(no subject)
Title: Real DILF Material (or, The One Where Jensen Has A Crush On Another Dad)
Author: ms_soma
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Jared/Jensen (with background Danneel/Sophia)
Word Count: ~4400
Disclaimer: I don’t own anyone or anything except for an overactive imagination.
Beta: Thanks shiplessheathen for the super-fast beta!
Story for: spn_j2_xmas written for raina_at
Prompt: Loosely based (i.e. I know nothing about baseball!) on the prompt Jared and Jensen are both single dads. Jared coaches the girls' baseball team both their daughters are members of. Bonus points for awesome!mom!Danneel.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
“Arms up, Amber! That’s it!” Danneel called from the sidelines, and Jensen clapped his hands as his daughter successfully blocked the shot and grabbed the rebound.
“Okay guys, down our end now,” Danneel instructed and the group of 7 year olds all ran to the other end of the basketball court, hands in the air and calling for the ball to be passed to them. Jensen stifled a laugh behind his hand as one of the girls ran about 5 steps before even bouncing the ball. He didn’t know how Danneel had the patience to coach the team, but as she had said earlier, if all the girls could catch and throw by the end of the season then she’d done a good job.
“Who’s the new kid?” Jensen whispered to Sophia who was sitting beside him in the bleachers. “The tall one with the long brown hair?”
“Jessica. Just moved from California,” she said as she cheered when their team got a goal.
“She in Amber’s class at school?”
“Yeah, she just started last week when you were in Vegas for that osteopath convention.”
“She’s pretty good,” Jensen said. Her skills seemed to be more advanced than the rest of the team, and he was pleased that she didn’t appear to hog the ball despite being the best player on the court.
“You’ll understand why when you meet her father.”
“You’ve met her dad?”
“I was at their training session this week and it was her first one. Her dad said they’ve played in their backyard for years, but this is the first time she’s played with an actual team.”
The game ended, and the girls had won 12-6. Danneel gave them all high-fives as they got off the court and collected their water bottles.
Amber made a beeline for Jensen.
“We won daddy! We won! And I shot a goal!” It was still a rarity for her to even put up a shot, so Jensen spread the praise on thickly.
“I know, honey. I saw it. So proud of you, squirt,” he grabbed her and tickled her belly.
“Mom, help!” she called, and Danneel looked up from where she was talking to another parent to yell “Jensen!”
“It’s a reward tickle,” he tried to defend himself.
“Tickles aren’t rewards!” she shrieked as he let go of her. “Mickey D’s is a reward.”
“What do you think, Sophia. Think Amber played well enough to get McDonald’s?”
“I think that was her best game yet.”
“Then it’s settled. As soon as your Mom is ready to go, there’s a cheeseburger with your name on it.”
***
The game the following week is a disaster. The referee isn’t as loose with the calls, and although she takes the time to explain that you can’t hit other players when they have the ball or that you have to start dribbling before you start running, the game is a constant stop-start.
“They’re 7 years old, you’d think they’d let some of the calls go,” someone next to Jensen muttered.
“My thoughts exactly,” Jensen agreed and turned to face the man. He’d met a few good looking dads in his time, but this guy would have to take the cake. If the chiseled jaw and hazel eyes weren’t enough, he had to have dimples, too.* If he ended up being single and not opposed to dick he would be exactly Jensen’s type. “I’m Jensen, Amber’s dad.”
“Jared. Jess is my little girl.” Jared reached out his hand and shook Jensen’s. “I think her and Amber are friends at school.”
Jensen remembered the conversation he had with Sophia the week before, about how he’d understand Jessica once he saw her father. She was right, he did understand. Jared was seated, but he could tell that he was taller than himself just from his leg span. He’d obviously handed his height down to his daughter, as well as his dimples and hair. Jensen gathered she must have inherited her dark eyes and button nose from her mother, but he could see the resemblance.
“I’ve heard her talk about Jess. You’ve just moved from California, right?”
“Yeah, her Mom and I split years ago, and she’s travelling a lot more with her work now, so I thought I’d move back home, be closer to my parents, you know?”
Jensen tried not to let his imagination run wild with the information that he was no longer with Jess’ mother. He’d only known him for 30 seconds, the guy could be a complete douchebag. “Oh, you’re from around here?”
“Not exactly, I grew up about a half hour away, but I managed to get a job at the high school library here, so that’s where we’ve settled. Thought getting Jess into team sports might help her make friends easier. I know she misses her friends from LA.”
“Well I know Amber talks about her at home, and Danneel said she’s fitting into the team real well.”
“Danneel’s your wife?” Jared asked.
“Oh, God no.”
“I thought she was Amber’s Mom-“
“Yeah, she’s ours. But no, we’re not together.”
“Oh, okay.” Jared looked confused but a smile pulled at his lips. “Sounds like it might be complicated?”
“It’s a long and mostly boring story, best told over a few drinks.” Jensen smiled.
“Might have to take you up on that one day.” Jared’s grin seemed a little hopeful and Jensen didn’t have enough time to put a stop to his emotions before his heart started fluttering. Jensen was not going to start crushing on a straight dad. Not again. And not after only knowing the guy for two minutes. Jensen wasn’t as shallow as he was in his younger years, going out with a guy because he was good looking and later finding out that he was also kind of an asshole. But damn, Jared fit the bill of DILF so easily.
***
“Hey, Jared, come in.” Jensen stepped back from the door to let Jared through. It had been about a month since they’d met and since then they’d been hanging out regularly at every basketball game the girls had. Jensen was getting to know him and his wicked sense of humor. Jensen got to hear all about how many teenagers think they’re not going to get caught making out in between the shelves at the school library, and Jensen tried to explain what osteopathy was to Jared, and how long it took to build up a client base.
