Seven

"Have you ever tried dipping shortbread into your ice cream?" Lee said as places his empty bowl in the sink. Bradley chucks his spoon into his empty bowl and makes a face, his tongue sticking out in disgust.

"What?"

"Isn't that nasty?" Bradley asked as he also gets up to dump his bowl in the sink.

Lee turns to the CEO, his hands on his hips as he stared at the man before him. "Oooh, you don't know what you're talking about. Why don't you try it later and tell me what you think?"

"Only if you try adding a pinch of salt to your chocolate milkshake." Bradley said,

"Pleaaaase! Everyone knows that." Lee laughs, hebsodes of his eyes crinkling, nose twitching a bit. "You got that from a movie."

Bradley laughs, raising both hands up in peace. "I did but I can't remember where I saw it."

"It's uh..." Lee tried to rack his brain, the title of the movie was right in the tip of his tongue. Bradley pouts when Bradley's laughter doesn't stop, instead it got louder.

It's nice. This was nice.  It had taken a few tooocs and a few awkward chuckles for them both to become comfortable with each other. It felt so much better than it did this more, more relaxing.

That morning Lee had been happy Bradley had brought up his brother because he was thinking about how to slip in he had a six year old son and not he left hanging on a date. He never thought he would be here, talking and laughing with someone as gorgeous as Bradley with their kids playing somewhere within the house.

"Should we go see what they are up to?"

"Sure." Bradley said, taking a few steps backwards before turning around. "Which reminds me, its time for Jamie's beauty school."

"What?"

"It's that time of the day when Jamie tries to make me even more beautiful." Bradley explains as he leads Lee towards Jamie's game room. He knocks before pushing open the door. He finds Jamie and Joshua on her play mat, she's got her nail polish out. This time it's neon green.

Lee's laughter trolls out of his mouth before he could stop it.

"Baby no! Don't paint Joshua's nails."

Jamie sighs and caps the nail polish. She pursed her lips as she stared at her dad. "Well you weren't here, were you?"

Lee had to bite his bottom lip to keep his laughter in. Bradley settles down onto the play mat and lifts Joshua onto his lap. He tickles the little boy, who throws his head back as he laughs, body wiggling.

"Stttttooop."

Lee smiles at this as he also settles onto the play mat. He watched as Joshua finally settles down, holding Bradley's hand as Jamie paints his nails green, her unsteady hands splashing the colors past the cuticles.

"Besides your nails, what else would you like, Mr. daddy?" Jamie asked, her tone so serious and so was her face. Lee couldn't believe what he was seeing by he also didn't want to be left out.

"Can I get my nails painted after your dad?"

"That's Mr. Daddy to you." Joshua butts in and Lee couldn't stop laughing, his cheeks were hurting but he just couldn't stop.

Jamie hums. "I can fit you in. Would you like pink or orange nail polish?"

"Can you paint each nail a different color? One finger orange, the other pink?"

"Of course. Your bill would be two cookiesa d a dollar."

"Why two cookies and a dollar?"

"You don't question the artist." Bradley and Jamie chorus, both of them looking at Lee with serious expressions on their faces. Lee just chuckles. Joshua moves into his arms and together they watch Jamie paint her dad's nails.

"Would you like to stay for dinner?" Bradley asked. The question was so sudden, Lee who had been playing with Joshua's fingers accidentally squeezed.

"Dad!" Joshua tells.

Lee raised his son's hand to his lips and kissed it. "I'm sorry bud." Lee said, pressing a kiss to his son's hair. When he turns back to Bradley, he finds the man already staring at him, with the same look of wonder in his eyes.

"We'll love to stay for dinner."

"Dad doesn't cook but he has Chef Lou come over to make some for us some nights and tonight is one of them!" Jamie cheers, she lifts caps the nail polish and smiles brightly at Bradley. It makes him wonder if she looks more like her mother. He hasn't seen pictures of Jamie and her mother. Only pictures of Jamie and Bradley as well as a couple other people littered around the house.

"I cook but I don't know how to cook everything. I take a couple classes a month. Work won't allow for any more hours." Bradley said, trying to convince Lee who jut chuckles. Joshua climbs back onto Bradley as Jamie starts to paint Lee's nails.

"I believe you." Lee said, chuckling a bit more when Jamie shakes her head and mouths no he doesn't. Lee wants to offer, he wants to say he can cook them dinner but he didn't want to intrude and it didn't feel right to just ask when they've only knows each other for a couple of hours out together. So Chef Lou it is.

"Stop shaking."

"I'm not." Lee cries back.

"I will paint your nose." Jamie snaps at him, her eyes were narrowed and lips pursed. She looked like she was so done with his shit and really, hebhad been wiggling his fingers a bit.

"No painting of noses, Jay." Bradley scolds, pointing at his daughter who just sighs. He watched the little girl paint his nails with dedication and wonders what the hell he had been doing when he was her age.

Today had been fun. It had been everything Lee had ever hoped for but never knew could happen. He doesn't remember when last he laughed and smiled this much and he hopes he could have this for a long time.