“I’d better get home and talk to Cliff.”
“It’s going to be okay.” Chris hugged me. “Text me when you know. I’ll wait for your okay to start planning. We’ll make it fun.”
I got on the bus and rode home. Sometimes the best place to think and work things out was on the bus. The sounds ofthe people talking. The bell ringing. The tires splashing through puddles. It was all calming in its own chaos.
First things first. I had to talk to Cliff. We decided honesty was the best policy, even if we stumbled over the conversation and had to cry or grit our teeth through it.
And when I was excited, I wanted to share it with the man I loved.
Chapter Nine
Cliff
I was so proud that my little asked me for what he wanted. We’d thought Edwin was a one-time visitor to Chained because he lived in another town, but in fact he’d moved here and was living in the Little House. At first, I’d been a little surprised and maybe even concerned, but I was also proud that Brax asked me for what he wanted. He and his friends were going to have a littles’ night out, but that wasn’t what he asked.
Despite what some people thought a daddy/little relationship was, he didn’t need my permission to spend the evening with his friends. Oh, there were some daddies who were a lot bossier than me, but I had never been a micromanager at work or anywhere else, certainly not with my little.
He and I had the kind of relationship I’d dreamed of but never dared to believe could fully be mine. We enjoyed our time together in the little room and other play situations, but he was also a hot date and a fabulous bedmate when he was big.
What Brax had the courage to discuss with me was his attraction to another little, Edwin. We’d both met him at Chained, and I’d assumed from his being on a day pass and a few other bits of the conversation between him and Brax that he wouldn’t be around after that night. Turned out, he lived here now, and he would likely be a regular at the club.
Meaning, my little’s attraction to him was more of a thing than it would have been when we thought he was a ship sailing past us in the night. The real question here was not how Brax felt about him, but about how I felt about how he felt.
Which was too complicated for this daddy’s brain. As I stood in the kitchen unloading the dishwasher, Brax burst into the room for wardrobe advice—for the fifth time. “What do youthink?” He spun in a circle, wearing the jeans I loved best, the ones that cupped him in all the right places, and a T-shirt we’d bought at a music festival the previous summer. “Is this good for the karaoke night, or maybe I should wear something else? It’s not like we’re going to Chained, but we’re going to be just us. The place will be crowded, but we’ve rented the room and so we’ll be the only ones in that part of the bar…”
He paused for breath, and I jumped in. “Brax, you should wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. Your friends will do that, won’t they?”
“Yeah, I suppose they will.” He grinned. “Chris always manages to look little, even when he dresses big. But I thought since I was going to be singing one of the artist’s songs, I should wear their shirt.”
“That’s a great idea. A good conversation starter, too.” Not that he’d need one, but still, it would be fun to be able to share how much fun we’d had at the show. The festival three states away had been his birthday present as well as our first big road trip as a customer. Also, the singer was a little who had once visited Chained incognito. Making them a very popular artist among our crowd. “I think you look perfect.”
“Thanks, Cliff.” He kissed me on the cheek. “Time to go.”
“You sure you don’t mind my going to the gathering across the street from yours? I don’t want you to feel like I’m following you.” Especially since Edwin was going to be at his party, and I wouldn’t be there to see their interaction.
“I don’t. It’s fun that we’re each having a thing with our friends on the same night. That way, I don’t have to worry about you being lonely while I’m gone.”
“I’ll be there when you’re ready to go. Remember, be good. You know you’re a lightweight.”
Of course, we carpooled, and parted ways at the door to Downtown Karaoke. Making my way across the street, I wished Icould be a fly on the wall to see the whole crew in action. I didn’t karaoke, not being able to carry a tune, but Brax had a great voice. Could Edwin sing? Would they try a duet? Why was I even thinking about that? And why didn’t it make me feel jealous? Brax had never told me he felt an attraction to anyone else since we’d been together, and I was a bit surprised at his interest in another little, but not jealous. As long as we were honest with one another…
Crossing the street, I paused to let a box truck pass before stepping up onto the sidewalk and entering the restaurant where I was going to meet Bridger and a few other daddies from the club. All their littles were at the party, so he’d suggested we have our own. Nothing so exciting as karaoke, but I found the men sitting in leather club chairs around a low table in the bar, whiskey flights before them, and an air of casual ease surrounding them.
“Cliff.” Bridger waved me over. “There you are. We were just wondering if you were going to make it.”
Tension seeped out of my muscles as I accepted a single malt and sat in the one empty chair in the grouping. “Oh yes. A certain person had a fashion crisis, but all is well now.”
Chuckles from the other daddies were no surprise. We all had our challenges with the littles we loved. “They’ve rented the room for three hours, so we have plenty of time to relax,” Bridger said. “Hudson also had a hard time deciding what to wear.”
“What did he go with?” I replied, hoping I hadn’t steered Brax wrong.
“Jeans and a shirt showing just a little belly.” He grinned. “Adorable but not too little.”
“Good. Brax is wearing jeans too, and a T-shirt we picked up at the music festival. No belly, but that’s not usually his thing. Not that I’d mind.”
We all settled in to talk, a little more open than usual in a public venue, but we were a bit away from the other tables, and the noise level in the rest of the place would keep our words from carrying. Daddies had a lot in common, and it was a precious time when we could get together. It was not, however, an intimate enough setting to talk about what was on my mind. Until Brax and I talked it through some more, it would have to remain between the two of us. And with Edwin most likely at the party, we’d have more to discuss later.
Chapter Ten