Of course, Jared not being an asshole meant that Jensen’s potential crush wasn’t so potential anymore. He found himself at the games being distracted by Jared’s large hands, imagining feeling them across his body. Or fantasizing about Jared’s strong muscles flexing as he carries Jensen to his bed and-
“So is Jess ready to go?”
Jensen shrugged himself out of his fantasy.
“Uh, you might have a hard time getting those three girls apart. The last time I checked in on them they were in the middle of some epic game. I think it involves unicorns.”
“That would be Jess’ doing. She loves unicorns,” Jared said. “But I can go and get her if you’ve got stuff to do?”
“Nah, let them go a bit longer if you want to stay for coffee or something? Sarah’s staying the night so it’s not like you’re imposing.”
Jared’s face flushed and Jensen could see a shy half smile form, and God, those dimples. “Actually, coffee would be real good.”
They walked into the kitchen where Danneel, having heard their conversation, was warming up the coffee maker and Sophia was seated at the table doing the crossword.
“Honey, what’s an 11-letter word for annoying? Starts with A?” Sophia asked as they sat at the table with her.
“Do you have any other letters?” Danneel asked, getting mugs down from the cupboard. “Hi Jared.”
“Hey Danneel, Sophia,” Jared greeted, and Jensen could see him trying to figure out their situation in his head. For all that Jared and Jensen talked every Saturday morning at the girls’ basketball game, they never once got into the dynamics of each others families.
“Third letter is G, if that helps?” Sophie said.
“Aggravating?” Jared offered, taking a seat opposite her at the table.
“Yes! Which means 19 down is ‘invoke’, 22 down is ‘chili’, and I have completed this crossword!”
“Don’t mind her,” Danneel said to Jared, walking up behind Sophia. “My girlfriend’s a bit of a crossword puzzle geek.”
“Hey!” Sophia exclaimed, but leaned up for a kiss anyway.
“I hope Jess hasn’t been any trouble today,” Jared said. She and their other friend Sarah had come around after basketball to play with Amber.
“They’ve been pretty good,” Danneel told him as she poured them all coffee. “They had one fight when Sarah wanted to watch the Summer Days DVD and Jess didn’t want to all. Sarah accused Jess of being a liar because Jess said her Mom was in the movie, but they calmed down pretty quick. Anyway, I got them to compromise and watch The Little Mermaid instead and feel like it was their idea.”
“Which is why she’s the best lawyer in the state.” Sophia grinned and slapped her hand on Danneel’s thigh.
Jared scratched the back of his neck uneasily. “Uh, yeah. We have Summer Days at home and she only watches it now when she’s really missing her Mom. She wasn’t lying. Jess wasn’t lying. Her Mom is in it.”
“Oh, really?” Danneel asked, and Jensen knew that curious look of hers, like she was trying to make the tumblers in her head fall into place on their own.
“Yeah, and Jess has seen it a million times seeing as it’s the only kid friendly movie she ever made.”
Jared looked a bit uncomfortable in his seat and Jensen decided to let him off the hook. “It’s okay, Jared. You don’t need to tell us about your sordid past with some actress.”
“She wasn’t, I mean, when we met she wasn’t an actress. Not yet-“
“It’s okay, man.”
“Make you a deal. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours?” Jared offered. Jensen knew Jared was curious about them, and if he knew Danneel, she wouldn’t let Jared leave without finding out the whole story from him.
And he was right. At Jared’s offer Danneel’s eyes lit up like Christmas was coming early. She loved gossip almost as much as she loved Sophia, and seeing as she’d watched that movie a few times with Amber, he knew she would be dying to hear the story.
“Deal,” Danneel said for them. “But you better stay for dinner. This will take both pizza and wine.”
***
Halfway through their second bottle of wine, Danneel decided that Jess may as well just stay the night with Sarah and Amber. The girls were far from disappointed in this news and set about trying to find Jess some pajamas which would fit her taller frame.
“Just sleep in your basketball shorts, honey,” Jared told her.
“Amber’s got a tank that’s nice and soft and will fit you,” Danneel said.
“Am I supposed to Skype with Mommy tonight?” Jess asked quietly.
“That’s tomorrow night, you won’t miss her, I promise.” Jared kissed her gently on the head and Danneel went to Amber’s room with the girls to get them ready for bed and tuck them in. Five minutes later she returned.
“Okay, so tell us more,” she said eagerly, topping up everyone’s glass of wine. “You were really honest to God married to Claudia Richards?”
“Honest to God,” Jared said, hand on heart and a smile on his face. They were all a bit bolder for having had a few glasses of wine each, and Jensen loved seeing Jared relax with them more and more as the hours passed.
“How do you even meet someone like her?” Sophia asked. Jensen could understand the wonder at that. Claudia Richards was known to be slightly aloof with the media, beautiful with her rich dark hair, fine features, and big dark eyes. She was an Oscar nominated actress and well sought after ever since an indie film she starred in made it to mainstream cinema.
“It’s a lot more simple in college,” Jared explained. “We were in drama together.”
“Love at first sight?” asked Sophia, ever the romantic.
“Definitely not. I had to chase her. She refused to go out with me because I was bisexual. Said in her experience that bisexuals always ended up with men.”
Jensen was nodding his head when what Jared had said sunk in. Jared was bisexual? That meant he was interested in men, right? Jensen’s brain started firing again and his internal dictionary reminded him that it was the exact definition of being bi. Which didn’t necessarily mean he could be interested in Jensen, but still-
Danneel reached over to cover Sophia’s ears and stage whispered “don’t give her any ideas!”
