Page 18 of Examining Ella

Ella momentarily felt foolish. She’d hidden her Little nature for so long—only indulging in secret—that it felt strange to be so out in the open with it now. But she resolved to enjoy the experience and took a few moments to look at the store’s items. She finally selected a bath toy set.

“And we can’t forget your tierra and wand,” Dr. Kirk said. “Every princess needs them.”

She happily took them from the shelf and handed them to him. She stood patiently while he paid for the items. The woman working the register smiled and said, “Your Little is just a doll!”

“Thanks,” Dr. Kirk said. “I think so, too.” He winked.

Ella blushed hard. Was she his Little? They hadn’t formalized anything. Of course, what had happened back at the sick bay had been pretty intimate. But doctors are used to stuff like that.

Okay, maybe not stuff just like that. But still. Did it mean as much to him as it did to her? Or was it just all part of the job?

Once the transaction was finished, he took her by the hand and said, “You ready?”

They left the store and she pulled away.

Or she tried to, at least. He kept a grip on her hand.

“You leaving me?”

She giggled. “Dr. Kirk, thank you for everything. But I—”

“Dr. Kirk?” he said. “I think we should be on a first name basis now.”

She giggled some more. “Okay. Bryan.”

“I guess Bryan’s okay.”

“There’s something else you’d rather be called?”

He grinned. “We’ll get to that. In time, I suppose.”

Her cheeks glowed red as she pondered the implication of his words. Did he want her to call him Daddy?

She’d ponder that some more later.

“Okay, Bryan,” she said. “I don’t want to take up anymore of your time. Thank you for everything.”

He was still smiling as he said, “If you want me to get lost, I will. I understand if you have other plans. But if you’re free, well, so am I.” He stepped closer and spoke again, his tone a little more playful.

“And it just so happens I want to spend my afternoon with a cute Little. And you happen to be the cutest.”

Chapter Twelve

Ella dropped her toys off in her cabin, changed into her bathing suit, and met Bryan back out on the deck by one of the swimming pools.

She was, as usual, self-conscious. It wasn’t the bulky swim diaper she had on causing her anxiety, either.

It was the bathing suit.

“Really wish I would’ve bought a one-piece,” she grumbled under her breath as she approached the awaiting man.

She forgot all about that, though, when she saw him.

Holy cow!

His body was so lean and strong. She resisted the urge to reach out and run her fingers over the hard ridges of his ab muscles. Instead, she simply drank in the sight. It was something she’d commit to memory and recall for a long, long time.

Dr. Bryan Kirk was exquisite.

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