Settling Down (6 page)

“Good, good,” Mom replied, nearly dragging both men toward Jae’s car. “Did you know that Jae calls Timothy his ‘pet’?”

“Mom!” Jae sputtered, happily freeing himself once they got to the car. “That was actually meant to be private.”

“Then why were you saying it over the phone in public?”

“Were you snooping, Sun? The boy went outside to take that call.” Dad slipped into the backseat.

“I was not snooping. I wanted to remind him that it was getting late—before you started talking up food—or we would have been out there all night.”

Jae started the car once they were all inside and buckled. “Still, Mom, it’s not something I really wanted you to know.”

Like the other details of his sex life, which he was great at keeping off his parents’ radar. It wasn’t out of shame; it just wasn’t their business, and he sure as hell didn’t want to talk about “Oh, I like calling my lovers my pets and spanking their asses raw. Also Timothy prefers to sit at my feet, and I love him just that way.”

“Well, you should be careful what you say where others can hear.” Sun sniffed, then turned her phone on. “If Timothy is coming with us tomorrow, is his father coming along?”

Jae bit his tongue to keep from telling her she already knew if she was paying that close attention to his phone call. That would be disrespectful and rude. “He might. Raphael might have plans, but he’ll have to ask again to be sure.”

“Plans that don’t involve his son? Why bother visiting, then?” Sun shook her head.

“There’s a lot of the city to see,” Jonghyun added. “Have you and Tim been to the Museum of Art since we were here last?”

Dad’s occasionally spacey moments to the rescue. Jae wanted to cheer for that out. “No, actually. I’m not even sure if he’s even had time to see it by himself since he arrived in town.”

“Right, he owns his own business,” Dad said approvingly. “First couple of years are the busiest and the hardest. What does he do again?”

To be blunt about it or not? Jae glanced over at his mother, who was checking her social media accounts. All she had to do was look up Tim’s name, and the cat would be out of the bag. “He owns an adult boutique.”

“Boutique,” Tim told him once, sounded a lot more on the level than
adult store
or
sex shop
.

“Oooh.” Dad was quiet a moment. “So one of those places where you can get something to spice up the bedroom?”

“Jonghyun…,” Sun said with a hint of all-too-familiar warning. “Jae, he seems a rather nice sort, so I hope his business doesn’t affect your ability to keep getting work.”

“Well, none of my clients ever ask me about what my boyfriend does for a living, so I think I’m safe.” Jae grinned, sparing her another look as he drove.

Sun did not look amused. “We’ve never seen you so serious about someone, especially someone with such an… interesting… line of work and strange hours. Oh, would that make adoption difficult?”

It actually hurt to suppress rolling his eyes. Mom’s concerns were always couched in something else, so he was never sure if what she was saying was actually what she meant. It had taken years for him to know when to dig and when to leave it alone. “That is something we’ll have to deal with, should it ever come up.”

It was a bog-standard answer, one he’d given so many times, and thankfully, this time it did the trick.

Dad helped as well, yelling excitedly from the back seat, “Hey, there’s a new exhibit at the museum! They’ve dug up some warrior statues from Central America!”

HOLDING HANDS
with Jae was nice. Jae didn’t hesitate to show this kind of affection in front of his parents, and that made Tim relax around them a bit more.

But it wasn’t enough. Frankly it was driving him a bit out of his mind.

They walked through the museum, stopping when Jae’s parents did to gaze at the various displays and installations. Tim hadn’t stopped by the place, so it was all new to him.

New and fascinating. He’d have to make time to go through by himself sometime in the future. The very distant future.

Right now he didn’t want to slow everyone down with his slack-jawed newbness.

And walking side-by-side with Jae was good enough.

“The statues aren’t as big as I hoped they would be.” Jonghyun frowned as he emerged from the crowd surrounding the newest installation. “Pity they won’t allow photos.”

Sun was right at his heels. “Indeed. Are you enjoying yourself, Tim? I hope we’re not speeding by too quickly.”

One glance at their joined hands and then back to his face. Right.

“It’s alright. I’m having a wonderful time,” Tim replied, and Jae gave his hand a squeeze. Maybe he noticed the glance as well.

