Chapter 13
Miles
The playroom at The Sugar Spoon is a pastel paradise, all soft pinks and blues, with plush rugs, a ball pit in one corner, and shelves stuffed with toys and coloring books.
The café’s closed now for the evening, the front door locked, leaving just a handful of members—Littles and their Daddies—using the space. I’m sprawled on a thick blanket in the den Jack and I built, a cozy fortress of pillows and stuffed animals in the far corner.
We’re both in rompers, mine a light purple with a unicorn print I borrowed from Jack, hers a sunny yellow with bumblebees, and the fluffy diapers underneath crinkle softly as we shift.
Bean is tucked beside me, his button eyes glinting under the fairy lights strung above us. My bottom’s still warm from Travis’s spanking, a tingling reminder that makes me squirm, but it’s a good kind of heat, the kind that settles my racing mind.
Jack’s giggling, his hair bouncing as he stacks blocks into a wobbly tower.
“You should’ve seen your face when Travis walked in,” Jack says, his voice teasing. “All defiant, then poof… red as a strawberry!”
I laugh, nudging his shoulder.
“Oh, shut up. You’d be the same if Logan caught you breaking rules.” I pause, picking at a loose thread on my romper, the memory of Travis’s firm hand and that wooden spoon flashing through me. “But… yeah, that spanking. It was intense. Travis knows what he’s doing.”
Jack’s eyes sparkle, and he leans closer, lowering his voice like we’re sharing a secret. “He’s got that Daddy vibe, doesn’t he? Like, no nonsense, but you know he’s got your back. Logan’s the same. It’s like… the stress just melts away, right? Like you can let go and just be.”
I nod, hugging Bean tighter.
“Exactly. It’s like, work was a mess today—those files I found, the weird stuff with Knox & Rain—it had me all twisted up.
But then Travis… he just took control, and for a few minutes, I didn’t have to think.
Just feel.” My cheeks flush, and I giggle, the sound bubbling up unbidden.
“He’s definitely got the Daddy thing down. ”
Jack grins, popping a gummy bear into his mouth from a bowl we’re sharing. “So, is it a thing? Like, long-term? Forever Daddy material?”
The question hits like a splash of cold water, and I freeze, my fingers stilling on Bean’s warm fur. Travis’s face flashes in my mind—his sharp jaw, those piercing eyes, the way he pulled back from our almost-kiss last night.
“I… don’t know,” I say, my voice softer.
“It’s complicated. He’s complex, Jack. I can’t say more than that.
But he’s not… he’s not what I expected. He’s protecting me, or trying to, but there’s so much I don’t know.
About him, about my firm, about all of it.
I really can’t say much more. I don’t want to think about forever right now. I just want to… be here.”
Jack nods, his expression softening.
“Fair,” Jack smiles, understandingly. “You’ve got enough on your plate. Let’s just have fun, then. No big thoughts, just Little time.”
I smile, grateful for his understanding, and we dive back into our play.
The den’s our sanctuary, stuffed with plushies and draped with a blanket roof, and it feels like the safest place in the world. We start plotting a prank, giggling like kids as we whisper.
“Okay,” I say, glancing at the ball pit across the room. “We grab a bunch of those plastic balls, stuff them into a water balloon, and lob it at the Daddies. Total chaos, right?”
Jack claps his hands, his eyes wide.
“Yes! They’ll never see it coming!” Jack squeals in delight. “We’ll need a big balloon, though, to hold all the balls. And water, so it pops and makes a mess!”
We’re practically vibrating with excitement, crawling out of the den to scout the ball pit. I grab a handful of colorful plastic balls, their smooth surfaces cool against my palms, and Jack sneaks to the craft table for a water balloon.
We’re whispering, stifling giggles, when heavy footsteps interrupt us.
I look up, and there’s Travis, standing at the edge of our den with Logan, both of them towering over us with amused but firm expressions.
“Time to go, Little,” Travis says, his voice that deep, Daddy growl that makes my stomach flip. “You’ve had your fun.”
I pout, crossing my arms, the water balloon plan forgotten. “Already? But we’re in the middle of something!”
Logan chuckles, his beard twitching. “You heard him, Jack. Home time. You two can build another den another day.”
Jack mirrors my pout, but Travis’s eyes lock on mine, unyielding.
“Don’t make me ask twice, Little One,” Travis says. “You know what happens when you push me.”
My cheeks burn, the memory of the spanking still fresh, and I nod, grabbing Bean and my backpack.
“Fine,” I mutter, but there’s a spark of warmth in my chest at his tone. He’s bossy, but there’s care there too, and it’s messing with my head.
Travis softens, just a fraction, and steps closer, his hand brushing my shoulder.
“We’ll come back to The Sugar Spoon soon, I promise,” Travis says. “You did good today, Little. Let’s get you home.”
