by J P Sayle
Heat coloured my cheeks. I could feel it sweep up my neck so fast there was little I could do to stop it, and with my pale skin I was never going to be able to hide how embarrassed I was. “Thanks man, way to out me. So not cool.” I glared at Adam and kept my gaze from going to Richie to gauge his reaction.
“Oh stop, I told you Richie was here to help. He has a Daddy of his own.”
I’m pretty sure I pulled a muscle in my neck from swinging my head over so fast to look at Richie, who was blushing and glaring daggers at Adam.
“Thanks for that Adam. You know you can be a right idiot at times?” Richie glanced at me and offered a shrug of his slim shoulders. “There’s not much to say after that, but yes, Seb is my Daddy. I’d prefer if you kept that quiet as he’s a very private man.”
That, I could see, was said purely for Adam’s benefit, but he didn’t look in the least bit ashamed.
“Okay, I need a drink and then I think you two need to spill.” I laughed when Adam held up a cloth bag and the sound of glass tinkled.
“I’ve already got it covered. I’ve also told Carl he’ll need to come and collect us.” He said the last part to Richie, who still looked more than a little pissed.
I rubbed at my neck as the tension in the room increased. “Come on you guys, I need help, not an evening of playing referee,” I whined. It seemed to break the stand-off, and Adam slung his arm around Riche’s shoulders.
“I’m sorry, but Scott was going to find out sooner or later. All I did was rip off the plaster real quick, so now it’s all dealt with.”
He gave Richie a big sloppy kiss and got a playful punch to his ribs, but Richie’s body relaxed.
“I give in,” Richie said, while rubbing at his slick lips. “It stops me stressin’, now let’s get to the drinking part. I think I’m gonna need it with you two.” Richie winked at me and I realised my initial disappointment at seeing him was gone.
“Then follow me, because I really need a drink before we start,” I stated, not waiting for the others to follow.
Once we were settled on the seats in the sitting room, with large and way too strong cocktails, and Richie had filled me in on his and Seb’s relationship, I gave Adam the list of guys and their details I’d written down.
Did I mention I’m a little OTT over this? I wrote down each guy’s details and what they liked. Then I’d checked out if they’d been on any other dates and if anyone had mentioned them in the chat room that came with The App.
The only one that had no comments was my last choice, DaddyL. There was very little written about him. That was because he was a newbie to the Daddy scene. I wasn’t sure what it was about his profile I liked, but it drew me. There wasn’t the traditional body part picture like the five others I’d chosen. No, instead he’d used an image of his mouth. His lips were full and a gorgeous dark pink that gave me some crazy hot dreams, though I wouldn’t admit to that.
“Hey are you wanting our help, or are you just gonna sit there staring into space?” Adam joked, as his elbow connected with my side.
I jerked, my drink spilling over my hand. “Did you have to do that?” I scowled and got up to grab a cloth to wipe my now sticky hand. I bitched my way to the kitchen and back. “I was thinking about the choices, while I was waiting for you to read their details.”
“You do realise we’ve been sat staring at you for an age, right?”
Richie leant forward and patted my hand as I sat, “Leave him alone Adam, he doesn’t need you being a snarky fucker.”
“Everybody needs my snark,” Adam huffed, though his eyes twinkled with mirth as he took a sip of his drink.
“Soooo, which one do you think I should message?”
“Can I ask you a question?” Richie hesitated until I nodded. “Which one did you read and get the sense they might work for you?”
I chewed on my lip, taking his question seriously. “I was drawn instantly to DaddyL. There was something about his honesty about being new to the scene that appealed, you know? There would be no preconceived ideas. I like that we could be free to explore the potential between us.” Something nagged at me as I spoke.
Adam and Richie remained silent, their gazes encouraging me to talk it out. I got up, unable to sit still as I carried on. “I’ve had two relationships with a Daddy, but neither were very satisfying. I want a Daddy full time, not just in the bedroom, though that would be nice. I get the sense from DaddyL that he might be looking for that too, but I was just reading between the lines.”
