She had hoped to put off the move long enough to justify renting a professional kitchen space for Lottie’s Lollies, preferably with a living space attached. That would save her having to do all the paperwork, inspections and other hoop-jumping to have the apartment kitchen certified as an appropriate kitchen and then do everything a second time when she moved the business into a storefront.
But she would not allow herself to worry about that for the next four days. Instead, she would focus on selling her sweet treats and eye-fucking the sexy Daddy in the booth across the aisle.
She frowned when she realized she did not know if he was a Daddy. Or if he was looking for a Little girl.
That was an oversight she would have to correct as soon as she could.
For now she would focus on business and not think about being Little.
“Good morning, welcome to Lottie’s Lollies,” she said to the first couple to stop at her booth.
“Oooo, Daddy, look at the cute marshmallows! It’s a bunny on a stick!” The Little girl grabbed one of Lottie’s favorite plastic-wrapped treats and shoved it into her Daddy’s face. “They’re so pretty!”
Lottie could not help but grin at the Little girl’s enthusiasm. Glancing at the man beside her, she said, “All of my treats are lower in sugar and higher in fruits and fruit juices than most candies on the market today.”
She took a hesitant breath when he smiled and nodded. “That’s good to know because I have a feeling this won’t be the first visit we’ll be making this weekend.”
“So I can have some?” the Little asked.
“You may have one. And if you are very, very good today we might come back this afternoon and get another one.”
“Thank you, Daddy!”
Lottie took his cash, but did not have a chance to bag the treat as the little girl shook her head and slid it into the bag she carried that Lottie recognized as one from Carri’s table. Obviously a well-spoiled Little girl.
“Have a good day,” she said with a smile as she handed the man his change.
She jolted when Travis stepped to front of the table and began looking at all the treats she had on display. Then he turned his bright blue gaze on her.
“You made all of these?” he asked as he slid his hands into the pockets of his jeans.
Lottie felt her cheeks heat as she smiled with pride. “Yes, I did. Would you like to sample a marshmallow?” she asked, reaching into the basket of treats she’d wrapped as samples because they did not pass her rigid inspection of candies to be sold.
Travis blinked and nodded. “I’d like that, thank you.”
“Here’s a few, but you have to promise to share with your partners and not eat them all yourself.” Lottie bagged a half-dozen of the samples and handed them across the table.
“Thank you. I’ll try to share, but if they taste as good as it smells over here, I may just keep them all for myself,” Travis teased as he hugged the small bag to his chest.
Lottie giggled and then the question that had been burning at her brain for the past few minutes popped out of her mouth before she could stop herself. “Are you a Daddy or a Little?”
Travis blinked at her question, then chuckled when he realized his actions of the past two minutes probably confused her. “I’m all Daddy, sugar. But I have been accused more than once over the years of having the boyish spirit of Peter Pan. And I’d say that you’re a Little, but you’re not sure you want to be, or is it that you’re afraid to let your inner Little out to play?”
Though it might have sounded like he was asking a question, Travis had a feeling he already knew the answer. He could see that she kept her Little girl under tight control as she and her sisters prepared for the convention.
He was surprised when her eyes grew glassy with unshed tears as she shrugged before she whispered, “I think my Little is broken. Or she died from neglect because I couldn’t play with her enough. Or maybe I’ve never had a Little in me and I’m just fooling myself into thinking I might be one.”
“I don’t believe that,” he responded vehemently. “I see her peeking out at me right now. I think she might be hiding from you, waiting for you to relax and give her a chance to play. Which is what D-4-R is all about. Helping the Little-minded get in touch with and let out their playful Little side.”
Lottie looked intrigued by the time he’d finished speaking. “Do you think you could help me?”
“I’d love to help you, sugar. Let me get you an application and we’ll run you through our matchmaking program and see how compatible we are. One of my partners, or one of the other Daddies we have enlisted might be more suitable, but we’ll never know unless you do the paperwork.”
Lottie thought for a moment before nodding. “I think I’d like to try. It would be nice to let someone else take over and make decisions for a few hours after being uber-adult all day.”
Before Travis could respond, several people approached the table and began oohing and ahhing over the variety of candies. Stepping out of the way so Lottie could concentrate on her customers, he returned to his table and pulled out one of the applications they’d devised to help them match Littles with the various Daddies they’d already recruited to be on D4R’s staff.
Crossing the aisle once again, he laid the form on the table behind the full display case of lollipops. After receiving a nod from Lottie acknowledging the delivery, he returned to his booth and forced himself to sit down and greet the convention-goers who were walking past the table.
