Page 14 of Heaven Leigh’s Little Halloween

Derek moved around to look at the table and then let out a low whistle. "Your work is amazing, as always. Is this for the party?"

Angel stepped out of the way, grabbing a towel to blot his forehead as he looked over the complicated chocolate creation he’d been working on. It was just one part of a massive sculpture that would be a centerpiece for the Halloween party. Once all the little pieces were finished, they'd be melded together in, he hoped, a breathtaking holiday display.

The witch had been giving him some trouble though. He was struggling to get the shape right, without making her too heavy. Since she was meant to look like she was flying high above a chocolate Halloween landscape, there would only be one slender rod keeping her up. It was the kind of puzzle he loved to solve.

Angel grinned and a deep dimple appeared on one side of his mouth. "Thank you. And yes, more for display than eating, but it will all be edible. It's the centerpiece of the dessert table—part of it anyway."

Derek shook his head. “You’re definitely a Master of chocolate.”

“I could do more if I had the space…” Angel had already brought up the cramped conditions more than once, but he liked to keep the issue on Derek’s radar. As busy as the owner was, it was easy for problems to get sidelined.

The truth was, the kitchen was constantly busy preparing meals for the many people who lived, worked, and visited the Ranch. It was nonstop chaos—and no place for the delicate work of a chocolatier. Having to share facilities made everything harder, and he was sure Chef Connor agreed.

Derek laughed. “I’m working on it. I promise.”

“Ah well, I’ll manage until you figure something out, but I’m guessing you didn’t drop in just to see what I was working on…” Angel trailed off and left the question unasked.

“Ah, right. I had a favor to ask actually. I have a Little who is really struggling.” Derek paused, as if collecting his words. “I feel like living in the Littles’ Wing is not going to work out in the long run. She feels penned in and keeps sneaking out. She’s been caught twice this week already.”

The relaxed grin on Angel’s face stiffened. He had a feeling he knew where Derek was going with this. “Sounds difficult for you,” he said, keeping his tone neutral.

“It is. As busy as it is around here right before a holiday, I could use one less distraction, but I’m more worried about her. I don’t like seeing our Littles flounder like this. The obvious solution is to find her a Daddy who can cater to her individual needs better.”

Angel’s eyebrows rose. “And how can I help?”

The slight grin that tipped Master Derek’s mouth up at one corner showed he hadn’t missed the cautious tone. “Well, you did say you weren’t opposed to settling down if the right person came along.”

“I also said I didn’t expect to find the right person any time soon. A troublesome Little doesn’t sound like my perfect match, Derek.”

He enjoyed the Littles. They were, for the most part, entertaining and fun. He was happy to hand out treats with one hand and swat a naughty butt with the other hand as needed, but when he thought about a life partner, he had a very specific ideal in mind. Maybe there was no one out there who would ever fit that ideal.

Littles were cute, but he didn’t want a woman who was in a childish headspace twenty hours a day. Policing someone’s behavior all day every day sounded exhausting. As much as he adored Sadie and Hayleigh, he couldn’t imagine how their Daddies managed their shenanigans.

While he did like the idea of being a Daddy Dom, he also wanted a more balanced experience.

He needed a Little girl to spank, coddle, and guide. He also needed a submissive who catered to his needs sometimes, someone he could drag down to the dungeon for some heavier play when he needed to work off frustrations.

And when he was intently focused on a project, she would need to be able to entertain herself like a mature adult for a few days without constantly acting up for attention. It was a lot to ask from one woman and he wasn’t polyamorous. There would be only one for him, but finding someone who could fill all those roles wasn’t going to be easy.

“You did. I was just reminding you to keep an open mind. Sometimes the right person pops up and you miss out because you didn’t notice them in front of you.” He paused, clearing his throat. “But that’s not actually the favor though. As you know, we’re not really set up for part-time Littles in the dorms. Most of our charges are happy to stay in a younger headspace most of the time—Heaven Leigh is not, and that’s the problem. That’s why I think having her own Daddy will be the best situation, but for right now I’ve got a temporary solution in mind.”

That did perk Angel’s curiosity. “And that is?”

“I’d like to have her work with you in the mornings. Keeping her busy will help with her frustration.”

“Ah, Derek. I don’t think… chocolate requires a fine hand and there’s barely room for me in here. Why don’t you just put her to work washing dishes or something? There must be other busy work you can give her.”

“She doesn’t need busywork, Angel. She’s a baker with real creative skills and I think they might be compatible with yours.”

Cautious, but now definitely interested, Angel urged Derek to continue and by the end of the conversation, he was ready to give it a shot. Baking was very different from being a chocolatier, but from what he’d seen, her realistic cakes did have some things in common.

It was handy that Derek had her file, which included a stack of photos of her work to share. Angel couldn’t help being impressed. Candy and chocolate were often used for the fine details, and he was interested in seeing what she could do. He might even learn a few things.

Still… “Are you sure a Little in the kitchen is a good idea? The last thing I need is to have something I spent days on getting ruined because of playing.”

Derek sighed. “I understand your hesitation, and I admit there is a bigger chance for catastrophic mischief in the kitchen than in most places, but I don’t think it will be an issue with her. That being said, she does fairly well with clear ground rules. So give her some.”

“Hmm.” Angel still wasn’t convinced but curiosity won out. “I’ll give it a try and we’ll see how it goes. But if she makes my job harder…” He let the warning trail off.

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