I met Ash and Riley online when I joined a local kink forum for Daddies, littles, and boys. Before my brother started dating Theo, he was already drafted to the Olivia Cove Wyverns, and I knew I was going to try my damnedest to follow him here. Assuming I would indeed move to this town, I tried to be proactive by seeing what type of littles community Olivia Cove had, if any. I was pleasantly surprised at just how many littles lived in the area.
I open another box and place my special editionPercy Jacksonbooks in the center of my shelf. Letting out a sigh of relief thatthey didn’t get damaged in transit, I peer around, happy that this place will make an amazing temporary home.
“Thanks for letting me move here with you guys.”
“Are you happy with it?” Theo asks, waving around at the room we’re in.
The living room has large windows with lots of lighting. In the center of the room is a sofa sectional, big enough to fit six. There’s a kitchen, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. Everything in the pool house is beautiful and modern. There’s no way in hell I’d ever be able to get a place like this on my own.
“Um, are you freaking kidding me?” I beam over at him. “You let me move into your fully furnished pool house. This place is huge. Of course, I’m happy. If anything, I might get a little too attached. When you two get sick of me or decide to move, or God forbid, Adrian gets traded to a different NHL team, I have no idea what I’ll do, getting so used to all this luxury.”
Theo gives me a serious look and bites his lip. He runs a nervous hand through his red hair. “Felix,” he drawls. “I picked this place out with you in mind. We both did.”
I blink. “What do you mean? I thought the pool house was just a temporary thing until I could find my own apartment. I figured this house was yours and Adrian’s dream home.”
“It is. It’s our forever home. The house I want to settle in with Adrian. But I know how close you two are. I wanted to buy abig enough place where you could move onto the property with us. A place to call your own, yet it will give you the privacy you need. This is your home, too.” Theo holds his hands up in mock surrender. “No strings attached. My only request is that if you decide to leave, don’t try to rent it out without talking to me and Adrian first. But other than that, you can decorate your rooms however you want. Settle in, too, because it’s yours.”
My lips part with shock before I shake myself out of it. Hope fills my chest, but I want to confirm with my brother before getting too excited. I place a hand on my hip and give Theo a sassy smile. “And what if I want to turn one of the rooms into a little’s playroom? Fill it with nothing but toys and stuffies?”
Adrian chooses that moment to walk in, blue eyes sparkling. “Then turn it into your dream playroom,” my brother replies before Theo can answer. “This pool house is your place. Your home.”
Home.
That word is more meaningful to Adrian and me than it might be to others. Ever since Mom passed away, Adrian and I have fought hard to stay together. Adrian was only eighteen when he obtained legal guardianship over me. We swore up and down that a home is not where we live. No. My home is with Adrian, and his home is with me. Now that Adrian has found his perfect other half, I’ve been afraid to ask what that meant for my relationship with my brother. I shouldn’t have worried.
Happy tears flood my eyes as my gaze bounces back and forth between Theo and Adrian. “You two are serious?”
Theo wraps an arm around my brother. “Very serious. Adrian and I are kind of hoping this place might be your forever home, too.”
“But what if I find a Daddy?” I blurt, sure that there’s no way they would be okay with some stranger visiting constantly or moving in here.
“Not if,” Adrian replies with a smirk. “When.Whenyou find a Daddy, Theo and I will vet the guy. Big brother style. We’ll make sure he’s good enough for my baby brother. Then, if he is, and the two of you fall in love… Well, those are decisions you and your future Daddy need to make. Together.”
Theo nods. “But if he makes you happy, then he’s welcome to live here too. This place might be called a pool house, but we both know it’s bigger than the last place you lived in.”
My thoughts stray to Jared’s cramped house. Damn. What a tool. I never should have dated Jared for as long as I did. My ex was toxic and was never Daddy material. No matter what he called himself. As if reading my thoughts, Adrian pulls me into a group hug with his boyfriend. “You deserve so much better, Fe. The right Daddy is out there waiting for you. I just know it.”
My brother’s words replay in my head, bouncing around until I’m giddy with excitement. Grabbing my large book bag with a Chibico fox creature on the front, I begin packing my items for the club. Tonight is Little’s Night at Dark Satin, and I’m meeting my online friends in person for the first time.
A whole freaking night dedicated to littles. My previous club didn’t have many littles, and the playroom could hardly be called a room. Not to mention, I’ve never actually played with other littles before. I was always too shy, usually playing in the corner by myself.
My whole body is filled with nerves and excitement. What if they don’t like me? What if I embarrass myself? What if I meet a Daddy tonight?
TheDaddy.
‘The right Daddy is out there waiting for you. I just know it.’
I fold my favorite pair of pajamas and place them carefully into my bag. It’s the cutest little onesie, with little sailboats onit. Nerves wrack through me, and I’m suddenly overthinking things. Will I be the only little in a onesie? Gah. How freaking embarrassing would that be?
Just in case, I find a pastel blue shirt and a pair of shorts. The outfit is cute and subtle, but still little enough to help me get into the proper headspace. I don’t know what it is about the perfect outfit that helps me feel little, but I always like to be prepared.
Not exactly knowing what to expect, I pack a few snacks, my yellow sippy cup, and a soft throw blanket made of fleece. I’m almost ready when I realize I’m missing one very important thing—Krooger, my itty-bitty cat stuffie. Krooger is a little old and beat up, but I swear, he’s the best travel companion a little can ask for. Small enough to fit in the palm of my hand and easy to hide if needed.
Unfortunately, he’s currently missing!
Trying not to panic, I dump a few boxes upside down and spill the contents everywhere, searching for Krooger. I push all my other stuffies to the side, silently apologizing to them. After ten minutes of looking everywhere I thought he could possibly be, I finally let the tears fall. The tears only add to my emotions, making me angry that I can’t pack my own damn bag and embarrassed that I’m letting something simple like this affect me. Whenever I felt like this in high school, I’d shut down, like a shy turtle slinking back into its shell. Being so much younger than my peers didn’t make life easy on me.
But since graduating, I’ve worked hard at trying to be a little less shy, a little less socially awkward. For the most part, I’ve come out of my shell, but it’s times like these when my brain betrays me, leaving me to wonder if I’ll ever grow up. I’m lost in a swirl of memories as I think about high school, when there’s a knock on the door.
