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“Daddy,”a rumbling voice urgently whispered.
My eyes popped open at the sound. I found Ashley staring at me with wide eyes as he wiggled in my tight hold.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
He shifted even more on the bed. “Gotta use the restroom, Daddy. You wouldn’t let me go. I tried to ease out.”
“I didn’t want to wake up alone. You go take care of business while I check to see if any coffee is ready.” The second my arms loosened; he shot out of the bed to head to the toilet.
I couldn’t help the laugh that broke free at the sight. He was so cute shuffling away from me in that half waddle half run move.
Keeping to my promise, I rose from the bed and slipped on some pajama pants to check out the caffeine situation. In the small kitchen we had in the bunkhouse, I found the pot just starting to brew. That meant one of the other guys was already up and moving too. We often tried to start a pot down here for early risers, then there’d be more up at the main house.
After the search party from last night made it back so late, I didn’t think anyone would beat me out of bed. Turned out I was wrong. Wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. Proof of that came walking out of the bathroom as I leaned on the counter watching him check for the coast to be clear.
I knew it was probably because he didn’t want to be walking around in his underwear on his first morning at the ranch. It would definitely get the men to gossip if they saw, yet I didn’t feel bothered at the idea. They could talk all they wanted. We knew the truth of what was going on between us.
Ashley made his way back to our room with slow, steady steps. I made a show of making some noise, so he’d see me and not be startled.
At the loud bang of the stool, he whipped in my direction. That blush of his quickly rose over his skin. I took in the spread with a grin, noting how it was limited to his cheeks and neck.Such a pity. It would have been fun to see how far I could have made it spread.
“Why don’t you get dressed for the day so I can show you around? Yesterday wasn’t a good example of how things are here. I can do it right today.”
“Sure. I’m ready to jump in to help as I’m needed too,” he said confidently.
I leaned back on the counter as I watched him. I really wanted to tell him he had a lot to do before I’d let him work. Things like seeing a doctor about his hearing and then possibly finding a counselor to help him with the anxiety he’d presented.
Rather than say all that, I nodded to him so he could go get some clothes on. While I gave him some space to get his armor on, I pondered over who I should talk with about what was going on. Sean had a medical degree, though I didn’t know how much he knew about auditory issues.
And as for the therapist, Harlan and Griffin would know someone, though I didn’t know if that person worked with people outside of the prison system. Since that was how they’d met years ago, I knew they’d kept in touch with the people in the program. It didn’t mean they would have any suggestions.
More important than anything, though, was the fact that I needed to know Ashley’s perspective on it all. I could not and would not pursue anything without his input. His secrets were going to be safe with me for as long as he needed them to be.
Preferably sooner than later since I was worried about what him continuing down this path looked like. His hearing was going to be a challenge to overcome. And I feared that if he got spooked too strongly, he might find himself in a tough situation.
The only thing I knew to help in the short term was to keep as close an eye on him as possible. It was why I was having him get dressed first so he could then come out here and sit in such a way that no one could scare him.
When he reappeared a few minutes later, I explained to him that he should sit on the single stool against the wall. I told him that it was the best seat in the house and that it gave him a full view of the room.
I didn’t have to explain why he needed that specific seat. We both knew why.
Once he was settled with his cup, I planted a kiss on his cheek. “Be good for Daddy while I get ready. If anyone else pops out, just be your sweet, adorable self, ok? They’re not here to judge you. Remember how I told you this place was full of littles?”
He nodded slowly.
“Well, they’re going to love the idea of a new friend. I’ll be back as soon as I can. Gotta get cleaned up first.”
As I took off for my room, I wondered just how I’d ever lived without him around. His letters were one thing but having him in person was something else completely.
—
Dear Corey,
Happy pen pal-aversary! I don’t know if that’s a thing, but I’m claiming it as such. We’ve been writing to each other for two whole years. I can’t believe it.
Sorry I missed last year’s date. To be honest, I think I was in the middle of a mission and didn’t have time to come up for air.
Never mind that though. Tell me something about the guys at the ranch. Or about you. Any little details help. I’m bored out of my mind with all the stuff they’ve got us doing these days. I really just want to go back to patrol duty. It’s much easier than this push and pull they keep doing the rest of the time.