“It was just her opinion. Doesn’t mean it was accurate,” Jared quickly corrected, taking another sip of his wine. “I don’t know? We ended up dating for a few years, got married when we were 22, and we fell apart a few years later, just when she was starting to get successful.”
“Was it because of her fame?” Danneel asked.
Jared shook his head. “Nah, we were falling apart before that. I think we both started going in different directions, you know? When we were together we fought a lot. It was kind of a relief when she started working in remote locations or doing 14 hour days.”
“When did you have Jess?” Jensen asked.
Jared blushed. “You know how when you’re about to break up with someone, you fall into bed one last time?”
Danneel giggled. “Shit. Seriously?”
“I’d moved out and everything, when she found out she was pregnant. Ended up moving back in and we gave it another go. That lasted about two months. After Jess was born we seemed to put our differences aside. I know it sounds strange, but we still lived together, in separate bedrooms, and it worked for us. Now Claud’s career has really taken off, she’s rarely in LA. So we moved here.”
“How is Jess with that?”
“She’s okay. Claud and I talked about her going on the road with her, but it was too disruptive. They Skype three or four times a week, and in the summer Jess will usually go to wherever her Mom is.”
“Wow,” Danneel said, getting up to open another bottle of wine. “That’s way more interesting and exciting than us, Jensen.”
“Yeah,” Jared said, seemingly emboldened by the wine. “What’s your story?”
“What’s your guess?” Danneel asked. Jensen shook his head, he always knew when Danneel started getting drunk by the level of cheekiness she showed, and one of her favorite games was trying to get people to guess how their own little family dynamic worked.
“Well at first I though you two were married,” Jared pointed between Jensen and Danneel. “But then Jensen told me you weren’t and I realized that you and Sophia were a couple. So now I’m thinking you’re either a donor, or you three are living in a threesome.”
Danneel, Sophia and Jensen all cracked up at that, and after a few seconds even Jared joined in.
“I have to admit, that was my most outlandish guess.”
“That’s awesome,” Jensen said, wiping a tear from his eye. “I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone guess that. But as attractive as these two ladies are, I’m not actually into them.”
“We lack penises,” Danneel told him.
“I don’t do women,” Jensen clarified, just in case Jared hadn’t gathered that already. If Jared was even remotely into dick Jensen wanted to make it clear that he was too.
“Well, except for that one time,” Sophia said.
“So what? You two are both gay and decided to have a kid together?”
“No, nothing like that,” Danneel said. “We were, are, best friends, have been for years. So when I got dumped by the girl I thought at the time was ‘the one’, Jensen came around with a bottle of tequila to help me drown my sorrows.”
“And I had also recently been dumped, so we did slammers and bitched about men and women and how much easier it would be if we were attracted to one another.”
“We’re still a bit hazy on the details, but the next morning proved very awkward and a little sticky, and six weeks later-“
“Hello, Amber,” Jensen finished. “We can’t regret it, Amber’s the best thing we ever did.”
“She’s a great kid,” Jared agreed. “So how do you fit into this scenario, Sophia?”
“Oh, man. Now that’s one story you don’t need to hear.” Sophia told him. “And I think the wine has gone to my head.”
“Mine too,” Danneel agreed, standing up. “If you don’t mind, gentlemen, I might take my woman to bed.”
Jared and Jensen wished them both goodnight. Jared looked at his watch. “I should probably make a move, too.”
Jensen shook his head. “No way, man. You can’t be on the road after that much wine. Come stay at mine.”
“I could get a cab.”
“Only if you want to. Seriously, come and stay with me.” Jensen honestly didn’t have any ulterior motives for inviting him to stay, between the four of them they had smashed four bottles of red and driving would be the last thing any of them should be doing. Besides, with all of their conversation that night Jensen felt like Jared was, if not anything else, his friend. They clicked easily and Jensen thought he’d be able to put his attraction to the man aside if they ever went to a game or bar together.
“You don’t live here?”
“I live in the other house on the block.”
When Danneel was offered the job of a lifetime and they moved to Texas, they found a large block of land with a renovators dream nestled on it. With a little financial help from both of their parents, they bulldozed the house and put two smaller properties on the lot. At first, the three of them lived in the front, three-bedroom house and rented out the other two-bedroom one. When Danneel and Sophia got together, Jensen moved into the back property so they could start their life as a couple.
“Neither of us wanted to stay single forever, but we both wanted to be actively involved in parenting.” Jensen explained as he ushered Jared inside. We all eat together every night in the main house, and Amber sleeps here when her Moms need a night to themselves.”
“You’ve really got it sorted out, don’t you?” Jared said, smiling.
“I know it’s unconventional, but it really works for us. Did you want a coffee or beer or anything?” Jensen offered, moving to the fridge.
“Water would be good.”
Jensen took two bottles and handed one to Jared.
“So, Danneel and Sophia’s story is complicated?” Jared asked before taking a gulp from the bottle. Jensen watched as Jared tilted his head back, exposing his neck and Jensen was just drunk enough to really consider taking those few steps toward Jared and licking it.
“Um,” Jensen shook himself out of his daze for what felt like the tenth time that night. “Yeah, messy. Get Sophia drunk on gin and she’ll tell you the whole story, but the headlines were basically that Sophia was Danneel’s paralegal and the two got close while working on this big case. Sophia was really unhappy with her life doing a job that she hated and practically engaged to a guy her parents approved of but she wasn’t in love with. She had a little breakdown, realized she was living the life her parents wanted for her, and decided to change that.”
