His Accidental Daddy

by Luna, David

  He watched as Asher used the remote to lay the bed back a bit more, obviously feeling worn out and uncomfortable. “Tired?”

  “Yeah, sorry.”

  “Don’t be. Go ahead and rest. There’s plenty of time to tell me more about the job I can see you love so much.”

  Asher’s eyes brightened with a smile, and he nodded. “Okay. What about you. What do you do?”

  “I own some local businesses.”

  “Wow, some?”

  He shrugged, not wanting to go into just how many pies he had his fingers in. “Ever eaten at Mama’s Chimichangas?”

  Asher’s eyes rolled back in his head, and he smiled an intoxicated-looking smile. “Oh my god, her steak fajita burritos are the stuff of dreams.”

  “Her steak soft tacos are my personal favorite.”

  “You own that?”

  He shook his head. “No. Not really. I co-own it. For now, at least. Eventually, she’ll buy me out, and then I’ll have no excuse to stalk her on Taco Tuesdays.”

  Light dawned on Asher’s face. “Ahh, so you’re an investor.”

  Smart boy. “I am. But sometimes businesses need more than just funds. I also help them come up with solid business plans that include marketing and growth so they can eventually become self-sufficient and buy me out when my… services, for lack of a better word, are no longer needed.”

  Asher’s grin was brilliant when he interjected. “So, you’re helping people achieve their dreams.”

  It wasn’t often that he blushed, but damned if that comment didn’t hit to the heart of him. Because he might never have verbalized it, but that’s exactly how he felt when one of his business partners was finally able to buy their way out of business with him. It’s why he did it. Seeing the smiles on the faces of the people he helped become even more successful was the best feeling out there. “I guess I like to think I have a small part in helping some people do that, yeah.”

  The admiration in Asher’s gaze kept his blush going and made him think he’d like the boy’s admiring gaze for other reasons as well, which had him scrubbing his face and trying to change the subject before he got himself in trouble with a boner he couldn’t explain. “So, I guess we both do something we love.”

  Asher smiled and nodded. “I guess we do.”

  After that, Asher asked about his own family, and he chatted about them for a while until he could tell Asher was drifting off. He sat and stared at the boy as he slept, taking in every detail of the boy’s face he could and cataloguing it in his mind to remember for later.

  The boy was stunning. Even all banged up. His blond hair was straight, thick, and looked as soft as spun silk. The boy’s lashes were dark and long, in contrast to his light hair. His flawless skin and rosy lips were tempting his lips to explore. He knew—he just knew—he’d never have a hard time remembering the sleeping boy before him.

  A little while later, there was a soft knock on the door, and Damon and Syed walked in carrying a “get well soon” balloon tied to a gorgeous vase of flowers. He’d told them he’d meet them downstairs, so they didn’t bother Asher, but apparently, they’d ignored him. When he turned to glance at Asher, the shallow fast breaths he was taking, coupled with the stricken, confused look on his face, had Thornton’s protective instincts coming forward.

  He moved to sit on the side of Asher’s bed, clasped his hand, and hastened to explain. “Asher, I’m sorry. These are my closest friends, Damon and Syed Antoun. I just asked them to stop by to bring me a change of clothes, but I told them to wait for me downstairs.”

  He gave both men a pointed look, ignored by Damon, who strode forward, placed the flowers on the side table by the bed, and extended his hand towards Asher, who, though he seemed intimidated and somewhat nervous, took it, trying to smile through his unease. Though Thornton didn’t miss the slight trembling of his hand.

  Fuck.

  Something made him want to shove his friend away from Asher, to protect him, even though he knew Damon wouldn’t hurt a fly. He stood to at least pull his friend back when Syed did it for him. “Damon, you’re scaring the poor boy. Stop looming over him like a hulking brute.”

  Damon, his enormous best friend who often forgot his size—which topped out at six-foot-five and 255 pounds of muscle—could scare mere mortals, straightened and let loose Asher’s hand, chastened by his husband and Dom’s stern voice. He stepped back immediately, a frown marring his perfectly chiseled features which turned into a teasing smile when he looked at Thornton. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to meet the man who could so easily convince our Thornton here to give up his creature comforts to sleep in a hospital recliner.”

