“I’m not,” I promise her. “I think there’s more out there for me.”
“More?” She still don’t sound convinced. “What more? There’s just life, and it’s the same out there as it is right here.”
I shrug one shoulder, feeling a little silly for the hope that’s managed to worm its way inside me since last night. “I think I could find somewhere I’d be happier, maybe somewhere nobody knows all about my mama and daddy. Don’t you think there are places where people might be too busy to stop and stare at me?” The feeling of certainty only grows the more I talk about this place I can’t stop imaging. “You always hear about those big cities full of self-absorbed, faceless people. Well, I think I could stand to be faceless for a change, and self-absorbed works just fine for me. I gotta at least try, or I’ll never know.”
Her expression softens, and I can tell she sees my point, at least a bit. “I can’t promise I’ll have a job waitin’ for ya,” she warns, which kinda feels like her way of wishing me luck, so I give her a smile in return.
“I understand, Miss Maggie. I really appreciate all you done for me over the years. I won’t forget it.”
“Course you won’t,” she agrees before sniffling. “Well, get over here and give me a hug.”
I slide off the stool and come around the bar. In all these years we’ve known each other, I can’t say we ever hugged. But it feels real nice to have her arms wrapped around me. It’s kinda how I imagine a hug from my mama woulda felt if she’d ever bothered. When we part, she wipes her hands under her eyes and then shoos me. “Go on now. You better go before you miss your chance.”
I want to tell her I don’t think Barrett’s gonna leave without me, at least not in the next few minutes, but instead I just kiss her cheek.
“Take care, Miss Maggie.”
“You too, Sterling.”
Barrett
A knock at my motel room door drags me away from answering my many emails that have piled up in the last two days. I thought I put a ‘do not disturb’ sign for the maid, but maybe I forgot to. Putting my laptop aside, I get off the bed and stride over to the door, primed to ask the cleaning service to come back later. But, when I pull open the door, a surprised smile spreads over my lips, my heart leaping when I see that not only is Sterling standing at my door, but he seems to have bags with him.
“Hey, little rabbit,” I say smoothly.
“Hey…Daddy.” He dips his head and peeks up at me through his eyelashes, the word sounding so fragile and hopeful on his lips it nearly undoes me.
I bury my fingers in his hair and drag him in for a kiss, loving the way his mouth yields to mine the same way it did last night. The bags thud gently against the floor, and Sterling wraps his arms around my middle, hanging on tight like he’s afraid I might disappear at any second.
I walk backward without breaking the kiss, pulling him inside the room and letting the door swing closed behind him. He stumbles along after me, letting me pillage his mouth with my tongue. His erection presses against my thigh, his hips jerking in desperate little motions as he sighs against my lips.
As tempting as the idea of stripping him bare and exploring his body is, the sheets on the bed are more than a little questionable, and I’d rather not be worrying about needing a tetanus shot the first time I get him naked.
I break the kiss, and he whimpers, tightening his arms around me again. I press my lips gently against his forehead and disentangle his arms.
“You’re sure this is what you want? To come to Vegas and be my boy?” I check, and Sterling nods his head rapidly.
“Yes.”
“Are you ready to leave now? Or do you still have those loose ends to wrap up?”
“I’m ready. This is all I’ve got,” he says, gesturing to his bags. “And I told Miss Maggie, she owns the bar, that I’m leavin’. The only thing is I don’t know what to do about the house. I want it there in case mama ever comes back, but then I’d have to keep payin’ every month.”
“Let me take care of that. Give me the information and I’ll make a payment to cover the next twelve months, and then we can reassess from there. I like the idea of you still having the house anyway, just in case.”
His face falls, and I realize how that must’ve sounded to him. Cupping his face, I stoop to catch his eyes, waiting for him to look at me so I can be sure he’s fully listening and understands before I explain myself. “I don’t ever want you to feel trapped with me. I told you last night that in a healthy Daddy/boy dynamic, it’s about your wants and needs, that you’re ultimately in control. But you can’t be in control if you feel like I hold all the cards or that you don’t have any options if I don’t treat you properly. Do you understand?”
He chews on his bottom lip, searching my eyes for several seconds before finally nodding. “I understand.”
I smile and press another kiss to his forehead. “Good boy,” I murmur. He practically vibrates at my praise, and I file that knowledge away for the future. “How did you get here anyway?” I realize for the first time that he couldn’t possibly have walked all this way. At least I hope not.
“I took a cab. Well, not exactly a cab, but Ed, he’s one of the regulars at the bar, he gives rides for cheap, so I asked him to drive me,” he explains, and I scowl. “He hadn’t started drinkin’ yet,” he rushes to assure me.
“Next time, call me. I would’ve come to get you.”
“I don’t have a cell phone,” he says. “And I didn’t want to call you from the bar phone with everybody listenin’ in.”
I growl a little at that. I should’ve guessed as much, but I really don’t like the idea that he’s been walking around without any way to call anyone if he ever got into trouble. “We’ll stop and get you one on our way to Vegas. And, on that note, why don’t I go settle up at the front office, and we can get the hell out of here? It’s a long drive, but we’ll stay somewhere much nicer than this tonight.”
He nods again, and I pick up his bags to take them out to my car before returning to toss my own stuff hastily into my suitcase. Within a few minutes, the grungy motel is a distant memory in my rearview mirror, Sterling is settled into the seat beside me, and my Las Vegas address is plugged into my GPS.
Chapter 8
Sterling
When Barrett said we’d stay somewhere fancy tonight, he wasn’t kidding. A valet takes his car and a man in a suit gathers up all our bags to take inside. I blush when he grabs the paper grocery bag full of my things. I’m sure anybody who can afford to stay here can afford a proper suitcase.
Something tells me I’d better get used to feeling out of place if I’m making a go of things with Barrett.
“I’ll buy you luggage once we’re home,” Barrett says as he slips his hand into mine and leads me inside so we can check in.
“You don’t gotta do that.” A cell phone is one thing, but I gotta draw the line somewhere. He’s already doing more than enough for me.
He stops and turns to face me, doing that thing where he looks right into my eyes again. I can’t decide if I like it or hate it. It’s nice to be someone’s entire focus for once, but it makes me a bit squirmy too.