I smile despite myself, the promise of coming back to this safe, Little-friendly space easing my disappointment. Jack hugs me, whispering, “Text me later,” and I nod, following Travis out of the playroom, the café’s warmth lingering as we step into the cool city night…
The city’s night hums around us as Travis and I step out of the cab and climb the steps to his apartment building. The cold air nips at my cheeks, but Travis’s presence beside me—steady, commanding—feels like a shield against the world.
My romper crinkles softly under my jacket, the fluffy diaper underneath a secret comfort that keeps me grounded. Bean is tucked in my backpack and I’m still buzzing from the playroom at The Sugar Spoon, Jack’s giggles and our half-planned prank lingering in my mind.
But the weight of the day—those shady files at Knox & Rain, the tracker in my waistband, Travis’s stern Daddy vibe—has me teetering on the edge of exhaustion.
Travis unlocks his apartment door, the steel swinging open to reveal the sparse, sleek space.
The city’s glow filters through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long shadows across the hardwood.
He sets his keys on the counter, his eyes flicking to me, softer now but still with that edge that makes my heart skip.
“Movie night?” he asks, his voice low, almost gentle. “Pick something. I’ve got popcorn.”
I yawn, my hand flying to my mouth as I try to stifle it.
“I’m… kinda beat,” I admit, my voice small. “Work, the café, everything—it’s a lot. I just need to go to bed.”
Travis steps closer, his gaze searching mine, and I swear he can see right through me.
“Alright, Little,” Travis says, his tone firm but warm. “How about I run you a bath, read you a story, and tuck you in? You’ve had a big day.”
My cheeks flush, and a sweet smile spreads across my face before I can stop it.
A bath?
Story time?
It’s so… Daddy, so caring, and the thought of Travis taking charge like that makes my chest feel warm and fluttery.
“That sounds perfect,” I say, my voice soft, almost shy. I don’t know what’s happening between us, but right now, I don’t care. I just want to let go, to let him take care of me.
Travis nods, a faint smile tugging at his lips, and heads to the bathroom.
I follow, clutching Bean, my sneakers scuffing the floor.
The bathroom’s all clean lines and white tiles, a stark contrast to the cozy chaos of The Sugar Spoon.
Travis turns on the faucet, the sound of rushing water filling the space as steam curls upward. He tests the temperature, adding a capful of bubble bath that smells like lavender and vanilla, the kind of scent that makes my shoulders relax just breathing it in.
“Strip down to your diaper,” Travis says, his voice matter-of-fact but with that Daddy edge that makes me tingle. “I’ll take care of the rest.”
I blush, setting Bean on the counter and slipping off my romper, folding it neatly as my heart races. The fluffy diaper’s a soft hug around my hips, and I feel exposed but safe under Travis’s steady gaze.
After quickly whisking my diaper off with an expert hand, Travis smiles.
“Bathtime, young man,” he smiles.
Travis helps me into the tub, the warm water enveloping me, bubbles popping against my skin.
I sink in, letting out a sigh, and Travis kneels beside the tub, rolling up his sleeves. His hands are gentle but sure as he washes me, a soft cloth gliding over my arms, my back, my legs.
It’s intimate, not sexual, but the care in his touch sends a shiver through me. I close my eyes, letting the warmth and his presence wash away the day’s stress—the suspicious files, the tracker, the lingering fear of that death threat.
“You did good today, baby boy,” Travis says, his voice low as he rinses my shoulders. “I know it wasn’t easy, going to work, looking for answers. I’m proud of you.”
My eyes sting, and I blink hard, not wanting to cry.
“Thanks,” I murmur, my voice barely audible over the water.
I don’t know if I trust him completely, but right now, I feel seen, cared for, and it’s more than I’ve felt in a long time.
When the bath’s done, Travis wraps me in a fluffy towel, drying me off with the same gentle firmness. He helps me into fresh pajamas—a soft cotton set with little stars on it—and leads me to the guest room. The bed’s made up with clean sheets, and it looks so appealing and fresh.
Travis grabs a book from the shelf—a worn copy of The Velveteen Rabbit—and sits on the edge of the bed.
“Scoot over,” Travis says, and I do, curling up under the covers, Bean tucked under my arm.
His voice is deep, soothing, as he reads, the story’s gentle rhythm pulling me toward sleep. I watch his face, the way his jaw moves, the flicker of something soft in his eyes.
Travis is a Night Ops Guard, a man I should fear, but right now, he’s just Travis, reading to me like I’m the only thing that matters. My eyelids grow heavy, and as he reaches the part where the rabbit becomes real, I’m drifting, the world fading into a warm, safe haze.
I wake briefly as Travis tucks the blanket around me, his hand brushing my cheek.
“Sleep tight, Little,” he whispers, and I mumble something incoherent, clutching Bean tighter.
As I slip back into sleep, I feel safer, more fulfilled, than I can ever remember feeling. The doubts about Knox & Rain, the fear of the threat, even the pull of Travis’s Daddy side—they’re still there, but for now, they’re distant.
All I know is this moment, this warmth, and the quiet certainty that, with Travis watching over me, I’m okay—my Daddy won’t ever let anything bad happen to me…