Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Sonja relaxed back in her chair, studying the rippling muscles under his tight T-shirt as he plated the pancakes and prepared the coffee. Dressed casually like this, or more formally, as he’d been the previous night at the club, the man oozed control and strength, which did all kinds of funny things to her insides. His authoritative tone turned her on, and she hoped she wouldn’t leave a wet spot on the chair.
Now, that is a disconcerting thought!
To distract herself, she mulled over his statements. He’d told her in unapologetic and graphic terms that he liked her body and what he wanted to do with it. Okay, also not a notion to linger on. Considering punishment: he’d threatened to spank her ass. She’d never received an over-the-knee spanking before, but she hadn’t liked the occasional swats she’d had. She envisioned herself over his knee with her bare ass in the air. She’d seen plenty of spankings at the club, most playful, but some for punishment, and the slap of a hand connecting with someone’s bottom sounded harsh to her. She was grateful that Captain Connor, who took care of club discipline, stuck to humiliation with her punishments these days. She had earned many, since the Scotsman didn’t like sassy submissives.
Actually, she hadn’t met a Dom who did.
A finger under her chin tilted up her head, and she met a concerned gaze.
“What’s running through your head?”
She couldn’t look away or come up with a smart remark to deflect his question. He got to her on so many levels. It was as scary as it was exhilarating, and she didn’t know how to react to that. She blurted, “I was thinking how Doms don’t like backtalk.”
He frowned. “I think I mentioned it yesterday, but I will repeat it as often as you need to hear it, Sonja. I like a bit of sass, and I’ll tell you clearly when you go too far.” He studied her and asked, “Is that fair?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good.” He pressed a kiss on her lips and stepped over to the kitchen counter to retrieve their coffee and food. The breakfast impressed her when she dug in.
“You know, if you’re ever out of a job, you could always come work at The Sweet and Savory Table,” she said with a smile and a wink. She frowned. “Actually, I have no idea what you do.”
He smiled. “I’m a social worker with the Children’s Division of Social Services.
She blinked. “You’re a Daddy Dom, and you work with kids?”
He chewed and looked pensive. “I don’t think there’s a connection between the two of them. I’m not interested in children sexually, if that’s what you’re wondering about.”
“Damn, you’re blunt,” she said, “but that wasn’t what I meant.” She paused to formulate her thoughts. “I think it was more the surprise that after dealing with children all day, why would you want a Little one at home? Don’t you long for adult conversation by then?”
“As much as I’d like to spend more time with the children, I end up doing a lot of paperwork and dealing with other adults most days,” he said, ruefully.
“I never thought about that.” Sonja was pensive.
“It’s not like I want someone with a pacifier in her mouth,” he answered. “Ageplay, for me at least, is about taking care of my girl’s needs, about allowing her to let go of her worries and fears because I’m there for her. I’m not into changing your diapers, if that’s what you’re afraid of.”
“Well, there’s that and also—” She sighed. “I may be submissive in the bedroom, but I’m also independent. I don’t think I’d enjoy heavy power exchange and, in my opinion, the DD/lg dynamic is pretty extreme.”
“Okay, that’s fair.” He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “But would you please give me a chance? Don’t dismiss it before you’ve tried it.” He looked so open and honest.
Why does the first man who’s interested in me in years have to be a damn Daddy Dom?
“What do you suggest?” She was curious about his answer, although she was reasonably certain she wouldn’t commit to anything.
“How about we go slow and keep our play at the club, but we agree on being exclusive with each other?” he suggested.
“Do I have to call you Daddy?”
“I would love for you to call me that, but it isn’t a requirement. Until you feel ready, we can go with Sir at the club or whenever you’re feeling submissive,” he said with a wicked smile, “and use Derek the rest of the time.”
Before Sonja knew what she was doing, she nodded, and he beamed at her.
What the hell had she gotten herself into now?
After breakfast, Derek dropped her off at the club so she could pick up her little Mazda. Sonja couldn’t believe she’d left her baby in an open parking lot, but according to Derek, she’d been too far out of it to drive yesterday. After a promise to text him before she went to bed, they kissed and went their separate ways.
The roads were quiet, and Sonja made good time getting home. After a quick shower and a fresh set of clothes, she was in her car and back on the road again. She was going to collect Snuggles, since the animal hospital allowed owners to get their pets even on the weekends. Sonja turned on her radio and powered the volume up on Believer by Imagine Dragons—her favorite band.
By the time the chorus came, she was belting along and turned into the parking lot at the vet clinic. Sonja lowered the volume otherwise Snuggles would hit the roof when Sonja turned on the engine again. She went up to the glass entrance and rang the weekend access bell.
“Good afternoon, Ms. Madden,” the young receptionist greeted.
“Hi, Trudy,” Sonja answered. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Sonja?”
Trudy lowered her gaze and blushed. “Of course, Sonja.”
Sonja smiled and nodded. It wasn’t the first time she’d wondered if the girl was submissive or merely shy.
After they took care of the payment, Trudy said, “Let me call the vet tech, and he’ll have Snuggles with you in no time. Please, take a seat. Would you like some coffee?”
“No, thank you.” She was particular about her coffee and couldn’t understand how people drank the motor oil that came out of most coffee machines. When she’d started working with her mentor Carol, the woman had told her, “When you visit a restaurant, always order a cup of coffee and go to the bathroom. If the coffee tastes good and the bathroom is clean, the food will be good, too.”
At first, Sonja hadn’t believed her, but over the years, the theory had proven itself consistently accurate. Luckily for Snuggles, the rule didn’t apply to vets, since Dr. Phillips was one of the best in town despite having the worst coffee.
A loud and displeased “meow” had her looking up, and Tom, the vet tech, grinned at her. With a lean build, a mop of red hair, big ears, and an endearing grin, he always reminded her of Fred and George Weasely from Harry Potter.
“Hi, Tom, how is my baby?”
“Irritated but well, Ms. Madden,” he answered, his statement underlined with another low mewl that held a hint of a growl. They both chuckled. Sonja took over the carrier, and Tom dug in his coat pocket. “Here are his painkillers and antibiotics. We’ve taken care of his meds today, so you don’t have to start them until tomorrow. You know how to pill him, don’t you?”
Sonja accepted the small pill bottles and answered, “Yes, I do. He’s easy to medicate.”
The expression of disbelief on Tom’s face was so funny, Sonja had to contain her laughter. “We had a tough time this morning.”
“Did you hide the pills in a treat?”
“No, that works with most dogs, but we don’t even try it with cats. They lick the treat off and leave the pills.”
“Apparently, Snuggles is more dog than cat, then. He takes his medicine that way all the time.” Sonja smiled and thanked the staff again for taking care of her fur baby. She was anxious to get him home, and from the sounds he was making, Snuggles felt the same.