“That didn’t go well?”
Jensen shook his head. “Not at all. Her Dad was a Partner at the law firm they worked in, and when he found out that Danneel and Sophia were dating, he blamed her and made it very difficult for her to stay in that job.”
“She still there now?”
“No, they both left and things were difficult for them for a while, but that was more than two years ago, and now that things are settled it’s actually working for them. I like Sophia and she’s good with Amber.”
“What about you? You’re not dating anyone?” Jared asked, sounding casual but appearing anything but, and Jensen tried not to get his hopes up.
“Me? Nah. It’s been a few years since I was even remotely serious about anyone. You?”
“Not since I moved back here.”
“No one caught your eye yet?”
“Maybe,” Jared whispered. “Maybe, but I’m not sure how he feels about me. We’re getting to be pretty good friends and maybe that’s all there is to it?”
“He’d be an idiot to turn you down,” Jensen said and hoped like hell Jared was talking about him.
“We’ll see,” Jared said, getting up off the stool.
“Come on, I’ll show you where you’re sleeping tonight.” Jensen led Jared down the hallway to Amber’s room, feeling his warmth and presence at his back. Man, Jensen wanted nothing more than to just stop in his tracks and have Jared run into the back of him, place his hands on his hips and start kissing down Jensen’s neck. When they got to Amber’s room, he switched on the light and looked at her tiny twin-sized bed and flimsy mattress, then back at Jared who stood a million feet tall. “Maybe this won’t work.”
“It’s fine Jensen, it’s just for one night.”
“I don’t want you to kill your back.”
“Ever the osteopath.” Jared grinned and winked. “If it does anything to my back, you can give me a free treatment, okay?”
Jensen felt a blush creep up his neck and his heart rate increase. Was this Jared flirting with him? “Deal.”
In bed, Jensen tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable and thinking about how Jared was in the room next to his, imagining that he was stripped down to just his shorts. He turned again and started counting backwards from 100 in his head, a trick to get him to sleep since he was younger. He eventually fell into a deep sleep as he usually did after a bottle of red wine, and only made a soft noise an hour later when the bed dipped next to him and Jared whispered “sorry, I can’t sleep in that bed.”
***
The next morning, Jensen’s head was pounding and he had the distinct feeling that somebody was watching him. He turned around at the same time that his brain caught up with him and reminded him that Jared had crawled into his bed last night and Jensen hadn’t done anything to take advantage of that, like inadvertent spooning or the like.
“Do you always snore, or just after you’ve had a bottle of wine?” Jared broke the morning silence with a grin.
“Shut up. I do not snore.” Jensen’s voice was gravelly with sleep and he tried to rub the crud from his eyes. “Do you always crawl into bed with strange men, or only after you’ve had a bottle yourself?”
“That mattress is terrible, I could feel every slat under it,” Jared replied. “And only the good looking ones.”
Jensen snorted and tried to tamp down the feeling of how normal this was, how much he wanted this in his life, to share a bed with not just a guy, but Jared. He wanted nothing more than to roll over on top of him, kiss him good morning and feel those giant hands on his back and hips and ass as they grind into each other until they both came in their shorts. Jensen let out a slow breath and stretched his arms above him, trying to relax his body and calm down.
Jared’s face changed demeanor and Jensen caught him staring at his bared chest, the comforter having pulled down a bit from when he stretched. Suddenly the air seemed thicker and Jensen could feel the tension. He hoped upon hope that Jared felt it too, that Jensen wasn’t alone in this and Jared had been having as many dirty thoughts as Jensen had been.
“Jensen,” Jared breathed, rolling closer to Jensen but giving him plenty of time to pull away, which was the last thing Jensen was thinking of doing.
Jensen felt his muscles tense in anticipation of Jared’s body touching his, and although it was only Jared’s clothed chest touching Jensen’s, he could feel it right down to his toes. Jared’s lips on his felt a little dry, but amazing, and it felt even better when Jared’s tongue pushed into his mouth for a heart-stopping, thrilling, cock-hardening kiss. Jared eventually pulled back and rested his face against the crook of Jensen’s neck.
“Sorry,” Jared apologized, and Jensen’s heart sunk that Jared didn’t really want this. “I just realized that I have the world’s worst morning breath.”
Jensen smiled in relief as Jared dropped a few dry kisses against the pulse point in his neck.
“You didn’t hear me complaining, did you?”
Jared rolled back to his side of the bed and pushed himself to sit up. He played with the corner of the comforter for a few seconds before speaking.
“So, this really hot guy told me that the guy I like would be an idiot to turn me down.”
“Is that right?”
“I’m hoping it’s right, because I’d really like to take you out sometime. Soon. Maybe today, if Danneel and Sophia don’t mind babysitting a little longer.”
Jensen tried to stop the grin from splitting his face, but he didn’t think he was that successful.
“Well, I wouldn’t want to be an idiot, would I?”
Jared grinned and leaned over to kiss Jensen again. Jensen was about to grab his neck so he could deepen the kiss when Jared pulled away.
“Seriously, no more of that until we’ve brushed our teeth. No offense man, but your breath could drop a bear.”
Jensen gave him the finger and crawled out of bed to go to the bathroom and use the toothpaste, because if he had it his way, there would be a lot more making out. And maybe, just maybe, he’d end up with a piece of what Danneel and Sophia had.
Jared walked up behind him in the bathroom and placed one of those massive hands on Jensen’s hip while he grabbed the spare toothbrush with the other and they smiled at each other in the mirror. Jensen couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the day would hold.
