Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 312(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
He had to be fucking psychic.
“One step at a time.” Ignoring everything else, I gave him what I hoped was a more convincing stern look. “Sit down at the table and I’ll get the tea party started.”
His slightly mischievous smile said he wasn’t going to let something like my caution stand in his way. “Yes, Sir.”
As he danced into the kitchen, his smile grew wider as he looked around, and nearly skipped over to the table to make sure his nightgown bounced around. “This is so cute, Sir.”
It was small, but the farmhouse style made it cozy.
“Thank you.” I had to fight back a smile as he sat down daintily and somehow managed to look innocent and sweet even as his compact body was distractingly sexy.
“Now, first question. Do you actually like tea?” I knew Emerson wouldn’t think it was necessary for a tea party dinner, but I wanted to check.
His excited nod made it easier to figure out what to feed him, so as I moved around the kitchen on autopilot, starting the hot water boiling and pulling out food for tea party sandwiches, I thought about our discussion.
First things first.
“You understand that no matter what we decide when it comes to this Owner business, you have the job if you want it and I will be absolutely professional?” This was a bad idea on so many levels, but Emerson was a grown man and I had to let him make some decisions for himself.
His nearly inaudible aww had me shaking my head.
I was not cute.
“Yes, Sir.” He sat straighter, playing the role of a good little sub to a T. “You’re going to be very careful and take good care of me. I know that and I’m very grateful.”
There seemed to be a silent for now in there somewhere, and I had a feeling his patience would only go so far.
For the time being, though, he at least sounded like he understood why I was being careful.
What else?
“And the doll aspect of things aside, how do you see this?” God, that was a terrible question. “Ignoring any kinks or particulars like that, how do you see what’s happening here?”
That wasn’t any better, but I hadn’t wanted to use words like submission or dating or relationship and make any assumptions.
Some subs just wanted to be able to play out fantasies and submit on occasion without it meaning anything. Just because he’d enjoyed the scene and found it easy to slip into the role didn’t mean he wanted it to turn into anything else.
“You take such good care of me, Owner.” Emerson was back to smiling at me like I was the cutest thing he’d ever seen.
It was almost as distracting as when he’d been naked.
“That’s sweet but not helpful at the moment.” I was trying to be serious, but he giggled so I gave him a dry look and raised one eyebrow before turning back to work on making our tea party dinner. “I require more information from my pretty doll.”
Shit.
I was supposed to be talking to him like he was just a regular person, not my sub.
Fuck it all.
Emerson made it hard to keep that plan when he responded to it so well, though. “Yes, Owner. I’ll be very good. Okay, um, information.”
He was wonderfully distracting as he made cute thinking sounds and played up what a good sub he would be. But it gave me time to cut up the sandwiches and to get out the fruits and vegetables that were thankfully already sliced. “You want to know what I’m thinking so you won’t worry. Because you’re such a good Owner. Very conscientious. Everyone’s going to be so jealous of that.”
I had to assume that everyone was his coworkers at Leashes & Lace, but I wasn’t going to get us off track by asking about it at the moment.
I was distracted, not stupid.
“Yes.” Staying focused on the food and not looking at the sweet sub as he hummed and wiggled, made it easier, but he was the most distracting human I’d ever met.
Preston with all his worrying was easier to ignore.
“I’m a very honest doll because I think that’s what my Owner would like.” His chipper tone was softened by a dramatic sigh. “And really, being anything else would be exhausting, so I’m going to say that I think you’re my Owner because you’re the sweetest Dom I’ve ever met.” He sighed again, almost making me fucking blush before he went back to listing off everything he was thinking.
He’d wrapped himself up in his innocent mode so thoroughly he even started counting out my virtues on his fingers. “You’re growly without screaming like Roman does, and you worry about me like Preston, but it’s not completely unreasonable, just sweet. You think I’m cute when I’m being good but you said I was innocently naughty, so you get me.”