Composing a Family
Page 17
“Anything you want.” Daniel shifted until the babies were settled on him. “I missed you all.”
Melody was on Daniel’s chest, sighing softly.
“Not as much as the girls missed you. You’re their entire world, Daddy.”
“Did you miss me too?”
“God, yes. And not just because I had to deal with grumpy diapers times three without you. The bed is too big without you. Hell, the whole house is. I miss your… I miss your music.” It was the best way he could come up with to describe it.
“I know. I like it here, where life is us.”
Harmony picked that moment to start crying, which set off the other two. Ten leaned his forehead against Daniel’s shoulder. “Say that again in fifteen minutes when they won’t stop.” He kissed Daniel’s cheek and stood. “I’m going to grab their bottles and see if they won’t eat.”
He heard Daniel begin to sing for the babies, the sound ringing out. He had a feeling it was going to help—it soothed him, after all, and he hadn’t even known it all of his life the way the girls had.
When he got back to the living room, Mel, Harm, and Kyrie were still fussing, but not that loudly—they’d definitely calmed some. “Who are you feeding and who are you passing over?”
“I’ll take Melody and Kyrie, and then we’ll switch off in the middle.” Daniel started feeding babies. “So what did you need to talk to me about?”
Ten grabbed up Harmony and teased the bottle between her lips, sighing with relief when she latched on and began sucking strongly. He’d been worried she was going to keep fussing. “I have something to talk to you about?” Had he said he did? Oh right. The whole hiring another manny thing so they could travel with Daniel. “I’m not sure how I feel about all the ramifications yet, but Matt and I were talking about how much nicer it would be if the girls and I could go with you.”
“When I travel? That’s… that’s intense to think about, you and me and three babies.”
“Oh yeah. I don’t think it would work unless there was another nanny. And… well, Matt asked if I’d be okay with that and I’m not sure that I am. I need to think about it, you know?” Not that it was his decision in the end. It was Daniel’s.
“Well, if you want to hire a nanny, if you think we need one, do it.”
“We’d only need one for travelling, but the thing is, I’m not sure how I feel about there being another nanny for the girls.” It was who he was.
“Do you feel like the nanny?”
“Well, that’s who I am.” It wasn’t the usual nanny gig—he got to have Daniel as his lover, too.
“That’s not what I asked you.”
“I feel like… I feel like I’m more than just the nanny,” he admitted. The girls and Daniel were his life.
“I want you to be more than the nanny.”
“Oh good. I know I’m not their father like you are, but…” In his heart he was.
“Do you want to be, though? I mean, are you interested in…” Daniel’s face was bright red, and Mel started fussing as she lost the nipple.
Ten reached over and gently pushed the nipple back between Mel’s lips. Then he took a deep breath and looked Daniel in the eyes. “I love them like they’re my own. I mean, I did with my last family, too, but I always knew I wasn’t their parents. But the girls… they have a special place in my heart and I think of them as mine as well as yours, and if that’s overstepping, I’m sorry, but it’s how I feel.” Whether it was because he was such a huge part of their lives right from birth—from before birth, even—or because he was in love with their father, or a combination of things, he didn’t know. But it was the truth and Daniel deserved to know that. Hell, the girls deserved to know he loved them as much as anyone ever would.
“I would like you to be theirs. Ours.” Daniel rolled his eyes. “It’s easier in music. I love you. I want you to be my partner, not the nanny.”
“Oh… Oh, Daniel.” He knew he was being sappy, but he didn’t care. He pressed their foreheads together and swallowed hard. “Yes, please. I want to belong to all four of you.”
“Okay, then. You’ll have to decide if we need another nanny. Later. I’m going to stay home for the next six months or so. Eat pizza, write, love on you, spend time with my babies.”
He nudged Daniel. “If I’m not the nanny anymore, then it wouldn’t be ‘another,’ it would be a nanny, full stop. And if you’re staying home for the next six months, we don’t need anyone else to help us with the girls. We’ve got this.” If the situation changed after that and Daniel started travelling again, then they could rethink it. And as he wasn’t ‘the’ nanny, he wouldn’t have a problem having ‘a’ nanny. If they needed one.
“Oh good.” Daniel grinned at him, eyes exhausted behind the little round glasses. “So, I want to be Daddy. You can be anything else, fair?”
He nodded—this was so much more than he’d hoped for. “More than fair. Maybe Pop or Poppa for me?” It was different enough it wouldn’t confuse the girls.
“I’m happy with that. I think I’d like to call you husband.”
“We’d have to be married for that,” he noted.
“You know, you’re right. We would.”
“So…” Was this a proposal? Like the weirdest most awkward one ever, but a proposal nonetheless? He didn’t want to assume, though.
