“Mmm. Thank you, Daddy,” he murmurs as soon as I tuck the blanket against him. A gasp tumbles from my mouth, and I stare unblinkingly at the boy in front of me. Still sleeping. Fuck, there’s no way he could understand what that word, combined with this moment, means to me. This beautiful, sweet, perfect boy. Could he ever forgive me? I’m not the person I was when he knew me. And as I stare down at Felix, I know he isn’t the same either.
Gone is the boy I failed to protect in high school. Instead, there’s a beautiful young man who deserves to feel special, cherished, and loved.
For the second—or hell, maybe the third time tonight—I let my Daddy instincts win out above my better judgment. When I hear Felix’s even breathing and know for sure that he’s still asleep, I scoot even closer. Since there aren’t any books close by, I decide to tell Felix a story.
“Once upon a time,” I start, just like I’ve seen in those cheesy movies where the main character confesses something to their love interest while they’re sleeping. I always thought those scenes in the movies were annoying and ridiculous. But as I sit here and tell Felix about the unworthy king who fell in love with the young prince, I pour my heart and soul into the story. I confess all my true feelings, hoping that if my words were to penetrate Felix’s dreams somehow, that just maybe he could understand how I felt all those years ago.
Chapter 5
Dreams and memories.
Felix
Once upon a time, an unworthy king fell in love with a young prince.
Waking up the following morning, those words softly drift through my dream-addled mind, along with images of ahandsome king asking for forgiveness. A small smile spreads across my lips, and I stretch slowly. I swear my bed has never felt this comfy before.
Birds chirp happily in the tree just outside my bedroom window, and the sun’s rays sparkle on the pool’s water. How is this my life right now? It’s like I woke up in paradise, feeling well rested, and last night…
Was last night even real? One minute I was deep in my little space, having fun with my new friends, and the next I was yawning and in desperate need of a nap. I vaguely remember drifting in and out of sleep to a beautiful, masculine voice. The voice was familiar somehow, but when I fully woke up later, I figured it was just a dream.
A beautifully tempting dream of a handsome Daddy reading me a bedtime story. I would have gone on thinking it was just a dream if it weren’t for Ash. He mentioned his Daddy saw someone tucking me in, but from that distance combined with the low lighting, he couldn’t make out who my mysterious Daddy was. By the time Ash searched the playroom and found me, my stranger was nowhere in sight.
Of all the freaking times to fall asleep. A Daddy shows some interest, and I’m not even awake enough to introduce myself.
Some people might think it’s strange to have some random person tuck me in and tell me a story, but I knew I was safe. I was in a well-vetted club with trustworthy mods. So, the idea of some Daddy wanting to make sure I was safe and warm and properlycared for is just really freaking sweet. And the fact he wanted to tell me a bedtime story is also just so freaking romantic.
Gah! I wish I’d been awake enough to witness it.
As I go about my morning, I daydream about my mysterious dream Daddy. Maybe he’d choose my outfit and help me get dressed. He’d help me pick out what to eat for breakfast as we cook together. I’m not quite little, but clearly not fully big, either. I’m so close to that headspace, but I also need to be adult enough to make decisions for myself.
Spotting the cute little dragon plushie on my bed, I pick Icy up and hug him to my chest, fingers sinking into the soft material of his blue fur. “Thanks for keeping me company last night. I bet my brother misses you like crazy,” I say, making my way out the door.
The smooth pebbled-stone pathway to Adrian and Theo’s place isn’t far. For the most part, it’s the large expanse of the pool that divides the area between the two houses. I’m about to knock on the door when movement catches my eye, causing me to peer through the window.
Theo and Adrian are eating breakfast, with Adrian in Theo’s lap. I stifle a giggle because the sight is almost comical, considering my brother is more muscular than his boyfriend. Despite Theo being an ex-NHL star, he lost his thick build after his ACL injury sidelined him.
Theo leans forward and uses his fork to cut up the pancakes on their plate before feeding a bite to Adrian. I’m so damn happy for my brother, but sometimes they’re a little hard to watch. Their romance was a whirlwind when it finally started, and since then, it’s like the two of them are not only glued at the hip, but they also always seem to be perfectly in sync. Syrup drips onto my brother’s chin, and the two of them give each other a heated look. Suddenly, I feel out of place, awkward, and jealous that my brother has a Daddy of his own.
Here I was just fifteen minutes before, feeding myself, lonely, and wishing my imaginary Daddy was real.
I knock on the door before the two of them start making out. My brother’s head pops up, and the two of them are wearing matching blushes. Damn. They even blush in sync.
Theo waves me in, and Adrian smiles from his seat, not bothering to get off his boyfriend’s lap. And why should he? This is his house and I’m family. I need to get used to seeing my brother look all adorable as fuck with his Daddy. It’s about damn time my brother gets a little happiness in his life.
“Hey,” I say, holding Icy up and giving the little dragon stuffie a wiggle. “I figured he would want to be returned to his true owner.”
“Thanks! I missed him dearly, but I’m glad he was able to keep you company. How was last night?” Adrian asks.
Unsure of where to start, I hold up an index finger and jog to the living room where I place Icy on the sofa. It gives me enough time to gather my thoughts. Do I want to mention my mystery Daddy? Is it wrong to want to keep the sweet stranger all to myself? For all I know, the guy already has a little and was just being nice enough to make sure I wasn’t alone. Or hell, maybe the stranger is a little like me. It was Little’s Night after all.
But no, that doesn’t sound right. Maybe it’s foolish of me to assume, but I’m guessing the man with the beautiful voice was a Daddy.
Heading back into the kitchen, I find Adrian sitting in his normal spot across from Theo. I pull out a chair next to him and collapse into it.
“Well?” He nudges me with his foot. “Don’t keep us waiting. Tell us. Did you have fun? Was everything okay?”
Adrian’s brow is creased. Despite his happy tone, I can see the concern etched into his face. So, to put him out of his misery, I launch into the whole story. I tell them how my friends are even more supportive and wonderful in person, how easily it was for me to open up and play with them, and how I even felt comfortable enough to fall asleep.
