Page 3

CHAPTER 2

Her brothers thought aura reading was dumb and pointless. A lot of the time, she was pretty sure that they felt the same way about her. When her dad was alive, they had mostly just ignored her. They went on with their lives and she did what she liked. Her dad used to tell her that they were jealous of her. But she didn’t see why.

She wasn’t as smart as Paul or Joe. Or charismatic like Clay. A leader like Eric. Or popular like Tony. Good at sports like Darin or able to draw like Zane. Nor was she good looking like, well, any of them.

They were all gorgeous and popular. While she was quirky and weird. She knew that and she was okay with it. Normally. But sometimes it hurt when people stared at her like she was crazy.

Her dad had just told her that not everyone could handle how amazing she was. But she wasn’t sure she believed that anymore. Perhaps she was just too much for people. Over the last month since her dad died, her brothers had told her several times to tone herself down. To grow up.

They were probably right. It wasn’t normal for a twenty-eight-year-old to squeal when she saw something pretty and sparkly. To own nine pairs of light-up, glittery sneakers, and about a billion fluffy pillows. To have a collection of toy horses and a special one that she slept with every night.

It didn’t matter that she’d tried to explain to them that she was a Little. That had just made her weirder in their eyes. Paul had even told her that she was just seeking attention by trying to be a child forever. It had hurt.

God, their words had hurt. Especially as they’d become bolder with them since their dad died. Which is why she’d left. She hadn’t told any of them where she was going. Basically, at twenty-eight, she’d run away from home. And she was running straight to Rawhide Ranch. Which seemed to be one of the few places where Littles and submissives were not only accepted but cared for.

Protected.

Her dad had always protected her. But she also longed for a Daddy to do even more. It likely wouldn’t happen. Even if she met someone who would want her, which was a big ask, her relationship with him would never be accepted by her brothers. Although sometimes she did wonder why she cared about them…

She just wanted to do this for herself. To feel accepted and safe for once. Was that too much to ask?

They might think you’re too much as well… maybe that’s just who you are. The girl no one wants to be around.

All right. Now, that was just mean.

“Phoebe? I’m sorry if that upset you. Are you all right?”

She startled and nearly toppled over on her boots.

“Shit!” The kind man, who hadn’t told her his name yet, grabbed hold of her arms and steadied her.

Wow. He really was hero material. “You keep rescuing me,” she told him dreamily.

If she could have come up with a dream Daddy, it might have been him. Those wide gray eyes, and that firm chin. Dreamy. He was older, that was clear from the salt in his hair and the lines by his eyes. But, lord, those things just made him hotter.

He was hot Daddy.

Hot, silver fox Daddy.

Hot, silver fox, spanky Daddy.

Yeah. That was her dream. A gorgeous, stern, sexy Daddy who liked to spank.

Phoebe’s bottom tingled just thinking about going over his knee.

Quit it. You don’t even know if he is a Daddy. But he knows that you’re a Little.

Phoebe wasn’t sure if she should be concerned or not that he’d figured her out so easily. Maybe she should work on her mysteriousness… wait, was that a word? Yep, she thought it was.

And maybe he is a Daddy and that’s how he knows what you are.

“You shouldn’t be wearing those boots,” he grumbled. “If you were mine, they’d go straight into the trash can.”

“Hey! These are great boots. Look, they have pearls inset into the heels. And they’re red. And sparkly. You can’t get better than red and sparkly. And the pearls add class. It’s a great combo.”

“But you can’t walk in them.”

“That’s hardly the point.” Didn’t he get it? They were pretty.

“Uh, you need to be able to walk in your footwear. That’s the point of them. To support your feet.”

“That sounds a bit boring. Maybe my boots don’t want to be supportive. Perhaps they want to be… the star!” she sang the last two words while putting her hands up into the air.

“Footwear can be pretty and not twist your ankles,” he told her.

Hmm. Maybe.

“How did you know?” she whispered, circling back to what he’d said before. About her being a Little.

He stared down at her intently. “I am sorry if I upset you.”

“More like you caught me by surprise,” she told him. “Is it that obvious?”

“Well, I wouldn’t say obvious. Would you be less worried if I told you that I’ve just come from Rawhide Ranch?”

Relief filled her. That did make her feel better. “So, um, are you a Dom?”

“I’m a Daddy Dom,” he told her.

“And that’s how you knew I was a Little?”

“I suppose it is. Especially when you said you’re going to Rawhide Ranch. Are you going there to attend the University?”

“What? No. I’m just going for a holiday. I might stay a week, maybe two.”

“You don’t have a job to get back to?”

“I’m between jobs. So is it far?”

“It’s about an hour away.”

She sighed. “Bummer. Is there a town nearby where I could get Cherry fixed?”

“Yeah, there’s Porter’s Corner. I’m sure there’s a mechanic there. Did it make any funny noises? Did any lights come on?”

“Ah, yeah.”

“Yeah, what?” he asked, looking up from his phone.

“Yeah, to both of those things. A light came on the dashboard and then it made a strange noise, and I pulled it to the side of the road and turned it off. Then when I tried to turn it on again… it just wouldn’t.”

“That sounds odd.”

“Do you know anything about cars?” she asked.

“Not a lot, I’m afraid.”

“I get that. It’s all magic to me.”

“Magic?” he asked.

“Yep. I like to think there are fairies in the engine making it work. Magic.”

“I don’t think that’s quite how it works.”

Bummer.

She felt her lower lip slip out in a pout. It wasn’t like her to let her Little out this much around a stranger. But his aura was so pretty. All golden with sparkly bits. Plus, he was a Daddy. And a sexy one.

“Do you like to spank?” she asked as he brought his phone to his ear.

“I, uh… well… yes, hello.”

He turned away and her shoulders slumped. She smacked the palm of her hand against her forehead. What a dumbass! Who asked things like that? She did. That’s who. When was she ever going to learn to be cool?