Author: ms_soma
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Jared/Jensen (with background Danneel/Sophia)
Word Count: ~4400
Disclaimer: I don’t own anyone or anything except for an overactive imagination.
Beta: Thanks shiplessheathen for the super-fast beta!
Story for: spn_j2_xmas written for raina_at
Prompt: Loosely based (i.e. I know nothing about baseball!) on the prompt Jared and Jensen are both single dads. Jared coaches the girls' baseball team both their daughters are members of. Bonus points for awesome!mom!Danneel.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
“Arms up, Amber! That’s it!” Danneel called from the sidelines, and Jensen clapped his hands as his daughter successfully blocked the shot and grabbed the rebound.
“Okay guys, down our end now,” Danneel instructed and the group of 7 year olds all ran to the other end of the basketball court, hands in the air and calling for the ball to be passed to them. Jensen stifled a laugh behind his hand as one of the girls ran about 5 steps before even bouncing the ball. He didn’t know how Danneel had the patience to coach the team, but as she had said earlier, if all the girls could catch and throw by the end of the season then she’d done a good job.
“Who’s the new kid?” Jensen whispered to Sophia who was sitting beside him in the bleachers. “The tall one with the long brown hair?”
“Jessica. Just moved from California,” she said as she cheered when their team got a goal.
“She in Amber’s class at school?”
“Yeah, she just started last week when you were in Vegas for that osteopath convention.”
“She’s pretty good,” Jensen said. Her skills seemed to be more advanced than the rest of the team, and he was pleased that she didn’t appear to hog the ball despite being the best player on the court.
“You’ll understand why when you meet her father.”
“You’ve met her dad?”
“I was at their training session this week and it was her first one. Her dad said they’ve played in their backyard for years, but this is the first time she’s played with an actual team.”
The game ended, and the girls had won 12-6. Danneel gave them all high-fives as they got off the court and collected their water bottles.
Amber made a beeline for Jensen.
“We won daddy! We won! And I shot a goal!” It was still a rarity for her to even put up a shot, so Jensen spread the praise on thickly.
“I know, honey. I saw it. So proud of you, squirt,” he grabbed her and tickled her belly.
“Mom, help!” she called, and Danneel looked up from where she was talking to another parent to yell “Jensen!”
“It’s a reward tickle,” he tried to defend himself.
“Tickles aren’t rewards!” she shrieked as he let go of her. “Mickey D’s is a reward.”
“What do you think, Sophia. Think Amber played well enough to get McDonald’s?”
“I think that was her best game yet.”
“Then it’s settled. As soon as your Mom is ready to go, there’s a cheeseburger with your name on it.”
***
The game the following week is a disaster. The referee isn’t as loose with the calls, and although she takes the time to explain that you can’t hit other players when they have the ball or that you have to start dribbling before you start running, the game is a constant stop-start.
“They’re 7 years old, you’d think they’d let some of the calls go,” someone next to Jensen muttered.
“My thoughts exactly,” Jensen agreed and turned to face the man. He’d met a few good looking dads in his time, but this guy would have to take the cake. If the chiseled jaw and hazel eyes weren’t enough, he had to have dimples, too.* If he ended up being single and not opposed to dick he would be exactly Jensen’s type. “I’m Jensen, Amber’s dad.”
“Jared. Jess is my little girl.” Jared reached out his hand and shook Jensen’s. “I think her and Amber are friends at school.”
Jensen remembered the conversation he had with Sophia the week before, about how he’d understand Jessica once he saw her father. She was right, he did understand. Jared was seated, but he could tell that he was taller than himself just from his leg span. He’d obviously handed his height down to his daughter, as well as his dimples and hair. Jensen gathered she must have inherited her dark eyes and button nose from her mother, but he could see the resemblance.
“I’ve heard her talk about Jess. You’ve just moved from California, right?”
“Yeah, her Mom and I split years ago, and she’s travelling a lot more with her work now, so I thought I’d move back home, be closer to my parents, you know?”
Jensen tried not to let his imagination run wild with the information that he was no longer with Jess’ mother. He’d only known him for 30 seconds, the guy could be a complete douchebag. “Oh, you’re from around here?”
“Not exactly, I grew up about a half hour away, but I managed to get a job at the high school library here, so that’s where we’ve settled. Thought getting Jess into team sports might help her make friends easier. I know she misses her friends from LA.”
“Well I know Amber talks about her at home, and Danneel said she’s fitting into the team real well.”
“Danneel’s your wife?” Jared asked.
“Oh, God no.”
“I thought she was Amber’s Mom-“
“Yeah, she’s ours. But no, we’re not together.”
“Oh, okay.” Jared looked confused but a smile pulled at his lips. “Sounds like it might be complicated?”
“It’s a long and mostly boring story, best told over a few drinks.” Jensen smiled.
“Might have to take you up on that one day.” Jared’s grin seemed a little hopeful and Jensen didn’t have enough time to put a stop to his emotions before his heart started fluttering. Jensen was not going to start crushing on a straight dad. Not again. And not after only knowing the guy for two minutes. Jensen wasn’t as shallow as he was in his younger years, going out with a guy because he was good looking and later finding out that he was also kind of an asshole. But damn, Jared fit the bill of DILF so easily.
***
“Hey, Jared, come in.” Jensen stepped back from the door to let Jared through. It had been about a month since they’d met and since then they’d been hanging out regularly at every basketball game the girls had. Jensen was getting to know him and his wicked sense of humor. Jensen got to hear all about how many teenagers think they’re not going to get caught making out in between the shelves at the school library, and Jensen tried to explain what osteopathy was to Jared, and how long it took to build up a client base.
