They both looked up as Patrick and Charlie entered the club just behind them. Patrick immediately glanced at Lucas. “You look better.”
“I’m well, thank you, Sir,” Lucas said politely, and Patrick beamed.
“I didn’t expect to see you here.”
Jacob nodded at Patrick’s question, and Lucas felt a little sorry for him. “Jacob was kind enough to give me a ride. I want to talk to Adrian about membership.”
Patrick nudged Charlie. “That’s fantastic. I’m pretty sure Adrian would let you come in with us. I doubt if there’s any other littles in there yet.”
Lucas paused. He hadn’t meant to actually go in the little area; he didn’t think he was allowed. Lucas glanced at Jacob, whose face had slid into a polite mask.
“Or how about you and I sit and get a drink while Charlie shows Lucas the little area?” Patrick suggested. Lucas brightened. He really wanted to see in there, and shyly Charlie took his hand and pulled him in.
“It would be cool if you are thinking of joining,” Charlie said and took off his jacket. Lucas didn’t answer. He was too stunned at the area he was in. With sudden clarity, he remembered his mom had taken him to see Santa one year at the local home goods store because thanks to one of her harebrained schemes, he’d missed the class Christmas party they’d had. Lucas would never forget it. The Christmas decorations weren’t as loud in here, but the whole place had a festive feel from the tree in the corner, to the craft tables set out where littles could even make their own Christmas cards.
When Lucas finally realized Charlie was silent, he glanced at him, suddenly envious. “What’s it like?”
Charlie smiled and dragged him to a sofa. “You mean being little?”
Lucas nodded.
“Well, I can only tell you how it makes me feel,” Charlie cautioned.
“I know. Jacob told me everyone is different.”
“Well, I’d always been interested in coming to a club. I’d looked online and decided sexual submission was for me because it really got me going. I’d been a member here for about three months, and I’d entered into an exclusive contract with Daddy.” He paused. “Patrick.” But Lucas knew what he meant.
He shrugged. “I wasn’t happy. Daddy was trying everything he could think of. Sensation, pain, bondage. He even had some Shibari training, but being tied up didn’t do anything for me either. I mean, I got off loads of times because Daddy’s just so damn hot, but something just wasn’t working, and Daddy told me afterwards he was thinking twice about renewing our contract because he didn’t think he was giving me what I needed.” Charlie grinned. “The trouble was I didn’t know what I wanted. We came here and met Jacob and Ben.”
Lucas gasped. “You knew Ben?”
Charlie nodded. “Ben was playing on the floor with a couple of cars while Jacob and Daddy talked, and he offered me a car. Five minutes later I had my juice in a sippy cup, and the evening passed in a haze. I went home with Patrick, and we had the best sex of my life.” He smirked. “Of course, the spanking he gave me for not saying I was unhappy helped a ton.”
Lucas shivered, thinking of his favorite video.
“So Patrick became Daddy, and I’ve never been happier. I had a fantastic childhood. Mom is great. I have a good job, but this”—he waved a hand around the room—“when Daddy brings me here, it’s like switch flicks in my brain and I just let everything go. I’ve never felt so complete or so loved, and Patrick was born to be a Daddy Dom.”
Lucas shot a look to the dressers in the corner. He’d googled all about some littles that wore diapers, and he wasn’t sure at all. Was it compulsory?
“I don’t wear them,” Charlie said, guessing where Lucas’s thoughts were taking them, “but I know littles that do.” He shrugged. “It can easily be a hard limit for you.”
Lucas nodded. He knew what hard limits were as well.
“I was stunned Jacob brought you.”
“Me too,” Lucas admitted ruefully, “but he knows I’m interested.”
“In him?” Charlie’s eyes widened.
Lucas shook his head quite vehemently. “He still loves Ben.”
“He’ll always love Ben. What he needs is to grieve and forgive himself.”
“Forgive himself?”
“Survivor’s guilt, I imagine.”
Lucas sighed. He understood that as well. Lucas glanced at the door. Should he go back? “Why don’t we let them talk for a bit?” Charlie asked eagerly. “I want to make Daddy a Christmas card, and he watches me like a hawk when I’m in here. It’s my only chance.” Lucas nodded eagerly and followed Charlie to the craft table. Maybe he could make one? He loved any sort of craft projects and soon he was absorbed in making a card. And if he had a little glitter on him, who minded?
Chapter Seven
Jacob turned down the offer of a beer and stuck to coffee. “So, what brought you here?” Jacob glanced ruefully at Patrick.
“Lucas is interested. I think you were right about him being submissive, and he was asking me about the different types of subs. I also told him his membership choices, and he asked to come.”
Patrick looked curious. “He asked you to bring him?”
“No. He was all set to catch a bus, but I didn’t want him out in the cold after he was sick, and I wasn’t doing anything.”
Patrick nodded thoughtfully. “What type of sub do you think he is?”
“I don’t know.” It was a lie. Could Patrick tell? Jacob looked at Patrick and recognized the kind look. “I think he’s a little,” Jacob admitted, “but to what degree I have no idea.”
“He could be a middle,” Patrick said thoughtfully. “It’s good you’re giving him a safe space to explore his options.” Jacob nodded and told Patrick he’d seen Marc and Amy. All the time he wondered what Lucas was doing in the little room. They seemed to have been gone ages. Should he get another coffee?
“Probably the best thing to do is to introduce him to some members.”
“What?” Jacob blurted out, feeling like he’d missed some of the conversation.
“But just so I definitely understand and I’m not treading on anyone’s toes before I introduce him to a possible Daddy, you’re not interested?”
Jacob clamped down on the fluttering in his belly. He couldn’t ever go through that again. He simply wouldn’t survive. “No. I had it perfect there for a time, but no one will ever measure up to Ben, so there’s no point in me thinking about another relationship.”
Jacob glanced at Patrick when he didn’t get an answer, and judging from his uncomfortable expression…crap. With a sinking heart, Jacob turned. He’d deliberately sat with his back to the little room so he didn’t have to stare at it, and sure enough Lucas was standing there with his eyes firmly glued to the floor. There was no way he wouldn’t have heard everything Patrick said.
“Good evening, gentlemen.”
They all glanced at Adrian, who was grinning at them broadly. He looked at Lucas. “I hear I might have given you my cold.”