Cherished (Club Indigo Book 4) Page 3

"Leave it like it is." He growled the words, and she froze.

  "I happen to like your body just like it is, baby. You have a spankable ass, thighs a man can hold on to while fucking you, and the most magnificent breasts I've ever seen."

  She snorted, and he glared at her.

  "You don't agree?" he asked in a deceptively soft voice. Did she realize she was adding up punishments as she kept putting herself down?

  "Of course not. I've heard the comments, and I've seen the looks. Haven't you ever heard of fat-shaming?" Sonja answered, unaware of his mood.

  Derek closed his eyes to control his temper. He was a calm person ninety percent of the time, but at moments like this, his Mediterranean temperament appeared. His grandfather had been just like that, going berserk if someone wasn't respectful to his wife and family. Sonja might not be his yet, but he sure as hell felt possessive and protective of her—even against herself.

  "Baby girl, this is the moment when you accept my compliment and stop talking down to yourself or you find out how spankable I think your ass is."

  Sonja straightened and glared back at him. "You wouldn't," she said, but she sounded less confident than her demeanor suggested.

  "Try me," he answered before turning back to the stove and flipping the pancakes just in time.

  Sonja relaxed back in her chair, studying the rippling muscles under his tight T-shirt as he plated the pancakes and prepared the coffee. Dressed casually like this or more formally as he'd been last night at the club, the man oozed control and strength, and that did all kinds of funny things to her insides. The authoritative tone he used turned her on, and she hoped she wouldn't leave a wet spot on the chair. Now, that was a disconcerting thought! To distract herself, she mulled over his statements. He had told her in unapologetic and graphic terms that he liked her body and what he wanted to do with it. Okay, also not a notion to linger on! Let's think about punishment. He threatened to spank her ass. She'd never received an over the knee spanking before, but she hadn't liked the occasional swats she'd had. She envisioned herself over his knee with her bare ass in the air. She'd seen plenty of spankings at the club, most playful but some for punishment, and the slap of a hand connecting with someone's bottom sounded harsh to her. She was grateful that Captain Connor, who took care of club discipline, stuck to humiliation with her punishments. The Scotsman didn't like sassy submissives. Actually, she hadn't met a Dom who did.

  A finger under her chin tipped her head up, and her gaze met a concerned stare.

  "What's running through your head?" he asked.

  She couldn't look away or come up with a smart remark to deflect his question. He got to her on so many levels. It was as scary as it was exhilarating, and she didn't know how to react to that. She blurted, "I was thinking how Doms don't like backtalk."

  He frowned and said, "I think I mentioned it yesterday, but I will repeat it as often as you need to hear it, Sonja. I like a bit of sass, and I'll tell you clearly when you go too far." He studied her and asked, "Is that fair?"

  "Yes, Sir."

  "Good." He pressed a kiss on her lips and stepped over to the kitchen counter to retrieve their coffee and food. She was impressed by the breakfast when she dug in.

  "You know, if you're ever out of a job, you could always come work at The Sweet and Savory Table," she said with a smile and a wink. She frowned. "Actually, I have no idea what you do."

  He smiled. "I'm a social worker with the Children's Division of Social Services.

  She blinked. "You're a Daddy Dom, and you work with kids?"

  He chewed and looked pensive. "I don't think there's a connection between the two of them. I'm not interested in children sexually if that's what you're wondering about."

  "Damn, you're blunt," she said. "But that wasn't what I was thinking." She paused to formulate her feelings. "I think it was more the surprise that after dealing with children all day, why would you want a little one at home? Don't you long for adult conversation by then?"

  "As much as I'd like to spend more time with the children, I end up doing a lot of paperwork and dealing with other adults most days," he said ruefully.

  "I never thought about that." Sonja looked pensive.

  "It's not like I want someone with a pacifier in her mouth," he answered. "Age play, for me at least, is about taking care of my girl's needs, about allowing her to let go of her worries and fears because I'm there for her. I'm not into changing your diapers if that's what you're afraid of."

  "Well, there's that and also—" She sighed. "I may be submissive in the bedroom, but I'm also independent. I don't think I'd enjoy heavy power exchange and, in my opinion, the DD/lg dynamic is pretty extreme."

  "Okay, that's fair," he said and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "But would you please give me a chance? Don't dismiss it before you've tried it."

  He looked so open and honest. Why does the first man who's interested in me in years have to be a damn Daddy Dom? "What do you suggest?" She was curious about his answer, although she was reasonably certain she wouldn't commit to anything.

  "How about we go slow and keep our play at the club, but we agree on being exclusive with each other?" he suggested.

  "Do I have to call you Daddy?"

