Page 25 of Stepping Up to the Plate

When I don’t respond right away, she continues. “Papa Bear Miller, nice to everyone but Lola. Lola gets the grumpy, mean bear,” she sniffles.

“I wasn’t mean to you on purpose, sweet girl.”

“No. Not ‘sweet girl.’ Dirty whore,” she mocks petulantly in a deep voice that I think is supposed to be an imitation of mine.

“You’re not a dirty whore, baby. No one is. It’s just a name that some people enjoy being called. It’s part of a scene, not what their partner truly thinks of them. I would never think you were a whore or a slut or any of the things I said that night. If the right match had gone in, he would’ve realized that the information was wrong.”

This declaration causes her to jolt up and face me. “What do you mean right match? My match didn’t show up? They didn’t want me so they sent you to barely want me instead?”

“No, no. Who wouldn’t want you? The guy who was matched to you wasn’t able to make it. He never even saw your information. They asked me to step in, but your file got mixed up with someone else’s. Someone who enjoyed degradation and punishment. I was honestly surprised they matched me to that file since it isn’t my usual type. I’m not into degradation. I am more into giving praise. I’m not a hard Dom like who should’ve been matched to that file.”

She eyes me suspiciously. “So, you didn’t want to be mean to me?”

“No, Lola, I would never be mean to you on purpose. I thought it’s what you wanted until you started to cry. That’s when I realized something was wrong.”

Taking a risk, I sit down on the bed and slowly lift my hands to her face to wipe a lone tear off her cheek. “I hate seeing you upset, doll. I’d rather take a 100mph fastball to the gut than ever be the reason you cry again.”

“I liked you,” she whispers. “Before I found out you were mean.”

“Accidentally mean,” I correct.

“Accidentally mean,” she sighs, leaning into my touch. “Miller?”

“Yeah?”

“You might have to tell me this again tomorrow, because I don’t think I’m going to remember it.”

“I can do that.”

“Okay, good,” she says before grabbing the vase beside her bed and hurling into it.

I spend the rest of the night taking care of Lola. Somewhere between cleaning up her puke and her nuzzling into my arms, I decide that she’s the piece I have been missing. This girl was meant to be mine and I’m going to do whatever it takes to get her.

ChapterFourteen

• LOLA •

Idon’t think my body has ever felt this weighed down. My head is pounding as if a polar bear is sitting on it. And not that skinny one we’ve all seen pictures of. No, this is a chunky, well fed polar bear unaffected by climate change. I think there also may be a boa constrictor around my waist. When I go to push it off in my groggy state, I realize it is, in fact, not a snake, but an arm.

Peering down, I see a muscular, veiny forearm that armporn accounts dream they were. Those thoughts are quickly replaced by panic because I have absolutely no clue who this arm belongs to. When I sense the person behind me stir, I hold my breath and dig into last nights’ memories. It’s a little hazy, but I remember someone following me back to my room and arguing with me.

I also think I remember them holding my hair back while I vomited what had to have been everything I have ever consumed in my life. Oh my God. I don’t know what is worse, that this unknown man saw me throw up or that I don’t remember what happened after that.

“Breathe,” the source of my panic mumbles from behind me. “You’re okay, sweet girl.”

That name registers in my mind. Miller. He’s the only one who calls me that even though I have no idea why. I haven’t been that sweet to him since I realized he was the guy from the club. I take in a deep breath once I realize I at least know the person who has me pulled tight against his chest but it is only a small relief.

“Miller?” I whisper.

“Yeah, doll?”

“Why are you in my bed?”

“How much do you remember from last night?” he asks.

“Um, not nearly as much as I wish I did. What – did we – oh my God, did I throw up in front of you?”

The chest I’m pressed against rumbles in a laugh. “You might have gotten a little sick which isn’t surprising considering you tried to out drink the entire party.”

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