2. Ash

Chapter two

Ash

" H ey there, Daddy John. Sorry I missed your call." I find a booth in the very back of the restaurant and slide onto one side.

"Is everything okay?"

His deep, soothing voice causes me to relax a little, but I still feel like my two worlds are colliding. I never wanted Drake to find out about Daddy John like that. Sure, it isn't anything bad; Daddy John and I are completely platonic.

We met last month on a kinky pride cruise that was filled with Daddies, boys, littles, and pets. When one of my best friends invited me to spend ten days in paradise, I couldn't say no. Throw in the option of maybe meeting my forever Daddy, and I was in.

Unfortunately, I was too shy to do anything by myself. During one of the speed dating events, I met Daddy John, who must have seen something in me because he stuck to me like glue. We bonded over the fact that we both have feelings for our best friends. Daddy John and I developed a Daddy/little friendship, where he got to have fun and take care of a little during vacation, and I got to experience what it finally felt like to have a real Daddy.

Too bad Daddy John and I aren't attracted to each other like that. He's an attractive man in his forties with salt-and-pepper hair and the cuddliest belly. He just isn't Drake. I sigh.

"Okay, boy. Tell me what's going on."

I'm so thankful Daddy John decided to keep our Daddy/little friendship going, even if it is just over the phone.

"Drake saw your name on my phone," I confess, squirming in my seat as I remember how upset he looked.

"And?"

"And, he saw the Daddy portion of my contact flashing on my screen, and kind of freaked out."

The phone is silent for so long that I pull it away from my ear to double-check that we didn't get disconnected. "Daddy John?" I whisper.

"Can I see your face, boy?"

I glance over at Drake, who's still waiting in line to order. He seems to be focused on the menu in front of him, so I put my earbuds in my ears and swipe over to video chat. Salt-and-pepper hair, a kind smile, and warm eyes fill my screen.

"Good boy. Now, tell me. What do you mean, ‘ he freaked out ?'"

I quickly tell him about the look of mortification on Drake's face, what he said, and how he handed me back my phone while he left to order us food.

"That doesn't sound too bad. Maybe he's just shocked. You mentioned you tell Drake everything. And other than you being a little who likes to regress, he knows everything else, right?"

I nod.

"Yeah, I might react the same way if I found out my best friend had a secret friend and a hidden kink."

My shoulders relax, and I sink into the booth. "Yeah, I mean it makes sense."

"You gotta tell him, Ash. Either about your feelings or that you're a little. You trust him to never hurt you, so he might surprise you. Drake doesn't sound like the type of friend to bail on you, no matter what you say."

I giggle. "You're right. He really is the best. I'm pretty sure he'd help me bury a body if it came down to that."

"Well," he chuckles. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

I smile into the phone. "Thanks, Daddy John."

His eyes flick to the corner of the screen, and before I turn, I already know Drake is standing there.

Taking a shaky breath, I'm about to say goodbye when Daddy John speaks again.

"Listen to me, boy. Don't let him get away. Not without you at least telling him the truth. Don't wait to be an old man like me, living with regrets and what-ifs. Because that death stare the man is giving me doesn't look very platonic from here."

I turn my head to look over my shoulder and squeak. Drake is closer than I realized, and Daddy John isn't kidding. The laser beams shooting from Drake's eyes are kind of hot. I can't help it; I giggle. I've never been between two sexy men before. Not that I'm actually between two men, but hey, a boy can dream.

Both Drake and Daddy John break into a wide smile at my giggle, and their stares cause me to giggle again.

"Ah shit, kid. Look at Drake's smile. That man is gone for you," he rumbles through my headphones. My cheeks heat, and I don't want to say anything out loud, so I just nod. Daddy John nods again and hangs up, the screen going blank.

I can do this. I take a deep breath, gathering in as much courage as I can, and give Drake a smile.

He places my salad at the end of the table. "Scoot," he says as he slides into my side of the booth. I do just that, scooting over and making room. Butterflies swirl in my tummy. He usually sits across from me, but I get the feeling his sitting next to me was done for a reason.

Maybe it will be easier to confess everything without having to look him straight in the eye.

I'm going to do it, I promise myself. Drake needed to know this side of me. I might not be ready to show him just yet, but the secret is killing me. "I need to tell you something. I-I—"

Nerves overwhelm me and I begin to shake. What if he thought I was weird? Damnit. I feel my thumb lift to my mouth. Luckily, I'm able to just chew on my nail, rather than suck on the stupid thing.