  Though his friend’s smile was sweet—charming, even—and he’d genuinely been teasing without any malice whatsoever, the worried frown on Asher’s face made Thornton’s heart skip a beat. When the boy turned his gaze on him, Thornton moved closer, wanting to softly rub the wrinkles between the boy’s brows until the worry lines smoothed out. Asher’s beautiful eyes captured him, as they always seemed to do, and he nearly missed it when Asher whispered, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think about how uncomfortable you might be.”

  The guilt he saw on Asher’s face made his heart sink. He stepped forward and clasped Asher’s hand, sitting beside him on the bed again and casting a pleading look at Syed, who tugged on his husband’s arm at the same time he apologized for barging in unannounced. Damon followed it up with, “I fucked that up, didn’t I?” Damon looked from him to Asher, genuine concern in his gaze. “I’m sorry. I was teasing Thornton, not you.”

  Syed smiled and reached up to grip his sub’s neck, reassuring Damon he wasn’t angry as he addressed Asher. “We’ll just be going. It was nice to meet you, Asher. We’re sorry we invaded your space.”

  He put the bag of Thornton’s clothes and toiletries he’d been holding by the foot of the bed and turned to go. Syed gave an apologetic look to Thornton as he turned towards the door. Loving both of his friends equally for realizing Asher was overwhelmed and working to put him at ease, Thornton turned back to Asher, who was watching them retreat.

  “You don’t—” Asher’s voice was gruff, so he cleared his throat and tried again. “You don’t have to leave. It’s okay.”

  Thornton could see the words had cost Asher. That he was still anxious. Thornton didn’t know what was wrong or why Asher was worried, but it was enough that he was. Thornton turned towards Syed and Damon, knowing as a Dom, Syed would see the same thing he did and realize what needed to be done. He watched as Damon gave Syed a pleading smile, but Syed only shook his head. “We weren’t planning on staying, and we both have to get back to work. Asher, it was great meeting you. I hope we’ll meet again sometime soon.”

  Asher, looking surprised, said softly, “Oh, that’s… Thank you. You too.”

  Damon gave Asher a genuine smile. “I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable. It wasn’t my intention. I often forget I’m like a bull in a china shop.”

  Asher’s shoulders relaxed a bit, and his smile was sweet. “It’s okay. I get nervous at silly things.”

  Damon’s expression was kind when he answered, “They’re not silly to you. We don’t always have control over what makes us nervous.” Damon leaned closer to the bed and whispered, “I’m afraid of heights and needles.”

  Asher’s grin widened, finally putting Thornton at ease, and his heart swelled when Asher whispered back, “I’m afraid of rats and snakes.”

  Damon smiled. “See? Not silly at all.”

  Asher blushed and looked down at his hands in his lap. Syed cleared his throat. “Come, Damon.”

  “Yes, Sir.” Damon smiled and waved at them, walking through the door Syed held open for him.

  The confused look on Asher’s face didn’t go unnoticed. When people that weren’t in the lifestyle heard one man calling another Sir, it tended to put that look on their faces. But he had a feeling Asher wouldn’t ask, and he knew it wasn’t the time. “I’m sorry about that.”

  B
efore he’d even finished talking, Asher was shaking his head. “It’s okay. I’m sorry I acted so weird. I…” He wrung his fingers together and gazed back up at Thornton. “I have a lot of stupid fears. From driving to busy public spaces to strangers approaching me, it’s… a lot.”

  “Like Damon said, they’re not silly or stupid—they just are. Fears don’t always make a lot of sense, and rarely do people have control over their own.” Asher nodded but otherwise kept quiet. Thornton’s heart hurt for the young man, and as much as he wanted to know what Asher had gone through that made him constantly battle his fears, he didn’t want to pry. At least not yet. But if he had anything to say about it, he’d be prying into Asher’s life in many ways. Only time would tell.

  Later on that evening, when there was a knock on Asher’s door, Thornton saw the tension in Asher’s frame, so he reached over and placed his palm over Asher’s fisted hand. But when two beautiful women walked in carrying flowers and balloons, concerned looks on their faces, he felt Asher’s body relax.

