“I assume you’re a little, considering you’re in this room. You’re dressed like a little, and you played with the trains.”
Shit, how had the conversation derailed that quickly? Phex had vowed to keep his experiences to himself when he joined Paradise. He’d wanted a safe space to be himself, nothing more. Especially not a super-hot, protective Daddy like Devlin. “I don’t know what I am,” he said, surprising himself with his honesty.
Devlin frowned. “Can you explain that?”
In for a penny, in for the whole damn thing, right? “Multiple Daddies have assured me that I’m not really a little, since I dislike giving up control.”
God, it hurt to even say it. How could he have been so wrong? But all his failed attempts at finding a Daddy couldn’t be blamed solely on the Daddies. Sure, some blame fell on them, but he was the common element. It had to be him, something that was wrong with him.
“Can you give me an example?”
Phex sighed, looking away. “Forget it. It’s not important, and it’s certainly not your problem. I apologize if I was rude to you. I just…I was surprised to find you right next to me.”
Devlin’s eyes were sharp, and Phex got the sense he missed little. “Would this have anything to do with your job and your success?”
Either he really was as good as he said, or he’d made a lucky guess. “Yes. I haven’t been able to find a Daddy who doesn’t feel threatened by me.”
Devlin nodded slowly. “And as a result, they crack down hard on rules because they need to feel they’re in charge, which makes you rebel because that’s not what you signed up for.”
Wow, that was impressive. Phex hadn't expected Devlin to come to that conclusion on his own and definitely not that quickly. “Correct.”
“And now you feel like you may not be a little, and you’re convinced something is wrong with you.”
“Ten points and a gold star for you.”
“And yet you come here two nights a week to play…and nap.”
Phex dragged a hand through his undoubtedly messy hair. “I can’t… I have trouble sleeping. Too much on my plate. I need the downtime playing gives me, and it gets me in the right headspace for a much-needed nap. Trust me, if I could make the time, I’d be here every day, but I can’t.”
“And you can’t play at home? Creating a playroom shouldn’t be an issue for you, I assume, at least not financially.”
A sharp sting in his chest made Phex rub his right pec. Of course the man had to ask the hard questions. What was even more surprising was that Phex was answering them. He didn’t even understand why, but for some reason, Devlin made him want to. His brown eyes were endlessly kind and friendly, and Phex responded to them, wanted to please him.
“I have a playroom at home. It’s stocked with everything I could possibly want. But I can’t use it. It’s…it’s empty. It has no soul.”
“It needs a Daddy…”
Phex battled with himself, then let out a long sigh, dropping his shoulders low and fixing his gaze at the floor. “It does. I don’t want a Daddy…or rather, Daddies don’t seem to want me, but Ican’t sink into my play without one in the room. It doesn’t feel real, and I can’t relax.”
Seconds later, Devlin’s index finger lifted his chin up, and he met the man’s eyes. “When I’m back in my office, I will pull up your phone number, and I’ll text you mine. If you use it, I’ll be happy to come to your house to help you play. No strings attached, no expectations. Your choice.”
Phex’s heart skipped a beat. “Why would you offer that?”
Devlin smiled at him. “Because I’m a Daddy, and that’s what Daddies do for little boys.”
3
Devlin whistled between his teeth as he pulled up to the heavy gate. Damn, Phex had some serious security in place. Not that he blamed him, considering his wealth. One couldn’t be too careful. The opulence of Las Vegas attracted its fair share of criminal elements, and a man known to live by himself would be an easy target.
He pressed the bell on the intercom pole, and seconds later, the video screen jumped to life. Ah, that made it easy, then. Phex would be able to see who was at the gate. And indeed, the gate opened smoothly for Devlin, closing again as soon as he’d made it through.
He parked his truck to the right of the house, in the shade, of course. Las Vegas was brutally hot, even in the spring, and parking a car in the sun was a rookie mistake few people made. The front door opened when he’d barely put his foot on the first of the marble steps, revealing a nervous-looking Phex. Devlin smiled at him as he climbed the remaining stairs.
“Come on in,” Phex said, stepping aside. He closed the door behind Devlin, then stood in front of him, his hands in thepockets of a pair of expensive-looking dress pants. “Thank you for coming.”
“My pleasure.”
They stared at each other, and Phex let out a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know how to do this. I want to, but at the same time, I don’t.”