Page 134 of Little Sunshine

The monster.

Chapter 21

Maybe Trust Someone

ASH

Ileaned away, giving us both space before the thin hold I had on myself was gone. “Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I’m thinking that there aren’t enough lobster stories in the world,” Mila said with a little huff that shot straight to my dick.

“About this.”

Surprisingly, she didn’t ignore my order or claim it was nothing. “I read some stuff.”

I kept my response just as vague since that could mean anything from her horoscope to restraining orders. “Okay.”

“And I, uh, have questions.” She barely looked at me as she toyed with the hem of her dress. I doubted she even realized how badly she tormented me with each flash of her thigh. “You said you want me to call you Daddy all the time.”

It wasn’t a question, but I confirmed. “That’s right.”

“And do what you say all the time.”

Again, it wasn’t a question, but I answered, “In a way.”

She shot me an exasperated glare.

“I’m not going to micromanage your whole day. You’d have your rules. The occasional extra order. But unless I have plans for you, how you spend your time is up to you.”

“Okay, so how would that work once I move out?”

“Easy. You won’t be.”

“I have to. I need to get back to my life. My apartment.” Her face scrunched, and I could see and hear the stress spiking. “I haven’t even started looking for a new job.”

“You don’t need one.”

Mila reared back, looking more shocked and outraged by that than anything else we’d talked about. “I can’t just not work. I’ve been doing it since I was thirteen and getting paid under the table.”

“Then it sounds like you need a break,” I said when what I really wanted to do was time travel back and shake the shit out of the adults in her life.

“I don’t want a break.”

“Did you love what you did at The Roulette? Was it your dream job? The best way you could imagine spending the day?”

“Well, no, but that doesn’t matter. Most people hate their jobs, but they still have to?—”

I twirled my finger in her hair and gave a gentle tug. “You’re not most people.”

Not anymore.

Not if you say yes.

Her pouty lips bowed into a frown that I wanted to kiss away.

Or fuck away.

“I can’t just take time off. It’ll make it impossible to find something new once we’re…” Her words trailed off, but I knew what she was thinking.

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