  “Oh, Asher! Honey, I’ve been so worried. How are you feeling?” This from the tall woman with silver hair in some sort of curly updo that made her appear both regal and approachable. She bustled in, no nonsense, and placed the huge vase of flowers on the countertop along the back of the room.

  “I’m okay, Jenn. Just a little banged up.”

  The other woman—tiny, with naturally red hair shorn in a pixie style—had her arms crossed over her chest and was giving Thornton a thorough onceover. As the older woman fussed over Asher, the younger one, who he assumed was Madi, approached him. “So, you’re Thornton.’

  He smirked. “And you must be Madi, the protective best friend.”

  He squeezed Asher’s hand—an act Madi watched with interest—before he stood up to shake her hand in greeting. “It’s nice to meet you, Madi.”

  She met his gaze head-on, and he decided he already liked her when she narrowed her eyes and finally grabbed his hand in a surprisingly strong grip. “You too. Are you taking good care of our boy?”

  He felt the need to clarify he was there taking care of his boy, but he ignored his instincts, knowing they were ridiculous and would more than likely never come to fruition. “As long as he’ll let me.”

  She smirked at that and finally released his hand. She moved to Asher’s bed and gently sat down, clasping Asher’s hand in hers as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek. “You look like shit, kid.”

  Asher chuckled, sucked in a startled breath, and clutched his side. “Dammit, Madi, you can’t make me laugh.”

  “Well, I’m sorry. But you need to stop getting run over by cars, okay?” But Thornton could tell the fact she’d been the cause of Asher’s fresh pain was making her feel awful. She rubbed up and down his arm. He watched as Asher turned his arm over and held his hand open for her. She clasped it again and brought it up to her cheek, leaning in closer to whisper, “I’m sorry, Ash. I love you. I don’t want you hurting. I’ve been a wreck all day.”

  “I’m okay. Really. Where’s Gigi?”

  “She’s with the sitter still. Molly said she could stay and make dinner for her while I came to see you. My girl is gonna be beside herself when I tell her what happened. When can you leave?”

  Asher sighed and spoke to both ladies when he said, “Tomorrow.”

  “I’ll be working. How are you going to get home?”

  He saw Asher tense up and had to step in. “I’ll take you home, if you’re okay with that?”

  He thought he saw the tension in Asher’s shoulders ease as he nodded. “Yeah. That would be great. Thank you.” Asher turned back to Madi. “But I don’t think I’ll be able to work right away.”

  Jenn, sitting in a chair on the other side of his bed, replied, “Of course not. I’ve already worked the schedule to pull extra staff in for a while, and people that were on part time, hoping for more hours, are very happy right now.”

  “I’ll come back to work as soon as I can. I don’t want to be gone too long. I know you were supposed to tell us something today, and I messed that up.”

  Madi rolled her eyes. “Oh, don’t get me started. She won’t even tell me what it was about. Said she wanted us both to be together when she told us.”

  Both employees turned to their employer, and Jenn flushed under the scrutiny. “I don’t think now is the time. It can wait until you’re back with us. I want you to focus on getting well. I’ll email you the paperwork for short-term disability. I want you to be covered if you have to be out for several weeks.”

  Asher shook his head, and Thornton could tell he was getting agitated. “I shouldn’t be out that long. Maybe just a week or two.”

  Jenn gave a sad shake of her head. “Asher, fractured ribs take a while to heal. That and your concussion? I think you’ll be out for several weeks. Three to four at least.”

  Asher’s horrified expression, coupled with the way his free hand gripped the blanket on his lap in a tight, shaking fist, let him know the boy wasn’t coping well with that info. “No, it shouldn’t be that long. I’ll figure it out.”

  Jenn merely gave him a noncommittal shrug. “Whatever happens, we’ll make sure we handle it so that you have enough time to get well before you come back to join us. There’s no rush.”

  “Can you please tell us what you wanted to talk to us about?”

  Jenn shook her head. “It’s not a big deal. I don’t want it to worry you. We’ll talk about it when—”

  “Jenn, you know him. You know this will eat him up, and he’ll worry himself into a panic attack if you don’t tell us. You might as well get it over with.”

