Page 8 of Imperfect Skin

I shook my head. The idea was preposterous. I wasn’t—I didn’t need a Daddy. I needed a Dom—just not one who was looking for something long term. I just needed someone to hurt me and make the noise in my head stop. To punish me for the shit I’d done, then leave me alone to wallow in my feelings.

I chugged the drink and was contemplating having another when a hand landed on my shoulder.

“Are you okay?” Callum’s brows were drawn in concern. “You took off like you saw a ghost.” He dropped his hand. I could still feel the heat and weight of it, even though it was only there for a moment. I remembered every time he touched me. Every innocent touch was filed away in my head, more things to torment myself with.

He was still watching me with that concerned frown creasing his face. This close I could smell the expensive beard oil he used. It smelled faintly of sandalwood and something almost smoky. It was a scent I almost exclusively associated with him.

“Yeah fine, just had a thirst. This stuff is sweet as hell, but tasty.” I smacked my lips loudly, knowing just how obnoxious it sounded.

“You planning on hitting those hard tonight?” Callum tilted his head towards the empty plastic cup I held.

“Well, I wasn’t planning on getting munted and ruining Simon and Rhys’s party, if that’s what you’re worried about,” I answered peevishly.

“I wasn’t judging, Mouse. I was asking a simple question,” Callum said tiredly, as if he was already done with talking to me. I couldn’t blame him. Most grew tired of me eventually.

“And I gave you an answer. No, I don’t intend on getting drunk. Why is it any of your concern? I don’t need your permission.” I didn’t know why I was lashing out at him like this—but then again, perhaps I did. The Daddy and spanking comments had left me rattled and had my brain asking questions I was having a hard time trying to bury.

Callum’s eyes narrowed. “No, you don’t need my permission, but you can take concern from a friend with a little more grace.”

“Dad!” Alice’s voice stopped the cutting words I was about to throw as she flung herself against Cal’s waist.

“Hey, petal.”

Alice bounced on the soles of her feet with excitement. “The DJ is playing music. Come dance with us.” She spun to look at me, grinning. “Please, Mouse?”

I noticed the child standing behind Alice. “Hey, you must be Benji.” My earlier bad mood left me in the face of this cute kid. “I love your skirt.”

Benji smiled shyly and twisted slowly back and forth. “Thank you. Mum and Uncle Cullen helped me make it.”

“Well, it’s lovely. Are you enjoying staying with your uncle?” I found it funny to think of gruff and grumpy Doc Cullen as a doting uncle, but I guessed you never knew everything about a person.

“He’s nice. Like a big, grumpy, old cat,” Benji answered, giggling.

“Rhys tells me the secret to getting him happy is Hobnobs, lots of ’em,” I said in a conspiratorial whisper.

A woman closer to Cal’s age than mine walked over smiling hesitantly. She bent down in front of Benji and kissed his cheek. “Are you having a fun time, love?”

“The best time. Alice and I are going to dance, but she wanted to ask her dad and Mouse if they would dance too.”

The woman straightened up and smiled at us. “Mouse?”

I scratched my beard and grinned. “Uh, yeah. I’m Simon’s baby brother. I think everyone in this town has actually forgotten my real name.”

She chuckled, tipping her head towards Doc. “I’ve been calling Cullen ‘Doc’ since we were little kids, so I get it. I’m Anne, by the way.”

Benji whispered to Alice, and she grinned. “Benji says he likes your make-up.”

“Why, thank you, Benji.”

Benji blushed then tugged on Alice’s hand. “Let’s go dance.” With that, the two of them bolted off to the dance floor.

“Your daughter is a sweetheart. She took Ben under her wing when he started at the school this week. The move has been hard for him, but I think he’s going to be a lot happier here,” Anne said, and I smiled. It wasn’t the first time someone thought Alice was mine.

“Ah, Alice is his.” I pointed to Cal. “But she is the best. I’m glad Benji is settling in. Alice mentioned you’re staying with Doc?”

“Ah yes, while my husband is away. Ben and I have been staying with my parents and they are not the most accepting of people. They weren’t directly cruel to Benji, but they didn’t hide their displeasure at his clothing choices either, or Ben just being Ben. I’m not sure how long my husband will be deployed for, it could be another year, and I couldn’t put Ben through living with my parents for that long.” Anne blushed. “Sorry, you didn’t ask for my life story.”

“Don’t worry about it. You’ll find Tewsbury is an accepting place, and if Benji has any problems, let Mrs Watts know. She’s the headmistress and won’t put up with any shit,” Callum said in his typical blunt manner.

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