I took a sip of my drink and stopped pacing to look at both men. “Or he could just be after one scene and a hook-up.” The idea soured my mood, but it was a reality I needed to face when trying to find a date through a kink app. There was no guarantee that I was going to get my happy ever after this way, but I was open to anything right now. I’d been single way too long and wanted to find a connection with someone, even if it was only for a few hours.
“Is that what you really want? To have one scene with a Daddy?” Richie asked as he shifted in his seat, an air of concern rolling off him.
“No, not really,” I shrugged. “It’s been forever since my arse has seen any action and I’d take what I can get. It’s not like there are men beating on my door. It feels like I’ll never find the right man that fits me.” I tried to make it sound like I was joking, but I couldn’t conceal the edge of loneliness I’d been trying to keep hidden.
Adam’s face dropped right before he stood up, handed his drink to Richie and walked over to me. His hands took hold of my arms, holding me still. “Listen here, you are gorgeous and there is a man out there for you—”
“That’s easy for you to say when you have Carl,” I turned my gaze to Richie and nodded towards him, “and Richie has Seb.” I knew I was being silly but I couldn’t seem to stop myself from whining like a baby.
Richie got up and placed the drinks he held on my small wooden Ikea coffee table. He came to me and slung his arm around my shoulders. “We get it. But Adam struggled for well over a year with Carl before he came to terms with their relationship. I didn’t do much better. I dicked about trying not to freak out when Adam explained I was out for Seb and that I was maybe a little kinkier than I thought. The point is, it happened in its own good time. We can’t force the universe to give us what we want. Things have a way of happening when they’re meant to.”
I felt really shitty when Richie’s face clouded with sadness and I remembered it wasn’t that long since his mother had died. “I’m sorry Richie. I should have kept my mouth shut. I’m sorry for what happened to your mum. I don’t know how I’d cope if that happened to me.”
His arm tightened briefly before he stepped back and picked up his drink, a look of determination on his face. His eyes gleamed in the lamplight. “I got to be there for her when it mattered most and that keeps me going every day. It helps to know she was ready to die in the end. The pain for both of us was too much. I’ll let you into a secret, she realised that I liked Seb way before I did and even had a talk with him before she died.” He nodded when my eyes widened in disbelief.
I didn’t get a chance to say anything, because Adam released my arms and his head spun to Richie. “You never told me that. Why am I only hearing about this now?” His hands went to his hips and his eyes darkened with thunder clouds.
Richie held up his empty hand. “Stop right there, Rambo. Remember you have no room to talk about secrets. Lawyers and Carl, that’s all I’m saying.”
I could see this was turning into a pissing match, so I interjected. “Hello, I’m right here and you two are supposed to be feeling sorry for my single arse not fighting over who is keeping secrets. Oh and by the way, I’m lovin’ all the sharing going on.”
Both men froze for a second, before they started to giggle. Seeing the crisis had been averted, I plonked myself down. “Right, back to me, ‘cause remember you’re both here to help me.”
With that, both men sat. Adam grabbed his drink and gave me a toothy gri
n. “That’s right, we are, so let’s go through the list of your choices.”
My stomach clenched at the devilish glint in his eyes. I could all but see him rubbing his hands together in glee. “I’m not sure I like the way you said that. I’m getting the feeling this was a bad idea.”
I glanced at Richie when he chuckled. “You have no idea what you’ve let yourself in for.” With that, Richie picked up the forgotten list and started to read my choices.
Drunkenly, I waved them off several hours later. My mind was trying to comprehend that I’d messaged three of the guys on the list and two had already responded.
Adam concocted the message for me to send, only now, in my slightly inebriated state, I was trying to work through whether drunk messaging was a good idea or not. I staggered into my bedroom as the phone in my pocket buzzed to alert me to a new message. Digging it out of my skinny jeans I squinted at the screen.
