Thawed Out (Merry Everything #4)

Chapter 11

11

T he kids were asleep and so was Kiren, but years of working nights had Flynn up and wandering.

So he cleaned a little, did some laundry, ate a sandwich, then curled up on the sofa to watch Dateline.

It was weeks after Christmas, and the tree was still up, so he didn’t bother turning on the living room lights. He just turned on the giant multicolor thing and let it glow in the darkness like a nightlight.

His practicals started tomorrow, and it would be four months of rotations—not in the hospital, but he was going to have to pull shifts whenever and wherever he could to add to the budget. He was going to be able to work in the clinic, meet people that would become his patients.

Fuck, he was scared.

“Daddy? What are you doing?” Jasper wandered in looking more awake than he should for the middle of the night and plopped down on the couch next to him. “Are you mad at Dad-Mom again?”

“What? No!” Christ, had he screwed these kids up for life? “No, son. I just couldn’t sleep. I start at the clinic tomorrow, and I’m nervous.”

“Oh.” Jasper nodded. “I have a math test tomorrow. I’m nervous too. And I have all these numbers in my head.”

“Right?” Poor baby. He got so stressed out. “So you get me. We both have big days coming.”

“Why are you nervous?” Jas looked at him, little face so serious. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Oh, good lord and butter, that was adorable. “Well, it’s a new job, and it’s the last part of school, so I want to do well, you know?”

Jas patted his knee. “They’re going to like you there. You’re smart, and you work really hard.”

“Oh, thank you. I hope so. You’re smart, and you study really hard too. I’m proud at how hard you try.” He wasn’t going to promise that Jas would do well, but he did know that his son tried.

“You got this. I know you do.” Jas seemed very sure. “Can I have a snack?”

“Yeah. You want to share a PB and J?”

“Is there strawberry jelly?”

He leaned in. “There’d better be! Let’s raid the kitchen.”

“Raid the kitchen!” Jas whispered loudly as he hopped off the couch, likely thinking he was quieter than he was.

“Mmhmm. You grab the bread, and I’ll hunt for the jelly.” Then they would eat and head back to bed.

“Bread bread bread…” Jas opened the bread drawer to get the loaf. “I got bread.”

“I got jelly and milk. Peanut butter?” God, this was fun.

He found the jelly and a knife. Jas found the peanut butter, and they were munching on their midnight snack in no time.

“Does Dad-Mom not get nervous?”

“If he does, he sure doesn’t show it, does he? He’s used to being in front of people, all the time.” He’d seen it, but not often. Kiren was a bit of a bad ass.

“That’s pretty cool. I bet he’s a good teacher. I hope I’m in his class someday.” Jas took a bite of his sandwich and talked while he was chewing. “Wouldn’t that be weird?”

“It really would.” And it wouldn’t happen. He tilted his head. “It would be hard, I think, to let school go then.”

Jas shrugged. “Maybe. I still think I’d like it.” Jas wouldn’t know or care about rules about things like that, and he’d probably change his mind by high school anyway.

They ate and chatted, and Flynn treasured this—the quiet time with his boy child. It was worth both of them losing sleep.

Jas waggled sticky fingers at Flynn when he finished. “All done, Daddy. That was a good snack.”

“Let’s clean up and head back to bed, hmm? We both have to be up in the morning, and Dad-Mom doesn’t want us fussing.”

“Yeah. I don’t want to be too sleepy for my math test. Do you feel better now?” Jas looked up at him, eyes hopeful.

“I do. Thank you so much. I think I can so sleep.” He hugged Jas tight. “Love you, son. You rock.”

“Me too.” Jas hugged him back. “I love you, Daddy. Sleep well.”

“You too. You got this? You’re good?” It was so hard to tell.

“I got this.” Jas winked at him. “I’m ready to go to bed.” He got a little wave and Jas disappeared up the stairs.

He cleaned up the food, washed the dishes, and headed upstairs. He needed to try and get some sleep.

“Coming back to bed, baby?” Kiren rolled over and folded back the covers for him.

“Uh-huh.” He slipped in and snuggled close. “Love you.”

“Did you have a good talk with Jasper? I started to come find you, but then I heard your voices. Is he okay?” Kiren was toasty under the comforter and wrapped around him.

“Mmhmm. Stressing his test tomorrow. Worried we were fighting. He ate half a sandwich.”

“We’re not fighting. And you? You’re stressing too?” Kiren’s hand slid over his abs and tucked under the waist of his pajamas.

“More worried than stressed. Big day tomorrow.” Not the biggest day. Not even in the top ten, but a big day.

“Hmm. Well, maybe I can help you relax a little.” Kiren’s fingers slid lower and wrapped around his cock, squeezing just a little.

“Oh…” His eyes crossed, and his breath caught. “Love.”

“That’s me. The love who knows how much you like when I trace this fucking sexy vein all the way up to the tip of your thick cock and press my thumb in just so.” Kiren’s tone was low and dirty.

“Kiren!” His toes curled and his eyes flew open. He hadn’t heard his husband sound like that in—years.

“Don’t wake the children, darling.” Kiren shifted lower and disappeared under the comforter.

“N-no…” He swore he was going to light on fire—boom. No question.

Kiren wasn’t gentle, and he didn’t tease. He pulled Flynn’s pajamas and briefs down just low enough, and then those hot lips were around the head of Flynn’s prick, Kiren’s tongue driving through the slit.

His leg drew up, cradling Kiren as he chewed on his knuckle to muffle his needy sounds. His balls pulled tight, and he was going from zero to sixty in no time.

And Kiren wasn’t slowing down. His cock hit the back of Kiren’s throat, and Kiren swallowed, the pressure stealing his breath for a second.

He humped up, once, twice, and then he was coming, shooting so hard his bones ached.

Flynne was still blinking the stars from his vision when Kiren settled beside him again, whispering to him and kissing his chin. “Mm. If you feel at all uncertain tomorrow, you just remember how fucking hot you are, and that I believe you can do anything. Think you can sleep on that?”

“Uhn.” He stared at Kiren. “Wow.”

“See? You sound completely brilliant.” Kiren laughed and kissed him. “Go to sleep, love. Tomorrow is a big day.”

“Love.” He felt a little drunk, but he had to admit, he fell asleep in seconds.

When he dreamed, he dreamed about Kiren.