Page 1 of Deciding for Little Dallas
CHAPTER 1
MONDAY
“Daddy, where are we going?” Dallas, Pike’s Little girl and wife, asked him. She held her zombie stuffy close to her face and rubbed its green leg across her nose. Her actions let him know she was feeling anxious which was common for her.?
“We’re going to go on a secret adventure, Bitty Baby,” he said, trying to encourage her by using her special nickname. Pike had given her the name when she’d first come to live with him after her brother died.
“A surprise adventure?” she asked,as he buckled her seatbelt and handed her the iPad. He’d already queued up her favorite horror movie about a scary clown, hoping it would keep her entertained on the three-hour drive to the airport.?
“Yes, a super special trip for just me and you, baby,” Pike said before pressing a kiss to her wrinkled brow. He could understand her nerves as this was the first time in their marriage he’d planned something without asking her input about it. But his Little girl had been struggling and he knew he’d needed to step in.?
She seemed to light up a little at his words and her shoulders relaxed the tiniest bit. “Just us?”?
Pike thought about all the support they had. Their large “found family” was wonderful, and he and Dallas usually adored being around them. Occasionally, though, he knew they needed a reset where it was just the two of them. They loved their friends, they really did, but Pike had a feeling that they were a part of the struggle Dallas was going through.?
“Yes, Bitty Baby. For two weeks it will be just me and you.”?
“Two weeks!” she exclaimed, her excitement contagious.?
“Yes, fourteen whole days! I’m so excited to spend so much special time with my special girl.? Uncle Travis, Uncle Maddox, and Reagan?are going to keep an eye on the house and feed Mr. Sparklebutt for us,” he said, talking about their good friends who would care of?their home and Dallas’ beloved beta fish.?
“That’s so nice of them,” she said, smiling.?
“And Uncle Axel and Uncle Onyx are going to take good care of the bar while we’re gone, soI won’t even need to take work calls.” Axel and Onyx both worked at the bar Pike owned, and they’d agreed to cover much more than their share, so he and Dallas could have their special time together. They really were great friends.?
“No work calls?” she said, looking extremely shocked, which was fair. Pike was always taking work calls. Owning a bar came with so much responsibility, but Dallas was such a sweet girl that she never complained which was something he was feeling guilty about.?
“Nope, I want to spend all of my free time?loving on my babygirl and giving her everything she needs. It’s going to be the best Halloween ever.”?
She clapped her hands and grinned. “I love Halloween!”?
Pike knew she did. It was her favorite holiday. Their house had been decorated in spider webs and ghosties since the beginning of September. She had a Halloween countdown stuck to the fridge and was very diligent about marking off the days.?
Flushing, she looked down, a soft smile settled on her lips. “I love spending time with you, Daddy.”?
Her words caused a tenderness to bloom in his chest. Pike was a tough man—rough, gruff, and possessive to a fault, but there was never a day Dallas didn’t do something beautiful to soften his sharpness.?
“I love every second I get with you. I could live a lifetime, and it wouldn’t be enough.”?
“It’s gonna be fun,” she said, nodding confidently. He knew she was talking herself through her anxious feelings.?
“It’s going to besofun, babygirl,” he promised, pleased she was excited even with her obvious nerves.?
He’d heard about Rawhide Ranch and its magic, and he hoped it could help his Little one.?
Rawhide Ranch had originally started as a horse ranch but had become a safe haven for young women who had no place to go. The owners of the Ranch realized the need those young women had. They had taken pride in feeding them, clothing them, and even educating them while they worked on the property. Two years after the Ranch had opened, good fortune literally found them—or rather they found it—by discovering a sapphire mine on the property. The now wealthy men had been able to update and expand the ranch to help many more women.?
Currently, Derek, the great-great-great grandson of the original founders, directed Rawhide Ranch. It had changed over time, but the values still stayed the same. It still served as? a safe haven—now for submissives and Littles. Derek, or Master Derek as his Rawhide family called him, understood—as did his staff—how the sweetest hearts were always the biggest targets for predators, and they all worked together to make sure everyone at Rawhide would remain safe, loved, and cared for.?
Dallas was safe, loved, and cared for by Pike, but something was troubling her, though Pike had a very strong feeling he knewwhat it was. Dallas had always been confident in her Little side and had been a Little since she’d learned what they were. She often played at an age of five or six. Pike had accepted that was her age when they first started their relationship, but now he wished he had given her the chance to explore other ages. He had a feeling his babygirl wanted to play in a younger headspace but was too scared to ask that of him.?
The devoted Daddy loved her no matter what her headspace age was; he only wanted her to be happy. Pike hoped their time at Rawhide would give her the encouragement and confidence to explore her needs.?
“Is it? a long drive?” Dallas asked when Pike had climbed into the driver's seat of his truck.?
“It would be averylong drive, so we’re actually going to fly.”?
As expected, Dallas' eyes grew wide. “In an airplane?”
