Damn, but he reminds me of Miles. So willing to please, but with a playful side which needs a firm hand sometimes. Thinking this way makes me softer and more lenient than I would be with any other bratty sub.
“It’s fine, Josh,” I respond gently, then tilt my chin up towards Max, “but your Daddy’s right: with anyone else you might be in big trouble. However,” I hope I’m not overstepping, “because I know you’re just missing your other Daddy, and I know how grumpy missing someone special makes me, maybe Daddy Max might consider cutting that cage time in half if you promise to be good for the rest of the night.”
Max snorts. “Oh, good; another big, tough-ass Dom going soft for him,” he teases. “Don’t let those puppy eyes fool you, D, or he’ll walk all over you.”
I’m back to thinking of another sub and his big, round, pleading eyes, and kisses that stole my heart in one fell swoop.“Yeah,” I smile, glancing between the pair of them, imagining Josh doing the same thing to his Daddies, “I’d believe that.”
Except Max and Emmet, the huge bear of a man who completes their triad, weren’t stupid enough to let Josh disappear right under their noses.
When another glance around the dimly lit club space doesn’t miraculously produce the Boy I’ve been hoping to see again, I gesture to the seat across from me. “Sit, Max. Have a drink with me.” I tilt my head to the side. “Unless you’re doing a scene tonight?” The Grove has a strict sobriety rule for anyone participating in scenes involving bondage, or pain or impact play, among other things. The bar is for people who want to hang out in the nightclub, but for anyone indulging in kinky scenes, it’s expected that we stay sober for safety and consent.
“Outside of putting a cage on my naughty Boy, no. But I’m not a big drinker anyway.” He pulls out his phone to scan the QR code on the table, which will bring an order directly to our booth. “Still, a beer sounds good.” He turns to Josh. “Would you like a soda? Juice in a sippy cup?”
“Soda please, Daddy.” All traces of Josh’s earlier cheek and sass have been replaced by sweetness.
“Good boy,” Max praises.
Watching the answering smile bloom over Josh’s face as he revels in the praise, it’s hard not to recall just how much Miles loves being told how good he is. How much he so obviously craves it.
Ugh.
I’m starting to think I will have to ask Jake for his contact details after all.
The three of us make small talk while we wait for our drinks to arrive, and it distracts me enough that, even when Max asks how work is going for me, my thoughts don’t immediately circle back to Miles. Instead, I talk about the few projects I’ve been involvedin, and answer Josh’s carefully worded questions about working in the adult entertainment industry.
I appreciate that neither of them are at all fazed or judgmental about my chosen career, and that Josh has clearly taken Max’s instruction to think through his delivery to heart.
“…and I just wrapped a Christmas themed shoot the other week,” I finish, shaking my head with a rueful smile. “Tacky puns and all.”
“Pleasetell me you were dressed as a badass elf,” Josh begs with a laugh. “Or…oh! Instead of puppy play, was there reindeer play?”
“I was a badass Santa, actually,” I grin, but I feel my expression fade as Miles’s adorable words (“You’reFatherChristmas…and you look like a Daddy.”) replay in my mind. Clearing my throat and giving my head a shake, I add, “And no, there wasn’t any pet play of any kind.”
“Pity,” Josh sighs, running his finger around the rim of his now half-empty glass. “Reindeer play sounds like fun.” Then, as if a lightbulb has lit up above his head, he straightens and beams at his Daddy.
Max is already a step ahead of him. “Yes,” he says in an exaggerated ‘you don’t even need to ask’ kind of tone, “we can try it out. I’m sure Daddy Em will also be happy to let you experiment if you want, monkey.”
“You’re the best, Daddy Maxxie.”
The way Josh stares at Max with hearts in his eyes makes me avert my own. In the next moment, I’m glad that I did, because I catch a glimpse of a familiar face as Miles eases his way around the main club room.
Pushing to my feet, I make my apologies, refusing to take my eyes off Miles in case I lose him in the crowd. But he’s wearing a neon-yellow safety vest, so I hardly think that’s going to be an issue.
Dimly aware of Max and Josh saying goodbye, I hurry after my sub.
This time, if nothing else, I am getting his number.
Chapter Nine
It feels weird to be walking through The Grove in my work clothes. But, seeing as I’m actually here to work, I can’t wear one of my usual club outfits.
See, when I’m not trying to get my big break on the silver screen (or, apparently,anyscreen now), I’m an electrician, and I work for the company that designed, installed, and maintains the entire intricate security system here at The Grove. And, because they liked those services so much, we soon took over all of their electrical needs.
But, due to the nature of their business, we also need to have technicians available twenty-four-seven in case of any urgent issues, and we’re all on a rotating roster to provide that support. Ninety percent of the time, callouts happen during the day. It’s just my luck that they discovered a sparking light switch in one of the upstairs theme rooms during my ‘on call’ days.
Never mind that it was a similar callout which introduced me to the delights of the club almost two years ago now; I’ve been doing my best to keep my distance the past couple of weeks. It’sbeen torture, but I knew that if I saw Dmitri with any of the other subs, it might just break my heart.
And how ridiculous is that?
