7. NAOMI
Naomi kneeled on the sand, the sun low in the sky, as she collected another sample. She sighed, lost in thought. She had been working hard all day, but she had felt very distracted. As much as she was drawn to the DDlg lifestyle, she feared making a fool of herself—or disappointing Brody.
Or her father.
Or all of the above.
Ugh.
“Naomi,” Brody’s deep voice startled her. She turned to see him striding towards her, a stern expression on his face. “You’ve been working hard today, and I applaud you for it. But remember, one of my rules is that you need to make time for fun.”
She swallowed, nodding in understanding, though her stomach knotted with anxiety.
“Look at me, Naomi,” Brody commanded. He seemed so confident all of a sudden. The deepness of his voice sent tingles down her spine.
She hesitated, taking a deep breath before meeting his intense gaze.
“I wouldn’t set these rules if I didn’t think they were important for both of us,” he said. “You deserve to enjoy yourself.”
Naomi’s heart swelled with warmth at his words, but also with uncertainty. Could she trust Brody to guide her through this journey? More importantly, could she trust herself to embrace it fully?
“Okay,” she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. “I’ll try, sir.”
“Good girl,” Brody praised, his voice gentle yet laced with an undercurrent of authority that sent shivers down her spine. He reached out to take her hand, leading her back toward the main part of the beach.
Naomi noticed a large canvas sports bag lying on the sand, with a blanket laid down next to it.
“Wh-what’s in that bag, sir?” she asked as they approached a sheltered part of the beach.
“Ready for some fun?” Brody asked with a grin as he motioned for Naomi to sit down. “And by the way, good girl for calling me ‘sir.’ I like it.”
Naomi smiled. “You can call me ‘little one,’ if you like.”
Brody nodded. “Thank you, little one.”
Naomi watched Brody pull an assortment of colorful beach toys out of the bag—a bucket, a shovel, and a beach ball. Such innocent items and yet somehow, right now, they seemed faintly dangerous.
“Let’s start with building a sandcastle,” Brody suggested, holding out the bucket and shovel to Naomi. “I bet you’ll be great at it.”
Naomi looked at them as if they might burn her.
If she did this, if she took them, and did as Brody asked her, she knew that there would be no going back. She would be starting to let out her Little in public. It was definitely crossing a line. Another one.
“Really?” Naomi asked hesitantly, looking at the tools. “I think I’ll feel a bit . . . silly.”
“Silly is good,” Brody said with a wink, his eyes sparkling with encouragement. “Silly is fun. Just relax and enjoy yourself. I’m going to build one, too. How about we make a giant sandcastle animal together?”
Naomi was frozen to the spot.
“Naomi, we’re just building sandcastles, honey. You’re perfectly safe.”
“Okay,” said Naomi, trying to be brave. “I guess a sandcastle animal sounds fun. How about a blue whale? Although not a lifesize one, because we’d be here all night.”
Brody laughed. “Good thinking. Let’s do it. I’m going to rely on your knowledge to make it anatomically correct since you’re the expert.”
Naomi laughed. “Head, fins, tail. I think that’s all we need to worry about.”
They began working side by side, filling the small plastic molds with damp sand and carefully arranging them to form a model blue whale. Naomi found herself laughing despite her nerves, a smile spreading across her face as she allowed herself to let go of her insecurities—just a little bit. For a moment, she forgot about her fears of being a Little and simply enjoyed the feeling of freedom that came from surrendering to the experience.
“See?” Brody said, grinning as he admired their handiwork. “You’re a natural.”
“Thank you,” Naomi replied. “I guess it’s fun to have fun.”
“Of course it is,” Brody replied kindly. “It’s very fun to have fun.” He pointed to the whale’s mouth. “Excellent detail on those teeth, by the way.”
Naomi giggled. “Technically, blue whales don’t have any teeth. They have fibrous plates they use to filter out plankton. But hey, who’s counting?”
