Chapter 1

Chapter One

They sayyou can’t return home. Why would anyone ever want to come back to a place like this? To a life like I’d had? Well, here I was, back in Providence, Rhode Island, after promising myself I would never return. Spending my childhood here had been bad enough. Filled with very little but bad memories, my childhood was one I would have been more happy to forget.

Aren’t Willow trees supposed to be thin and pretty?

Maybe her parents should have chosen a name that would actually fit her.

She can’t fit much of anything — except maybe another cheeseburger in her face.

Cruel words, spoken by idiot teenagers.

I took a deep breath, turning my head away from the picturesque landscape of the city that had built me. The job offer had been too good to turn down, and honestly, I missed my mother. So, I had packed my things up and driven cross country from Denver back to Providence.

“Willow, the place looks incredible! It’s just so perfect for you.” With a clap of her hands that rang out like a gunshot through my still-too-bare apartment, my mother nearly wept with happiness for me. It was infectious and I couldn’t hold back a smile of pride.

“It does, doesn’t it?” Standing back for a moment, my eyes roved over the space. It was a beautiful apartment, up on the top floor of an old building in the heart of the city. Classy, and close to pretty much everything, it reminded me of my apartment in Denver. A touch of the home I’d created there. That was exactly what I needed. I’d worked hard after grad school to be able to afford a place like this. While my job in Denver had been incredible, this new job was even better money for an even better gig.

“I’m so proud of the work you’ve done, Sweetheart.” The sound of tears in my mother’s voice pulled at my heartstrings, threatening to make me cry right along with her.

No, Willow. This is NOT the time to give in to your other urges. Once you start crying, then you’ll want something to soothe you. Pull it together.

“Thank you, Mom. I still need to get a few things to warm the place up, but it’s a good start!”

“Well, if they hadn’t made you start working a full week early, maybe we would have had time to go shopping together.”

“Mom, you and I both know I couldn’t say no to the opportunity to start early.”

“Always the driven sort, my Willow.” The touch of her hand against my cheek brought me solace. It wasn’t easy coming home. But I would make the most of it.

Plus, I had plans for tonight.

“And that concludesour tour of Obsidian. Do you have any questions for me?” While my tour guide was polite enough, her bubbly attitude still didn’t make this any less nerve-wracking. Visiting a new BDSM dungeon was as scary as it was exciting.

“No, I think you’ve answered all of my questions. Thank you.” I smiled, watching her skip back down the hall towards the front room.

There was only one place I wanted to be, and I struggled to remember where it was exactly. A few minutes — and a few awkward conversations in search of directions — later, I found myself in front of a room that said “Tiny Treasures Playroom”.

A room dedicated to those who define themselves as littles. Or Mommies and Daddies, as the case may be.

Clutching my bag closer to my body, I peeked into the room. It was nearly full, which surprised me. Even back in Denver, the little scene at my local club had been small and cozy. This room easily had over a dozen littles playing, plus Mommies and Daddies scattered about.

I just needed the courage to go inside.

A few deep breaths did little to help me work up the nerve. Just knowing someone; anyone, really, would have made me feel better. I looked down at my attire; the simple jeans and tee-shirt weren’t little in the slightest, but they were comfortable, and at least were better than the stuffy outfits I had to wear for work. No pantyhose or business suits here. Still, I had been unable to bring myself to wear the cute onesie that lay at the bottom of my bag, beneath a few other key little items I enjoyed.

This was too much, too fast. Coming here was a stupid idea.

I closed my eyes tightly, pushing away the stinging, pricking sensation of unshed tears that threatened to spill over from the fearful anxiety that gripped me. And over something so simple as stepping foot into the littles room. Tonight was just not the night. I wasn’t ready.

“Thinking you want to join in?” A deep, slightly gruff voice called from behind me, nearly startling me out of my skin.

“Jeepers!” I swore under my breath, immediately regretting the fact that I had used that word. It was one I only used when I felt little. Simply looking into that room had pulled my inner little to the surface, and I tried desperately to regain control.

“Sorry, there. Didn’t mean to frighten you.”

“It’s alright. I’m sorry, I didn’t catch what you said,” I murmured, a blush creeping to my cheeks. I refrained from turning around for a moment longer in an attempt to compose myself.

