Page 46 of Daddy's Little Matchmaker

After a slight pause she got in, and laid down.

He pulled the covers up and tucked them around her snugly. Then he sat on the edge of the bed beside her. “What time should I meet you at the shelter tomorrow morning?”

“Six-thirty.”

“I’ll be there. Don’t start without me.”

“I won’t.” She pointed to the book on her nightstand. “That’s the mystery I’m reading, but I haven’t had time to read for almost a month, so you might have to go back a few pages so I can remember what was happening.”

He smiled and shook his head. “Oh no, I’ve been a Daddy for far too long to go along with that. I want you to go to sleep, not stay up all night.” He pulled his phone out of the pocket of his slacks. “I’ve got a world history book on my phone that does wonders for putting Littles to sleep.”

She frowned. “I’m not Little and maybe I really like history.”

He chuckled. “I doubt it, with that pout you’ve got. But even if you did, I doubt you’d like this one. I think the person who wrote this wastryingto put students to sleep.”

He leaned down, kissed her forehead, and patted her hip. “Close your eyes. I’m going to turn off the light, and read standing up so I don’t disturb you once you’re asleep.”

She dutifully closed her eyes, and soon he was reading about the Roman empire. It took less than ten minutes for Tessica’s breathing to level out, and he kept reading for ten more minutes, just to make sure she was out. As quietly as possible, he turned off her kitchen light, grabbed his jacket, and locked her door behind him when he left.

The following afternoon at eleven-thirty, Connor arrived at the shelter for the second time that day. He saw Tessica’s car, and parked behind her. When they’d met that morning to feed the animals, they’d had a short discussion about their plans for the afternoon of play with Gwen. She’d asked him to pick up deli sandwiches, chips, and water for lunch, and he’d happily agreed. He’d also stopped at the craft store and purchased three different things for Gwen to choose from for the afternoon’s activities.

He picked up the bags of food and the crafts from the passenger seat, and went to find Tessica. He found her playing with the only dog they currently had, a toy poodle named Toby. He set his bags on the counter as she walked over. Her tan sweater and dark brown skirt weren’t nearly as evocative as some of the other things he’d seen her wear, but they seemed appropriate for the accounting meetings she’d been in.

She leaned across the counter and gave him a quick kiss. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he answered. “How was your morning?”

“Good. Both of my meetings went well. How was your morning?”

“Uneventful, but not bad.” He tapped the food bag. “I’m going to go put the sandwiches in the fridge, and set out the crafts.”

“Okay. I’ll put Toby back in a few minutes once he’s run off a bit more energy, and then I’ll meet you up there.”

As Connor walked past the cages, Butch meowed plaintively at him. “I’ll get you out and pet you before I leave. I promise.”

“It’s been almost a month since Butch arrived,” Tessica said from behind him. “And he hates everyone but you. I’ve tried showing him to three different guys now, and Butch hates them all.”

“Of course he does,” Connor muttered as he went into the hall and up the stairs. The universe was conspiring against him to disrupt his peaceful life of solitude. Before he knew it he was going to have a cat, and that would lead to a wife, a move to Oregon, and family barbeques with his grandkids and extended family. Last week he was a bachelor who went to kink clubs, not some married grandpa with a cat.

He put the food away, and set out the crafts. For the first time since the wake, he was glad that his sister was dragging her feet about getting rid of their mother’s furniture. He put a set of watercolor paints and paper on one end of the kitchen table, then added a Disney puzzle in the middle, and some sculpting clay on the other end.

Tessica came up the stairs a few minutes later. “Before Gwen gets here we should go over a couple of things.”

“Okay.”

“She’s six when she’s in her Little headspace, and she likes to test the waters with new Dominants. No matter what it’s about, she’ll push you until you put your foot down. But beyond that, she’s pushy and bossy by nature. She likes things to be a certain way, and if you don’t do it the way she wants, she’ll have no problem letting you know about it.”

“What does putting my foot down look like for her?” he asked.

“Staying calm while she escalates. Not giving in to tears. A timeout if she gets to the point of yelling or throwing things. And a few swats or a spanking if she refuses a timeout.”

“And her safeword?”

“Red, but I’ve never heard her use it. She’s good at communicating her needs before anything triggers her.”

“Okay. Anything else?”

“Sometimes her version of pushing looks like enthusiasm rather than a refusal.”

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