Page 10 of Their Little House Colter
Hudson eyed it and frowned. “It’s not really a tree.”
“Dip it in ranch, and it will look like a snowy tree.”
A bright smile preceded an enthusiastic dunk, and Bridger sat back and picked up his crocheting. He was a well-known designer of patterns for the craft and often worked on hisprojects while we visited. “Anyway, you guys going to the little room?”
“That’s the plan.” Blair tipped back the last of his bourbon and set the glass on the table. “Coming, Ari?”
“I am.” Standing, I said goodbye to the others and followed Blair across the main floor, past all the popular stations like the St. Andrew’s cross and the spiderweb. There was a fire-play demo going on, as well, which always drew a crowd. Chained was very careful about activities that had the potential for harm, which encompassed many things, and anyone who wanted to engage in something like fire play had to be approved in advance.
The skill involved wowed me.Imagine rolling a fireball up and down someone’s back without hurting them at all. And fire massage? Whew! Give me crayons and even glitter any day.Impact play took up the majority of the stations. Everything from spanking to flogging to whips —another dangerous form of kink that required a certification and a dungeon monitor standing by to make sure people stayed a certain distance away.
But we strolled past all of it and into the hallway leading to various smaller rooms, including our goal, the little room. Ms. Lily met us on her way out and we exchanged pleasantries before going on in. “It’s crowded tonight,” she said. “You’ll find lots of littles looking for a daddy to play with.”
She was right. We were no sooner through the doorway when Blair was approached by a little boy wearing short shorts and a tight tee that saidDaddy’s Favorite. He was taken by the hand and towed off to play a game of Duck, Duck, Goose or something similar on the opposite side of the room.
First thing I did was look around for the little I’d seen on my previous trip, but he was nowhere to be found.
I spent some time coloring with a little girl before she wandered off to listen to a story one of the mommies was readingthen helped hand out instruments for a rousing rendition of…well, I wasn’t sure what it was, beyond enthusiastic. It ended up getting some applause from the other littles, though.
As I was putting away the drums and tambourines and recorders and things, my attention was drawn to a muffled sound from behind the instrument box. I closed it and leaned around to find a little curled in a ball and sobbing. He was wearing overalls and a little cap and made my heart ache with his cries.
“Oh, buddy.” I sank down on the floor next to him. “What happened? Are you hurt?”
He buried his face in his hands and cried louder.
“Hey.” I sat close but not touching, determined to get to the bottom of this without making it worse. “I’m just going to hang out here if that’s all right? Keep you company until you feel like talking?”
“Scottie, come on.” A daddy I’d never seen here before came up beside us. “Quit being such a baby.”
My jaw nearly dropped, but I stopped it. The meanness in his tone had me wanting to stand up and teach him what it feels like to have someone be mean to you.
“It’s time to go home, Scottie.” He reached for the little’s hands and jerked them away from his face. “Don’t make me punish you.”
“All right.” I stood up and pushed between them. “I think you need to take a break.”
“Don’t tell me what to do with my little. I’m his daddy and I am the boss.”
What?
“Scottie?” I waited until he looked at me before going on. “Is this your daddy?”
He shook his head hard, strands of hair flopping over his forehead.
“I am for tonight. We’re on a date, and he agreed I am his daddy for the duration.”
“First date together?” I asked.
“Sure, but what business is it of yours? Trying to steal my date?”
“I—” I wasn’t sure what I was going to say, but luckily I was interrupted by Ms. Lily who I had never seen angry before.
“Monty, come with me.”
“Excuse me?” The poor excuse for a daddy towered over Ms. Lily, but she was not cowed. “Where are we going?”
“I am going to escort you out of the little room so we can speak privately.”
“You can talk to me here. I’m not going anywhere.”
