Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81930 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 410(@200wpm)___ 328(@250wpm)___ 273(@300wpm)
Eliot saw him, but to his surprise, didn’t say anything. Instead, he moved around the bed to help Isla down.
She gave him a small smile, looking shy. But there was definite interest in her eyes.
Yep, Eliot Baird might be just what Isla needed to set her Little free.
When they had stepped out of the infirmary, Isla immediately handed her sucker over to Marcus who unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth.
“You didn’t want the sucker, Isla?” Eliot asked. “You earned it.”
She shook her head and tucked her light-brown hair behind her ears. She’d tried to tie it back in a bun today, but Marcus kept pulling it out, so she’d finally left it down.
“I don’t like them.”
“But she does deserve something for being so good, don’t you think, Eliot?” Marcus asked around his sucker.
“Yes. I do think so.”
“Good. Glad you agreed to come with us.” He started herding them down the corridor.
“Come with you where?” Eliot asked.
“To the gift shop. Isla needs a stuffie.”
“Marcus!”
“It’s a terribly sad thing, Eliot, but she doesn’t have one.”
“That does sound terrible,” Eliot agreed, eyeing Isla. “But does she want one?”
Marcus waited for Isla to reply. Would she say what she really wanted? Or what she thought she should say?
“Yes, I want one.”
That was his brave girl.
They walked into the gift shop and Liam, who was at the counter, waved over at them with a smile. Isla looked around in wonder. This shop had anything your kinky side might desire, along with a section for Littles including toys and clothes.
Eliot grabbed his hand as Isla stared around at the stuffies with wonder. He drew Marcus back. “I know you’re up to something, young man.”
Ooh, young man.
Delicious.
“Me? What could I possibly be up to?” he asked with faux innocence. He crunched down on the sucker.
Of course he was up to something. What fun was life without a scheme or a plan or a prank?
Life was short. You had to grasp it by both hands and make the best of it. If anyone should know that, it was Eliot. Sadness filled him at the thought of losing Isla. It must have been so hard for Eliot to lose his wife.
“That innocent look might work on other people, but not me.” Eliot gave him a stern look.
Sheesh. He was trembling in his shoes.
With desire. Not fear.
He liked that Eliot wasn’t afraid to put his foot down and tell him as it was. But he was also so sweet with Isla. She needed that.
“What do you have to say for yourself, babyboy?”
“Hey, I’m not a baby,” he protested. “That’s more Isla.”
Something flared in the big Dom’s face. Hunger? Interest? Whatever it was, Marcus could tell he liked the idea of Isla as a baby.
“I mean, I don’t know for sure.” He could totally be wrong. But he’d shown her a few things on a website one day and he’d thought she’d seemed interested in the pacifiers and bottles. Maybe he should buy her some today. Whatever she needed, he wanted to provide.
Unless she wanted to leave him. That he couldn’t allow.
There was no way he could live without Isla.
He looked around for a garbage bin for his sucker stick but didn’t see one. Eliot held out his hand and he gave it to him.
Such a Daddy thing to do.
Eliot wrapped it up in a white handkerchief and put it in his pocket.
“She’s never been able to explore that side of herself. That’s why I convinced her to come here. I was hoping she’d have a chance to figure out what she wants. She needs to feel like she’s safe to explore her Little side. Plus, there’s some nice eye candy. That helps.” Marcus ran his gaze over Eliot.
“Did you just call me eye candy, boy?”
“Did I?” He grinned. This was fun. “Well, you are very good-looking.”
Eliot’s hazel-colored eyes narrowed. “So, you’ve been talking about what Isla needs. What do you need?”
“Hmm, my cousin would tell you that I need boundaries and spankings when I break the rules.”
“Would he?”
“Sure, but he’d also warn you that if you ever harmed me, you’d end up in a shallow grave and no one would ever find a trace of you. He’s bloodthirsty about those he loves.”
“Sounds like a good cousin.”
“He is.”
“I think he’s right. You do need rules and consequences.”
Marcus pouted. “I don’t think so. I need candy and cuddles.”
“Hmm, when you’re a good boy, you’d get that.” Eliot placed his hand on the wall by Marcus’ head. “Can you be a good boy, Marcus?”
Marcus gave him a wide grin. “It’s debatable.”
“Marcus, are you… oh no, I’m sorry.”
He turned his head to see Isla staring at them in dismay.
Shit. What did this look like to her? He didn’t want to do this without her. Was she going to think they were doing something behind her back?