Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 44898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44898 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 224(@200wpm)___ 180(@250wpm)___ 150(@300wpm)
“I know. It’s the strangest case I’ve seen in a long time,” Trace continued. “Why call in a fake bomb threat and then crickets.”
Another man approached and held out a hand. “I’m Milo, Riley’s Daddy. I’ve heard about you from my Little girl. Been meaning to come into La Havana on my lunch break. I’m an EMT. Somehow I always end up at Little Cakes stuffing myself with sugar instead.” He chuckled as he glanced past Mateo. “Here comes Evan. Have you met Evan Parker?”
Mateo turned around. “The photographer?”
The man smiled. “That’s me. It always makes me feel good when someone recognizes my name. You must be Mateo?”
Mateo chuckled. “My name sure has gotten around.”
Evan grinned. “Well, my Little girl is Tori. She also works at Little Cakes. Everyone who works there knows who you and Nora are. The girls are all abuzz about yet another age-play couple working along the strip.”
Mateo was growing more and more certain by the minute he’d made the right decision in bringing Nora here tonight. He hoped she’d make some good friends among the Littles and would feel more comfortable about her own age play, especially when she wasn’t at home.
Nora’s heart was racing as she skipped into the daycare with Riley, and then she stopped dead when she saw Officer Avery Reynolds. For a moment, she thought there must be some police emergency at the club, and that scared her, but then she realized Avery was wearing a very youthful dress, and her hair was in pigtails.
Avery is Little?
Avery gave her a small smile and a wave before approaching. “Don’t worry. What happens at Blaze, stays at Blaze. It’s a rule. Be who you want here. You’re safe.”
Nora drew in a slow breath. Her first instinct was panic that any one of these people could spread gossip about her and ruin her business. Then she realized Avery had a lot more to lose than Nora. She supposed she would have to trust Avery. No way would the woman share with a living soul that she’d seen Nora at a fetish club.
“Thank you,” Nora managed to whisper.
Avery turned around. “Let me introduce you to everyone else.” She pointed to the first girl on the left of the semicircle that had formed. “That’s Aria. You probably met her Daddy, Cameron, at the bar?”
Nora nodded and smiled at Aria.
Avery continued around the circle. “Wait… You probably know everyone else. Riley escorted you back here, plus she, Ellie, and Tori all work at Little Cakes. Everyone who’s anyone knows the employees of Little Cakes.”
All the girls giggled.
Avery shrugged. “I like to make sure I’m acquainted with as many people in town as I can, but the most important person to know is the one who puts delicious sugary confections in my stomach.”
Nora relaxed even more. “Surely it’s not true that cops spend all day eating—”
Avery playfully covered her mouth. “Don’t say it. The D word is blasphemous around here.” She patted her tummy. “In this town, we officers eat too many cupcakes. Which one is your favorite?”
“Blueberry Bliss.”
“Mine is Witch’s Brew, but I can’t get Ellie to stock it except at Halloween. She’s such a meanie.”
“Witch’s Brew sounds interesting.”
“Tell her how you met your Daddy,” Ellie encouraged.
Avery rolled her eyes. “Fine. Might as well. The whole town knows by now. My Daddy is the police captain, but before he started his job I was on patrol one day and pulled him over for a taillight.”
Nora gasped. “No!”
“Yep, and it gets worse. I had just eaten one of those Witch’s Brew cupcakes and my entire mouth was black!”
Nora’s eyes went wide. “Did you just die?”
“Ten thousand deaths, but then I got to know him, and now he’s all mine, even though he still makes fun of the time we met when I had black lips. Zombie lips. How humiliating. It was so unprofessional.”
“I guess he didn’t care,” Nora commented.
“I think it was how he decided I was probably Little. How did you meet your Daddy?”
Nora glanced in the direction she’d left Mateo and saw him standing with several other men. He must have felt her gaze because he turned and winked at her, making Nora’s insides all melty. “He was having a candle emergency in his restaurant one evening and came over to my shop to get some. I wasn’t even open yet.”
“I guess he made a good impression,” Tori said.
“Yeah. He’s the first man I’ve ever met who didn’t even flinch at my height. He acted like I was any other woman and treated me that way, too.”
Ellie giggled. “Hopefully not just any other woman.”
Nora flushed and shook her head. “Not exactly. You’re right.”
“Who wants to play dominos?” Aria asked.
Nora was taken aback when all the other girls bounced on their toes, clapping with excitement. It was as if they’d taken some time to do introductions in a slightly adult headspace, but poof, it was gone now, and everyone’s true personality was coming out.