Page 30 of Rekindling Little River (Littles of Rawhide Ranch #14)

Dave

The morning of their departure from the Ranch dawned gray and gloomy, matching Dave’s mood perfectly.

He was loath to move from where he lay with River wrapped in his embrace.

He wanted to take every extra second he could get with them close.

For six whole days he’d barely had River out of his sight and he wasn’t ready to go back to a place where they weren’t with him.

He wasn’t wearing a watch and with the sky as overcast as it was outside the window, there was no way of knowing the time. Checkout was approaching, and he knew he should wake River. There were things to be gathered and they’d need to dress, but damned if he could get his body to obey his brain.

He had no idea how long he lay there trying to get the motivation to start the day but it was long enough that River stirred and stretched against him, rubbing against him and pressing their ass into his morning wood.

Fuck, this creature was beyond tempting.

He tightened his hands around their waist and whispered, “Keep rubbing against me like that and I’ll forget you’re probably sore and have you screaming my name in no time. ”

“Hmm, is that supposed to be a threat? Because it’s not very effective.”

Dave chuckled and placed a kiss directly on a hickey he’d left on their neck last night. He loved seeing his marks on them. “Good to know.” He placed a kiss on another mark. “We should probably get up and get ready.” Another kiss, another mark.

“Hmmm. I don’t wanna.” This time when they pressed their bottom back against him, it was a very deliberate gesture and Dave growled as he licked and suckled an unmarked patch of skin on River’s shoulder. It wouldn’t be unmarked long.

“Me either.”

“I wish we could stay here.” River’s hand rose and went back around Dave’s neck as they turned their face and offered up their lips for a deep, probing kiss.

“Me too.”

River rolled to their back and Dave took the opportunity to position himself over them and capture their lips again in a more intimate and thorough kiss.

Their hands roamed his naked skin and when they gripped his hard cock in their fingers all thoughts of getting up fled from his mind.

By the time they made it out of bed, checkout was fast approaching, and both their bodies were sated with a pleasant post-orgasmic buzz.

River

Goodbyes had been brutal and River immediately knew part of them would always belong to Dave.

They’d had an uneventful trip home and had immediately jumped back into work.

It was a good distraction from the heartache of going home to an empty apartment and a lonely life.

They spent some time with Kenzie and told her about their trip, but for some reason, they couldn’t bring themself to share about Dave.

Their perfect week with their perfect Daddy.

Somehow, they didn’t even want to share the memory of their Daddy.

They had no idea how they’d react to seeing him at the club.

They couldn’t even think about seeing him with another Little.

It made them murderous, and their heart ached in a way they’d never felt before.

They threw themselves into work, picking up extra shifts and volunteering at the hospital to keep themself from having time to think or, more importantly, feel. Their arrangement with Dave had only been for their trip, they didn’t have any claim on him, but somehow they felt like they should.

River trudged up the stairs to their studio apartment, digging into their messenger bag for their keys.

They’d just come off a particularly rough forty-eight hour shift at the station and were so exhausted they thought, maybe, just maybe, for the first time in the two weeks since they’d gotten home they might get a good night’s sleep.

They were so tired and focused on their task that they didn’t see the person in their path and smacked full-force into a hard chest.

Stepping back, they mumbled an apology as their gaze landed on the shirt of a fireman uniform. Their heart leapt as the sight mixed with a familiar scent in the air. Slowly, they lifted their eyes to Dave’s and the world faded away. He was here. At their apartment. How did he know where they lived?

“Hi.” His voice was gruff and graveled, his eyes were bloodshot, his hair was tousled as if he’d run his fingers through it too many times. He was the most beautiful sight they’d ever laid eyes on.

“Hi,” they breathed.

The two of them stood there in the hallway of River’s apartment building, not moving, not speaking, just staring at each other. Drinking each other in, as though the very sight of the other could sustain them.

Finally, Dave cleared his throat and asked, “Could I possibly come in and talk to you?”

River had no words so they just nodded their head and retrieved the keys they’d been searching for.

They unlocked the door and stood to the side, allowing Dave to enter before closing and locking it behind them.

They smiled as they briefly wondered if they could keep Dave in with the lock.

They could extend Pirate Day and keep Dave as their captive.

Dave stopped a few feet from them, shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around their tiny home. He rocked on his heels for a minute before locking his gaze on theirs and blurting out, “I can’t take it.”

Their breath caught at his words but they remained silent, not wanting to jump to conclusions. Their patience paid off after a moment when he continued.

“I can’t sleep without you beside me. I can’t eat for worrying if you’re eating.

I can’t shower without wondering if you’re keeping your bath time.

I went to the club the other night hoping to find you, but you weren’t there.

All I could do was wonder where you were, who you were with, if they were touching you, taking care of you and that thought had me contemplating murder.

“I know we only agreed on the week, River, but I can’t do this. I can’t walk through this life pretending you don’t have my heart with you. I can’t keep pretending that wasn’t true before we even left. I knew when I made the deal with you that I’d never survive letting you go and I was right.”

Each word from his lips took on more intensity and he moved closer as he spoke until he was right in front them, so close their chests touched. He reached up and cupped their cheeks.

“Tell me I’m not alone, baby. Tell me you’ve been as miserable without me as I’ve been without you. Tell me you love me as much as I love you. Please, babysaurus, tell me you want me to be your forever Daddy because I can’t fucking take another day without you in it.”

River opened their mouth to respond but no words came, so they did the only thing they could. They nodded their agreement, wrapped a hand around their Daddy’s neck and pulled him in for a deep, desperate kiss that said everything their voice couldn’t.

They devoured each other, licking, nipping, and sucking the other’s lips and tongue.

Each time Dave moved closer to them, River backed up a tiny bit until they felt the wall pressing against their back and Dave pressing to their front.

Nothing had ever felt better. Daddy’s lips trailed along their jaw and River finally found their voice.

“Yes, Daddy.” They were panting and their words were as much groans as words but they still got the point across. “Yes, to all of it. Yes, I need you. Yes, I want you. No, I can’t take another day without you and I absolutely love you with every molecule of my soul.”

“Thank fuck,” Daddy groaned and captured their lips again.