Page 240 of Daddy's Naughty List

Acting like her Daddy.

That’s what he was doing.

But he couldn’t help himself. He was drawn to her. It was irresistible. When he saw those gorgeous eyes, and those sweet, pink lips, he felt . . . different. Not like Benjamin Lawson the businessman. No. He felt like Ben Lawson the red-blooded Daddy Dom.

A guy he’d been trying to shove out of his life for a while now.

“Penny for your thoughts?”

Ben was in the stable with Duke this morning, brushing up on his, well,brushing up. Although he’d grown up on a ranch, it had been a long time since Ben had done any of the grunt work. It was important he knew how to groom the horses, as well as how to care for their hooves, and what to feed them and when. Of course, he’d employ plenty of staff on his ranch. But he wanted to be a hands-on manager. To pull his weight, to understand how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together.

“Not much,” Ben replied, clearly lying.

“You sure?” replied Duke. “ You seem a little distracted, partner. Just wondered if it was something to do with Louisa, is all.”

Seemed like, as well as being an exceptional ranch-hand, Duke was something of a mind reader.

Dust motes floated in the sunbeams slanting across the hay-strewn floor. Ben breathed in the scent of leather and horse, finding it grounding amidst his jumbled thoughts.

He glanced over at Duke cinching a saddle strap. The words pressed at the back of Ben's throat, urging to be set free. "Actually, you know what, Duke? Iamthinking about Louisa."

Duke gave a final tug on the strap and turned, resting a casual elbow on his horse's flank. "Figured as much."

Ben fiddled with a bridle in his hands. “What made you think that?”

Duke gave him a cocky grin. “Saw you two at that carnival meeting the other day. Couldn’t keep your eyes off each other.” He nudged ben playfully. “Chuck told me he’d made a point of putting you two together on a project. Thinks the two of you might be compatible.”

Ben’s jaw tightened. “He put us together on purpose?”

Duke laughed. “He’s like that sometimes. Sees himself as a bit of a matchmaker on the ranch.”

Ben frowned. “I told him I’m not interested in pursuing any new relationships.”

“Talk like that is probably what made him do it. The more you say you’re not looking for love, the more obvious it is that you are, see?”

“I’m definitely not looking for love,” said Ben.

“Sex, then.”

Ben swallowed. “No. Definitely not that. Sex is just as complicated as love. I don’t need complications right now. Or ever. I need a clear head, a focused eye, a?—”

“Jesus, you’re a man, ain’t you?” asked Duke. “Then you need sex! You can’t live the rest of your life like some kind of monk. You’re a Daddy Dom, Ben. Not Mother Teresa.”

Ben felt the heat rising up his neck. He tried to push down his annoyance. “I don’t want to fuck up this opportunity, Duke. And besides, let’s say I did . . . allow myself a bit of fun . . . it wouldn’t be fair to Lousia in the long run. I’m a busy man. I couldn’t give her everything she needed.”

Duke arched his brow. “How do you know what she needs? Maybe she likes her Daddies . . . busy.”

Ben stifled a snicker. “Nobody likes their Daddy to be too busy. Littles need to be the number- one priority in their Daddy’s life.”

Duke was quiet a while as he chewed that over. “That depends.”

“Oh really?”

“Well, me and Anita, we both have our own passions, see. I love riding. She loves writing. We have the most amazing relationship, and when we come together, it’s . . . explosive. But at other times, we need our own space. To find fulfilment with our other passions.”

Ben considered this. It was true that Kayla hadn’t really had another passion. She was a Little, sure, but she wasn’t . . . an artist. Or a writer. Or even a rider. She defined herself purely by her Littleness, which was fine. It just meant that it had been Ben’s job to keep her feeling fulfilled, twenty-four-seven. With someone like Lulu, maybe it would be different.

No. Don’t go there, Ben. Seriously.

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