Page 8 of A Daddy to Love

Truce

I turned toward Luke, who had joined me as soon as I walked through the door. As we reached the stairs, the sound faded a little so I could hear my own voice again. “Who is that little cutie?”

“Who?” Luke scrunched up his face. “Oh, do you mean the boy you stopped to ogle? You asked me that last night. How the hell am I supposed to know?”

I laughed. “Ogle? Was it that obvious?”

Luke shrugged. “Last night was the first time I ever saw him.”

“Me, too.”

“I can find out his name if you want.”

“Please do.” That little had looked scared to death of me. If I moved too fast he’d probably run away and I’d never see him again. Sometimes it paid to have minions to do certain groundwork.

Before heading upstairs to our usual hangout, I greeted some old friends hanging out at the edge of the dance floor. Before I knew it, was being pushed and pulled into the crowd. A circle of guys danced around me. I loved it. But the air there was hot and cloying, and half the guys were drunk or zoned out on who knew what.

This was a nice establishment, but ironically my favorite kink club felt safer. There, the rules were strict. Drinking yes, but no drugs. For scenes, consent required questioning of any hands-on participants three times with three yeses before moving forward.

I made my way to the edge of the dance floor and stepped off. Disappointed faces glanced my way but didn’t try to interfere.

For a few seconds, I was not the center of things, not Truce the leader. I raised my gaze over the heads of the crowd and saw Luke talking to an ex he kept hooking up with even though he kept promising, “This time is the last time.” Obviously, he hadn’t yet talked to the intriguing little.

I glanced at the table where he had been. My heart sank when I saw it was empty. Then I saw him and another little who had joined him coming off the dance floor and returning to the table. That second little I’d seen around a lot, including Kings and Queens, but I’d never hooked up with him. I didn’t seek littles. Until now, apparently.

Behind me, I heard murmurs of my name but ignored them. I headed for the table before my usual crowd could sweep me away again.

All of a sudden, I was unsure of myself. That never happened. I grabbed a nearby chair and plunked it down at their table, sitting forward and leaning on my elbows.

“Are you ever going to introduce yourself?” I said to the new boy.

His gorgeous blue eyes grew round and big. His pink lips parted. His shoulders tightened. Okay, I’d been right. He was terrified of me. But I wasn’t the scary sort, so why?

The other little began bounce in his chair. “His name’s Kairo and he has social anxiety.” He held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Kimmie. I’ve seen you a lot down at Kings.”

“Same.” I met his eyes but already knew he wasn’t my type. I had all types, but right now he wasn’t. Kairo was.

“You two are peas in a pod. Have you been friends long?”

Kairo gulped, still silent.

Kimmie tilted his head. “About twenty-four hours.”

Kairo watched me. Not smiling. I was familiar with that look. It was fear and want all mixed together. Something caught in my throat. This little wasn’t on the meat market. Not the way a lot of guys here were. He sat apart. Maybe that’s why I’d noticed him.

I’d been around the block once or twice, for sure. Most guys came out into the nightlife to indulge the restless spirit. Sex was the number one topic of conversation. If you took the time to get to know somebody, that changed. But so many, especially young ones, didn’t have patience.

For others, the world worked differently. More like a fairy tale with a happily ever after. At least, it worked that way in their dreams. They were harder to win over. They weren’t here to be tempted into the back alley behind the bar. When they said, “Let’s get coffee,” they meant real coffee. Like a first date on the brink of a second.

I could read him well. Kairo fell into that second category.

I took a deep breath as if to inhale the hope I saw in his eyes. It was like standing at the top of a snowy ridge overlooking a pine forest, the air glacier fresh. I could move freely. As if all the muscles in my arms and legs had been released from the chains in the Kings and Queens dungeons after a really great scene. There was a hint of euphoria. A jolt in my chest.

I didn’t believe in love. I certainly didn’t believe in love at first sight. Impossible. You had to know someone before that happened.

And yet.

It was as if we’d met before. That was a completely new sensation for me.