Page 30 of Snuggle Bug

BJ picks up his teddy and crawls across the circle. He settles into the spot by Calloway’s left, then smiles. "I’m your friend. I won’t judge you, no matter what you say. Like your Daddy said, I have certain things that I’m going to talk about, things that I was super scared to tell anyone about the first time I attended. I thought I was the only boy in the world who felt the way that I do, but being here around so many like-minded Littles helped me feel less alone. We’re all more similar than we know. Things that you do with your Daddy are likely the same as things I want to do with my Daddy."

Calloway’s brow furrows. "You don't have a Daddy."

"My future Daddy." BJ tugs at his cute olive sweater that has a dump truck on it. "I don’t have a Daddy to take care of me yet, but I know I will soon. Or at least, I hope I will."

I smile at BJ. "You will. You’re too precious not to."

"Thank you, Calloway’s Daddy."

Calloway scowls at BJ. "He has a name. It’s Greyson."

I pat Calloway’s shoulder. "It’s okay, sweet boy. You don't have to be so defensive today. I understand that you’re nervous to open up in front of so many other Littles, but I promise, you’ll fit right in. Let your guard down. Everyone here wants to help you talk about your past, and that’s how you’ll heal from certain events that hurt you."

"I’ll try my best, Daddy."

Just then, the door bursts open and Bryce enters in a suit coat that complements his fluffy body. He carries a briefcase and a clipboard under his left arm, and his right wrist glistens with an expensive watch.

"Sorry I’m late, everyone." Bryce smiles, then walks to a spot at the end of the circle. "The real estate project that I’m working on went over our schedule today and—"

When Bryce lays eyes on BJ, his expression immediately sours. "BJ! What are you doing here?"

BJ blushes, unable to make eye contact with Bryce. "I’m back for another meeting."

Bryce growls, settling into a spot opposite BJ, laying his clipboard and briefcase on the ground in front of him. "After last time, I told you that you needed to check with me before you showed up."

BJ scratches his temple. "Yeah, but I didn’t think that was a fair rule, so I showed up anyway."

Calloway turns to me. "Why isn’t BJ allowed here, Daddy?"

Another Little turns to both of us. "Last meeting, BJ confessed that his deepest, darkest fantasy is to play with a Daddy on a digger. He crayon-ed a picture of him sitting on Bryce’s lap while Bryce dug a hole, with a big sign that said, Bryce, will you be my Daddy? Bryce thought it was inappropriate because everyone’s here to discuss their past trauma, not to date. He put BJ on a behavior plan that included getting permission before he shows back up, because his presence distracts Bryce from leading the group meetings."

BJ lowers his voice as he presses his lips to Calloway’s ear. "I think Bryce has a big crush on me. He won’t admit it, but that’s the only reason he’s being so strict. I’m distracting."

Bryce’s cheeks flush pink. "Leave, BJ."

BJ pouts as he finally stares dead into Bryce’s eyes. "I have trauma I need to discuss. About my past."

Bryce and BJ gaze into one other’s eyes for a moment too long. Bryce’s cheeks turn bright pink, and he runs a hand through his hair, clearing his throat as he tries to look away. It’s obvious to me that Bryce is incapable of ignoring BJ, and that BJ is probably right—Bryce has a crush on him.

BJ also gets shy, and he looks away, too. Both men’s cheeks are flushed, and the spark between them is palpable to everyone in the room.

Calloway grins as he looks at me. "I think there’s something going on between these two."

"Nothing’s happening." Bryce pushes out a growl. "BJ gets a kick out of tormenting me, and that’s all."

Bryce is a fluffy, plus-sized real estate developer who’s around construction sites every single day. BJ is a tiny, bite-sized Little whose entire world revolves around thinking about diggers and building. As far as I’m concerned, this is a match made in Little heaven.

I turn to Calloway. "Tell your friend BJ to give Bryce a bit more time. He hasn’t had a Little of his own for quite a while, and he doesn’t know how to react to BJ’s crush on him."

Bryce’s ears tinge pink, too. "I heard that."

Calloway whispers what I told him to say to BJ.

BJ takes a thoughtful look at Bryce, then sighs. "Gosh, all I’m trying to do is talk about my trauma today. Why I like diggers so much. I’m not here to tell Bryce about my crush on him, geez. That wouldn’t be appropriate."

Bryce glares at BJ. "You’re too much."

"You’re not enough," BJ growls back, then clears his throat. "I take that back. You are enough, Bryce. You’re valued, cherished, and perfect the way you are. Never let anyone, even a lil’ nineteen-year-old Little like me, tell you otherwise. Your body is enough, too—more than enough. It’s so fluffy and full, and it looks perfect to snuggle up against. Perhaps even on a big digger while you’re hard at work. Oh Bryce, I’m so small you could fit me in your lunch box, like a doggie, and only allow me to poke my head out on your lunch break so I could see the working guys. How can you say no to that?"

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