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“Thank you,” I said again, into his neck.

“Any time, Soy. Any time at all.”

I pulled back enough to look at him. His beard was damp where I’d kissed him, and there was a streak of bubble bath suds on his collar, and I reached up and wiped it away with my thumb and he caught my hand and kissed my palm.

“You feeling better?” he asked.

I considered it. My body still ached, but the ache felt distant now, background noise behind the warmth spreading through my chest. I was probably still feverish, but right then it felt less important than his hands on my back and the smell of him and the way the afternoon light came through the bathroom window and turned everything gold.

“Much better,” I said.

“Good.” He kissed my forehead. “We should get you dried off before you get chilled.”

“I’m not going to get sick again from sitting in your lap for five minutes.”

“You absolutely might. You’re a delicate flower, Sawyer Thomas. Everyone knows this.”

I snorted. “I’m a P.E. teacher. I'm a badass.”

“Who came down with a fever after being too stubborn to tell his Daddy he was having a bad week.”

I didn’t have an answer for that, so I buried my face in his shoulder instead, and he laughed and stood up, lifting me with him like I weighed nothing, and set me on my feet. The towel came around me and he dried me off.

“Let’s go downstairs,” he said. “Your brothers will be home soon, and JJ already texted me that he somehow managed to set something on fire at work today, so I want to hear that story.”

I laughed, and he slung an arm around my shoulders, and we walked out of the bathroom together, dripping water on the hardwood.

Chapter 12. JJ

The Hearth felt different than usual.

It was still the coziest place I knew — that hadn't changed — but there was a certain electricity in the air because it was an open house, meaning people from outside could visit for the first time. In all my years of coming here, that had never happened before. But unlike Daddy, who sometimes assumed the worst was going to happen automatically, I was excited. I didn't think anything bad was going to happen. We were going to meet new friends. I was practically bouncing in place.

Sawyer looked more like Daddy — completely serious, face closed off, scanning the room. Mikey didn't even seem to register that it was a different kind of night: he held his doll and smiled that soft little smile of his. For him, being with us and his toys was already enough, and we loved him for it.

"Be careful, boys," Daddy said at the door. "If any Dom approaches you in a way you don't like, or if any sub is doing something that doesn't look safe, come to me immediately."

We'd gotten red wristbands at the entrance, which meant we weren't available for scenes with anyone else — even though Daddy sometimes let us play with people he trusted, that didn't seem to be on the table tonight. I didn't mind. I just wanted to meet new people.

The Hearth was packed. The announcements had really worked — I had never seen the place this full. They'd pushed some of the tables toward the walls to open up more space in the main room. There was every kind of person: some in casual clothes like me, others in tiny lingerie, leather and latex outfits, or barely anything at all. There was also a boy in a full pup kit — a leather dog hood that covered everything except his eyes. He crawled on a leash held by his owner, who was also dressed head to toe in leather.

"Daddy," I said, grabbing the sleeve of his white linen button-down. "We don't have any pups here. I really hope this one stays. Can I go talk to him?"

Daddy looked over at them twice. The two of them seemed relaxed. The owner was drinking a soda and taking in the room.

"That's fine," he said. "I'll come with you and introduce myself."

I bounced over and crouched down in front of the pup because he was on the floor.

"Hi! Are you a pup? We don't have any pups here at The Hearth. What's your name? What do you think of the place?" I asked all of this at once.

"JJ, ease up a little," Daddy said, arriving at my side. "You're going to startle them."

I frowned. I knew I could get too excited sometimes, but I didn't mean to scare anyone.

"It's all good," the pup's owner said. "Nice to meet you. I'm Esteban. Are these your boys?"

"They are," Daddy said, shaking his hand. "I'm Sullivan. This is JJ, that's Mikey over there, and the serious one is Sawyer. JJ spotted your pup and wanted to come say hi."