“No worries, sugar. I just meant that if you want to join, you should. You’d be more than welcome.” His amiable tone made it just a little easier to relax. My shoulders relaxed from where they had bunched up near my ears.

“What makes you think I’d want to join?” I asked, feeling the slightest bit of a bratty attitude rise to the surface. Very unbecoming of a little—then again, I wasn’t a little right now. Feeling uncomfortable and out of sorts, I shoved my hand into my bag. Immediately, feeling the softness of Mr. Fluffers, my favorite stuffy, soothed my nerves.

His chuckle behind me only made me blush further. Something about that dark, rich tone made me want to turn around and see if maybe he was headed into the room, too.

Stop that, Willow. This was not the time to try to find a Daddy. If you can’t walk into the room, you shouldn’t be looking for a Daddy.

My internal scolding did little to stop the desire from settling in my belly.

“Let’s just say I have a bit of a knack for spotting littles out in the wild — or at a club, as the case would have it here.” I jumped in shock, his voice now sounding closer, his whispered words fanning that flame of desire. I turned, a sharp retort on the tip of my tongue —

And immediately went silent.

The absolute Greek god of a silver fox that stood before me was nothing short of a masterpiece of masculine sex appeal. Perhaps I was being dramatic, but as my eyes roamed from the silvering edges of his dark hair to his broad shoulders and lower, it was all I could do to not let my jaw gape open and drool all over the floor.

Muscled arms nearly ripped the seams of his tight fitting long-sleeved shirt, and his waist tapered down to strong hips and thighs. But his smirk — my God, that smirk! Looks like that could kill a woman. But what a way to go!

My fingers twisted and twirled a tendril of my hair as the little inside of me came full force to the surface.

There was something vaguely familiar about him, something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. My thoughts halted in their tracks as he reached out to pry that tendril of hair from my fingers, tucking it back behind my ear gently. I leaned into his touch, closing my eyes for a split second before I realized what I was doing. Heat flushed over my face as I looked down at my shoes. I had nearly purred at his touch. Never before had someone affected me so strongly, so quickly.

He gently pressed the tip of his finger beneath my chin, raising my head to meet his gaze. “Now, I make it a point to know just about everybody that comes to Obsidian, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before. And trust me, I would remember if I saw you, honey.”

My blush had to be so deep that I looked like I was choking. Hell, I almost choked on my own tongue, trying to come up with a suitably clever response. Something about this man turned my brain to mush and my core to a waterfall.

“I… uh… I don’t know about that. I’m sure there are lots of other people you’d remember better than me,” I stuttered out.

What the hell was that, Willow? Could you be any more awkward?

“I beg to differ, darlin’. You are quite unforgettable, trust me.” His smile turned my knees weak. “But what is a lovely little lady like yourself doing in Obsidian this evening? Are you interested in the littles room?” He nodded towards the room I’d been trying to gather up the courage to enter.

“I’m just trying to enjoy a little night life now that I’ve moved to town,” I answered shyly.

“Something tells me you’d love a night out on the town, maybe to a movie and out for a cabinet afterward. I make a mean cabinet with tahini. I know it sounds strange, but don’t knock it till you try it,” he chuckled. Even though I grew up here, it was still jarring to hear people call milkshakes cabinets like they did here in Rhode Island. But that wasn’t what stopped me in my tracks. It was reality hitting me right in the face.

I’d had tahini milkshakes — or cabinets — before.

With my best friend from high school, Alyssa.

Her father had made them all the time for us, growing up. I’d never heard of anyone else making that particular concoction.

Which could only mean one thing.

My jaw hung open as I realized exactly who the silver daddy fox standing before me was, and why he had seemed slightly familiar.

This was none other than Alyssa’s father, Adam Stone.

I had been flirting with my best friend’s dad.

I stood there like a deer in headlights, like an absolute idiot.

His eyes moved over my face, taking in the ludicrous sight of me. Then, with a smirk and a wink, he simply shrugged. “They’re not that bad, honey. I promise. If you ever want to try one, just ask around for Adam. I’m here all the time.”

With that, he turned on his heel and stalked back down the hall towards the main area of the club, as though it were nothing.

Because he didn’t recognize me.

He had no clue who I was.

But I knew him. Adam fucking Stone.

Well, so much for finding a place to be little.