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CHAPTER 2

CHARLEE

I slept better last night after Pierce brought me to urgent care than I had in months. No—years. Even with a throbbing wrist and a heap of concerns about how I was going to handle the production, I felt more rested. Two loud knocks sounded on my door. Checking my outfit in my full-length mirror, I smoothed the soft sweater down over my hips. The powder-blue color made my eyes pop. It paired well with my navy leggings and brown knee-high boots. My hair reached well past my bra band, long, wavy and damp from my shower. I’d opted for no make-up save for a swipe of light pink gloss on my lips. Not a date, I reminded myself. But Pierce had flirted last night. Who was I kidding? We flirted often even though I refused to read into his behaviors.

Another knock sounded against the front door jarring me out of my thoughts. “Coming!” Half jogging to my door, I twirled the doorknob open and fought the urge to gasp. Pierce leaned against the doorjamb, one hand flat against the top. His stance caused me to inadvertently press myself closer to him. Admiring his warm, whiskey-brown eyes for a few seconds, I tore my gaze away but not before seeing his dark blue jeans and button-down flannel. I loved his worn leather bomber jacket that gave him that bad boy energy. He wasn’t a bad boy though. No, he had a heart of gold.

“Good morning. You look handsome.”

“Hey, sweetheart. Thanks, I dressed up for you.” He winked. “Your hair looks so pretty down,” he said smiling. “How’s your wrist?”

“It hurts but it’s not as bad as yesterday. I took some ibuprofen when I woke up.”

“Good girl. I hope your wrist feels better soon. Are you ready to go?” Pierce straightened.

“I’m ready.” I had my cross-body bag on me as I pulled the apartment door shut. I didn’t react to his calling me a good girl but I loved it. The sweet pet name made me twirl down the hallway. He mentioned figuring out a plan to handle the various tasks that would be more difficult or downright impossible with only one hand. Maybe the injury was the wake-up call I’d never wanted, but actually needed. Having Pierce shadow me for the next two weeks wasn’t the worst idea.

“I haven’t been involved in a relationship of any kind in a few years,” he blurted out.

Though we had brought up several important topics yesterday, I wasn’t sure why he mentioned his lack of a relationship. Nerves prickled through my body, my mood deflated and I was left wondering why he avoided them. “Any particular reason?”

Pierce laced his fingers in mine, rubbing them across my knuckles. “I, uh, don’t know where to start. I didn’t mean to toss that info out without any reasoning behind it.”

“We all have experiences that shape us. I’m not judging, Pierce. Maybe if we get them out in the open when we get to Porter’s Corner there won’t be this tension between us.”

Pierce nodded but, by the time we exited the apartment building, he hadn’t continued speaking. I nudged his elbow.

“Sorry, Charlee. You’re not the only one who escapes in their head. I’m also worried that once I start talking, you’re likely to march your sassy self in the opposite direction.”

“Ah. So, you’re waiting until I’m strapped into your truck? Smart move.”

“Isn’t it though? Then I’ve got you captive for almost twelve minutes.”

We laughed together, breaking some of the tension but not all of it. He helped me into the passenger side of his pickup truck. Once Pierce got into the cab, he started the engine and sighed.

“I promise not to judge you, Pierce,” I reiterated.

“It’s not about judging. I haven’t talked to anyone other than a therapist about the deep-seated grief I’ve been holding onto.”

“Grief isn’t linear. Grief doesn’t have a timeline or a manual that eases the pain. It’s different for everyone.” Wanting to offer some sort of comfort, I rubbed his shoulder. I wasn’t entirely sure what he was going to tell me, but if he had avoided relationships…

Pierce waited until I was buckled in before pulling out of the Ranch. Porter’s Corner wasn’t that far away, but the drive gave him space to talk. He reached across the cab, patting my thigh.

“I know grief isn’t linear, sweetheart. It’s hard to admit sometimes that someone who’s used to being tough and stoic can so easily cave.” His hands tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles white.

“Who did you lose?”

“Abigail.” He rubbed his throat.

“Was she your friend?”

“Yes, but she became more to me. We were friends way back in high school, kept in touch here and there. Abigail contacted me out of the blue. We became very close. Despite her illness, she was cheery and optimistic. Even until the end.”

“So, the two of you were in a relationship?” I gave him space to explain because I wasn’t connecting the dots yet.

