Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

Tracy Judd

" I t's time to wake up, baby."

Noooo, not yet!

I smiled into my pillow as he dropped kisses along my spine.

He must've been up a while because I smelled delicious stuff. I loved the smell of coffee even though I didn't drink it, and that other thing could be bacon and eggs.

"What time is it?" I asked in my morning voice.

"Past noon."

Oh, yikes! I rolled over and blinked, and I almost got dizzy from the sudden movement.

As if on cue, my stomach snarled, and Griffin smiled down at me.

He was so gorgeous and amazing, and fuck me, he fucked like an animal.

And he's still here. He didn't leave.

"I usually don't sleep this late," I said sheepishly.

"Neither do I." He dipped down and kissed me softly. "I woke up an hour ago." He eased back and extended a hand to me. "Answered all my work emails, went out for coffee, and decided to start my apology tour with breakfast for my boy."

My boy.

That was me! I was his boy.

Wait—apology tour?

"Apology for what, Daddy?" I stretched out and yawned noisily, much to his amusement, before I let him drag me out of bed.

He'd found a pair of undies for me. "For the way I treated you for so long."

Oh. Pshh! I didn't wanna think about that. It was water under the bridge. "Long forgotten, kind Sir. Let's focus on the future instead." I popped a kiss to his chin, then marched out to inspect his egg-making skills. Because I was a master at breakfast eggs. Just saying.

"Not so fast, boy." Daddy grabbed my arm gently and halted my step. He gave me a firm but patient look. "This is important to me."

I scrunched my nose. "But you already explained everything, Sir. And, to be quite frank with you, I much prefer you couldn't be near me because you essentially wanted me, rather than you didn't like me at all."

His mouth twitched a little. A pinch of mirth was a win!

"I'm glad you see it that way, but I still feel bad." He grasped my shoulders and steered me toward the kitchen, and he dipped down and spoke in my ear. "And I'm gonna make amends. Starting with the best eggs you've ever had."

Yowza!

I glanced up at him, wide-eyed. "Um, Daddypants, that's setting the bar ridiculously high because I'm awesome at eggs. I learned in New York. I learned and perfected!"

"And who went to the same institute approximately twenty years before you did?"

Well…Daddy and Adam. But whatevs!

"But that doesn't matter," he said as we arrived in my little kitchen. "I watched someone else prepare eggs this way last year, and it's a game changer."

Hmpf. He could've watched me .

I peered next to him and saw four eggs in the pan. He'd picked the best one, of course. The carbon steel was nonstick enough for the eggs to flip easily, but you still got a nice crispy underside.

He had bacon in the skillet, but a quick look at the oven let me know it'd been on. I guessed we did that the same way for thick-cut. Prepare in the oven, get an extra nice surface in the skillet after.

"Over easy or sunny-side up?" he asked.

"Over easy, please and thank you." I leaned against the counter. "Anything I can do? Besides wonder who taught you to make eggs when I could've taught you."

He grinned to himself and added some butter. "It was you."

Really?

"I watched you make them for burgers," he said. "The game changer was the butter. I used to add that in the beginning, but you don't add it until you raise the heat at the end."

Oh, I felt freaking giddy all of a sudden. My li'l hack had taught him something! Granted, granted, he didn't prepare breakfast foods often, at least at work, and his specialty lay in seafood. But still. I loved this. I hoped we could cook together lots and lots.

Low heat in the beginning was obviously a must. It laid the groundwork and made sure the egg was cooked all the way through, without ruining the yolk. And then in those last seconds, you seared the fuck out of the underside, giving it the crispy edges.

I just hated when I ordered eggs and the white was still see-through and runny.

"I found your Instagram this morning too," he mentioned, grabbing two plates. "You know you're all kinds of awesome, right? Not many twenty-five-year-olds can boast that kind of following unless they're at one of those pretentious places where they serve a lingonberry jam on a pinecone for fifty bucks and call it Nordic Minimalist or somethin'."

I laughed so hard. I knew restaurants like that! It really was bonkers.

"Before I got the internship with Adam, the place I was at in Atlanta was becoming so weird," I said. "A whole bunch of us quit, because the new chef wanted to launch a menu where he butchered soul food."

Daddy snorted. "Lemme guess, a fucked-up fusion restaurant."

"Well, that's what it became. Adam worked there back in the day."

"Ah, right. Calita's?"

"That's the one."

He nodded once and plated the eggs and the bacon. "Things started falling apart at that place as soon as the Garcia brothers left."

That's what I'd heard too. After that, one chef after another… I didn't know what they did today, but it hadn't been Ecuadorian in ages.

We grabbed everything we needed and headed for the living room, and I was glad to see him opting for the couch. It was much comfier than the table. Not only because my butt was super sore.

"So what would you say you love to cook the most?" he wondered. "Your Instagram feed had a little bit of everything."

"Side dishes," I replied automatically. I sat down very, very carefully. "I make sidekicks—Adam nicknamed me that, and it inspired the name for my account. I want side dishes that complement the main event. Also, carbs. I love bread. And breakfast foods."

He smiled ruefully and took a sip of his coffee. "And if I hadn't had my head so far up my ass, I would've known this already."

Ugh, he wasn't allowed to beat himself up about that. "Daddy, you were in a tough spot. I will never hold that against you."

He made a grunty noise in his coffee, clearly not agreeing. "Didn't give me the excuse to be an asshole."

Well…

I smiled. "For what it's worth, you were a very hot asshole."

He let out a chuckle and shook his head. "Thank you, baby."

Gah, I loved it when he called me baby.

Thank goodness we had work today, because I wasn't ready to part ways.

"How's your bottom?" he asked.

"The best kind of sore." I beamed and bit into a piece of bacon, and I wasn't surprised it was beyond delicious. "That's why I slept so well. You gave me the best cry ever. Works better than Xanax."

He grinned at that. "Music to my ears."

I scooted closer 'cause I wanted to. "So, um, I don't wanna be too clingy, but can we be together until we go to work?"

He furrowed his brow and chewed around a mouthful of eggs and bacon. "First of all, especially in the beginning, you can't be too clingy. It's an uncertain time in any dynamic, and I wanna give you all the reassurance you need. Second—" He paused to scoop up more eggs, and I was already smiling ear-to-ear, because he was saying the best things! "Second, Daddy might get clingy too. You're gonna have to be patient with me. I come from a long line of crashed relationships that never felt right, and now that my feelings are terrifyin' me just a bit, I'm gonna struggle just to go home and change clothes."

The best, best things! Oh my gosh, we could be clingy together!

I cleared my throat and sat straighter. "In that case, I think our best course of action is for one of us to pack an overnight bag—and that's a three-night minimum, according to federal law—so we don't have to say goodbye until never."

He smiled with his eyes, and I liked that. He was happy. "You know, I think I read that law. We should always follow the law."

Totally!

We actually went into work way earlier than necessary, because I admitted I wanted to see him in action and have fun in the kitchen, which seemed to make him very happy. I couldn't help it. Food was my life, and since it was his too, I figured, let's spend our time in a proper kitchen!

When we arrived, I found an upbeat playlist and cranked up the volume.

Veggie prep was something we could do on autopilot; I could do it on autopilot and eye-fuck my Daddy, 'cause he was so hot with his knives. I bobbed my head to the beat and side-eyed him as he started to julienne bell peppers for our fajita barbecue wrap. It was very popular.

"Do you like this music, Daddy?" My job was less fun, but those onions needed to be chopped.

"Not at all." He smirked to himself, then sent me a quick wink. "But I like seeing you shake your cute butt. Bein' ear-raped by club music is a small price to pay."

I laughed at his silliness—and I shook my cute butt.

To be fair, it wasn't exactly club music. It was a club- friendly remix of a country song, so that was totally different.

Over the next couple of hours, I felt like my whole future became a sealed deal. Griffin and I found a rhythm and suddenly worked like a well-oiled machine, and I loved, loved, loved seeing him smiling so much. He was practically a new man.

We prepared the onions, the bell peppers, the breading for the zucchini fries, said zucchini strips, tomatoes, pickle spears, marinades, lettuce, and the dry rub for Adam's garlic chicken. Griffin also prepped his chili marinade for his signature shrimp dish, and I was treated to a live porn show the whole time.

Oh, we also talked.

He wanted to cover some concerns about tomorrow's Primal Pursuit, and I assured him I'd read Mister Madigan's email about the terrain. Lots of soft moss, which could feel great, but it posed extra risks too, because the moss could conceal sharp rocks and branches. I promised I'd be careful when I ran through the woods. I knew the area fairly well, having hiked plenty up in Westslope.

We'd technically be on Master Ryan's land, just in case we needed medical assistance. His cabin would be close, and his brother-in-law was a field medic or something like that. Apparently, they were neighbors. Additionally, his property was fenced off, because wildlife was a thing, and between Master Ryan's family and his brother's family, they had several children and animals.

"Have you decided what you're gonna wear?" Daddy asked.

Griffin! This is work, dude! You don't wanna slip in front of the others!

"Yes, Chef," I answered. "Sorry, I just have to get into work mode. Otherwise, I'll be hollering for Daddy when I come out with tickets."

He rumbled a laugh and gave my cheek a smooch as he walked by. "That's fair."

"Jeans, hoodie, and sneakers made for trekking," I replied. "I bought them because it's practically impossible to slip. And also, I have wrist guards because I can't injure these babies." I flashed my hands.

He nodded his approval. "Great thinking. Are you gonna wear a head lamp? Some of the brats were talking about that in the server."

"Oh no, I'll wait for my eyes to adjust," I said. "Those guys are gonna be so easy to track down."

We were already going to wear trackers that showed up on a screen and revealed our location somewhat . Not who was where, just that someone was in that area. For safety reasons, but also to give the Predators a clue. It was a big, big chunk of forest.

"I reckon it brings comfort," he said. "Some are afraid of the dark—or get more scared when they're on their own."

And they had a point. I would undoubtedly be scared too. But… "I wanna get scared," I admitted with a shrug.

He picked a new paring knife for his next task and slid me a quick glance. "You're a little too perfect, boy. Can we discuss your flaws?"

Aw, shucks!

I blew him a kiss. "You'll discover plenty, I'm sure."

I felt like I was high.

"We'll see, I guess," he muttered. "Anyway. Madigan messaged me this morning about this interrogation play a few of the boys wanted to explore—Abel and the East Coast brat included." He definitely had my attention. "We can put that back on the table if we remove the risks of you regressing."

Oh! I hadn't considered what that might be. I chewed on my lip as I dumped lime wedges into a container for the bar.

What could push me into a Little mind-set in the middle of a dark forest?

Certainly not the darkness or the forest itself. Pain didn't do it either, except…

"Hmm." I leaned over and washed my hands in the sink that separated our workstations. "I think it might be up to you in the end. How you behave around me—because you draw out the Little in me like you were born to do it."

With my limited experience of regression, I could only say it was a mind-set I allowed myself to sink into when I was home alone. And the few occasions I'd played with a Daddy Dom, but even then…I'd been so careful. With Griffin, on the other hand… He had that magnetic pull. He made me wanna be little all the time.

If last night had revealed anything, it was that we had off-the-charts chemistry.

"Gimme a second to shoot that ego boost right up my veins," he said, moving on to the seasoning for his blackened shrimp. I smirked and found him very adorable. I just loved how much he'd opened up. He was so honest with me. "Tomorrow, I won't be a Daddy, sweetheart." He paused and looked over at me. "You know what I mean, I hope. If you call out for Daddy, I'll be there in an instant to make sure you're all right, but I'm letting the primal Sadist take the wheel tomorrow, if that makes sense."

It made perfect sense, and I appreciated his reassurance about, like, if I called out for him.

"I get it, totally." I nodded.

He nodded once too. "So what about sex? Last night, you let go of your filters when I came at you harder."

Crap. He had a point there. If he caught me and started fucking me in the middle of the forest, there was definitely a chance I might revert into a more vulnerable place mentally.

But, ohhhh! A takedown without Daddy fucking me? Come on!

"I can read your fuckin' mind right now," he laughed. "It's written all over your face."

I huffed and stuck out my tongue.

He just smirked. "I'm not saying we scrap sex, squirt. We could wait . Till after the interrogation."

I pursed my lips. "Wouldn't we lose some of the excitement?"

He found that funny, and he gave me a look I could only describe as "ye of little faith."

"You leave that to me," he replied. "But to play it safe, I wanna add a safeword. If you, at any point, feel vulnerable and need me to be Daddy—once I hunt you down, you say blue."

"Blue," I repeated. Yes, that was a good plan. "Okay, I'll do that. If I feel the need."

"Good boy. Then we can—" He stopped when the back door opened, and we both saw Taylor coming in. He looked very surprised—and no wonder! We'd finished all the prep.

"Uh. Hey, Chefs."

"Hi!" I grinned.

"Taylor, you ready to take over?"

"Yes, Chef. And here?—"

"Great, thanks." I accepted the container of marinade, then grabbed the sampler platter for table nine, and I left the kitchen. Adam and Griffin were busy at the grill. "Number two sampler for table nine, and here's the marinade, Chef." I placed the container next to Griffin's station, where he was blackening shrimp to perfection. Next, I turned to Adam. "Brisket, garlic chicken, and burnt ends."

He nodded, busy working on sliders.

Fridays were always extra busy, so I grabbed them each a bottle of water and removed the caps. Then I reminded Griffin of the eight-o'clock reservation—a larger party of twelve. They'd be seated upstairs for a birthday celebration, and they were here for Griffin's seafood. Alessia had also picked up a birthday cake at Treats, because we didn't offer many dessert options.

