“No, this looks like I’m asking to be screwed,” Belinda said to her reflection in the mirror. She looked at all the abandoned outfits on the bed and threw up her hands in exasperation before walking back into her closet to find something that would be perfect for a ‘I don’t know why we’re going out to dinner, but I want to make the right impression’ dinner.
When the doorbell rang, she dashed back out of her bedroom. She wasn’t ready. Her hair! Trying to smooth her tresses after trying on a dozen outfits, Belinda walked quickly to the door. She peeked through the peephole to see Pedro Morales looking back at her.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door. “Hi! I’m almost ready. Would you like to come inside?”
“You look lovely. Take your time. I brought this over to secure to your railing so Tinkerbell won’t go past your balcony. You still okay with him coming to visit?” Pedro asked, holding up a clear piece of what looked like a thick plastic shield.
“I’d love it. Please do whatever will keep him safe. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Belinda hurried to the bathroom and heard Pedro open her sliding glass door. She tamed her hair and refreshed her makeup before picking up her shoes and bag from the bedroom. One last glance in the mirror made her shake her head. She’d have to do. It was too late to change again.
Emerging into the living space, Belinda found Pedro at her sliding glass door, looking out over the Edgewater campus. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” she asked.
“Easton has created quite an incredible place. I’m very happy to be here.”
“After all the travel and lectures you’ve done, I’m sure you’re tired of living out of a suitcase,” she commented.
“Definitely. And Edgewater Industries had a special appeal for me,” Pedro shared.
“Really? What was that?”
“Let’s go to dinner and I’ll tell you,” Pedro suggested.
“Alright. Where are we going?”
“Knox clued me in to a special place to try. Are you up for a mystery date?” Pedro asked.
“That sounds like fun. Let’s go for it.” Belinda liked the thought of him checking with Knox for a recommendation. Pedro had planned this dinner. He wanted it to be a success.
She led the way to the front door and allowed Pedro to open it for her before hesitating. “I didn’t even look to see what you did on the balcony.”
“We can look at it when we come home. I locked your sliding door.”
“Thanks. I never bother with that.”
“Your safety is important, Belinda,” he commented softly as he watched her close the apartment door securely before turning to join him in the hallway.
“Everyone has to go through security and I’m on the seventh floor. I think I’m well protected here. Not too many cat burglars on staff,” she pointed out, leading him down to the elevator.
His responding low laugh sent a shiver down her spine. She felt his hand press against the small of her back as he stepped into place next to her. Belinda loved his old-fashioned manners. Heat radiated from that light touch, having a dangerous effect on her body as her nipples tightened inside her bra. She hoped the padding would disguise her arousal.
When the doors opened, she inhaled softly as she passed him and immediately regretted it. A hint of spicy cologne did nothing to mask his personal scent—earthy and masculine. Her arousal that had flared to life at his touch grew.
Help me not make a fool of myself, she thought.
Belinda settled against the far side of the elevator to give herself a bit of breathing room. Pedro selected the ground floor and leaned against the opposite wall. He scanned her outfit, doing crazy things to her heart rate as they stood in the quiet enclosure. The thirty-second trip felt like five minutes as she struggled to find something light to say to interrupt the sexual tension building between them.
“It’s going to be okay, Little girl. I know it’s risky because we haven’t known each other for long, but you can trust me,” Pedro assured her.
“Why do you keep calling me a Little girl?” burst from her lips.
“I’ll need more time to address that. May I delay that conversation until later?”
He pushed away from the metal surface and walked toward her. The car shimmied slightly as it came to a stop. Belinda nodded to agree to his suggestion, feeling a connection—she didn’t understand but couldn’t deny—snap into place between them. When the doors opened, Pedro held out a hand for hers. “Let’s go have a wonderful meal and get to know each other.”
With a nod, Belinda intertwined her fingers with his. She allowed him to lead her into the large open space where the Littles had gathered the evening before. Waving at the guard on duty as they passed him, Belinda walked with Pedro out the door and to the parking lot.
A low-slung Italian sports car flashed its lights as they approached. Belinda ran her free hand over the shiny black paint. “This is yours?”
“I confess I have a weakness for powerful machines. I don’t get to drive her often. Want to live on the wild side with me?”
“Only if you won’t go at even half the potential speed this beauty could reach,” Belinda joked.
She’d never ridden in such a fancy car. It both surprised her and didn’t that Pedro owned this vehicle. He definitely made enough money to afford anything he wanted, but Pedro didn’t seem like an adrenaline junkie.
“I assure you I would never risk your safety.”
Pedro helped her into the vehicle and reached across her to fasten her seatbelt into place before closing the door. His assistance occurred so quickly and smoothly that Belinda didn’t protest that she could do it. A flare of jealousy arose inside her.