“We didn’t mean to get involved, especially not with the disease she was fighting. But, it happened anyway. Abigail joked that she wished there was a Make-a-Wish for adults. That she’d put in a request for a real Daddy.” He rubbed his throat again.

“Did you become her Daddy?” My heart clenched from the thought. I wondered if she had been his Little girl. Tears pricked the back of my eyes.

“Yeah, I did. She wasn’t my Little girl for very long. It was important to me to give her whatever the hell she wanted before it was too late. Spoil her rotten. Make her feel like a princess. Anyway, I fell in love harder than I ever had before.” Pierce shook his head.

“Hey! You sound annoyed with yourself. Did Abigail trust you? Hmmm? Did she thank you every day for being her Daddy?”

He shot me a look that was best described as me toeing the line. However, it seemed like I might be hitting the heart of the issue.

“Yes, you’re right. She did. Every day Abigail thanked me. She lived with unbridled gratitude no matter what she saw in front of her. And in turn, I did my best to be everything she ever wanted.” Pierce cleared his throat several times as if trying to dislodge a lump of emotions.

“Abigail was so very lucky to have you as her Daddy,” I said, reaching for his hand.

“Thank you for saying that. This is why I don’t share often. I get emotional and upset. Remembering things and experiences that make me sad instead of happy.”

“One day when you catalog back through your memories, I hope you smile from the experience. Though it’s terrible that you inevitably went through a tough time with her, at least you brought her comfort and peace where she might not have had any.” I let go of his hand and wiped my eyes. My heart was sad for the lovely woman I’d never met. Someone who trusted Pierce enough to allow him to become her Daddy before she died.

“Aw, honey. Don’t cry.” He pointed at the glove box. “There’s tissues in there.”

I found a small package of tissues and pulled out a few. “It’s okay to cry when the emotions get overwhelming. No matter who you are,” I said softly as much to myself as to Pierce.

“Thank you, Charlee. My heart can’t take the same beating my body can.”

We sat in silence as he pulled into the bakery parking lot. I brought up his offer that he’d been talking about last night. It was important to understand what he intended before one of us got in over our heads. I needed to know why Pierce was set on assisting me for the next few weeks.

“Why do you want to help me?” I asked him what had been on my mind since last night. “It’s going to be a lot of work.”

“Your casual way of brushing off the instructions the doctor gave you cemented it for me. I won’t stand around idly and watch you burn out. If you don’t rest your wrist, elevate it, and keep the splint on, the sprain might take longer to heal.”

“If I agree to your offer of keeping a closer eye on me what exactly does that entail? And what happens if I don’t mind your suggestions?”

Pierce cocked his head to the side, studying me thoughtfully. I sort of knew what I wanted him to say, but he wasn’t a mind reader.

“Those are excellent questions, Charlee. Let’s shelve this for a moment. I promised you treats at the bakery. You can pick out anything you’d like while I think about how to properly respond to them. I’m not stalling, I just want to make sure you’re listening to what I’m saying. Right now I’m fairly certain anything I say will go in one ear and out the other.”

“You’re not entirely wrong. I’ll be as patient as I can be while we get treats.” Getting out of his truck, I waited for Pierce to hold out his hand for me. I laced my fingers in his and he kissed my knuckles. The tiny gesture made me feel like I was something special to him. And I was. Now only if I could match his transparency and tell him why I didn’t feel like I’d be a good match for him or for anyone.

PIERCE

Watching Charlee order a creme brulee donut, a slice of angel food cake with berries on top, and a chocolate covered sugar cookie brought a huge smile to my face. I ordered a chocolate croissant and two oatmeal raisin cookies for myself. I didn’t have a huge sweet tooth, but their items were phenomenal and the menu changed every week. They also hosted a guest baker several times a month to add to the mystery. We both loved coming here.

“Would you like to go to the coffee shop, Charlee?”

Grinning, she bobbed her head up and down. “Yes, please!”

Though we had a lot of deep topics to delve into, her enthusiasm was contagious. Walking next door, I sat her at a small booth in the back while getting our coffees. It was important to have privacy for the conversation we were about to have.

“Are you scared to become a Daddy again?” she blurted out.

I took a few moments as I stared into her beautiful eyes while thinking of the most tasteful, tactful way to respond. “Well, I want to say yes but that’s not entirely true. I’ve had dynamics with other people before Abigail. I think grief is an easy excuse.”

