Page 76 of Double Daddies
“Yes, they were. I felt them.” Elle smiled through gathering tears. “When I was jumping and screaming at the parade, I could almost hear Dad laughing. And Mom would have been right there with me, booing the bad pirates.”
“They’d be proud of how much joy you found today,” Damian tenderly brushed a tear from her cheek.
Elle nodded. She was unable to speak past the lump in her throat. They had given her more than just a festival. They had offered her a chance to share this dream with her parents’ memory. To feel like that carefree little girl again, the one who believed in pirates and magic and happy endings.
If only they would accept her for the woman she was and not need a Little to fulfill them… then she could believe in happy endings again.
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Islands
Damian
Damian joined Drake on their suite’s private balcony. The panoramic view stretching from the infinity pool to the Caribbean’s crystal waters was breathtaking. The hotel’s contemporary architecture blended seamlessly with tropical elements. The white pillars wrapped in climbing bougainvilleawith marble floors that caught the sunset’s glow blended beautifully with the floor-to-ceiling windows that brought the ocean inside.
“Is she having fun?” He looped his arm around Drake’s waist, who in return locked his arm around Damian’s shoulder. Together, they watched Elle frolicking in the pool below. Her peals of laughter drifted up as she joined a group of young girls playing water polo. Her competitive spirit was evident in every splash and dive.
“She needed time to just be Elle,” Drake said softly. “Today stirred up memories. Bad ones and good ones, and they were intense. She needs space to process them, to feel free even for a moment.” He paused, his gaze following their Little. “We’ll never cage her, Damian. Even as our Little, and once she has fully embraced her role in our lives, her choices will always be her own. I look forward to the day she understands that.”
“I know, but I’m surprised the suggestion came from you. You’ve been much more protective of Elle than any other Little we’ve considered.”
“Because she’s the one. They weren’t.” Drake’s rare smile appeared, the one reserved for midnight conversations and intimate moments, the one that transformed his stern features into something softer and vulnerable. Within that twitch, Damian saw the love the woman below had awakened in them.
“Also true.” Damian studied his partner as he pulled away. “You okay?”
“Of course, I am.” Drake pointed toward Elle. “You, on the other hand, need some alone time, too… with our baby girl.”
The suggestion caught Damian off guard. Drake had always been the most dominant between them, their natural leader since his university days. His protectiveness of Elle had been almost fierce these past weeks.
“How do you always know? For that matter, why would you allow me alone time with her this early in our relationship?”
“Elle has naturally leaned more toward me than you. I’ve done my best not to accommodate her, but it’s dangerous to push her away all the time.”
“I never expected you to, Drake, and it would devastate her if you did.”
“I’m glad you understand. Besides, I’ll be demanding my share of alone time with her as well. For now, tonight is yours. I’m going for a swim in the ocean, then indulge in some poker. I’ll be back around midnight.”
“She’s not going to like it, Drake. She might not have fully transitioned yet, but I’ve noticed her possessiveness. Our Little will want both of us at the opening dance party.”
“If it was a formal dance, I’d be there. You know I’m not one for these modern, whip-your-neck-in-a-twist kind of dances. No, Damian. It’s your night. All I ask is that tomorrow morning, there’s a smile on her face when she wakes up... in your arms.”
Damian watched Drake disappear into their suite. Their dynamic had always been this way, with Drake leading and Damian nurturing. It worked because they balanced each other perfectly, each knowing their strengths.
Below, Elle waved up at him, her smile radiant even over the distance. For the first time since her arrival, Drake’s usual wariness had lifted when he looked at her. The perpetual concern in his eyes had been replaced by pure affection.
Damian’s jaw tightened. Something in Drake’s past had triggered this hesitation to trust, this reluctance to believe in lasting happiness. He wasn’t naive. He knew Drake would walk away if he suspected Elle might hurt him. It had always been Drake’s way, protecting them both, even from their own hearts.
He worried that Drake might see something he didn’t, or perhaps... perhaps Drake simply couldn’t trust that truehappiness was meant for them. After all these years, his partner still carried shadows that even Damian couldn’t fully understand.
Chapter Twenty-Five
The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman Islands
Elle
Elle couldn’t remember the last time she had so much fun at a dance party… well, she did. She just didn’t want to admit that she had become a semi-hermit since culinary college. Ever since then, all her free time had been spent working and creating decadent desserts, building her business.
The music pulsed through the open-air pavilion as Damian led her through another dance. His movements were precise yet playful, matching her enthusiasm step by step. When the final notes faded, he dipped her low, drawing a delighted giggle from her lips.
“Enough, Daddy. I need a breather... and a drink. One of those cool, fruity cocktails served in a coconut or a pineapple.”
