Page 16

CHAPTER 16

Rodney

My brain is all fuzzy. Like soft pillows and sunshine.

No. Not sunshine.

Pillows.

Yes! Pillows!

I’d love a soft pillow right now. Need the smush.

So good.

Car go vroom. Big man drive.

Home now.

Cold.

Need more sleep.

Up, up, up.

Big man lifts me.

Door opens.

Ma is there. She talks.

The big man laughs.

Ma laughs.

We go up again.

Bedroom.

“Little genius,” I hear.

My head rolls.

Bright blue eyes. “So pretty.”

He smiles.

“You’re adorable this way. Let’s get you in bed. Tomorrow we’ll talk more.”

Tomorrow?

What does he mean?

Put in bed.

Comfy.

Happy.

Sleepy.

* * *

I jolt upright in bed, going from dead asleep to wide awake in an instant.

Hurriedly, I look around the room. What the heck happened last night?

The last thing I remember is being at the game with my brother and Andry. We were heading into the locker room to meet the team.

Andry was rubbing my lower back. It felt really good. Really, really good.

His touch relaxed the nerves rushing through me.

My brother had been friendly enough, but I knew Aries. He was concerned about what I was doing with Andry. He had questions about why I had a date after going so long saying I wasn’t going to date anyone.

It wasn’t my intention, obviously. Andry just kind of… happened.

“Little genius?”

I gasp as I lean over the side of the bed. “Andry?”

He hums. “It’s me.”

The big guy is stretched out on an inflatable mattress on my bedroom floor. His long legs make it to where nearly as much of him is hanging off the end as there is on it. One arm covers his eyes as the other lazily scratches at a patch of skin showing between his shirt and sweats.

“What happened?”

His arm drops, revealing his tired eyes. Despite the obvious exhaustion, he smiles at me.

“You went a bit deep into it last night. I think you hit subspace.”

“Subspace?”

He nods, then pulls out his phone. “I pulled this up for you. I knew you’d want to know all the details.”

On his phone screen there are multiple links listed in a note. I can tell from the titles they’re about this thing he called subspace. Some are opinion pieces and others actual scholarly journals. It’s fascinating to see how he compiled it all for me.

“Is this why you look so tired? Did you stay up all night putting this together for me?”

“No, it wasn’t that. I was worried about you.”

“Worried?”

He nods, then pushes to sit up. I ease back at the new position. No need to make him feel like I’m all in his space.

“You were completely out of it when we finished in the locker room. I had to help you into the car, then I carried you up to your room.”

My eyes go wide. “Oh, shit. We passed Ma didn’t we? I vaguely remember you talking to her. I can’t remember what about though.”

“We did talk. She just wanted to be sure you weren’t drunk.”

“Drunk? I don’t drink at all.”

“That’s what I told her. Aside from the party where I first saw you, I haven’t so much heard you speak of alcohol. When she didn't seem sure, I said your social battery ran out during the game. She quickly changed her perspective and let me bring you up here.”

“Then you stayed?”

He bends his knees up. I watch as he shifts forward, his arms leaning on them for support.

“I did. We hadn’t agreed to scene or anything. To be honest, I’m not sure how you wound up so deep in it. I had to make sure you were ok throughout the night. I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself is something I did harmed you.”

Dammit.

I can literally hear the ice I’d been keeping around my heart shatter. He does it with ease. Like it’s no big deal to take care of me.

Is this how Raymond feels? And Finn?

No wonder they’re so happy all the time. I would be too if I had a Daddy.

You do , my inner voice reminds me.

Technically he is and he isn’t. There’s still a lot for us to discuss before we’re official. Even then, it’s not like we’re going to tell a ton of people. My brother and his friends will likely find out, but that’s it. No one on campus needs to know. They wouldn’t understand.

Long ago, I realized how immature people my age were. They can’t handle anything that’s not the latest trend online or a viral video about their favorite celebrity. The deeper stuff in life, the things that matter most, evade them.

And with this being something kinky, I didn’t want to make it public knowledge anyway. I’m not as famous as my brother. Andry surely will be soon though. The articles they’d print about him would be damning.

“Breathe, little genius,” he says softly. I feel hands on mine. His fingers lace through them, grounding me to the moment.

I blink and shake my head. “Sorry about that. I’m not sure what’s going on.”