“Nothing about grief is easy,” she lamented.

“No, but maybe more of a convenient excuse. Especially after moving so close to the Ranch. I used to visit often, but now there’s no reason not to explore. I thought about approaching Master Derek and tossing my hat in the ring, so to speak, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t ready.”

“To clarify, are you offering to keep your eyes on me as a friend?” Charlee took a huge bite of her donut.

I watched her wipe the cream off her lips with her thumb before sliding the digit into her mouth. Shit. She was getting me hard but this wasn’t the time. Not with the important topic on the table.

“No, not as a friend.” I let the implications hang over us. “Unless that’s all you want. But I doubt you’re going to do what you’re told if that’s all I am. A friend doesn’t have any fire power. At least not when it comes to you taking care of your wrist.”

Instead of answering she polished off the donut. Charlee glanced at the additional treats but carefully moved the to-go containers to the side of the table. She sipped her coffee thoughtfully and I gave her the space to gather her thoughts.

“Do you want to be my Dom for the next three weeks, Pierce?”

“We’ll start there,” I said plainly.

“I hate to burst your bubble, but I don’t need and or want a Dom. I’m perfectly content with my life at the moment. I’m a big girl who knows exactly how to take care of myself.”

Leaning across the table, I took her non-injured hand. “Those things may be true. What’s your aversion to the word Little? Can you explain it to me? I really want to understand.”

Charlee frowned like she wanted to tug her hand out from mine but didn’t. I hoped she’d offer some sort of explanation considering how upset she’d gotten last night in the parking lot. She didn’t have to explain, but I wanted to know. If I had her limits, wants and needs, it would be much easier to step into the role I thought she could benefit from: Daddy.

“Are you blind, Pierce? I’m not little in any way, shape, or form.”

“I’m not blind, sweetheart. Will you tell me why you think that being Little has anything to do with the things you just mentioned?”

If Charlee thought a Little needed to be smaller than his or her Daddy or Mommy it would make me very sad. Size didn’t matter at all. Age, race, gender, sexuality? None of it mattered when it came to the sort of dynamic or role you were seeking. That was one of the reasons why I loved visiting the Ranch. Acceptance not just of my kinks but for everyone and theirs.

“I told you last night that it’s a hard limit of mine,” she said under her breath. Her pupils were huge as they studied my face.

“I completely understand that, and I won’t call you anything with the word ‘little’ in it. Not on purpose. Will you please explain it so I can understand better?”

Her eyes darkened, a stormy blue-gray rather than the lighter shades they looked in the theater when the spotlights shined on them. Her dazzling eyes usually drew me away from whatever I was doing to talk to her directly. I should have approached her for a deeper connection before her accident.

She shook her head. “It’s too hard to talk about in a place where people might hear me.”

“Do you want to go to my house? I have a huge porch swing on my deck. It’s not that cold out and it will give us an excuse to cuddle.”

I seldom invited anyone over who hadn’t already been in my life for years. Colton, his wife Haven, her sister Tasmin and her boyfriend Kai, other friends from my crew. They attended game and movie nights when I hosted, but inviting Charlee meant something different. She chewed on her thumbnail. Her eyes flickered from each of mine down to my hands and back again. Though I worked with my hands, I didn’t think she was admiring them for that reason.

“We can sit out there and listen to music and talk about whatever you’d like. You don’t have to tell me why you like or dislike certain things, Charlee. But I truly believe I can help you better if it's in a different capacity.”

“I don’t think this is a good idea.”

I waited for her to elaborate or to give a reason why. When she didn’t, I let my mind fill in the blanks of where her hesitation might be stemming from. Nowhere good. Clearing my throat, I told her what I thought might be the issue. “I think you just don’t want to find yourself sporting a hot bottom as you elevate your wrist and ice it every night.”

“I’d freaking love that!” Her face lit up for a moment before her lips turned down in a pout. “That wasn’t fair, Pierce. You knew I’d respond excitedly.”

“I didn’t know how you’d respond. Do you want to hang out? I’ll give you a demo if you’d like so you won’t have to poke me for once.” I winked.

Flouncing up and out of her seat she didn’t stop until she reached the door of the cafe. “No demo. Not unless it’s… you know I… can we go now?”