“Not me,” replied Brody, laughing.
As they finished off their sculpture, Naomi reflected on the fact that her father almost never praised her. All he ever seemed to do was punish her, and his punishments always involved her having to spend time alone, writing lines or praying or doing chores. “Brody?” she asked nervously. “You mentioned discipline earlier. What kind of punishments would you give me? If I ever broke the rules?”
Brody put down his spade and looked at her. “You don’t strike me as someone who needs harsh punishments, Naomi,” he said. “But if I ever did need to discipline you, then the kind of punishments I’d give you would be . . . open to discussion.”
“You mean I’d get a say in them?”
“Of course.”
“Really?”
Brody smiled. “You know, in a good DDlg relationship, the Daddy might be the dominant one, but the Little holds all the true power.”
Naomi’s eyes widened. “Seriously?”
“Totally. You’d get to dictate the limits and boundaries of the relationship. You’d get to stop anything from happening at any time just by using a single word.”
Naomi scrunched up her nose. “What word?”
“You’d decide,” said Brody kindly.
“Wow,” said Naomi, looking down at the sand sculpture. “So, if I said ‘whalebone’, for example, you’d just . . . stop punishing me?”
“I’d stop whatever I was doing, period. And then we’d talk about how you were feeling, and if you were okay.”
Naomi nodded as she processed this. “That sounds good. Out of interest, what kind of punishments do you like to give? When you’re being a—you know—a Daddy?”
Brody smiled. “Nothing beats a good old skin-to-skin spanking. My hand. On your bare ass. Over my knee.”
Naomi swallowed, her breath growing shallower. “I see. That kind of punishment.”
Her father, strict as he was, had never beaten her. The thought of Brody spanking her bare ass felt so intimate, and so inexplicably sexy, that Naomi could barely contain herself.
“Are you okay, little one?” asked Brody.
“I, uh, yes, sir,” said Naomi. “Just . . . imagining it.”
Brody’s gaze pierced hers. “Me too.”
They sat in silence for a few moments, the sound of seagulls above them.
“Brody,” Naomi began at last, her voice hesitant but laced with curiosity, “why don’t you have a Little already? And why don’t you consider yourself a practicing Daddy Dom? Is it something to do with the bad thing you did in your past?”
His blue eyes searched her face before he sighed and ran a hand through his tousled hair. “I don’t know what you heard about me, but the rumors almost certainly aren’t true. I haven’t done anything bad, little one. In fact, something bad happened to me.”
Naomi grabbed the beach ball, hugging it to herself. “Oh really?”
Brody chuckled. “Don’t tell me you’re about to get my secret out of me. I didn’t even break a rule.”
“Oh, you don’t have to tell me!” said Naomi, not wanting to break the agreement they’d made.
“You know what?” said Brody. “I want to. I haven’t told anyone in Little Rock about my past yet, but being here with you, it feels right.”
“If you’re sure,” Naomi said gently.
“I had a pretty bad accident a couple of years ago,” said Brody. “It left me with a serious brain injury. I’ve been rebuilding my motor skills—and my confidence in myself,” he explained, his gaze focused on the waves lapping at the shore. “I didn’t think I’d be much use to anyone as a Daddy Dom until I’d sorted myself out.”
Naomi reached out and gently placed her hand on his arm, her touch soft and understanding. “You’ve been amazing with me today, Brody. I think you underestimate your abilities as a Daddy Dom.”
Their eyes locked. “Thank you, Naomi. That means a lot to me.”
“I’m so sorry to hear about your accident. What happened?”
Brody’s expression hardened. “I’d rather not talk about it. That part of my story will have to remain a secret I’m afraid. Let’s just say it was back when I was in the Navy. A blow to the cerebellum left me unable to walk, to talk, to function for quite some time.” He held up his hand. “See? I still shake a lot now. And you’ve probably noticed my speech.”
“Your speech?”
“I slur my words occasionally.”