Of course, Jared not being an asshole meant that Jensen’s potential crush wasn’t so potential anymore. He found himself at the games being distracted by Jared’s large hands, imagining feeling them across his body. Or fantasizing about Jared’s strong muscles flexing as he carries Jensen to his bed and-
“So is Jess ready to go?”
Jensen shrugged himself out of his fantasy.
“Uh, you might have a hard time getting those three girls apart. The last time I checked in on them they were in the middle of some epic game. I think it involves unicorns.”
“That would be Jess’ doing. She loves unicorns,” Jared said. “But I can go and get her if you’ve got stuff to do?”
“Nah, let them go a bit longer if you want to stay for coffee or something? Sarah’s staying the night so it’s not like you’re imposing.”
Jared’s face flushed and Jensen could see a shy half smile form, and God, those dimples. “Actually, coffee would be real good.”
They walked into the kitchen where Danneel, having heard their conversation, was warming up the coffee maker and Sophia was seated at the table doing the crossword.
“Honey, what’s an 11-letter word for annoying? Starts with A?” Sophia asked as they sat at the table with her.
“Do you have any other letters?” Danneel asked, getting mugs down from the cupboard. “Hi Jared.”
“Hey Danneel, Sophia,” Jared greeted, and Jensen could see him trying to figure out their situation in his head. For all that Jared and Jensen talked every Saturday morning at the girls’ basketball game, they never once got into the dynamics of each others families.
“Third letter is G, if that helps?” Sophie said.
“Aggravating?” Jared offered, taking a seat opposite her at the table.
“Yes! Which means 19 down is ‘invoke’, 22 down is ‘chili’, and I have completed this crossword!”
“Don’t mind her,” Danneel said to Jared, walking up behind Sophia. “My girlfriend’s a bit of a crossword puzzle geek.”
“Hey!” Sophia exclaimed, but leaned up for a kiss anyway.
“I hope Jess hasn’t been any trouble today,” Jared said. She and their other friend Sarah had come around after basketball to play with Amber.
“They’ve been pretty good,” Danneel told him as she poured them all coffee. “They had one fight when Sarah wanted to watch the Summer Days DVD and Jess didn’t want to all. Sarah accused Jess of being a liar because Jess said her Mom was in the movie, but they calmed down pretty quick. Anyway, I got them to compromise and watch The Little Mermaid instead and feel like it was their idea.”
“Which is why she’s the best lawyer in the state.” Sophia grinned and slapped her hand on Danneel’s thigh.
Jared scratched the back of his neck uneasily. “Uh, yeah. We have Summer Days at home and she only watches it now when she’s really missing her Mom. She wasn’t lying. Jess wasn’t lying. Her Mom is in it.”
“Oh, really?” Danneel asked, and Jensen knew that curious look of hers, like she was trying to make the tumblers in her head fall into place on their own.
“Yeah, and Jess has seen it a million times seeing as it’s the only kid friendly movie she ever made.”
Jared looked a bit uncomfortable in his seat and Jensen decided to let him off the hook. “It’s okay, Jared. You don’t need to tell us about your sordid past with some actress.”
“She wasn’t, I mean, when we met she wasn’t an actress. Not yet-“
“It’s okay, man.”
“Make you a deal. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours?” Jared offered. Jensen knew Jared was curious about them, and if he knew Danneel, she wouldn’t let Jared leave without finding out the whole story from him.
And he was right. At Jared’s offer Danneel’s eyes lit up like Christmas was coming early. She loved gossip almost as much as she loved Sophia, and seeing as she’d watched that movie a few times with Amber, he knew she would be dying to hear the story.
“Deal,” Danneel said for them. “But you better stay for dinner. This will take both pizza and wine.”
***
Halfway through their second bottle of wine, Danneel decided that Jess may as well just stay the night with Sarah and Amber. The girls were far from disappointed in this news and set about trying to find Jess some pajamas which would fit her taller frame.
“Just sleep in your basketball shorts, honey,” Jared told her.
“Amber’s got a tank that’s nice and soft and will fit you,” Danneel said.
“Am I supposed to Skype with Mommy tonight?” Jess asked quietly.
“That’s tomorrow night, you won’t miss her, I promise.” Jared kissed her gently on the head and Danneel went to Amber’s room with the girls to get them ready for bed and tuck them in. Five minutes later she returned.
“Okay, so tell us more,” she said eagerly, topping up everyone’s glass of wine. “You were really honest to God married to Claudia Richards?”
“Honest to God,” Jared said, hand on heart and a smile on his face. They were all a bit bolder for having had a few glasses of wine each, and Jensen loved seeing Jared relax with them more and more as the hours passed.
“How do you even meet someone like her?” Sophia asked. Jensen could understand the wonder at that. Claudia Richards was known to be slightly aloof with the media, beautiful with her rich dark hair, fine features, and big dark eyes. She was an Oscar nominated actress and well sought after ever since an indie film she starred in made it to mainstream cinema.
“It’s a lot more simple in college,” Jared explained. “We were in drama together.”
“Love at first sight?” asked Sophia, ever the romantic.
“Definitely not. I had to chase her. She refused to go out with me because I was bisexual. Said in her experience that bisexuals always ended up with men.”
Jensen was nodding his head when what Jared had said sunk in. Jared was bisexual? That meant he was interested in men, right? Jensen’s brain started firing again and his internal dictionary reminded him that it was the exact definition of being bi. Which didn’t necessarily mean he could be interested in Jensen, but still-
Danneel reached over to cover Sophia’s ears and stage whispered “don’t give her any ideas!”
