Page 8 of Joining Little Jessica

After a beat she spoke, her voice quiet. “Did I... upset you earlier? When I asked about why you stopped being an instructor?”

Forrest felt his chest tighten at the question. She sounded so hesitant, like she was afraid of the answer, but he was so proud of her for pushing through her fear to ask the question, anyway. “No, babygirl.Youdidn’t upset me. Not really. I just didn’t expect to talk about it.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I’m not used to opening up about that part of my life anymore.”

Jessica frowned, and he could see the wheels turning in her head, always trying to understand. She stepped a little closer, her presence grounding him in a way that was both comforting and unnerving. “Why not? It sounds like you were really good at it.”

A strained chuckle escaped him, though it didn’t hold much humor. “I was. But things changed, and I guess I lost the passion for it.” His gaze softened as he looked down at her. “And then seeing how my reaction triggered you earlier... I just felt guilty. I never wanted to be someone who made anyone feel unsafe. Especially not you.”

Jessica blushed, her cheeks turning a becoming shade of pink as her hand reached out, resting lightly on his arm, and for a moment, everything else faded away. Her touch was so gentle, but it carried the weight of trust—trust he sensed she was still learning to give, even after everything she’d been through.

“You didn’t make me feel unsafe, Forrest,” she said quietly, her eyes meeting his. “It’s just sometimes I get reminded ofthings from my past, and it’s hard to separate that from what’s happening in the now. But I know you’re not like that. There is no way you could hurt me like that. Right?”

Her words were like a balm to the guilt that had been gnawing at him. “Never, babygirl. I’d sooner cut off my face than hurt you.” He exhaled, the tension in his body easing as he allowed time for his words to sink in.

She needed to trust him. And his friends. If they wanted to make any kind of relationship work between the four of them, it would have to be built on trust. Already she was building the first foundations of trust with them, and it was more than he could have hoped for, given how guarded she was.

“Do you have any idea how special you are, Jessie?”

Her cheeks flushed, and she quickly dropped her gaze, her fingers twisting her sleeve, reminding him of his previous observations. It made him smile, but there was something deeper behind that smile, something he couldn’t quite put into words.

“I’m not that special,” she mumbled, kicking at the snow. “I’m just... me.”

“You’re so much more than that, Jessie,” Forrest replied, the sincerity in his voice catching even him off guard. “You’re brave. You’ve obviously been through so much but you’re still standing. If that isn’t special, then I don’t know what is.”

There was a long silence between them, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Forrest watched her, waiting for her to say something, though he wasn’t sure what. Then out of nowhere she spoke again, her voice quieter this time, almost hesitant.

“When you were a kink instructor... did you ever teach someone like me?”

Forrest blinked, thrown off by the sudden shift. “Like you?”

Jessica bit her lip, clearly nervous about what she was asking. “I mean... someone who’s a Little, but who hasn’t really exploredthe kinky side of things.” She shuffled her feet and tugged at the hem of her coat. “I mean, IknowI’m a Little. I like my binkie, my blankie and all the stuffies in the toy chests. I’ve known that for a very long time. But I’ve never done any of... that, in the bedroom, I guess. It’s always scared me too much. I’ve never trusted anyone enough to go there.”

Forrest’s heart skipped a beat. The vulnerability in her voice, the way she was opening up to him about something so deeply personal, made him feel both honored and terrified. He kept his voice steady, careful not to overwhelm her. “I’ve worked with a few people like that, yes. People who were curious but needed time, patience. I’ve never pushed anyone beyond what they were ready for.”

Her next question hit him like a freight train.

“Would you... ever want to teach me? Help me explore it?”

Forrest’s breath caught in his throat. He wasn’t ready for that. Nothing could have ever prepared him for the intensity of his reaction to her words, to the idea of being the one to guide her through something so intimate, so vulnerable. His eyes darkened for a moment, the weight of her request settling in his chest.

But then he looked away, exhaling softly. “Jessie, that’s a big step. I don’t want to rush you into something you’re not ready for.”

“I’m not asking you to rush me,” she said quickly, determination clear in her voice. “I’m asking if you’d be willing to... you know... guide me? Be patient with me. I feel like I can trust you, Forrest. You, Sebastian, and Rowan. And if I’m ever going to explore that part of myself, I want to do it with someone who thinks I’m special.”

Forrest felt his heart pound in his chest. The weight of her trust was overwhelming, and he knew what she was asking wasn’t just about kink—it was about safety, vulnerability,intimacy. And goodness, he wanted them to be that for her. He wanted them to make her feel safe enough to explore. To heal.

Finally, he nodded, though his voice was quiet when he spoke. “If that’s what you want, Jess... I’ll be here. I’ll teach you, guide you. But we’ll need to talk with Rowan and Seb first. And this will all happen at your pace. No pressure, no expectations.”

Her smile was small but genuine, and it eased the tightness in his chest.

Before they could say anything more, Rowan’s voice rang out across the field. “Hey! You two joining us or what? This snowman isn’t going to build itself!”

Jessica laughed, and the sound of it warmed Forrest more than he could’ve imagined. As they walked toward the others, Forrest’s mind buzzed with everything that had just happened. He had a feeling that this was just the beginning—of what; he wasn’t sure. But whatever it was, it was something worth waiting for.

CHAPTER 6

Jessica, flushed from both the cold and the laughter that had echoed through the snowman competition, lingered near the fireplace with Rowan and Sebastian while Forrest excused himself to speak with Derek.

Forrest’s heart was heavy, not with dread, but with the weight of the responsibility he and his friends were about to take on. What they were about to explore with Jessica wasn’t something to be taken lightly. He knew it and had to make sure the others knew it, too.

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