Naomi bit her lip. “Oh my goodness, I thought you were drunk. I’m so sorry!”
Brody let out a large belly laugh, puncturing the tension between them. “Well, I do normally drink a beer or two to get me through the day. I find it helps me feel more relaxed, which makes my symptoms less irritating to me.”
Naomi frowned. “I didn’t study human biology at university for long, since my specialism has always been animals,” she said, “but I’m pretty sure that alcohol won’t help a brain injury. If I were you, I’d cut it out. At least until you’re feeling better.”
Naomi was expecting Brody to meet her comment with resistance, but he smiled.
“You’re probably right,” he said. “I guess I know, deep down, that it’s not helping. It’s just become a coping mechanism. I never have more than one or two in a day, but even that’s too much. How about this for a deal? I won’t drink for the remainder of your stay. We’ll see if it helps.”
Naomi grinned. “Okay, sir.”
“Now, are we going to play throw and catch with this ball, babygirl? Or are you ready for me to get the dinner started?”
“Let’s play with the ball first,” said Naomi. “And then eat dinner.”
“Perfect,” said Brody, and they stood up, throwing the ball to each other as though sharing some precious object that they’d never shared with anyone before.
*
Brody stood up and walked over to the grill he’d set up on the beach, returning moments later with two plates piled high with barbecued salmon, charred asparagus, zucchini, and corn on the cob.
“Wow,” said Naomi. “So you don’t just make pancakes.”
Brody chuckled. “Nope. Not just pancakes.”
He sat beside her on the blanket, their shoulders brushing gently as they dug into their meal. The sun was a deep pinky orange now, and one by one, tiny stars began to emerge, twinkling above them. If God was so unhappy with what Naomi was doing right now, then why would he make this setting so unbelievably idyllic?
As they ate, Naomi found herself truly enjoying Brody’s company. He was much deeper and more insightful than she’d given him credit for. She’d mistaken his breezy nature and his easygoing beach vibe for a kind of oafishness.
In fact, Brody had clearly been through some tough stuff and was trying to rebuild his life, piece by piece. She wondered how he’d gotten his brain injury and why he was so reluctant to talk about it. Maybe she’d be brave enough to ask him before she left, but right now, she didn’t want to risk the trust they were building up by pushing him too hard.
As the last remnants of daylight slipped away, Brody turned to Naomi. “Hey, little one,” he said with a mischievous grin, his blue eyes sparkling like the stars above them. “How about we take a little swim in the ocean before we go inside?”
Naomi felt adrenaline course through her veins. “I didn’t bring a swimming costume with me.”
“Honestly?” asked Brody. “You came to work at the ocean and you didn’t bring a swimming costume?”
“I assumed I’d be too busy for fun,” she replied sheepishly.
“Well anyway,” said Brody with a shrug, “we don’t need costumes. You don’t see blue whales wearing clothes, do you?”
Naomi’s jaw hung open. “Are you suggesting—“
Answering her question for her, Brody stood up and began removing his shirt, revealing the toned muscles of his chest and abs beneath. Her breath caught in her throat at the sight, and she felt a stirring of arousal as she watched him unapologetically undress. Every part of her screamed for her to join him, but her fear held her back.
“You okay with me stripping off completely?” he asked her. “If you don’t want to see, then I suggest you look the other way.”
Naomi swallowed but didn’t look the other way.
With a playful wink, Brody tossed his clothes onto the sand beside them. “You coming?” he asked.
Naomi couldn’t help it—her eyes were glued to the heavy meat that hung between Brody’s legs. The way his muscles pointed down toward it like a “V” and that tuft of hair, making it look rugged and otherworldly. It stirred something deep in her core. The first penis she had ever seen in the flesh, and yet somehow, she knew it was a very good one.
“Uh, no,” she said shyly, touching the wrap she’d wound around her head. “I . . . I’m not coming.”
