"No," Maximilian states firmly, "that it is not your name, your name is Oseias and that's what I'll call you. I'll get used to it, I promise. It's just that all this time I've known and thought about you as Joseph. I'll adapt."

His chair scrapes the floor as he stands and approaches my seat. He leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead once again, "I need to get going, but I promise to call tonight."

With a hum I agree, "I'll be waiting."

He lingers as if he doesn't really want to go.

I don't want him to go.

"Take care."

"You too," I whisper.

The door chimes when it opens, his footsteps fading with the last ding.

I hate to watch him go, but man do I love to see him leave.

If I'm honest, my chest doesn't hurt like before. I could even argue that I feel lighter. I feel... giddy.