“It was just her opinion. Doesn’t mean it was accurate,” Jared quickly corrected, taking another sip of his wine. “I don’t know? We ended up dating for a few years, got married when we were 22, and we fell apart a few years later, just when she was starting to get successful.”
“Was it because of her fame?” Danneel asked.
Jared shook his head. “Nah, we were falling apart before that. I think we both started going in different directions, you know? When we were together we fought a lot. It was kind of a relief when she started working in remote locations or doing 14 hour days.”
“When did you have Jess?” Jensen asked.
Jared blushed. “You know how when you’re about to break up with someone, you fall into bed one last time?”
Danneel giggled. “Shit. Seriously?”
“I’d moved out and everything, when she found out she was pregnant. Ended up moving back in and we gave it another go. That lasted about two months. After Jess was born we seemed to put our differences aside. I know it sounds strange, but we still lived together, in separate bedrooms, and it worked for us. Now Claud’s career has really taken off, she’s rarely in LA. So we moved here.”
“How is Jess with that?”
“She’s okay. Claud and I talked about her going on the road with her, but it was too disruptive. They Skype three or four times a week, and in the summer Jess will usually go to wherever her Mom is.”
“Wow,” Danneel said, getting up to open another bottle of wine. “That’s way more interesting and exciting than us, Jensen.”
“Yeah,” Jared said, seemingly emboldened by the wine. “What’s your story?”
“What’s your guess?” Danneel asked. Jensen shook his head, he always knew when Danneel started getting drunk by the level of cheekiness she showed, and one of her favorite games was trying to get people to guess how their own little family dynamic worked.
“Well at first I though you two were married,” Jared pointed between Jensen and Danneel. “But then Jensen told me you weren’t and I realized that you and Sophia were a couple. So now I’m thinking you’re either a donor, or you three are living in a threesome.”
Danneel, Sophia and Jensen all cracked up at that, and after a few seconds even Jared joined in.
“I have to admit, that was my most outlandish guess.”
“That’s awesome,” Jensen said, wiping a tear from his eye. “I don’t think we’ve ever had anyone guess that. But as attractive as these two ladies are, I’m not actually into them.”
“We lack penises,” Danneel told him.
“I don’t do women,” Jensen clarified, just in case Jared hadn’t gathered that already. If Jared was even remotely into dick Jensen wanted to make it clear that he was too.
“Well, except for that one time,” Sophia said.
“So what? You two are both gay and decided to have a kid together?”
“No, nothing like that,” Danneel said. “We were, are, best friends, have been for years. So when I got dumped by the girl I thought at the time was ‘the one’, Jensen came around with a bottle of tequila to help me drown my sorrows.”
“And I had also recently been dumped, so we did slammers and bitched about men and women and how much easier it would be if we were attracted to one another.”
“We’re still a bit hazy on the details, but the next morning proved very awkward and a little sticky, and six weeks later-“
“Hello, Amber,” Jensen finished. “We can’t regret it, Amber’s the best thing we ever did.”
“She’s a great kid,” Jared agreed. “So how do you fit into this scenario, Sophia?”
“Oh, man. Now that’s one story you don’t need to hear.” Sophia told him. “And I think the wine has gone to my head.”
“Mine too,” Danneel agreed, standing up. “If you don’t mind, gentlemen, I might take my woman to bed.”
Jared and Jensen wished them both goodnight. Jared looked at his watch. “I should probably make a move, too.”
Jensen shook his head. “No way, man. You can’t be on the road after that much wine. Come stay at mine.”
“I could get a cab.”
“Only if you want to. Seriously, come and stay with me.” Jensen honestly didn’t have any ulterior motives for inviting him to stay, between the four of them they had smashed four bottles of red and driving would be the last thing any of them should be doing. Besides, with all of their conversation that night Jensen felt like Jared was, if not anything else, his friend. They clicked easily and Jensen thought he’d be able to put his attraction to the man aside if they ever went to a game or bar together.
“You don’t live here?”
“I live in the other house on the block.”
When Danneel was offered the job of a lifetime and they moved to Texas, they found a large block of land with a renovators dream nestled on it. With a little financial help from both of their parents, they bulldozed the house and put two smaller properties on the lot. At first, the three of them lived in the front, three-bedroom house and rented out the other two-bedroom one. When Danneel and Sophia got together, Jensen moved into the back property so they could start their life as a couple.
“Neither of us wanted to stay single forever, but we both wanted to be actively involved in parenting.” Jensen explained as he ushered Jared inside. We all eat together every night in the main house, and Amber sleeps here when her Moms need a night to themselves.”
“You’ve really got it sorted out, don’t you?” Jared said, smiling.
“I know it’s unconventional, but it really works for us. Did you want a coffee or beer or anything?” Jensen offered, moving to the fridge.
“Water would be good.”
Jensen took two bottles and handed one to Jared.
“So, Danneel and Sophia’s story is complicated?” Jared asked before taking a gulp from the bottle. Jensen watched as Jared tilted his head back, exposing his neck and Jensen was just drunk enough to really consider taking those few steps toward Jared and licking it.
“Um,” Jensen shook himself out of his daze for what felt like the tenth time that night. “Yeah, messy. Get Sophia drunk on gin and she’ll tell you the whole story, but the headlines were basically that Sophia was Danneel’s paralegal and the two got close while working on this big case. Sophia was really unhappy with her life doing a job that she hated and practically engaged to a guy her parents approved of but she wasn’t in love with. She had a little breakdown, realized she was living the life her parents wanted for her, and decided to change that.”