Even as she said the words, she regretted them, but there was no way she could strip off in front of Brody, and do something as frivolous as skinny-dip with him.
“Suit yourself, little one. But you don’t know what you’re missing.” And with that, he dashed towards the water whooping, his muscular body gleaming under the moonlit sky. She kept her eyes fixed on his tight ass as he ran away from her.
Naomi watched him dive into the waves, feeling a pang of envy. How had he learned to be so happy? She wished she could have the same carefree spirit, the ability to throw caution to the wind and simply enjoy life.
For now, though, she would sit on the shore, watching a man—who was nothing like her father, and was nothing like God, but might just be her guardian angel—as he danced in the water.
*
The door clicked shut behind Naomi as she entered her private room.
So. She was staying in the guest room again tonight.
With all the Little clothes.
And all the sex toys.
She couldn’t shake the image of Brody’s naked body, dripping wet and glistening as he walked back to her on the beach. The sight of his huge manhood, heavy between his legs, a reminder of his masculine power.
Her skin felt hot and flushed.
“Oh my,” she whispered to herself, letting out a shaky breath. Her eyes flickered to the storage boxes in the corner of the room. Long pink items made out of silicone. Bulbous purple items. Shiny black stubby ones. Each one more incredible-looking than the last.
Brody had explicitly told her not to use the toys, but she couldn’t ignore the burning desire that pulsed through her.
“Love yourself, right?” Naomi murmured, recalling one of Brody’s new rules. He had encouraged her to embrace self-love, and maybe this was the perfect opportunity to do so.
“Besides, it’s not like I’m doing anything wrong,” she reasoned, trying to reassure herself. “He wants me to take care of myself.”
Naomi carefully opened one of the boxes, revealing the neatly-arranged toys inside. She hesitated for a moment, her fingers hovering over a sleek blue object that caught her eye. She picked it up, her eyes drinking it in.
The object was translucent, almost like it was made of blue glass. But it was soft and rubbery to the touch. There was one very long and thick part, shaped very much like Brody’s manhood. And then there was a second, smaller part that branched off of it. It looked like a tiny dolphin.
“Hello, little dolphin,” she said. “What do you do, I wonder?”
Naomi lay down on the soft bed, holding the sleek blue vibrator in her trembling hand. She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and letting her mind drift to thoughts of Brody—his strong hands, his gentle smile, his thick penis. As she thought of him, the ache between her thighs became more insistent, urging her to surrender to her arousal.
“Okay,” Naomi whispered, daring herself to take the plunge. She lifted the hem of her dress and pulled down her panties, then she switched on the vibrator, feeling its gentle hum in her palm.
Slowly, she brought it down to her core, parting her legs just enough to allow the device access. The moment the cool silicone made contact with her heated flesh, she gasped, her body immediately responding to the sensation. “Oh, Brody...”
She imagined his deep, commanding voice in her ear as she pushed the large part of the vibrator deep inside herself, coaxing her further into pleasure.
And that’s when she discovered what the dolphin did.
Its pointy beak was just the right shape to nestle against her clitoris, vibrating so hard that it was almost impossible to keep it there.
“Mmm, yeah . . .” she moaned, her hips arching off the bed as the intensity built. Her fingers tightened around the toy as she grew in confidence, pressing it harder and harder right where she needed it.
Naomi’s mind raced with fantasies of Brody. She could almost feel his firm grip on her hips, his lips brushing against her neck, leaving a trail of possessive kisses. The thought of him watching her, his dark eyes filled with hunger, only served to heighten her pleasure.
“Brody, please,” she whimpered, desperate for release. With a final push, the waves of ecstasy crashed over her, her body convulsing with the force of her climax. The vibrator fell from her grasp, the dolphin’s hum now silent, but the echoes of her pleasure lingered.
As she lay there, panting and covered in a fine sheen of sweat, Naomi couldn’t help but wonder how he would react to her disobedience, even if it was in pursuit of self-love.
Had she just done something terrible?