“So will you? Marry me, I mean? Give the girls their fathers, their family?”
“Yes, I will.” This time he leaned in and kissed Daniel hard. “I so very much will.”
“Good.” So goofy, his beautiful musical lover.
He laughed, his earlier grumpiness and frustrations melting away under the joy in his heart. “I love you.”
“Very good.” Daniel kissed the top of Kyrie’s head. “It’s good to be home.”
“Yeah, it really is.” He settled his hand on Daniel’s thigh, connecting them all together.
How had a shit day become this? Of course, the answer to that was sitting right next to him. Daniel was absolutely magical.
Daniel and their babies.
Kyrie started fussing in his arms, and he could only smile and bounce her gently. She was going to be okay. They all were. Daniel began to snore and Ten laughed silently. It was the perfect coda to the day.
Chapter Sixteen
Daniel stared at the lights on the tree, bouncing Harmony on his shoulder and singing. She didn’t want to sleep. Four in the morning seemed to be her jam. Tenor wasn’t worried. He’d said that every baby was different and as long as she was healthy, getting enough to eat, and sleeping well it didn’t matter when she slept or was awake.
It certainly gave him time to bond with her.
He sang Christmas carols, one after another, loving how she cooed at him.
A soft chuckle sounded from the doorway and he turned to find Tenor, his hair sticking up from his head, his cheek still showing the imprint of his pillow. “I was wondering where the two of you had gotten to.”
“Someone is ready for Santa.”
Harmony cooed and wiggled, her eyes lit up at the sight of Tenor.
Tenor held out his hands for her. “Ho, ho, ho?”
She pushed into Tenor’s arms with a gurgle.
“You want a cup of cocoa, lover?” He stepped close and took his kiss.
“Mmm. Good morning. I think it’s morning anyway.” Tenor rubbed their noses together and took another kiss. “Mel and Kyr have been changed, bottled, and are back to sleep.”
“She might go back soon. Who knows?” He could go back to sleep.
Tenor gave her a look. “Are you tired again, sweet Harmony?” He put her in the crook of his arm and swung her gently. “Oh yeah, look at those eyes fighting to stay open.” Tenor smiled at him. “Come upstairs, love. Let’s all get a couple hours more sleep.”
Tenor took his
hand, leading him up the two flights of stairs to their rooms at the top of the house. And it was Tenor who laid Harmony down with her sisters. She fussed for a half a second before realizing that she was where she wanted to be. Then she settled happily against Mel’s back.
They climbed into the bed, curling together, drawing their bodies together.
Tenor rubbed their noses together in a gesture that had become increasingly familiar. “Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas, lover.” He breathed against Tenor’s lips. “Love you.”
“Love you too, husband-to-be.”
Daniel drew Tenor in close, rocking them together. Tenor closed the distance between their lips, kissing him softly.
Daniel pulled the blankets up around them, cocooning them.
“God, you’re the sexiest man I know.”
“Mmm… You’re perfect.” Daniel kissed Tenor lazily, sweet and slow, his eyelids already heavy.
Tenor hummed and rub their bodies closer together. His hands began to wander with no seeming plan, just touching. Soft music filled the air, and he sighed, his heart full.
After some time, Tenor grabbed his ass, pulling their groins together, their cocks rubbing. “So pretty,” he murmured.
“You are.” Tenor grinned, telling him that his lover knew darn well Daniel hadn’t meant himself.
“We are. Together.” He took a long kiss, his balls aching.
“Uh-huh.” Tenor rolled them, putting him beneath his lover. Then Tenor moved, undulating them together.
He wrapped his legs around Tenor’s waist, bringing them together faster. Grunting, Tenor took his hint and moved with him, driving against him. He loved this, how his lover went from zero to sixty in no time. Tenor dragged him along too, speeding them toward orgasms.
They were getting really good at this, at stealing these moments. Making the most of the times they had together.
“Best Christmas morning ever,” muttered Tenor.
“Yes. God yes.” They were all home, all of them.
Tenor looked into his eyes, his own happiness reflected there, surrounded by pleasure.
“Come with me, love. Come with me.”
Tenor nodded and brought their lips together again, breathing into him as he groaned, his body shaking. They crashed over the edge together, both of them muffling their cries.
Tenor’s movements slowed, then stopped altogether and rested their foreheads together. They panted, sharing breath.
“Nap, hmm? Then cocoa?”
“Sounds perfect.” Tenor slid off him and curled up against him. “Like every day with you.”
“Mmm… Every day.”
The Christmas lights twinkled out around the windowsills, making a pattern of rainbows dance along the floor.
End.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen