2. Saul

Chapter two

Saul

" Y ou want me to do what ?" I eyed Chris. Good friend and a solid Marine. He'd retired earlier than me and I had joined his private security firm last month. I was bored. I didn't play golf and while I enjoyed a drink with my buddies, it wasn't something I was going to do every day.

Besides which, I was forty-six. As far as I was concerned, true retirement was a long way off.

"It's not an official job and you can say ‘no,'" Chris said again. "But it's just, Ricky will be devastated, and it's all my damned stepbrother's fault."

"What is?" I asked, still not convinced Chris had meant what I thought he did.

"Look, you know Ricky's a Little. I never tried to hide what I was looking for."

I shrugged. "You do you." I didn't care. Officially, I guessed I was Bi if you had to call me anything. Never married. I'd seen how the service could tear apart couples, and if I needed a family or a kid fix, I had two sisters and a whole bunch of nephews and one very spoiled niece to visit. And I'd never missed not having someone to come home to. Well, not until I'd gotten out. And I'd been thankful Chris had given me an alternative to rattling around an empty house.

"Thing is, Steven came to my club with me because he said he wanted to get into the lifestyle a little. I met Ricky and Ricky's best friend from school, Calvin. They're both Littles, and we double dated for quite a while, like nearly a year. Anyway, Ricky and I were serious, and we all thought Matt was until he dumped Calvin five months ago. Said Calvin was too clingy ."

"But," I frowned. Clingy? "From what you've said, aren't Littles supposed to be clingy? I mean, doesn't that sum them up in a nutshell?"

Chris arched a brow in silent confirmation. I leaned forward, resting my forearms on my knees. "Tell me again what you need."

"Calvin is going to be humiliated at the wedding because Steven is bringing his new boyfriend and Calvin isn't with anyone, and as a Little will be doubly vulnerable. You have to understand that Ricky will do anything to make Calvin happy—"

"And you'll do anything to make Ricky happy," I interrupted, amused.

"Calvin knows you're a new hire, but he thinks you're on probation. I convinced him you were trying out to see if you could work undercover."

I barked out a laugh. "And he believed it?"

Chris huffed. "Calvin's proud. He grew up with shit parents and ended up in foster care. He's well aware Ricky has money, but he refuses to take a dime from him. He's a good man and I hate to see him hurting. He was the glue that kept Ricky together when his dad died, even when he was going through shit himself."

I gazed at my captain. Well, boss, I supposed, now. Although he'd been my boss even when he'd been a green lieutenant. "Okay, so what does being a Daddy involve?"

Chris grinned. "You have to be over-protective, obsessed with every tiny detail, make sure he's never hurt. That he eats properly, that sort of thing. You're kind of a natural."

I huffed. "What else?" Chris squirmed, and my focus narrowed. "What aren't you telling me?"

He sighed. "Do you know anything at all about Daddies and Littles?"

"Fuck," I spat. "You're about to tell me I've gotta change his diaper."

Chris leaned forward and his smile vanished. "I have no idea what Calvin's personal needs are or how deep he goes into his little space, and I doubt with that attitude you would ever be lucky enough to find out."

It was a slap, and I deserved it. I nodded. "Aye, aye, sir."

Chris leaned back. "It'll be one weekend. There's a welcome reception on the Friday, a family rehearsal dinner Saturday night and obviously the wedding Sunday. The reason Ricky's so worried, apart from Steven being there, is that Calvin has no family. He knows me, Ricky, and my sister, and that's it. He needs someone in his corner." Chris's intent gaze eased a little.

"Why does Calvin have to think he's doing you a favor?"

"Because he won't accept help under any other circumstance. And unfortunately, because of the job you're taking this week, you won't have any chance to meet him until you get to the airport."

I nodded. That might not be a bad thing. It would also give me a chance to do some research. As in what the hell pulling off being a Daddy entailed.

Friday morning, I closed my laptop and stared at my packed suitcase. It was small. I had a rented tux and shirt for Sunday that would be waiting at the hotel, casual for later today, swim trunks, and dress pants and a shirt for tomorrow.

That had been easy. What was proving a lot more difficult was my utter fascination with Little and Daddy relationships. I'd never classed myself as husband or partner material. I supposed I didn't like labels, which was hypocritical seeing as how I'd had one since I joined the Marines at eighteen, the day I got my required high school diploma. To be honest, as an enlisted Marine, I had other enlisted to fuck, men or women. The brass only cared if you crossed ranks, and as I moved higher up the pecking order, my sex life dwindled considerably, except for casual hook-ups on leave.

But what was fascinating about a Daddy-Little relationship was that the dynamic wasn't always about sex. It was more about responsibility and caring for their partner. Making sure their needs were met. Hopefully, it included a good sex life, but it was deeper than that. The trust the little showed in his or her partner blew me away.

And wow, was there a huge gamut of possibilities. Some only wanted to play during sex, some sank into their little side just for weekends. Enthralled, I'd just read this blog by a Little who was one of America's top heart surgeons, and every Friday night like clockwork his Mommy greeted him at the door and helped him to get bathed, then diapered his butt and dressed him in a onesie.

Some Littles just played at clubs, and some wanted the lifestyle 24/7. Apparently ABDL or Adult Baby-Diaper-Lovers also came in varying degrees. Some loved the feel of them but never actually used them. Some went all the way.

Leaning back, I closed my laptop and thought about that, wondering why that wasn't making me run for the hills. Realizing after a couple of moments that my mouth was hanging open, I snapped it shut.

I heard the polite knock on the door and knew that was my ride to the airport. Standing, I gathered my suitcase, wallet, and keys, and strode out.

I'd flown into Kansas a couple of hours ago, but I wasn't getting a connection so I'd opted to exit and meet Calvin at check-in. I recognized Calvin right away, even if the photo didn't do him justice. In the pic of the young man, Calvin had his arms around Ricky, and he was laughing but unremarkable. He was a slim brown-haired, brown-eyed young man with a cute, upturned nose and a few freckles. Chris said the picture was four months old, from Ricky's birthday party, which made sense. It was just after he'd broken up with the other guy. Calvin was smiling at the camera, but I was used to sizing people up, and interpreting body-language of all types. Calvin was putting on a show of happiness for Ricky, and I had to admire him for it.

I stared for a moment, shocked by how different the Calvin in front of me was to the Calvin in the picture. That Calvin had looked almost shrunken, hiding behind the smile that was obviously fake. This Calvin, even understandably nervous, almost glowed with determination. His brown eyes sparkled with a mixture of nervousness and curiosity. His lips were full, puffy as if he'd been chewing on them, and his freckles covered his nose and cheeks. He smiled as a child nearly ran into him, and the adorable dimples that popped up on each side of his mouth just about took my breath away. Then he watched as the kid ran back to his parents and it was then that I saw it. The second of utter longing. The moment when the kid ran into outstretched arms, knowing they were loved. They were welcome. And the sudden urge to touch him to tell him he wasn't alone had me fisting my hands.

Then he turned and froze, but he wasn't looking at me. I followed his gaze and saw a couple of guys standing nearby. I could almost hear the indrawn breath of pain from Calvin as the older one of the two reached out and pushed the other one's bangs out of his eyes. It didn't take rocket science to work out from Calvin's distraught expression that this must be the ex, Steven, and his new squeeze. They turned, and I knew any second Steven would see Calvin and the need to protect him flooded my system. "Calvin, baby," I said loudly, automatically, and, startled, Calvin glanced over at me. I didn't miss Steven's head shooting up, either.

I strode over, seeing Calvin's arm move, knowing he was about to make the mistake of trying to shake my hand, and didn't give him a chance. Stepping right into his personal space, I simply wrapped my arms around him and drew him in close to my chest, loving the adorable little squeak that left his lungs, and the way he fit against me. "Daddy missed you," I murmured and tucked his head under my chin.

Calvin froze, then began to tremble, but after a long few seconds where I stayed still and just let him lean, a sigh left Calvin's throat, and he simply melted into my arms. And for more time than I liked to admit, I forgot I was just playing a role, because Calvin snuggled up to my chest felt too damned perfect for just one weekend.