He gives me a sad sort of smile. “I think I know. You were upset about being little last night? Maybe you’re feeling concerned about how you were so relaxed with me that you sunk into a space so safe and carefree I had to ensure your safety. You are probably also probably worried about what this means for us, especially since I plan to go pro.”

“How… how did you figure it out so easily?”

Andry shifts into a kneeling position beside the bed. The new angle puts his face nearly level with mine. His stare holds me captive as he squeezes my hand.

“I figured it out because I was there with you. Because I’ve made it a habit to watch and learn you since we met. Most submissives are worried when new to the lifestyle. Especially when they’re in positions like yours.”

“Like mine?” Something about his turn of phrase rubs me the wrong way.

“People who have been bullied in the past. People who don’t trust their instincts. People who keep things to themselves most of the time. Should I keep going?”

Closing my eyes, I force myself to take a deep breath.

While I can easily get more upset at the situation, I need to stop to think of what it really means for him to be saying this.

It’s obvious he has been studying me. That he’s been cataloging things I don’t think anyone else has truly figured out.

“Then what do we do from here? How do we make this work without me having near panic attacks every day? And this space stuff you keep talking about,” I say, wanting to know more of his thoughts.

“Subspace.”

“Yes, that! If I went into so easily, how do we stop it from happening next time? I don’t want to lose time when we’re together. Not unless I’ve agreed to it and have it planned.”

Andry’s smile is near blinding. “Yes, little genius. That’s exactly right. We need to make sure to keep an eye on you now that we know your little side comes on quickly. With the right amount of time and dedication, we’ll get to the root of what makes you tick.”

“You talk about me like it’s hockey or something. I don’t think I’m going to be that easy to decipher.”

He leans forward on the bed until I have no choice but to lean back or kiss him.

Kiss him!

The hussy inside of me wants his lips on mine, his body hovering over me, along with his full attention. I push those feelings down.

“You are nothing like hockey. I love the game. It’s been my life for as long as I can remember.” He leans closer, bringing his lips nearly against mine. “Hockey doesn’t compare to how I feel for you. Rodney — my little genius — you consume my thoughts daily. If I’m not with you, I’m thinking of when I’ll get to see you. I want to spend all my free time with you. I want you at my games, wearing my jersey. I want you waiting outside the locker room like the others, and when I come out, I want to kiss you. I want them to know you’re mine. You are mine, aren’t you?”

I nod slowly, his words taking away any higher thought I had. It’s not the same state I was in the night before, however, it’s damn close.

“Daddy,” I whisper a second before pressing my lips to his.

Andry doesn’t skip a beat. His arms wrap around me, lifting me until he’s the one seated, and I’m in his lap. The entire time, he keeps our mouths fused together.

I get lost in the kiss, my body taking over as my brain takes a back seat. All I want to do is feel.

His body beneath me. Around me.

His lips on mine. His tongue sweeping, asking for access to my mouth.

His hands on my neck holding me steady.

Every place he touches me sends me into a frenzy. I can’t get enough of him.

His lips pull away from mine, moving quickly to my neck. I gasp at the feel. My cock goes ridiculously harder. So hard it’s almost painful.

“Daddy.” It’s a whine this time. High pitched and desperate.

I’m not sure what I expect him to do. It’s not like I even know what I want.

But then I feel his hands on my hips, pulling me forward until I’m pressed against him. His firm grip leads me in short, precise movements as he makes me thrust against him.

My head falls back as I lose myself to the movement. I feel his teeth join in the action on my neck, alternating nips with deliciously long kisses against my skin.

Eventually he groans, “Baby,” against my skin, and I’m a goner.

Instant orgasm.

Jerking in his arms, I rock my hips until the last of my release empties from my spent cock. My eyes, which had closed at some point, open to find Andry watching me with a soft smile.

“Little genius.”

It’s funny how different two words can become with context. For a while there, I thought he was constantly pointing out how smart I am.

But now I realize how wrong I was.

He says the nickname with affection in his tone. Like he’s proud of me for being smart, for being his.

Nodding, I tuck my head in his chest. I’m worn out from our activities, and he looks far too comfy to dismiss as a resting place.

I feel more than hear him chuckle. It’s a nice sort of vibration.

“You can have five minutes, then we have to get cleaned up, little genius. Deal?”

Nodding, I let myself sink deeper into this happy place I’m in. If this is what having a Daddy is like, I’m going to enjoy falling into my role as his boy.