Page 18 of The Story of Danny Rose

I tossed the soap bar onto another rock, then picked up my towel to dry off.

If Danny was gonna be blunt about things that were usually more…private, so to speak, I would have to come up with verbal shields to change the topic. It would be too easy for me to do the opposite. Life was too short to beat around the bush, and I usually didn’t have the time. In between work assignments, I put my cards on the table pretty damn fast if I was interested.

Partly because it happened so rarely, too. Sticking my cock into the closest willing hole hadn’t appealed to me in ages. Arden and I had bitched about it together, because he was the same. We needed that mental connection. Something that reeled us in and stimulated our minds.

I tightened my towel around my hips and left the soap for tomorrow’s repeat.

“Payne, would you recommend the fireplace or the grill to make coffee?” Danny hollered from inside.

“The fireplace. Did you find the strainer for the coffeepot?” I climbed up the porch steps and stayed in the doorway.

“Yup, right here.” He was a busy bee at the counter. He had a pot for the eggs too.

“Do you need a hand?” I asked. I didn’t wanna get dressed yet—or go inside. The sun felt too good.

“No, sir. You go sit down on the porch,” he replied.

Very well. I wasn’t gonna turn down getting spoiled for breakfast. “Don’t make a habit out of this, boy. I’ll get too comfortable.”

He flashed me a grin. A fucking beautiful grin that reached his eyes. He was relaxing, wasn’t he? I’d never seen him at ease. This was a whole other Danny.

“Good to know,” he said.

I left the doorway to clear my head. The stuffed animal was at the forefront of my mind too. I wondered what kind of smile he’d give if someone tucked him in at night and placed that toy next to him.

Did Arden really think Danny could be a Little of any kind?

I could see it just as much as I couldn’t. Psychologically, it made perfect sense. A young man robbed of his childhood, of safety, of protection, of…so many other fundamental things. Always carrying the world on his shoulders. Always the tough guy. Serving his country, saving lives, ending some too.

Even those men and women needed to let go every now and then.

In my circle of BDSM friends, I’d met women who were submissive through and through, women who rocked a CEO title by day and a slave label by night, men who shed the suit tobecome a boy, men who played across the entire spectrum, and soft-spoken kinksters who wielded one hell of a whip.

I got comfortable in one of the chairs and planted my feet on the cooler at the center.

Being a Daddy Dom was my way of tending to that other side of me. The one who wanted to take care of his Little and just make him happy. See the good in the world and focus on nurturing. Balancing spoiling someone rotten with providing firm structure and guidance.

Spending the past five months with the twins was making me miss kink more and more. I’d made my choices when it came to work, but that didn’t mean it was wonderful all the time. Shit got lonely, and temporary arrangements barely scratched the itch.

I rubbed my chest absently and closed my eyes. If only the sun could heat up my cold center too.

Okay, Christ, pity party for one. Time to stop.

Being the twins’ guide was plenty. Now I’d lead the way for Danny too. I’d do everything in my power to prepare them for a life in the field.

I heard a muted clank coming from inside, followed by a low curse.

I tilted my head, half glancing over my shoulder, ready just in case. Danny wasn’t the type of person who would ask for help if something went wrong.

“Everything all right?” I asked.

“Yes, sir!” His voice was pitched a tad higher than usual.

We might need to have the conversation I’d already had with River and Reese.

I got out of the chair and aimed for the door, and I found some damning evidence before I even entered the cabin. Knife, cutting board, a chunk of slab bacon he’d been in the middle of slicing, and a few drops of blood.

“I’m fine. Go sit down again.” He had his back to me and was bending down over his backpack, digging through it for…for his first aid kit.

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