“That didn’t go well?”
Jensen shook his head. “Not at all. Her Dad was a Partner at the law firm they worked in, and when he found out that Danneel and Sophia were dating, he blamed her and made it very difficult for her to stay in that job.”
“She still there now?”
“No, they both left and things were difficult for them for a while, but that was more than two years ago, and now that things are settled it’s actually working for them. I like Sophia and she’s good with Amber.”
“What about you? You’re not dating anyone?” Jared asked, sounding casual but appearing anything but, and Jensen tried not to get his hopes up.
“Me? Nah. It’s been a few years since I was even remotely serious about anyone. You?”
“Not since I moved back here.”
“No one caught your eye yet?”
“Maybe,” Jared whispered. “Maybe, but I’m not sure how he feels about me. We’re getting to be pretty good friends and maybe that’s all there is to it?”
“He’d be an idiot to turn you down,” Jensen said and hoped like hell Jared was talking about him.
“We’ll see,” Jared said, getting up off the stool.
“Come on, I’ll show you where you’re sleeping tonight.” Jensen led Jared down the hallway to Amber’s room, feeling his warmth and presence at his back. Man, Jensen wanted nothing more than to just stop in his tracks and have Jared run into the back of him, place his hands on his hips and start kissing down Jensen’s neck. When they got to Amber’s room, he switched on the light and looked at her tiny twin-sized bed and flimsy mattress, then back at Jared who stood a million feet tall. “Maybe this won’t work.”
“It’s fine Jensen, it’s just for one night.”
“I don’t want you to kill your back.”
“Ever the osteopath.” Jared grinned and winked. “If it does anything to my back, you can give me a free treatment, okay?”
Jensen felt a blush creep up his neck and his heart rate increase. Was this Jared flirting with him? “Deal.”
In bed, Jensen tossed and turned, trying to get comfortable and thinking about how Jared was in the room next to his, imagining that he was stripped down to just his shorts. He turned again and started counting backwards from 100 in his head, a trick to get him to sleep since he was younger. He eventually fell into a deep sleep as he usually did after a bottle of red wine, and only made a soft noise an hour later when the bed dipped next to him and Jared whispered “sorry, I can’t sleep in that bed.”
***
The next morning, Jensen’s head was pounding and he had the distinct feeling that somebody was watching him. He turned around at the same time that his brain caught up with him and reminded him that Jared had crawled into his bed last night and Jensen hadn’t done anything to take advantage of that, like inadvertent spooning or the like.
“Do you always snore, or just after you’ve had a bottle of wine?” Jared broke the morning silence with a grin.
“Shut up. I do not snore.” Jensen’s voice was gravelly with sleep and he tried to rub the crud from his eyes. “Do you always crawl into bed with strange men, or only after you’ve had a bottle yourself?”
“That mattress is terrible, I could feel every slat under it,” Jared replied. “And only the good looking ones.”
Jensen snorted and tried to tamp down the feeling of how normal this was, how much he wanted this in his life, to share a bed with not just a guy, but Jared. He wanted nothing more than to roll over on top of him, kiss him good morning and feel those giant hands on his back and hips and ass as they grind into each other until they both came in their shorts. Jensen let out a slow breath and stretched his arms above him, trying to relax his body and calm down.
Jared’s face changed demeanor and Jensen caught him staring at his bared chest, the comforter having pulled down a bit from when he stretched. Suddenly the air seemed thicker and Jensen could feel the tension. He hoped upon hope that Jared felt it too, that Jensen wasn’t alone in this and Jared had been having as many dirty thoughts as Jensen had been.
“Jensen,” Jared breathed, rolling closer to Jensen but giving him plenty of time to pull away, which was the last thing Jensen was thinking of doing.
Jensen felt his muscles tense in anticipation of Jared’s body touching his, and although it was only Jared’s clothed chest touching Jensen’s, he could feel it right down to his toes. Jared’s lips on his felt a little dry, but amazing, and it felt even better when Jared’s tongue pushed into his mouth for a heart-stopping, thrilling, cock-hardening kiss. Jared eventually pulled back and rested his face against the crook of Jensen’s neck.
“Sorry,” Jared apologized, and Jensen’s heart sunk that Jared didn’t really want this. “I just realized that I have the world’s worst morning breath.”
Jensen smiled in relief as Jared dropped a few dry kisses against the pulse point in his neck.
“You didn’t hear me complaining, did you?”
Jared rolled back to his side of the bed and pushed himself to sit up. He played with the corner of the comforter for a few seconds before speaking.
“So, this really hot guy told me that the guy I like would be an idiot to turn me down.”
“Is that right?”
“I’m hoping it’s right, because I’d really like to take you out sometime. Soon. Maybe today, if Danneel and Sophia don’t mind babysitting a little longer.”
Jensen tried to stop the grin from splitting his face, but he didn’t think he was that successful.
“Well, I wouldn’t want to be an idiot, would I?”
Jared grinned and leaned over to kiss Jensen again. Jensen was about to grab his neck so he could deepen the kiss when Jared pulled away.
“Seriously, no more of that until we’ve brushed our teeth. No offense man, but your breath could drop a bear.”
Jensen gave him the finger and crawled out of bed to go to the bathroom and use the toothpaste, because if he had it his way, there would be a lot more making out. And maybe, just maybe, he’d end up with a piece of what Danneel and Sophia had.
Jared walked up behind him in the bathroom and placed one of those massive hands on Jensen’s hip while he grabbed the spare toothbrush with the other and they smiled at each other in the mirror. Jensen couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the day would hold.