"Do you want me to prepare your meal now, Chef?" I asked Griffin.

He exchanged a glance with Adam.

"Yeah, you better take your break now," Adam replied. "I'll go after."

It was settled. Considering how busy we were, I opted for food I could put together quickly, so I borrowed a corner of Griffin's grill top and added six scallops and a shrimp skewer. Then I grabbed a plate we could share and stole some brisket.

"Two minutes, Chef."

"Heard," Griffin responded.

Back in the kitchen, I plated garlic mash, salad, and two bread rolls. "Okay, I'm taking my break now. Jon, can you assist Adam?"

"Yes, Chef."

He followed me out of the kitchen, and I got the last of the food while Griffin gave Jon instructions. Everything was on the grill already, so Jon just had to be an extra set of hands for Adam. Halibut was delicious, until it was left on the grill for twenty seconds too long.

These two amazing chefs had created several favorites for me on the menu, but I was a burger and sandwich guy. So Adam's leftover brisket sandwich…? To die for. And Griffin's halibut and shrimp po' boy. The latter—man, oh man, the butter he drizzled over had this seasoning that made my mouth water.

A couple minutes later, Griffin and I traded the busy barbecue heat for utter silence out in the cold. We were both sweaty, and the lawn chairs outside the kitchen back door had our names on them.

"C'mere. I want you on my lap."

He kept saying the best things ever.

I beamed and sat down sideways across his lap, and he dropped a kiss to my shoulder as I placed our plate on the rickety table next to us.

"Let's get my Daddy fed." I unwrapped the utensils and shifted the plate closer to him.

"I love when you call me that."

I loved saying it. "It's who you are. Right?"

"For as long as you'll have me."

How about eternity?

We ate in comfortable silence, except when he reminded me to eat my veggies too. I crossed my eyes but obeyed, and he just smiled and shook his head. I was fairly certain we were both reveling in us finally being together, and I couldn't wait to?—

I perked up when I heard the door open, and I stuffed half a roll into my mouth and glanced over my shoulder.

Alessia.

With a shit-eating grin.

"I just wanted to confirm my suspicion," she said.

Griffin chuckled, and I smirked.

"I'll give you all the deets later," I promised.

"Looking forward to it!" She winked and went back inside.

I'd noticed Adam eyeing us a little today, but he wasn't the type to push for answers. When things became obvious, he'd blurt something out, and we'd move on. He was a jokester who kept things light.

"All the deets, huh?" Griffin lifted a brow.

"Especially the dirty ones," I laughed.

He snorted softly and forked up more salad for me. "Eat, little one."

Sir, yes, Sir!

The following morning, I decided that we should establish a weekend routine. At least for the morning, because this was freaking heaven. Just Daddy and me on my couch, eating breakfast and watching X-Men.

I'd brought out sheets and my covers and pillows while he'd made us cheesy chaffles and bacon. And he'd made me cocoa with extra whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles!

I licked my upper lip and set the mug back on the table.

I was so full now. Full and ready for cuddles. Hopefully of the filthy variety, though I had doubts. He'd denied me last night, saying he wanted me to save all my come for the event tonight.

As if I couldn't come more than once a day? Or twice or three times or four?

Pshhh.

"I can't believe you've never seen these movies before." I lifted his arm so I could get under it. His chest was waiting for me.

"My niece forced me to watch all the Pixar movies instead. Now she's into rom-coms."

I scrunched my nose. "Thank goodness I only have nephews."

He hummed. "How many?"

"Three so far, but my brother is great at keeping Nellie pregnant," I responded and stretched out. "She always wanted a big family, so Travis was like, okay, let's fucking go."

Daddy chuckled and slipped a hand down to squeeze my butt.

I'd put a pillow on the table earlier, so his feet would be comfortable. He'd smiled at that.

I had a feeling I was going to enjoy exploring more of my submission with Daddy, 'cause I wanted to please him and make him happy all the time.

If he wanted to please me , he could start by taking off his boxer briefs. He'd said I should be naked, which I was, so why wasn't he? Hmm?

He cleared his throat a little. "Novi's coming up to visit next week. I don't know if it's too soon for you, but I'd love to introduce you when you're ready."

Gosh. Someone pinch me! I knew how much he loved his niece, and if he wanted me to meet her… He had to be serious about us, right?

I peered up at him. "I'd love to meet her. If you tell me how I can collect brownie points."

He dipped down and brushed our lips together, and I could see the warmth in his gaze. "Just be yourself." Then he grinned slightly. "Maybe call me Griffin instead of Daddy."

