Page 15 of Little Boy Toy

I usually didn’t get delivery. Even though I might be able to make a pizza last for two or three meals, it was a little expensive. I already spent a lot of my extra income on a membership to The Red Door. And I was saving for my car registration due next month.

“Can we get mushrooms and pepperoni? And extra cheese?” I couldn’t help but rub my hands together.

“We can get whatever you want. Do you like sausage, too?”

I nodded rapidly, unable to contain my excitement. I hadn’t been hungry but talking about it now made my stomach rumble.

I beamed, my skin going warm all over at the idea of such a treat. This kind of did feel like a date. Plus, Zale wouldn’t go out of his way to come to my place if he wasn’t a little interested, would he?

“This is a sweet place. You’ve made it so cozy and nice,” he said as if reading my mind.

I wondered what his place was like, but I didn’t want to sound pushy, so I kept that question to myself.

“We can do a story first, then dinner. Sound good?” Zale asked.

“Very good.”

We sat together on the couch. It was the closest we’d ever been to each other physically and I liked it. We had not ever set barriers in that way. The only awkward feeling I had was because I thought Zale wouldn’t like me if he wasn’t daddy material.

I reached out to my stack of books and picked up the top one. As I started to read, Zale did his usual thing of stretching out his legs and tipping his head back. He placed his hands palm down on his chest as his eyelids lowered.

I knew he listened to me because he always had comments about the story afterward.

Today we read the story of a boy wizard who had a pet dragon.

The warmth of Zale beside me melted into my skin. I was always alone here, doing my own thing. I rarely had guests. This was a change I liked. It reminded me how lonely I’d been. I didn’t realize how much I missed real companionship until I had it. My other hookups had never scratched that itch since they didn’t last and the daddies weren’t really interested in me so much as my role in their beds.

When I finished two more books, Zale said, “Are you hungry yet?”

“Are you?”

He smiled. “I can order the pizza now.”

It seemed he kept waiting for me to decide things between us. I wasn’t used to that. What if I did something he didn’t like? Or something wrong?

When he was done typing on his phone, he looked up. “It’ll be here in twenty minutes.”

That meant time for another story, but I was afraid he would get bored with me. I got up and went to the kitchen, grabbing plates and napkins. He followed.

“Your place is so cute,” he said.

“Thanks. I have to keep to the minimum since I don’t have much space, but it works.”

“It’s perfect for a little.”

I took a breath, looking away. My cheeks heated. He wasn’t a daddy. He didn’t date littles. Yet here we were. Was this all right? When would he simply get tired of me and leave?

I didn’t want that. I’d gotten used to him. I loved reading aloud to him even though the books were sometimes babyish. If I never saw him again, I would miss him.

I turned to face him. “Do you really like the books I’m reading?”

His eyebrows drew together. “I do. They’re fun and relaxing. They take me to a place in my mind where I feel relaxed and like everything is right. I forget my work problems and other stresses.”

“That’s why you keep coming back at the club?”

He blinked. “Well, I like you, too, Kendry.”

I sucked hard at my lower lip. I wasn’t sure how to respond. Inside, I was all tingly and warm.

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