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“Are you afraid of me, little one?” he asked when she met his gaze.
Her eyes widened, her surprise clear. She’d probably expected him to be upset with her.
“No.”
She said that too quickly. Without thinking. Wanting to appease him? Maybe.
“No matter what you both decide, I want you both to know that I expect honesty. From the two of you and from me. So, I would like you to really think about that answer. Are you afraid of me?”
She chewed her lip. “It’s not you. Sometimes it feels like I’m afraid of everyone. Well, not Marcus or Cullen or Ivy. Actually, maybe afraid is the wrong word. Wary.”
“You’re worried I’ll physically harm you?”
“Oh.” She frowned slightly. “No. I wouldn’t want to be around you if I thought you might do that. I mean… I’m kind of scared of-of spankings.” She sighed and smiled wryly. “Listen to me. I sound like a real scaredy-cat, don’t I? When I’m not really. This is just all so new and the idea of a stranger touching me… it kind of freaks me out. But at the same time, you don’t really feel like a stranger. You feel comfortable.”
Comfortable, huh?
“I don’t mean that in a bad way. That doesn’t sound very urgh, um…” She looked at Marcus in desperation. The way she often seemed to do. How often did he speak for her?
“Sexy,” Marcus supplied with a sassy grin.
She groaned. “Sexy? Really? Well, actually. I guess that works. I don’t mean that you feel comfortable because you’re not sexy.”
That surprised him. “You think I’m sexy?”
Her cheeks were bright red.
“Yep, we think you’re super sexy,” Marcus told him. “In a lumberjack, I’m a big teddy bear kind of way.”
“I’m not always a teddy bear,” he warned. Honestly, he wasn’t entirely sure whether to be flattered or horrified by their views of him.
“Sexy teddy bear has bite, I like it.” Marcus winked.
Isla groaned. “Sorry, he has no filter.”
Eliot just shook his head, and to his surprise, he found himself laughing. “That’s okay. I’ve never been called a sexy teddy bear before. Or a lumberjack.”
“Really? That surprises me,” Marcus said.
“Well, it’s been a long time since I was with anyone other than my wife. In college, I experimented with both men and women. But when I met her, I knew she was the one.”
“Ohh. That’s so romantic,” Isla told him. “And now you think you might want… want us?”
“I’d like to get to know you both. While you’re here, I’d like you to consider having me act as your Top. I know from what Derek said that neither of you has enrolled in any of the Little activities.”
“Last time Marcus was here, he took part in Little school,” Isla said. “But this time I’m holding him back.”
“You are not!” Marcus turned to glare at Isla. “You could never hold me back. I want to be where you are.”
“I don’t… I don’t know how to let my Little out exactly. Unless it’s just the two of us. Then sometimes I can let go a bit. But not fully.”
He nodded. Maybe she didn’t feel safe or comfortable or she felt too vulnerable. It was obvious that she had learned to guard herself.
He’d love to know who hurt her in the past, but he didn’t have that right.
Yet.
“I understand. Maybe you need to feel more secure before that can happen. But we got slightly off track. I need to ask you some health questions.”
“Like what?” she asked warily.
“Are you in any pain? Your head? Do you need a doctor?”
“No doctor!” she said urgently. “I’m fine. I’m just tired.”
“Are you sure, La-la?” Marcus asked worriedly. “You were really pale, and I thought you might faint.”
“Really. I just need a rest.”
“Here, drink my water.” Marcus tried to hand her his glass.
“You need to drink the rest of your water,” Eliot told him sternly. “I’ll get Isla some more water.”
Chapter 14
As Eliot stood to get her more water, Marcus turned to her. “Are you sure you don’t need a doctor?”
“I’m fine. Really.” She took his hand, then realized too late that she was trembling slightly.
Shoot. She probably should have eaten some of that chocolate Marcus had gorged on.
Just as Eliot returned, her stomach let out an embarrassing rumble.
Drat.
“Sorry. How embarrassing.” She grabbed the glass of water, but her hand kept trembling and she nearly dropped it.
His huge hand surrounded hers, placing the glass against her lips so she could gulp some down. When he put the glass down, she wiped her hand across her mouth.
“Here. Allow me.”
Another white handkerchief appeared. Did he have an endless supply of them? He held her chin while he wiped her mouth. She thought she’d gotten all the excess water with her hand.
But she wasn’t objecting. His touch was warm and firm. But not harsh.
“All clean.” He bopped her nose. “Boop.”