Message: DaddyL, thank you SassyS for reaching out, I’m at work right now, but I’m interested in setting up a meet. I’ll message tomorrow.
It was straight to the point and a silly grin spread across my face. Three for three, woohoo! All the men wanted to meet me. I sank onto the bed and flopped back fully dressed, my eyes drifting closed with the thought of plump lips and what they’d do to me.
Luke
Panic gripped my throat the moment I saw the message on my phone. What had I been thinking, signing up for a kink app? I’d no clue what I was doing or why I’d signed up for the stupid thing in the first place.
Really, you don’t know?
Ever since my friend Brett mentioned signing up for this new app, I’d been intrigued. With a little research, I’d discovered what Brett was raving about. At a low moment I’d seen no harm in downloading The App and creating a profile. I never thought anyone one would actually contact me, yet here I was with a stupid grin on my face while I was supposed to be being professional at a work function, because I’d received my first message.
“Luke, do you want me to start closing down the bar now?” asked Perry, the head barman.
I tucked my phone back into my pocket, not wanting anyone to see it and figure out what I’d been looking at. The App, though discreet, was still identifiable enough to prying eyes that might then be inclined to go and do a little searching.
“Yes please, Perry,” I responded after checking the time. “They haven’t requested an extension.”
He nodded and walked off to the other end of the bar, where the other staff were waiting.
When the staff started to clear down, I went to find the organiser of the event to say it was time to wrap things up. I searched the ballroom and spotted Mr Rigby tucked in a corner with a hot redhead all over him. Masking my face when I saw it was not the guy’s wife, I firmly fixed my smile in place before approaching the couple. It sucked that I actually liked Mr Rigby’s wife, they frequently used the hotel for special occasions.
“Sorry to interrupt, Mr Rigby, but it’s nearly midnight and, as the ballroom is only booked till twelve, I’m going to have to ask that you wrap up the party. I’ll have a word with the DJ for you, if you’d like?”
The drunken nod was followed by glazed eyes that stayed on me for a second, before moving back to the redhead jiggling on his lap. With a sigh, I walked over to the DJ booth and asked that he announce it was the final song.
The school reunion was a success and thankfully there were no significant incidents. Most of the party-goers were staying the night in the hotel, so at least those who’d partaken of the free bar wouldn’t have to stagger further than the lifts. My gaze travelled back to Mr Rigby. I shook my head as I watched him give the redhead a room key.
Not your business.
My guts clenched and my hands wanted to ball into fists. I kept them still at my sides. I hate cheaters. Thoughts of my ex filtered past the wall I’d tried to build since his visit.
The unexpected visit made me finally take stock of what was happening in my life, or what wasn’t happening.
Isn’t that why you downloaded The App?
The reality that I’d been hiding from what I really wanted was an eye-opener no man wished for at the ripe old age of thirty-eight. Weren’t we supposed to have our shit together once we’d got through puberty?
I was glad when one of the waiters signalled to me, because I didn’t need another round of, ‘what are you doing with your life?’ Or, my best question to date, ‘why are you still hiding from what you really want?’
That one kept me on my toes, fuck it made me work harder than a ballerina.
“What is it, Neil?”
Neil explained about some issue with one of the lifts and I ran my hands through my hair.
I loved the hotel that I managed. It was an elite hotel, but with one major drawback: the place was old and with that came all the problems of an old building. The conglomerate that owned the hotel, along with many others, chose this one because of its history and age. The building was beautiful, with many of the original features. Though they’d spent a fortune on maintaining it, it never seemed to be enough. It was, I suppose, the price of having an old building.
However, that didn’t help me when things went wrong and needed fixing. Replacing the lifts was high on the agenda for discussion. The old lifts had a habit of breaking down, especially lift three. Fortunately, it was the one least used, tucked down a corridor that many of the patrons didn’t use.
I listened to Neil before pulling out my phone to give our maintenance team a call. There was always someone on call twenty-four-seven, because we’d learnt that leaving a guest stuck for hours in a lift did not garner a positive review.