“A shame your father couldn’t join us.”

“All this walking would have worn him out, so no worries. He’ll join us for lunch, though.”

It was easier than explaining that his Poppa would have found the art museum boring. Now the science museum he was seeing with Reggie and the help of a rental scooter, that was more up his ally. Tim actually wanted to see them both.

“Oh good, I can’t wait to meet him.” Sun looked to her left and sighed. “Jonghyun’s moved on.”

She went after him, and he and Jae followed at a slower pace. “Does that happen a lot? Your dad wandering off?”

“Yup. Attention span of a goldfish,” Jae replied with a nuzzle to his hair. “Missed you.”

“It’s only been a few days.” A few hellish Max-filled days where Tim wanted nothing but to hide in his Sir’s arms until it all went away, but only a few days.

Jae tightened his grip enough to stop him. “Oh? You didn’t miss me?”

The tease in his eyes made Tim’s knees weak. “Only a little.”

“I’ll fix that.” Jae leaned down, and Tim raised his face to receive the kiss.

“Jae-joon!”

They both turned toward Sun, who looked more than a little peeved. “I’ve lost your father—again. You need to help me keep an eye on him. You’re usually so good at that.”

…until I showed up
, Tim added mentally as a flush crept up his neck. Right. Smooching in public wasn’t the best idea, anyway. He started to pull away, but Jae hadn’t let go of him.

He was looking around and then nodded to his left. “He’s over at the Ecuadorian pottery displays.”

Sun turned to that direction, then back to them. “I am just saying, I don’t like having him out of my sight.”

“I know, Mom. Don’t worry. He hadn’t even left this section.”

It took way too long for Sun to finally go to her husband. Tim started to apologize, but Jae’s peck on the lips muffled most of it.

“Don’t apologize. I think Mom’s realizing that I might have my attention on you more than them.”

“But what if your dad really does get lost?”

“He’s got a short attention span until it matters. How else do you think he manages his own place? He’s never done anything to worry Mom too much. Now come on. That’s a permanent display that you can probably linger on before something else catches his eye.”

That was the rhythm of the rest of the visit, following Jonghyun around, Sun giving them vague looks, and Jae not letting any of it bother him.

They ended the trip at the gift shop, where Jonghyun tossed Tim a plush virus. “It’s the flu!”

“So I can tell my friends that my boyfriend’s father gave me the flu?” Tim chuckled. He actually was starting to like Jonghyun. The man’s enthusiasm for everything that crossed his path was infectious. As the flu. “Sure thing!”

“Wouldn’t an STD be more appropriate?” Sun asked. “Given what you do for a living?”

Tim spun his head to where Sun stood, near the other plush microbes. “What I do for a living?” he asked, hurt blooming in his chest.

“Well, your work is very ‘adult,’ so I would think that you would find these more compelling.”

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing and looked from Jonghyun, who had moved on to the earth magnets, then to Jae, who was looking at his mother like she was something to study.

Well, he wasn’t going to let that slide. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to imply here.”

She blinked, seemingly very confused. “Jae, you told us he owned a boutique, but when I searched online….”

“Oooh,” Jae drawled out and put a hand on Tim’s shoulder. “And you saw where he offers safer sex supplies.”

And then it was Sun’s turn to blush and look around. “Jae, not in public!”

Jae didn’t seem fazed. “So an STD plushie would make more sense because of that. That’s what she means, right, Mom?”

“What? Of course that’s what I meant!” Sun snapped, then went over to Jonghyun’s side. “We have enough magnets on the fridge.”

Tim blinked, confused and unsure what to do. “What the hell just happened?”

“Communication isn’t her strong suit.”

“Language barrier?”

“Nope. In Korean or English, that’s Mom. Do you really want that flu plush?”

Tim forgot he was still holding it. “Sure. I’m not gonna turn down a gift. As odd as it makes me feel right now.”

“Don’t worry, the more you’re around them, the more you’ll ‘get’ them. But trust me, I will not let even them insult you, understand? I’m not ashamed of what you do or who we are.”

God, Jae holding him would feel so good right now. He couldn’t deal with trying to decipher Sun’s expressions and words on top of everything else.