How many women has he taken care of in this car?
She glared at him through the tinted windshield, sure that he couldn’t see her. Schooling her expression as he slid inside, Belinda tried to push away her jealousy.
“How does the seat feel? You are my first passenger.”
“What? That can’t be right,” Belinda protested, feeling guilty for scowling at him. How did he know what she was thinking?
“I assure you, you are the first to sit in that seat. My excursions are always solitary when I get to drive her.”
“It feels good,” she answered before steering the conversation into safer territory. “So tell me, what are your first impressions of our risk level?”
“Rule number one, no talking about work after hours unless it’s an emergency,” Pedro stated firmly.
“Number one? Will there be a lot of rules?” she teased.
“A few,” he said noncommittally.
“Does that mean I get to set rules, too?” Belinda dared to ask.
“With my approval, yes.”
“You’re in charge?” she asked rebelliously, even as the desire inside her flared hotter because of his dominance.
“Daddies always take care of their Littles. It’s their job. You need a break from all your responsibilities,” Pedro answered in that deep voice that did things to her inside.
“What do you mean by Daddies?” Belinda asked, pretending that she’d never heard of that term.
“My gut tells me you know exactly what I’m talking about but are trying to hide who you truly are. I won’t allow you to do that,” Pedro stated evenly. “We are here, however, and I think you’d prefer to discuss this privately?”
He glanced over at her as he drove to the valet station. Belinda nodded her head vigorously. She definitely didn’t want to talk about that in front of an audience.
Pedro circled the car to help Belinda step smoothly onto the pavement before handing his keys and a tip to the young man, who jumped immediately to get the chance to drive the stunning car.
“Be careful with it, please,” Pedro requested as he placed a guiding hand at the small of Belinda’s back.
“Of course, sir. This is the G.O.A.T. I’ll take care of her.”
“Thank you.”
Belinda loved the smile of amusement on Pedro’s face as they turned to the entrance. “Pretty spectacular to drive a car the valet thinks is the greatest of all time.”
He winked at her as if it were an inside joke between them. “I would bet a few pictures will appear on that young man’s social media sites tonight.”
With his warm hand remaining pressed against the small of her back, Pedro escorted Belinda into the beautiful restaurant. She looked around in fascination. A meal at Les Trésors de la Mar had been on her bucket list since hearing Sharon describe how wonderful it was. The interior was gorgeous. She was super glad she’d abandoned those jeans on the bed and dressed up a bit more.
“Good evening, sir. Do you have a reservation?” the maître d’ asked as they approached the podium.
“I do. Morales.”
“Ah, Mr. Morales. Let me show you to your table.”
In a flourish of elegant manners, he held out Belinda’s chair and placed her napkin on her lap as Pedro sat next to her. Placing menus at their place settings, he informed them, “Your server tonight will be Jonathan. Enjoy your meal.”
“I’ve never been here, Pedro. But I’ve heard wonderful things about it,” Belinda leaned close to tell him.
“I have not either. We’ll experience it together. Little girls are not usually allowed to drink but tonight is a special occasion. Do you like wine?”
“Red wine or sweet white wine,” she answered as the waiter approached.
“Good evening. I’ll be your server. I’m Jonathan. May I bring you anything to drink?”
“We’d both like water, please, and I’d like to see the wine list.”
“Of course.”
A few minutes later, Pedro lifted a glass of deep red Chianti toward Belinda. She grasped the thin stem of her glass and clinked hers against his. “What are we toasting?” she asked.
“To life’s surprises,” he suggested.
“I like that.” Raising the glass to her lips, Belinda sipped the ruby liquid and smiled. “Ooh, I like that, too.”
“I’m glad I chose wisely. Special occasions deserve special treats.”
Before she could ask what the special occasion was, he gestured at his menu and asked, “What looks good?”
“It all looks magnificent. I didn’t realize how hungry I was.” Belinda scanned the menu. “Sharon always raves about the Steak Oscar, but I’m not a big steak fan. What are you thinking about having?”
“I am going to have exactly that. I think I’d have to wrestle Knox if I tried anything else,” Pedro said with a laugh.
“No one should have to wrestle Knox.” She scanned Pedro’s body, remembering the powerful muscles that she’d spotted that morning in the infamous towel encounter. “You might be able to take him.”
“No one should mess with Knox. I am looking forward to having someone to work out with though. Now, what is your first choice on the menu?”
Belinda’s eyes flitted over the lobster mac and cheese. It sounded phenomenal, but the calories that had to be in that dish made her hesitate to order it. “I’ll have a salad,” she announced. That was probably better to have on a date, anyway. She looked up as the server approached.
“Our special tonight is the lobster mac and cheese. It is a delicious mixture of lobster, several cheeses, and fresh pasta. I highly recommend it.”
