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“Ah…thank you?” I say, not entirely sure where to go from here. I know where I want this to go, but now is probably not the time or place. I look around at the tall trees shading us, my thoughts wandering to how this could actually be the perfect place. If only I was bold enough to ask.

Would he chase me if I ran?

Sterling clears his throat and I snap out of the thoughts threatening to make my cock tent my joggers. “Should we continue walking? We’re nearly at the cliffs,” I ask.

“Lead the way, sweet Caspian.” He stands, straightens out his shirt, and then holds out a hand to me. I take it and he pulls me up. We walk between thick tree trunks, and over fallen logs and broken branches, my hand firmly wrapped in his.

“I have a question,” Sterling says, helping me over a large trunk blocking the path. Overhead, a bird squawks and something rustles in the bushes behind us.

“Okay. Shoot.”

“Why does your friend want to call me Daddy?”

My feet stall, but Sterling keeps walking, so I end up nearly tripping, my hand reaching out to grab the back of his shirt. He spins around and catches me with two strong arms. I look up at him, and there’s a cheeky smirk plastered on his face.

“What?”

“Your friend. When I introduced myself, I heard him say I could go by Daddy. Why?”

Fucking hell.

“Um…”

“It was just a question. You can choose not to answer.”

I swallow as I nod. “No, I’ll answer. Kiernan thinks you’re the kind of guy who’d take care of someone. Protect them. Like you did that day in the bakery. That’s why he said it.”

I leave out the part about how physically Sterling is the type of man Kiernan would love to be with because I can’t entertain the thought of Sterling with someone else. I’ve never had anything to be jealous over, but the idea of this man and my best friend together has the ugly emotion lodging in my chest.

“He is right,” Sterling starts, drawing my attention back to him. “I would take care of you, Caspian.”

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me,” I reply, hating that I sound so defensive, because while I don’t need it, I want it. My remark only makes Sterling smile.

“No, you don’t.” He drops his arms from around my waist and slides his palm back into mine. “But you would like it. It would be…”

“Pleasing?” I say, using the word he did earlier, a smile tugging on my lips.

“Very much so.” His grin widens. “Do you want to call me Daddy?” He asks it so matter-of-factly, I choke on my reaction.

“No, um... I don’t have a Daddy kink. For Kiernan, there is something he gets from giving his partner the title, and that’s great for him, but it’s not something I want.”

I want to call you Sir.

The thought that crosses my mind makes my cheeks heat and I look away into the trees. Sterling stops walking, so I do too, but I keep my head turned. With a gentle hand on my chin, he says, “Look at me, Caspian.”

Slowly, I turn to face him and he runs the back of his hand down my heated flesh. “What did you just think about that made you blush so prettily?”

“Ah. Nothing. It doesn’t matter.”

He nods. “You will tell me when you are ready.” He is so confident and sure of himself, I find my heart growing fonder by the second. I briefly consider if this is what falling in love feels like, but push the thought aside for fear that it’s too soon.

I’m grateful that Sterling leaves the conversation there and we settle into a companionable silence as we traverse the last part of the hill until we reach the highest point in Newbridge – Sea Cliff. We stand a few feet back from the edge and take in the view, the stretch of sapphire blue in front of us, and the patchwork of farmland to our left, beyond the bend in the cove.

Sterling’s hand tightens in mine, and he takes a step back. There’s a frown line across his forehead as he rubs his other hand over his beard.

“Wait! Are you afraid of heights?” I ask.

“No. I’m not afraid of anything.”