“I like that thought, whatever it was,” Rocky said.
Melissa felt her cheeks burn and knew she was blushing. He’d caught her.
“It’s okay, Melissa. I’m glad you’re attracted to me. I’m completely enchanted by you as well.”
“I look rough. Sorry.”
“You are perfect just as you are. I’m just sorry you’ve had such a bad day. What happened?”
“A dog snapped when he was hurt by a kid. I was just in the line of fire.”
“You tried to keep the dog safe, didn’t you?” Rocky asked.
“Guilty as charged. Of course, I had to. Tami will go over there tomorrow to talk to the owners. She’ll explain that even though the dog was provoked, it’s too risky for us to continue cleaning the yard. I feel bad. There’s never been a problem with him in the past.”
“Sounds like the kid needs training,” Rocky suggested.
“I think you’re right,” Melissa agreed. “Tell me about filling out the PLAYTIME app? How did you know it existed?”
“I went to get a tattoo worked on and the artist’s phone went off. The word Daddy showed on the screen. Just the look on his face told me it wasn’t his father.”
“I never had a clue that there was a large age play community in town. I keep hearing of more Littles,” Melissa shared.
“I didn’t ask Hunter anything personal, of course. I did check to see if he was aware of a kink community offhand. He shared a couple of websites and added the PLAYTIME app as an afterthought. It was exactly what I was looking for. The designer is a genius.”
“Archer recommended I fill out the PLAYTIME information. He and Tami have done so much for me.”
“I hope I get to meet them both. They sound like amazing friends.”
“They are.”
A brief pause in their conversation allowed Melissa to take a few bites of pizza as she wondered what she should say next.
“How about if I tell you about myself?” Rocky suggested.
“You’re a boxer?”
“Not professionally now. I stopped competing a few years ago. Now, I train for fitness only. And fun. I still enjoy going a few rounds in the ring.”
“I couldn’t be a boxer. Doesn’t it hurt to get beaten up like that?” Melissa asked.
“The short answer is yes. Adrenaline, training, and equipment make a difference, but impact is impact. Now I own a chain of gyms, teaching boxing and fitness. We have a special program for at-risk youth. I feel like I’m making a difference for kids.”
“That’s so neat. I just pick up dog poop from people’s yards.”
“I never want to hear you devalue yourself like that again. You provide a valuable service that allows your clients to focus on other things. I would guess there are some people physically unable to complete the job who you help. Not to mention the benefits for the dog in having a clean play space,” Rocky said in a very stern tone that made her listen closely.
“I never thought about it like that. I just talked to a lady at the supermarket tonight. She couldn’t walk in her grass anymore without losing her balance and wanted Tami’s contact information.”
“See? You’re doing a valuable service others couldn’t or wouldn’t do,” Rocky stressed. “Do you like your job?”
“Yes. It’s so much better than flipping burgers or waiting tables,” Melissa told him.
“Do you have any dreams of things you’d like to do in the future?”
“Go back to school. I had to drop out of high school for some family problems. I’d love to get my diploma. First, I need to get out of this apartment complex. I’ve got a new place all picked out. I just need to save up the money.”
“How’s that going?” he asked.