Belinda fought herself. That sounded delicious. She glanced over at Pedro, who waited for her to order. “I’ll have a salad…”
“We’ll both start with a salad. What is your house dressing?” Pedro slid deftly into the conversation.
“We are known for our blue cheese, sir.”
“I’ll look forward to trying it. Belinda?”
“I like blue cheese.”
“Perfect. And for the main course?” the waiter asked.
“The lady will have the special and I’ll have the Steak Oscar, medium, please.”
“Wonderful choices, sir, ma’am. I’ll return with the salads and some bread.”
“I was just going to have a salad,” Belinda told Pedro quickly as the waiter left.
“I know. I also know that you wanted the lobster mac and cheese. If you dislike it, you don’t have to eat it,” he assured her.
“How did you know?”
“It isn’t hard to read your body language, Belinda. Your gaze returned to that listing on the menu repeatedly and your eyes widened when he announced the special.”
“You are very observant.” Belinda didn’t know whether it was spooky that he watched her so closely or incredibly flattering.
“Definitely when people are important. A treat is good for the heart and soul every once in a while.”
“Thank you. I really wanted to try that.” She took a sip of the delicious wine for courage before whispering, “Can you tell me now why you keep calling me Little girl?”
“How long have you known you were Little?” he asked gently, covering her hand on the white tablecloth.
“I don’t know what you mean,” Belinda said quickly, trying to control her surging pulse. He couldn’t know, could he?
“Breathe, Belinda. It’s okay. No one can hear us. How about if I go first?”
She nodded immediately.
“I’ve always known that I was different from other men. My desires are deeper and based on the need to care for someone in a very intimate way. I researched this feeling, reading and visiting adult clubs, just as I would investigate a new threat or weakness. Soon I knew I needed to be a Daddy for a very special Little girl.” He leaned away and nodded at the approaching waiter to warn Belinda.
Mirroring his shift to sit straight, Belinda watched as the server placed a beautiful salad in front of her. Scattered with blue cheese and house-crafted croutons with just enough creamy dressing but not too much, the salad looked delectable. “This is so pretty. I don’t want to eat it.”
“Maybe if I take this crouton away,” Pedro suggested as he stabbed one toasted bread cube with his unused fork, “it will ruin the image and you’ll be able to eat it.” He popped it in his mouth and chewed with obvious enjoyment.
“That’s no fair. I love croutons,” she protested.
“Help yourself,” he offered, scooting his salad closer to her.
Without hesitating, Belinda pressed the tines of her fork into his chubbiest bread cube and ate it. “Yum!” she mumbled as she chewed. “Thanks.”
“What’s mine is yours, Little girl,” he assured her.
Belinda took a bite of her delicious salad to give herself time to think. Pedro wasn’t being pushy. He sounded completely sure. Did she give off some kind of ‘I want to call you Daddy’ vibes?
“Whatever that thought was, I’d love to hear it.”
“No,” burst from her lips before she realized what she was giving away.
“Why do you think I’m Little?” She forced herself to whisper the question floating around in her mind.
“It’s not because you have something written on your face or the way you present yourself to the world,” he assured her.
“Then how do you know?” she asked before automatically taking a bite of the salad in front of her.
“Have you ever looked at a display of desserts and known which would taste the best?”
“Of course. I always choose chocolate. That’s my favorite.”
“Exactly. Have you ever walked into an office filled with several people and known who you would click with as a friend?”
“Yes, but I know what kind of person matches my personality. Sometimes they fool you, but I think I’m an excellent judge of character,” she added.
“Imagine if you’ve been searching for someone special for a long time,” he suggested. “I’ve been a Daddy for as long as I can remember. I’ve developed a sense as well about people. Those I need to watch because they’re dangerous or a risk, those who are dependable and honest, and those who are special.”
“You think I’m one of the special ones?”
“I’m confident that you’re special and I have a strong suspicion you’re mine.”
She stared at him, trying to control her expression and fearing he could read her mind. Finally, she admitted, “I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t need to say anything in particular. Eat. Enjoy your meal. I’d like to know more about you. Tell me, what’s your favorite activity outside of work?”
Realizing that he was guiding the conversation to an easier subject for her, Belinda relaxed. After sipping her wine, she answered, “I don’t have anything that I’m particularly fanatical about. I like lots of things from bike riding to reading. It depends on my mood and the day. What do you like to do other than work out?”
“My interests are varied like yours. Believe it or not, I went to the gym for the first time to work off the tummy I’d built up eating the bread I love to make,” he confessed, patting his flat abdomen.
“You bake bread?” He looked like the type that existed on chicken breasts and vegetables.