  When Jenn gave him a look, Thornton stood. “I can step outside if you all need me to.” He reached across the bed to shake her hand. “And sorry, I’m Thornton, the guy who…” He cleared his throat and gave Madi a droll glance. “Ran Asher over with my car.”

  He felt a bit better when Asher let go of his fisted blanket to cover his face and shake his head. “Oh my god. Madi, you’re awful.” Asher gazed up at him imploringly. “I’m sorry. She didn’t mean that.”

  Thornton smiled. “Yes, she did.”

  At the same time Madi replied, “Yes, I did.”

  An exasperated noise passed through Asher’s throat as he rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “You’re both ridiculous.”

  Thornton stepped around Madi and in closer to Asher. “It sounds like maybe Jenn has something she wants to talk to you about. Why don’t I give you all some privacy?”

  “No! I’m sure she can…” Asher’s gaze turned to Jenn’s. “Is it okay if he stays while you tell us?”

  Jenn’s brows rose, but she shrugged. “I suppose it doesn’t matter if he hears.”

  Thornton gazed back down to Asher, trying to decipher what was going on in the boy’s head. “I’m happy to step out…” At the quick shake of Asher’s head that both women probably missed, his mind was made up, but just to be sure, he had to ask. “Asher, would you like me to stay?”

  The relieved look on the boy’s face went a long way towards settling down his protective instincts at the thought of having to leave the boy, even for just a few minutes. “Yes. Please, stay.”

  He ran his hand up and down Asher’s upper arm and would have touched his cheek if he didn’t feel like both women were hyper-aware of every move he was making. He sat back down in the lounge chair and gave them as much privacy as he could by picking up his iPad and pretending to get some work done.

  Jenn sighed. “This isn’t exactly how I saw this discussion happening, but I guess this is as good a time as any. You both are my best employees, and the passion you have for your jobs is something that makes me grateful to have both of you working at The Glasshouse. You’ve both been a huge part of making my business the success it is, and for that, I’m so thankful.”

  Thornton glanced up to check on Asher and saw his face had lost color. He gave it another moment before standing to lend his support when Madi cried, “Oh my god. Are you dying? W
hy the speech? Just spit it out—you’re killing us!”

  Thornton smiled when Asher rolled his eyes at her. “Madi, you’re being ridiculous. I doubt she’d tell us she’s dying by starting with telling us how great we are. Let her talk.”

  Jenn merely raised her brows at both of them, obviously knowing them well enough to wait them out. “Don’t be shoving me in a grave too soon, Madi. What I’m actually doing is planning to retire.”

  Both Asher and Madi gasped, so Jenn plowed on, doing what Thornton was assuming was trying to allay their fears. “It’s not going to be an immediate thing. My goal is six months, but that can change if it needs to. Anthony and I would like to start traveling.”

  Asher, obviously confused, asked, “Do you need to hire that manager you’ve always wished you’ve had, so you can take time to do what you want?”

  Jenn smiled at him, shaking her head. “No. Actually, I wanted to approach you both to see if you wanted to buy the business, become the owners.”

  Well, that was quite the offer. Thornton’s business mind kicked in and started whirling with the possibilities. So many ideas popped in his head for how that could work out when he realized both Asher and Madi were struck speechless.

  “Wait, what?” Unsurprisingly, Madi was the one that came out of her stupor first. But it looked like Asher was just as confused. Shaking her head, Madi continued, “You want us to buy The Glasshouse?”

  That had been more like a mini-shriek, and Thornton had to cough to cover up a laugh and look down at his iPad when Madi turned to glare at him. He heard Jenn sigh and glanced up. She had a smile on her face, though, and turned it on both of them. “I do, but only if you’re interested in doing so. I don’t want to saddle you with the responsibility if it isn’t something you’d feel impassioned about doing.”

  When neither of her employees had anything to say, their utter shock obvious, Jenn continued, “I know you both love your jobs. You’ve expressed as much to me many times over the years. I trust you both implicitly, and I know if you decided it was something you wanted, you’d be wonderful, responsible, passionate business co-owners. But it is an enormous amount of work and responsibility, and you may not want that so early on in your careers. I understand that. Regardless, I’ll be looking for a buyer. I just wanted to check with you both first, before I looked elsewhere.”