Jace dropped their shoes and socks and pulled off his suit jacket and placed it in the sand a few feet from the water where Avery was jumping back and forth. He laughed as Avery almost missed timing the waves coming in.
Standing there watching and hearing Avery’s giggle was a balm to his soul.
It hadn’t been an easy year for his boy.
Going from a part time student and working all the time to a full time student had been hard. Avery was still wary of the other students. Not that Jace could blame him. Avery had explained all about his last roommate who’s teased and taunted him. If Jace could, he’d find the little weasel and put him in his place. Not that they had to worry about it any longer.
Finally, Avery had given up his tiny apartment and moved in with Jace.
Having Avery in his space all the time was everything to Jace. They were building a home together, a future, and Jace would be lost without his boy.
He strolled forward catching Avery’s attention.
“Daddy!” Avery bounced over. “Did you bring my swim trunks? Do I get to go in the ocean?”
“I did and you do. Not tonight though. I rented us a cabana on the beach by our hotel for tomorrow. We’ll have all day to play in the water and on the shore. Just imagine how big a sandcastle you can build.”
Avery squealed and jumped, Jace found himself with an arm full of excited boy. “A sandcastle? It’s going to be so big! Like really big. Really really big.” He pulled back. “But I don’t have my shovel or bucket.” Avery pouted.
His boy was getting better at pouting, but he was still too excited to really pull it off this time.
“Is Daddy really going to bring you to the beach and not have a way for you to build a sandcastle?”
“No Daddy.” Avery grinned. “Cuz you are the best Daddy in the world.”
“Oh I am, am I?” Jace hitched Avery up higher so his boy had to wrap his legs around Jace’s waist. “I think my boy is getting cheeky. Maybe he needs to cool down.” Jace stomped toward the water’s edge.
“No Daddy! Noooooooo!” Avery giggled trying to climb up Jace. “Not the water!”
“Yes the water!” he said while laughing himself. He pretended like he was going to throw Avery in, but his boy was gripping him tightly. “I have a monkey on me!” Jace complained. “Get off monkey! Get off!”
Avery’s grip slipped as he laughed too hard.
Jace took the opportunity to slide Avery down and dangle his feet over the water. Jace’s slacks were now soaked half way up his knees but it was so worth it to see the brilliant smile and happiness in Avery’s eyes.
He lowered Avery until he was in the water just below his knees. Avery, his little minx, kicked and splashed Jace in retaliation.
“Oh I see how it is.” Jace grabbed Avery and hauled him to his chest. He kissed Avery deeply distracting the boy from any further retaliation.
Avery clung to him until Jace pulled back. Avery panted peering up at him. “This is the best night ever,” he whispered.
“I agree.” Jace tightened his arms around his boy. “Anytime I have you in my arms is the best night.”
Avery laid his cheek against Jace’s chest. Jace held his boy as the waves rocked them. It would suck getting back to the hotel, but they were on vacation, they’d live.
Avery sighed. “I’m wet Daddy.”
Jace chuckled. “Me too.”
“No Daddy.” Avery lifted his head. “I’m wet.”
“Okay baby boy. Let’s get back to the hotel and get you changed.”
“Thank you Daddy.”
Avery
Avery lifted the scuba diver out of the water before dipping him back in. His Daddy had thought of everything. Even Avery’s favorite bubbles and bath toys.
“It’s time to get you cleaned up,” Jace stated as he walked into the bathroom.
The bathroom was just as mind-blowing are the rest of the hotel room. Avery loved it. The marble tub was so big that Avery could even roll over to his stomach and stretch out. He did so, giving his Daddy a glimpse of his naked bottom. His Daddy really liked Avery’s butt. “I don’t want to.”
Jace shook his head. “It’s been a big day.” He sat on the side of the tub. “First plane ride and traveling all day. The excitement from the beach and dinner. We’ll watch some TV before bed.”
“Not tired,” he whined. He was so lying but Avery didn’t want the first day of the vacation to end.
“Bad boys get put in the corner,” Jace said. “Is that what you need?”
Avery sat up as he thought about Jace’s question. Avery would never have thought that he’d need to be put in a corner. Who would want to get punished? But when Jace disciplined him it made something inside Avery just…fill with peace. It wasn’t often he got in trouble and when he did it was usually because Avery had said something bad about himself. Or he felt unsettled and needed to be reminded that Jace loved him.
When he was done with his corner time Jace would hold him as Avery recited ten things good about himself.
“Avery? Do you need corner time?”
“I don’t think so,” he answered honestly.
Jace nodded. “It’s okay not to know. That is what Daddy is here for. To help you.”
Avery gripped the side of the tub and floated closer. “K.”
“I think you might be more tired than you want to admit but you are still listening to me and being a good boy. No corner for now.”
Avery nodded, accepting Jace’s decision.
“Please put the toys on the side of the tub to dry,” Jace requested.
Avery quickly cleaned up as Jace grabbed a washcloth and the liquid soap. They ended almost every day with a bath for Avery, so he knew what to do. He held up his arms first. Like always by