I snickered and pulled myself higher. 'Cause I wanted more kisses. "And maybe you call me Tracy instead of little one when you meet my family."

"Deal." He smiled and deepened the kiss, and he cupped my cheek. Um, both kinds. My face with one hand, my bottom with the other. "My beautiful boy."

Shivers.

He teased his tongue along mine, and I was ready to crawl up on his lap. I wanted him so much. Last night, I'd only been allowed to suck him off a single time—no fucking or anything. So I was starved for more.

I pouted into a kiss, ready to beg. "Can't you fuck me a little , Daddy?"

He hummed and ghosted two fingers over my opening. "I'm not sure that's wise. Before we know it, you're pleading to come, and I won't be able to deny you when I'm about to fill you up."

Oh fuck. He couldn't talk all dirty and expect me to back down!

"I fail to see the problem." I brushed my fingers through his chest hair and nibbled on his bottom lip. "I'll have you know I can come multiple times in a day."

"Mmm, but I like seeing you suffering, baby."

Well, crap.

"Plus—" He gripped my chin and made me look him in the eye. "I love seeing you this way, desperate and needy for Daddy."

Sadist!

Even with my bestest puppy-dog look, I couldn't convince him.

I had to switch tactics. If we couldn't get off together, the next best thing was to get him off.

"But what about you?" I slid a hand down his front, very slowly, and met him in another tongue-teasing kiss. "Wouldn't it be nice with a release? I want to make you feel good."

He didn't respond right away, instead deepening our kiss. He didn't stop me either, when I gently stroked my hand over his cock. He was already half hard, and I totally wanted to suck on him.

Actually…

I felt my cheeks heat up as a fantasy flooded my brain, one I'd gotten off to more times than I could count since I'd first met Griffin Lawson.

"I wanna watch you, Daddy," I whispered. "I wanna see how you do it when you're alone."

A low, rumbling sound emanated from his chest, and he was getting harder by the second.

"I've fantasized about that so many times," I admitted. "Like, I'd walk in on you in the bathroom at work or somewhere else, and we'd lock eyes while you stroked yourself. You wouldn't stop. You'd just stare at me like a predator and keep going."

Daddy cursed under his breath and covered my hand with his, applying pressure. I squeezed his cock, and he kissed me hungrily for a hot second before he inched back.

"I have a similar fantasy about you," he murmured. "Only, I definitely interrupt, and I teach you how to do it properly."

Oh God, I wanted to do that!

"Can't we do that, please?" I begged.

He smirked faintly and removed my hand from his cock. Such a bummer! "Another time," he replied. Then he pushed down his boxer briefs enough to reveal his cock, and I lost my fucking words.

I had nothing left to say. Poof, gone. I just stared as he began stroking himself unhurriedly.

I couldn't look away to save my life. It was his cock, how long and thick he was, how his hand moved, and the tendons in his forearm. The slow pace, how he swiped the pad of his thumb over the slit, and the faint ridges along the length.

"What happens when Daddy comes in your fantasy?"

I swallowed dryly. "Sometimes nothing. Sometimes he asks if I wanna taste. That's my favorite."

I guessed I could talk after all.

Daddy exhaled and gripped himself tighter.

This was so much better than porn. I watched and I watched, and he brought himself closer to the brink, only to slow down and savor the moment.

I got more comfortable, half sprawled over his front, legs folded under me, and he went back to rubbing my bottom.

He was being a tease! He brushed his middle finger across my opening over and over, and I wriggled against him, wanting more.

After a while, I felt his chest rising and falling more rapidly, and it made me tense up. He was getting there. I saw it too. Pre-come glistened over the head of his big cock, and I got the biggest case of oral fixation. I licked my lips, in desperate need to suck and swallow.

"Almost there, baby boy," he said, out of breath.

I whimpered. I couldn't help it. "Can I taste, please? When you come?"

He nodded once and sucked in a breath.

"Fuck, how I'm gonna hurt you tonight," he groaned.

Eeep!

I sat up straighter, suddenly feeling flushed. I wasn't sure I could think about tonight. One sexy show at a time!

His hand disappeared from my butt, and he slid it up my back until he combed his fingers through my hair.

"There we go," he exhaled. My eyes widened at the sexiest fucking sight. He started coming. One, two ropes— "Drink Daddy, little one. Drink all of him."

I dove for him. I opened wide and sucked him into my mouth, and he let out a long moan. I sucked and drank from him. I sucked him hard . I practically milked him with my mouth. His hot and salty come coated the roof of my mouth, and I swirled my tongue around him as best as I could.

"Jesus fucking Christ," he groaned.

Fuck me, I was going to be one desperate baby slut until tonight!