“I’m an expert kneader,” he assured her. “I discovered I enjoyed pushing myself physically. Searching for minuscule lines of code or tracing viruses back to the entry point is tedious to say the least. A little sweat helps burn off the tension from the day.”
“I can see that. How did you get involved with cybersecurity in the first place or is that too close to the ‘we can’t talk about work outside of work’ rule?” she teased.
“I think you’re safe,” Pedro answered with a smile in response to her light-hearted tone. “Believe it or not, I had a younger brother who loved to hack into systems for fun. He didn’t have a malicious intent but simply enjoyed the challenge of trying to best the systems that others had set up. I spent a lot of time getting him out of messes.”
“What would you do?”
“I’d fix the weak points he discovered to erase his tracks. I discovered that having a hacker search from the outside was a significantly more efficient method of checking for problems,” Pedro explained. “I also learned to listen to my intuition. I have a knack for scanning code and finding problems.”
The arrival of the server to remove their salad plates made Belinda sit up straight. Captivated by their open conversation, she had leaned in to listen carefully to his words. She’d never met someone as magnetic and interesting as Pedro. Having attended his conference lectures, Belinda knew he was a dynamic speaker in a large setting—one on one, he was mesmerizing.
She studied him secretly as the server captured his attention as he delivered the main courses. Pedro Morales was a handsome man—swarthy skin, deep brown eyes, shoulders a mile wide, and a powerful body that would put ninety-nine-point-nine percent of men to shame.
“Tell me if it’s good,” he requested, gesturing to the vat of melty cheese and lobster in front of her.
Dipping her fork through the golden-brown breadcrumbs on top, Belinda scooped up a bit of the steaming macaroni. As she lifted it to her mouth, his fingers wrapped around her wrist to stop her. Startled, she looked up at him in alarm.
“You’ll burn your mouth. Blow on it,” he ordered.
Automatically, she followed his directions, watching the steam swirl away with her breath. When it seemed safe, she placed it in her mouth. The scrumptious cheesy mixture was still very warm. It would have scorched her mouth if she hadn’t given it time to cool slightly. As she enjoyed the flavor, Belinda poked a few holes into the topping to allow the steam to escape.
Looking up, she discovered Pedro watching her. “They definitely serve things piping hot here. Thank you for the warning.”
“You’re welcome. Is the flavor worth the danger of molten cheese and seafood?” he asked.
“Very. It’s delicious. How’s your steak?”
“Perfect. Just as I expected, Knox and Sharon know where to celebrate a special occasion.”
“Are we celebrating?” she asked in surprise.
“Absolutely.”
Not sure what to say, Belinda steered the conversation to less personal topics. “You’ve lived all over the US and abroad. What has been your favorite city?”
With a knowing smile, he answered her question. Pedro maintained the light tone of their discussions. Full of intriguing stories and facts, he was a perfect dinner companion. Belinda didn’t know when she’d had a more entertaining meal.
“No more,” she said regretfully as she set down her fork. Belinda couldn’t eat another bite of the rich, cheesy dish.
“Looks like you have lunch for tomorrow,” he suggested.
“Or dinner. I usually work through lunch. I need to clone myself to get everything done.”
“That isn’t healthy,” Pedro told her with a frown.
“You don’t need to worry about me, Daddy,” she answered with a laugh.
Instantly, Pedro’s hand covered hers and securely gripped it without hurting her. When she looked up to meet his gaze, he stressed, “That title is not a joke. Please do not use it again until you mean it.”
He signaled the waiter. As the server approached, Pedro asked, “Would you like dessert this evening?”
“N-no. Thank you.” Cursing herself for screwing everything up with a flippant answer, Belinda looked down at the dish in front of her. She’d just ruined everything.
The waiter removed her plate to box up the leftovers. Belinda knew she’d never eat them. Her heart was sick. How could she be so stupid? Trying to maintain her composure, she blinked away the tears that gathered in her eyes.
“Little girl, look at me.”
Not quite in control of herself, Belinda held up a finger to ask him to wait as she dug in her purse for something important to buy herself some time. Finally, she pulled out her lip balm and rolled it over her lips before looking up at him. It gave her just a few seconds to compose her expression.
“Are you ready to go?” she asked, striving to keep her voice light and cheery.
“We’ll be ready in a minute. The server is settling our bill. You are upset because I corrected your use of Daddy?”
“I’m not upset,” she denied.
“That would be rule number two. No lying.”
“All these rules and I’ve already messed everything up. I’ll call for a ride home. I’m sorry. I hope we can work together professionally without allowing this to derail us.” Belinda spoke quickly as she pulled out her phone to search for the ride share app she always used.
His hand covered her screen. “I will take you home, Belinda. Whatever happens between us, I will not allow it to affect our work interactions. This is going to be okay, Little girl. I promise.”