“I’m sorry she passed away.” Palmer rubbed his arm.
“Me too, honey.”
“Why didn’t it happen to you? ‘Cause you’re stronger, maybe?”
Beau chuckled. “I think I didn’t experience the burnout because taking care of people has always been in my nature. Once Ansley and I were on our own, I poured all of my energy into taking care of her and that healed part of me.”
“Maybe I need to take care of someone to heal me. I like to help people. Maybe it would be good for both of us.”
Smiling, Beau gave her another squeeze before settling her back in her chair. “Well, I think maybe you’d benefit from someone taking care of you.”
Looking down, she rubbed her finger across the table. “That’s kinda a lot to ask of someone.”
“It’s not a lot to ask of someone who wants to do it, honey. Caregivers long to take care of Little ones. To us being asked is a dream come true.”
Palmer sighed deeply through her nose and she bit her lip as she processed his words.
“I dunno,” she said finally, voicing her disbelief.
“I guess you’ll just have to trust me on it, huh?” Beau teased.
“Thank you,” Beau told Claudia Marie as she set their food and drinks down.
“Let me know if you need anything else,” she said, giving an adorable little curtsy.
Gah, was everyone at Rawhide extra adorable? Beau was starting to wonder if it was a requirement of the Ranch. He showed Palmer the smiley face pancake before cutting it into pieces for her. He applied syrup before sliding the plate to her.
“It’s a little warm, okay?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He stuck a pink bendy straw in her milk and slid that to her as well. She grinned when she saw it and looked up at him. He winked before taking a sip of his coffee.
“You know, you said I was ‘stronger’ than you because I’m a Dom, but that isn’t true, honey. It takes a lot of courage to let someone take care of you—to trust someone that deeply is very brave.”
“I don’t feel brave.”
“Well, I don’t feel like the most handsome man in the world, but clearly I am.”
Giggles spilled from Palmer and even though Beau knew he needed to urge her along so he could get her to class, he stilled, trying to draw the precious moment closer to his heart.
“Today you’re only going to three classes and then we are going to spend the afternoon together.”
“We are?” She bounced in her chair, wiggling in excitement.
Her red curls bounced with her movements and Beau took a mental snapshot, hoping to save the image forever. Her hopefulness pulled at his heart and he remembered the days he’d wished he had someone making time for him. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he took a sip of his black coffee. “We are. I love spending time with you.”
“Really?” Palmer asked, her body freezing and her eyes widening. “You like spending time withme?” She patted her chest as if to make sure he understood who he was talking to.
Fuck, she was going to kill him.
“Yes. I enjoy spending time with Palmer Presley. She is thoughtful, kind, obedient, honest, and a wonderful friend.”
“Oh.” She went back to eating her pancakes, but she held her shoulders a bit higher.
Beau wondered how confident she would be after receiving his steady praise. He couldn’t wait to see it.
“Miss me already?” Henley, Beau’s best friend, said when he answered his phone.