Before he knew it, a little whimper escaped his mouth. Needy. He needed to feel stable again. Jae wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Shhhh, it’s okay. Just a few days more, all right?”

He would have to. There was no other choice. He could wait on his Sir. He would keep it together on his own.

“Hey, Jae, you don’t have these magnets on your fridge? What do you think of these?”

Jonghyun held up two packages of planets while Sun rolled her eyes at him.

“I could use one of them?” Jae answered, moving them both toward the display.

“Oh good. I can use the other pack in the kitchens. I think that would amuse the staff, right, Sun?”

And then Tim saw it, a tiny smile on her lips as she addressed her husband. “No, but there’s no stopping you.”

That smile was strange in a day of glances, but it gave Tim a moment of relief. There was something about her that her husband and son appreciated, after all. It wouldn’t hurt him to be patient with her.

IT SAID
something when returning to work was more relaxing than being off.

At the shop things were more certain. Open up shop, count money, check inventory, bring in the mail, bring in boxes, help customers, kick out the creeps, close the register, check inventory again, close up shop.

And he was alone at the end of the shift, Gloria earning herself a night off as thanks for covering for him. The last of the gift bundles were all done, boxed up and ready for him to bring along on Saturday. Business was great. He even sold one of the long-term cock cages. Those didn’t exactly sell like hotcakes.

Pity he was so horny he couldn’t stand it. Damn Jae for reminding him how good sex with another could be. They certainly couldn’t get it on at Jae’s place, not with his parents across the hallway. Gags only muffled so much sound.

And using his own toys when he slept in his own bed last night wasn’t enough. Nothing smelled like Jae. Nothing tasted like Jae. Nothing held him down and fucked him until he couldn’t remember his own name like Jae. Nothing was like Jae.

Tim checked his phone for messages. One from Poppa wishing him a good night. He had a great time on the pier with David and Reggie that day. Tim owed those two a homemade meal or something for taking the reins and entertaining his father while he worked. If Jae only had someone to do the same.

After the visit to the museum, Tim managed to relax a bit around Jonghyun and Sun. Sun seemed a bit wary still, but it was easier to not take immediate offense thanks to Jae stepping in to wrestle the true meaning of what his mother was saying. It wasn’t easy, especially after she called Tim a “houseboy” after watching him put away and wash dishes after making lunch before work yesterday. It didn’t help she told Jae he was being lazy again for not doing it for his parents.

“Tim enjoys doing all of this for me, and for you.” How Jae could be so casual about that rebuke, not even raising his voice, made Tim weak in his knees even from the kitchen sink. He never needed to yell to get his point across.

“Does he do everything for you, lazy boy?”

Jae’s response was in Korean, and Tim swore internally. It wasn’t as if he needed to know what they were saying all the time, but this was about him, damn it.

There was a pause, and then Sun said, her voice in wonder, “Ah, I see. Well, you can at least bring these wineglasses to the sink.”

“Yes, Mom.”

And that was that. Tim couldn’t even ask what changed her mind because that would just be nosy as hell right then and there.

They did take up Jae’s time, though. Other than the night they picked up Poppa, Jae had been playing host to his parents, taking them to their favorite spots, hanging out at home with them, all while working. When he said he’d need all-nighters to finish his project, he meant it. It worried Tim to know his Sir was running on caffeine and parental obligations. He hoped they at least allowed him to sleep a little during the day.

While Tim was saying his good-byes and heading out to open the shop that day, Sun called from the office, “Jae, why do you have so many candles in this closet?”

Tim felt his face flush, and for a moment, his and Jae’s eyes met. The flash of heat between them nearly made Tim whimper. Oh, those candles Tim assumed were safely hidden away reminded him so much of submitting to his Sir.

Jae broke eye contact and rushed into the office to probably make up another clever story about their presence, and Tim had to swallow his arousal and get his work game face on.

At least the feeling was mutual.

He had one text from Jae waiting for him after he was done closing up.

Tim, I’m coming over at closing. Be ready for me.

Christ, how did he do that? How did Jae make Tim’s entire body heat up so fast he worried the phone’s case might melt?