“Come back here and pack up your treats.” I added a stern twinge of authority as I tapped my foot. She opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue. Why I’d ever thought Charlee wasn’t anything but a certified brat was hilarious. She claimed she wasn’t Little but she acted like it whenever she was around me. Her behavior, the banter, the way she listened when I told her to do something, most of the time, all pointed toward a younger mindset. Or at least a more submissive one. Glancing around the coffee shop, I confirmed it was empty as the workers had stepped into the back. Meeting her at the door, I took the top of her ear and gently dragged her back to the small table. She looked horrified. My actions would have been expected if we were on the Ranch. In public, I should have been more discreet.

“Pierce!”

“Don’t raise your voice, Charlene. Pack up your treats. No attitude.” Releasing her, I crossed my arms and watched her sulk as she picked up the delicious bakery items. She held the bags out. I hadn’t expected her to do what I’d asked so quickly. Smiling, I took them and pulled her against me. “Good girl. Thank you for listening.”

“I do try to do that sometimes. Plus, you give really great hugs.” She nuzzled into my chest.

“I enjoy hugging you, darling. Now, would you like to spend the afternoon together? I’d like to come up with a plan for the next few days at least. It’s vital that you aren’t taxing your wrist while it heals.”

“Yes, I brought my planner and my laptop.” She gestured to the crossbody bag. “But, I’m not sure how knowing more about something that has nothing to do with a dynamic or a relationship is going to help you in any way.”

“It’s important because your repeated refusal–”

“I’m not a Little. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I don’t mean physically even though that’s part of it,” she insisted.

“Let’s go.” I kissed her temple. Damn it . The gesture surprised both of us. Yes, Charlee was my friend. But I hadn’t expected her to unravel my resolve. Not when we were both so guarded. Fuck . We should go back to my place and let our walls come down via my bed. I wanted to worship Charlee with my mouth, my tongue, my hands. I longed to treat her like the goddess she was. And I was determined to make sure she always believed my actions as well as my words.

Charlee inhaled slowly, letting out a breath. “You smell really good.”

Her compliment made me smile again. “I’m glad you think so. Come home with me. I’ll make us lunch.”

She agreed verbally, albeit with a non-committal sound, but I took it. Charlee barely spoke as we crossed the parking lot and I helped her into my truck.

“I don’t think I can agree to being under your watchful eye without doing something truly stupid, Pierce.”

“Oh, yeah? What stupid thing do you think you would do? Push my buttons? Test some boundaries?”

“Fall in love with you.”

I’d expected more sass from her mouth and instead received something sweet and romantic. My heart wasn’t prepared for that answer. I wiped my thumb across her bottom lip. Don’t do it, Pierce. Don’t fall for your friend. Especially not when said friend wasn’t Little. All I’d been wanting lately was a Little girl of my own. Not as a replacement for Abigail. And not to fill in the holes left behind when she passed. Though my heart had been battered and bruised, having a submissive truly fulfilled me in so many ways. Daddy was my favorite role. I wanted someone else to rely on me. For me to be able to guide, cherish, and discipline my partner meant the world. But Charlee? I hadn’t really envisioned the two of us getting into a relationship. At least not without a fight on her end.

“I’m a Daddy, sweetheart. Even though it’s been a while, it’s the role I’m most comfortable with. The one I enjoy the most.”

Her face fell and I wanted to take my words back just so I wouldn’t have to see the pain in her eyes.

“Of course you are, Pierce. You’re a Daddy but you’ll never become my Daddy because I’m not…”

Cupping her face, I tilted her chin up so she’d have to look at me. “Pause the spiral. I see you. Please don’t get caught in your head. Please, Charlee? Give us a chance. Then you can get whatever it is that you need.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll give us a chance.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what she meant, romantic or dynamic wise but I wasn’t going to push. Not when we were making progress. Nodding, I planted a kiss squarely in the middle of her forehead.

“Thank you, sweetheart.”

She stared up at me, her eyes huge as I buckled her in and closed the passenger side door. I wasn’t perfect, but no one expected perfection. Not as a Dom and certainly not as a partner. Though I’d never do anything to cause her any grief. Acknowledging those feelings for myself didn’t make my heart get on board. It would take a leap of faith, a huge one, but I owed it to myself to try. I cared about Charlee. She’d been harboring a not-so-secret crush on me since we met. She’d be shocked to know, I felt the same way. I needed to tell her about my concerns. In doing so, we’d hopefully get on the same page today. However, it was likely she needed a red-hot bottom to make her believe my words.