Rowan signed in a couple of members and then just sat there. He was pathetic, really. He wanted—desperately wanted—his own Daddy but knew outside of books he wasn’t going to get one. All the littles were gorgeous. Small, delicate, fine-boned with almost elfin features that a Daddy could pick up and cuddle. Not that it would ever happen, but if a Daddy picked him up he would get a hernia, and that was assuming he could lift him in the first place.
Well-built. Big-boned. They were the kinder comments over the years. The euphemisms for fat were endless, even the ones meant kindly. He didn’t even know why he was here. There was no way he was going to get a Daddy but every weekend like clockwork Rowan tried. He heard the door open as someone exited the club and looked up almost automatically.
It was Master Gabriel.
Rowan might have whimpered. The strong, silent Dom oozed capability and dominance. The problem was Master Gabriel wanted subs on their knees.
And Rowan wanted to be on his lap.
“What are you doing here?” Master Gabriel frowned. “You’re not due on the door for another two hours. Did someone not show?”
Rowan’s heart beat so fast he stuttered. “I-I don’t mind.”
Gabriel took a deep breath and smiled again. “I know you don’t. But there’s a difference between helping out and being taken advantage of.”
Rowan smiled. It was as if his universe was complete. “Can I help you, Sir?” Please. Oh God, please.
Master Gabriel hesitated and for one glorious, heart-breaking second Rowan thought he was going to get what he wanted. Master Gabriel shook his head. “I left my cell phone in the car. I was just going to grab it.”
Rowan blinked stupidly. “That’s important.” Duh. Of course, it was important.
Master Gabriel seemed to study Rowan for a moment. “Has Master Adrian set you up with a Daddy Dom yet?”
Rowan flushed and shook his head. He didn’t want a Daddy Dom. He just wanted a Daddy. He didn’t want someone who needed to be strict because Rowan wouldn’t so much as put a toe out of line. He’d seen the brats and how their Doms loved it and knew he couldn’t even pretend to misbehave. He was too terrified of misbehaving and putting a Dom off. Of them getting tired and leaving him.
Which was ridiculous when he was never going to get one interested in the first place, especially, especially with his problems.
“You won’t find someone sitting out here.”
“I won’t be long,” Rowan whispered just as the door opened and a group came in. Rowan reluctantly dragged his gaze from Master Gabriel and turned his attention to the new people. He didn’t recognize two of them, and they signed in as guests. The two Doms they were with played here occasionally but weren’t Daddies so Rowan didn’t really interact with them.
“Well, well. If I’d known you were going to have this tasty morsel on the door, I would have been waiting outside for you to arrive.”
Rowan registered the words and glanced to his left automatically in case there was another sub standing there.
“What’s your name, Boy?”
Rowan blinked in shock and gazed at the man in front of him. Rowan’s eyes travelled up the dark navy suit, spotless white shirt and red tie, to his face. And the raised eyebrow over dark green eyes that was currently expecting a reply. “R-Rowan, sir.” Rowan felt the tell-tale blush creeping up his neck, and then gaped in shock as the man took Rowan’s wrist and examined his band.
“Rowan’s a little, Paul,” the other Dom—Eric, Rowan thought he was called. He wasn’t saying it unkindly though.
Master Paul smiled at Rowan and dropped his arm. “Oh, I don’t know,” he said appraisingly. “I doubt there’s anything little about him.”
Rowan’s flush had reached his hairline. He knew he was being teased, he just couldn’t work out whether it was meant kindly or not. Probably not.
“I’ll be looking for you when you finish out here, Rowan.”
Rowan’s mouth must have fallen open because Master Paul chuckled and with a firm finger under Rowan’s chin pushed it closed before turning and following his friends into the main room.
Rowan stared in shock at the closed door. Him? Master Paul was interested in him. Nah. Rowan shook his head. That was impossible. He’d misheard. The man was being polite.
The door opened again and Master Gabriel came back in, rubbing his hands. He smiled at Rowan. “I’ll make sure you get relieved soon.” Rowan just nodded, still in a complete daze, and he still hadn’t recovered when Julie bounced through the door, grinning, an hour later.
Did he dare?
Rowan picked himself up and walked through the doors. There was, he supposed, only one way to find out.
Chapter two