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FOUR
A few seconds toclose my eyes, and it will be fine.
My head bobbing at an uncomfortable angle snaps me back to sitting upright. Keeping my back perfectly straight, I peer through my peripherals, ensuring no one has seen my embarrassing moment. I take a small breath when I realize no one has been paying me any attention.
Good.
I probably should have asked Aspen if I had time to nap before this Daddy-adoption thingy started. I swear it’s beenhoursof people standing around, doing nothing exciting while waiting for Madam Eve to start the event. I managed a full ten-ish minutes before my legs finally gave up on standing and I slid into this chair.
I figured it would be safe. Surely, I wouldn’t fall asleep on the hard plastic, right?
I guess I underestimated how exhausted I genuinely am. Or maybe I can blame Luna. After all, his body is so soft and fluffy. The longer I cuddled it against my chest, the more comfortable I became.
Stand, I need to stand.
Muffling a whimper, I scoot to the edge of the chair and take a deep breath. Sucking in as much courage as possible, I thrust upward until I’m on my feet. Gripping Luna in my hand, I cast a longing look at the chair before forcing myself to move away from temptation.
I scurry to the back of the crowd, away from the seats around the group near the stage andfaraway from the floor where other littles are sitting on a rug that looks dangerously soft.
From back here, I can’t see much. Mostly the back of everyone’s heads, but until the adoption event starts, this is fine. For a few minutes, I try bouncing on my toes, even doing a little jog in place, anything to make my body wake up some more.
Eventually, what little energy I found for even that small movement drains. After a few more minutes—or has it been another hour?—I drop my arms to my sides, Luna in one hand and the bag of bidding tokens in the other.
If the bidding doesn’t start soon, I will have to give up and go home.
The thought makes me want to cry. All I want is one night to let go, one night with a Daddy, and I can’t summon enough energy to keep my eyes open. My chin drops to my chest, my eyelids battling against my brain and my exhaustion. My body tilts to the side, and I adjust sharply to remain upright.
I’m so tired.
My whole body jerks violently at the sound of an ear-piercing scream. Terrified someone is being attacked, I whip my head to the side, only to see an overly excitable little fending off the wayward licks of his puppy. I manage a small smile and a few slow blinks as I try to wake up once more.
I can’t believe I fell asleep standing up! I should just go home.
Turning slowly, I scan the crowd, noticing everyone’s attention is aimed at the center of the room.
Crap. The event started, and I missed the beginning.
Flicking my gaze up to the stage, my mouth falls open in a gasp.
Whoa. It’s a dark angel!
And he’s looking right at me. I’m struck by the almost-black eyes nestled in his dark features. Two thick slashes above his eyes pull together in the center. A frown mars the edges of his lips and his sharp square jawline ticks.
He doesn’t look happy to be up there, standing on display while people shout out bids for him.
Can’t say I blame them. He’s perfect.
I completely missed Madam’s introduction, so I don’t know much about him, including his name. What I do know is he wears that black T-shirt like it had to be sewn on to fit around his muscles. His thick arms are slightly hairy, but the fur does nothing to hide the miles of tattoos snaking up his skin and disappearing below the fabric before popping out again in a little tease around his neck.
He’s standing with his legs shoulder-width apart, his thick thighs bulging against the dark denim. His hands are balled into fists, held at his sides, and clenching every few seconds.
Thefuck-offvibe he’s exuding is causing the littles to shy away. None are bidding on him. It’s a standoff between a voracious puppy and a middle I’ve seen around The Garden a few times.
This Daddy looks dark and dangerous. Yet, he also looks like he would be fiercely protective—everything I want in a Daddy.
I don’t need a Daddy with a barrel chest and cuddly belly. I need a Daddy who will hold me and keep an eye on me while I let the adult world fall away.
I’ve always loved big men, and this Daddy is exactly that. Even with my skewed perception due to my proximity to the stage, I can see I would barely come up to his shoulders.