After I’d managed to get the issue resolved and get the stragglers out of the ballroom, so the staff could clear it down and set it up for the wedding the following day, I went to my office. Once there, I shut the door and pulled out my phone to re-read the message.
SassyS: Hi DaddyL, I’ve seen your profile and that you’re a newbie to the Daddy Kink scene. I’m a sassy boy who loves a Daddy to take charge. Would you be interested in meeting up? SassyS
My lips spread in a smile and my pulse danced a fast rhythm at what could happen. I sat staring at the screen until it darkened. Should I send another message now, or did that make me look desperate?
Undecided, I swiped at my phone screen, lighting it up as I settled back behind my desk in my leather chair, disregarding how tired I was. I opened the app and searched for SassyS’s profile. Laughter bubbled my throat up at the picture of a pair of lacy knickers.
Was that a clue as to what SassyS was into?
I tapped at the screen, pulling up all his information, reading it several times. The buzz of excitement at receiving the message intensified and suddenly I wanted the chance to have a date with SassyS more than I wanted my next breath. After half an hour of staring at the information and when I started to feel a little creeped out by my behaviour, I tucked my phone into my suit trousers as I headed out the door and home.
My mind wouldn’t stop, even as I merged with the late-night traffic. With a full day of appointments the next day, I needed to shut off my head.
Parking in my drive, I stared at the empty house and dark windows. I’d yet again forgotten to set the timer for the lights to come on. I hated coming home to a dark house. It always made the loneliness seem that much worse.
Exiting the car, I stopped to inhale the crisp night air. My shoulders drooped as I walked up the path and entered the house. Not bothering to do more than switch the hall light on, I went upstairs and straight to my bedroom. I’d only recently moved from my flat in the heart of London to this house. The two storey, two bedroomed home wasn’t big but it was detached, with a closed in back garden, which I’d fallen instantly in love with. I’d needed some space from the hustle and bustle of London, even if it was only a few miles away.
I’d used the time I spent house hunting to stop myself from obsessing and being a real dick over my ex-boyfriend, who I�
�d been convinced had been cheating on me.
Did I mention I might well have been a real dick? I hadn’t taken being dumped on Christmas day, via a phone call, all that well. I’d stupidly flown to where my ex was to confront him, only that didn’t go to plan. I’d then come away thinking my ex, Brody, had been cheating with his best friend Aaden. So I did the unthinkable: I hired a private investigator to check out what he was up to. See? I told you, not a nice person.
Unfortunately, it gets worse. I was out walking and came across a dead animal, so I did the inconceivable: I boxed it up and sent it via Brody’s PA to him. Yeah, a really shitty thing to do, but in my defence I was going through a personal crisis. My father had recently died and with that came all the past shit I’d buried.
I know it doesn’t excuse what I did, and Brody’s recent visit brought it all to a head. I sent an apology after Brody came to my office with his boyfriend, who, as it turned out, was not his best friend, but the brother of his friend.
The shock jarred me free from the layers I’d built around myself to protect me from my past and what I’d hidden from for years. I also realised that what Brody had said about it not working between us because he wasn’t what I really wanted, was for more accurate than I’d desired it to be. He was right, the only thing hurt was my ego. The split only impacted on my pride and that got me thinking about what I’d been doing and why I was behaving like a complete bastard.
I sat on the edge of my bed and buried my head in my hands. It was a hard pill to swallow when I realised I’d done all this to myself. These last few months, I’d spent time figuring out who I was and working on ways to try and change the things about me that weren’t nice.
Shifting to get up, my phone dug into my leg, reminding me that maybe I could have a fresh start. With a sigh, I stood and got undressed, going to the bathroom to shower off the day. Once done, I quickly dried off before heading back to my room and sinking into my bed. The phone sat on the bedside cabinet, where I’d placed it before my shower. Like a siren’s song, it called to me to just have one more look at SassyS’s profile.