A strong arm wraps around me, and Drake pulls me to his side. He rubs small circles on my back, and I feel my whole body relax.

Drake presses a kiss into my hair. "No matter what you say, Ash. I'm here for you. I can't lose you. You are the most important person in my life."

I let out a deep sigh. "Thank you, Drake. I needed to hear that."

"Take your time, little one. Why don't we eat first?"

Little one. Fuck. I melt every time he uses it.

Glancing down at my poke salad, I notice how green it is. I can't help it. I chuckle. Does Drake even know how much of a Daddy he is?

"What's got you giggling over there?" Drake tickles my side and I squeal with joy.

"Stop it. I'm going to knock my food over." I laugh while gasping for air and squirming in my seat. "I just noticed how…healthy my bowl looks."

"Okay, brat. It's not that healthy. I did half rice and half mixed greens. I also added green onions, seaweed salad, carrots, edamame, and cucumbers. If you're good, then we'll go next door and get some froyo."

Wiggling with excitement, I kick my feet under the table. I really hope Drake reacts well to me being a little because I don't think he realizes it, but the universe placed the perfect Daddy right in front of me.

My tummy growls its approval, pushing back all my nerves. I take a bite of the delicious salmon. "Omg, this is delicious."

We eat in comfortable silence for a while, Drake occasionally dropping his left hand under the table and rubbing my thigh. The move seems unconscious. It isn't sexual, just comforting. But it also crosses an imaginary line, making this feel more like a date, rather than two friends having dinner together.

I place my chopsticks down and take a deep breath. "I'm ready." I briefly glance his way. Just say it. You can do it. Pull it off like a bandaid.

"Okay, tell me."

"I'm a little," I blurt.

He blinks, smiling softly. Patiently.

Wait, is he waiting for me to continue talking?

"A little what?" he asks, squeezing my thigh again.

Oh crap. I kind of hoped he at least knew what a little is. I run a hand through my wavy hair. This is going to be harder than I thought.

"Alright, so I'm a little. That's the actual term. When I'm stressed, nervous, or anxious, I like to regress to a younger age."

Drake cocks his head to the side. He still looks very open, with a small smile on his face. Okay, he isn't bolting for the door. That's a good sign, right?

"I also like to regress to a certain age when I'm really happy or excited. Think of it like meditating, in a way. I'm a submissive who likes to get into a certain headspace."

Drake's eyes widen and a frown pulls his lips down. I tense.

"So what about Daddy John?" Drake asks, voice clipped.

"Right, Daddy John. I met him on the cruise last month. We met through a speed dating event he was hosting. You see, I've known I was a little for years. But I never actually had a Daddy before. He took me under his wing and showed me what a Daddy/little dynamic can look like. I spent most of my free time with Jules, Cal, and Daddy John. Or uh, I guess you can call him John."

He closes his eyes and leans his head on the back of the booth, swallowing hard. "Are you in love with John?"

"What?" I squeal. "No, of course not. I'm in—" Oh shit. I almost just told Drake that I'm in love with him, not Daddy John.

His eyes snap open and his head whips up. Drake turns in his booth, fully facing me and making eye contact. "You're what?"

Oh god, I can't tell him the being in love part. Not yet. Not until he accepts all of me. Instead, I change the subject. "I'm just happy Daddy John was willing to show me what it was like. I jokingly called him my Daddy Guide."

Drake smiles. "Kind of like a Daddy Godmother?"

"Yes!" I giggle. "He'd probably love that title, actually. I think you two would get along really well."

"And do you think he has feelings for you?"

"No, he's in love with his best friend like…like big time." What the hell? I almost slipped again. I can feel my little side starting to surface with all the excitement, but I tamp it down.

"Okay," Drake says slowly. "I'll have to do my research. But thank you for telling me. I'm sorry you felt like you had to hide that from me for so long. But I understand because it feels like it's a very personal thing."

My head bobs eagerly. "It is. It's very personal, and some people just don't understand."

"But you went on a cruise with like-minded people. I'm assuming Jules and Noah know?"

"Yeah, and Dylan. He was my roommate. And um, Rowan, and Alec know too."

"Okay." He crumples up a napkin and places his empty salad bowl on top of mine. "Now that you've eaten all your food, how do you feel about frozen yogurt?"

I burst into laughter. "Oh my god, you are such a Daddy. Did you know that?"

His lips part. "And is that what you're looking for, a Daddy to take care of you?"

My heart pounds as I stare into Drake's golden-brown eyes.

"I am. That's exactly what I want—a Daddy."