Page 76 of Love Limits

She stomped with each step, but followed him up the steps.

Ash grinned after them.

Is that what you want? Zhong asked Ash curiously. Maybe he could get some of his questions answered. Or confirm or disprove his hypotheses.

Kind of. I’d rather be good than naughty. But I want someone who wants to take care of me. I love the freedom of someone looking after me and managing things like showers and what I’m wearing.

I would have thought that you like choosing your own clothes, since you make so many of them.

Ash laughed. That’s only some of the time, as you’ve seen. If I had a Daddy, I’d love to have him choose my clothes most of the time. And he could tell me when to dress up, too.

And that’s… when you’re grown up, too? Like, not little?

Yup. I don’t want someone controlling my life. Just someone who wants to give me treats and make sure that I’m healthy and happy. Huh. Zhong hadn’t quite realized it was that extensive.

Zhong gave them a fond look. As if you need any more treats. If you get any more, you won’t be healthy at all.

Ash giggled. I know. That’s why I need a Daddy to balance it all out for me. Daddies make sure that your soup has lots of vegetables before you get your Klondike bars.

Ash’s hands stilled in the air and they quickly looked away.

Zhong wasn’t sure what to say. That definitely answered one of his questions. He was acting like Ash’s Daddy.

When Ash darted around the car to grab another flat of marigolds, Zhong picked up a bag of dirt, just to have something to do.

He knew he’d been acting like a Daddy that one time. But Ash saw it as an all-the-time thing, too. Ash had been making their way through the little packages of ice cream each time they came over, their enthusiasm for the foil-wrapped packages never waning. And Zhong still made dinner each night.

Ash walked off with a flat of seedlings, which seemed to end the conversation, and Zhong honestly wasn’t certain what to say. He couldn’t just stand there, though. He hefted the bag of soil over his shoulder. It needed to go to the back yard and he took off with it.

That would give him a bit of time.

Dropping off the bag didn’t get him any further, though. His thoughts were still spinning.

Could he suggest something to Ash? Not, like, being their full-time, boyfriend type of Daddy, of course. They’d want someone who was fully invested in the lifestyle. And sexual, obviously.

But maybe it was something Zhong could give them as kind of a way to relax, since he was apparently already doing it anyway. He could be their part-time Daddy and keep them happy and healthy and give them treats, he was sure.

And then, maybe, when they found their real Daddy they’d still have some time for him. If they agreed to being poly, could they maybe have two Daddies?

He got another bag of soil while Ash unloaded the packs of plants from the tray. He needed his notebook to sort all of this out. But not now. Later.

He lugged all of the soil and construction materials to the general areas where he’d use them. By the time he was finished, Ash was sitting on the front porch with Landon, running their hands gently over the tops of the seedlings. They reminded him of a wood sprite or something equally fanciful, so in tune with the plants and joyful in the crisp morning.

Landon was now sporting a more masculine sweatshirt and pair of stained jeans that were probably Dustin’s. He seemed to be explaining bulb propagation.

Are you two ready to get started? Zhong asked from the steps.

I’m ready to help, Ash hedged. Just show me exactly what to do and don’t trust me with anything important. So maybe not so in tune with the plants.

I’ll show you. Landon was practically bouncing. He turned to Zhong. Did you get any vegetable starts? I didn’t see any and Dustin said to ask you about everything.

I didn’t. There needs to be someone here every day to water them, and that person is definitely not Dustin. Everything here can survive a few days without me. But if you’re around and want to water them, that would be amazing.

A look of something crossed Landon’s face, but he didn’t volunteer anything beyond I can do some watering sometimes. If I’m here.

Zhong wasn’t going to pry. Whatever it was, Landon would work that out with Dustin.

Alright, let’s decide where things go. This is what I had planned out. He opened the tabbed page in his notebook. But we can be flexible. Especially since someone convinced me to buy more plants. He gave Ash a mock glare.