“No. Maybe,” Connor admitted with a laugh of his own. “What are you talking about?”
“Sadie’s been dropping hints about you and Hayleigh. ‘Casually’ mentioning how good you’d look together, things like that.”
“Really?” It wasn’t like he hadn’t considered it himself. But Hayleigh was so far out of his league he couldn’t even see her league from his. While he considered himself a decent looking guy, it was obvious he enjoyed sampling his own cooking. And Hayleigh was every man’s fantasy come to life. All long legs and curves a man could lose himself in.
“Yes, really.” Derek’s amused response jerked Connor out of his reverie. “Which is why I’m leaving the rest of Hayleigh’s punishment in your capable hands. It’s no secret how you feel about the girl.”
Connor winced. “Is it that obvious?”
“You can’t take your eyes off of her if she’s in the room. And how many times a week have you been serving banana pudding for dessert, lately? Not that I’m complaining,” Derek assured him, patting his stomach. “But it is her favorite, right?”
“It is. Shit.” Connor blew out a breath.
“Hayleigh is a good girl, Connor. Her last Dom didn’t treat her right, so she’s a little skittish. But I think you’d be good for her. I have something of a sixth sense about these things.”
“What do you mean when you say he didn’t treat her right?”
Derek hesitated before answering. “That’s her story to tell. I don’t think he abused her, at least not physically. But there’s more than one way to beat a person down.”
Rage turned the edges of his vision red and Connor had to force himself to breathe. The idea of anyone treating adorable little Hayleigh like anything other than the treasure she was… It was unconscionable. “Understood.”
“Good. As I said, I’ll leave any additional punishment in your capable hands.”
With that responsibility sitting on his shoulders, Connor left the office and made his way back to the kitchen. Thanks to the professionalism of his staff, he walked back into the loud bustling area to find it running as smoothly as always, despite the earlier excitement.
Lunch cleanup was well underway, so he busied himself with the prep work for the banana pudding he’d been planning for dessert that evening. Shaking his head at his own hopelessness, he went to work.
What the hell was he going to do about Hayleigh? She definitely deserved to have her bottom reddened for her part in the prank, but it didn’t feel proper to punish her the way he really wanted – bare-bottomed, over his knee, until she was crying and begging his forgiveness. That was how a Daddy punished his little girl, but she wasn’t his.
Yet.
Now that Derek had planted the seed in his mind, Connor couldn’t help but wonder if he had a chance with her after all.
“Chef?”
It took considerable effort not to jump at the sound of his name. Looking up, he found Julia, his sous chef, watching him with an amused smile. “What?”
“You beat that meringue any more, it’s going to start calling you Daddy,” she teased, her lips twisting up in a playful smile.
Sure enough, the mixing bowl in front of him was filled with the fluffy white mixture for the top of the pudding. Flipping the mixer off, he gave Julia a grateful smile. “Thanks. I’m a little distracted this afternoon.”
Her smirk immediately moved to a disapproving scowl. “Because of the nonsense at lunch?”
And how he was going to punish a certain adorable brunette, but that was something he preferred to keep to himself for the time being. “That’s part of it, yes.”
Arms crossed, Julia shook her head. “Those girls are nothing but trouble.”
“It was just a prank, Julia.”
Her mouth fell open and he was surprised her eyes didn’t just fall right out of her head. “But… they messed with your kitchen. Nobody messes with your kitchen!”
“I know. But it’s been handled.”
“Hopefully, you mean they both got their butts spanked good and proper,” she replied, openly sulking.
“It’s been handled,” he repeated, putting a bit more sternness into his tone. “Is there something else you should be doing right now, Julia?”
Red bloomed on her cheeks and she nodded before hurrying away to finish her dinner prep.