  "I would love for you to call me that, but it isn't a requirement. Until you feel ready, we can go with Sir at the club or whenever you're feeling submissive," he said with a wicked smile, "and use Derek the rest of the time."

  Before Sonja knew what she was doing, she nodded, and he beamed a smile at her. What the hell had she gotten herself into now?

  After breakfast, Derek dropped her off at the club to pick up her little Mazda. Sonja couldn't believe she'd left her baby in an open parking lot, but according to Derek, she'd been too far out of it to drive yesterday. After a promise to text him before she went to bed, they kissed and went their separate ways. The roads were quiet, and Sonja made good time getting home. After a quick shower and a fresh set of clothes, she was in her car and back on the road again. She was going to collect Snuggles; the animal hospital allowed owners to get their pets even on the weekends. Sonja turned on her radio and powered the volume up on Believer by Imagine Dragons—her favorite band. By the time the chorus came, she was belting along and turned into the parking lot at the vet's. Sonja turned down the music, otherwise, Snuggles would hit the roof when she turned on the engine again. She walked up to the glass entrance and rang the weekend access bell.

  "Good afternoon, Ms. Madden," the young receptionist greeted her.

  "Hi, Trudy," Sonja answered. "How many times do I have to tell you to call me Sonja?"

  Trudy lowered her gaze and blushed. "Of course, Sonja." Sonja smiled and nodded. It wasn't the first time she'd wondered if the girl was submissive or just shy. After they took care of the payment, Trudy said, "Let me call the vet tech, and he'll have Snuggles with you in no time. Please, Sonja, take a seat. Would you like some coffee?"

  "No, thank you." She knew she was particular about her coffee, but she couldn't understand how people could drink the motor oil that came out of most coffee machines. When she'd started working with Carol, the woman had told her, "When you visit a restaurant, always order a cup of coffee and go to the bathroom. If the coffee tastes good and the bathroom is clean, the food will be good, too." Sonja hadn't believed her at first, but over the years, the theory had proven itself consistently accurate. Luckily for Snuggles, the rule didn't apply to vets, since Dr. Phillips was one of the best in town.

  A loud and displeased "meow" had her looking up, and Tom, the vet tech, grinned at her. With a lean build, a mop of red hair, big ears, and an endearing grin, he always had her thinking of Fred and George Weasely from Harry Potter.

  "Hi, Tom, how is my baby?"

  "Irritated but well, Ms. Madden," he answered her, his statement underlined with another low mewl that held a hint of a growl, and they both chuckled. Sonja took over the carrier, and Tom dug in his coat pocket. "Here are his painkillers and antibiotics. We've taken c
are of his meds today, so you don't have to start them until tomorrow. You know how to pill him, don't you?"

  Sonja accepted the small pill bottles and answered, "Yes, I do. He's easy to medicate."

  The expression of disbelief on Tom's face was so funny, Sonja had to contain her laughter. "We had a tough time this morning."

  "Did you hide the pills in a treat?"

  "No, that works with most dogs, but we don't even try it with cats. They lick the treat off and leave the pills."

  "Apparently, Snuggles is more dog than cat, then. He takes his medicine that way all the time." Sonja smiled and thanked the staff again for taking care of her fur baby. She was anxious to get him home, and from the sounds he was making, Snuggles agreed.

  On Monday, Sonja returned to work in a great mood. Snuggles was back home and seemed to be doing well. He'd already eaten half his breakfast and had swallowed the pills she'd fed him whole with the slice of turkey wrapped around them. The entire night, he'd slept beside her on the bed, purring with contentment. She looked around her little café and was pleased to see everything was running smoothly. She had time to indulge in coffee and a fresh treat from Suzie's bakery counter before the rush hour started. Breakfast and Suzie's baked goods were a big hit, and Sonja sometimes wondered if they should move to a bigger place. She made a mental note to discuss a new location at the next meeting with Connor and Suzie. She was making more money than ever, and it still felt strange after her years of deprivation as a teenager and young adult, struggling to have food on the table.

  "Good morning, Suzie," she greeted on entering the kitchen. Her petite partner looked adorable with glowing cheeks and a smudge of flour on her face. Sonja grinned. "You've been busy again."

  Suzie nodded and replied, "Yes. I'm trying a new recipe for filled chocolate croissants, and I'm anxious to find out what the customers think. Have you seen the requests for the catering jobs?" Suzie asked, changing the subject without taking a breath. "I think we need to hire on extra staff. Do you think Yvonne might be willing to do a few of them?"

  Sonja scratched her head. "I don't know if we can afford more staff just for catering jobs yet, but I think we can ask Yvonne. Once she got over the embarrassment of dropping the tray at the adoption party, she seemed to enjoy serving people, and our guests liked her."

  Suzie chuckled. "Chris especially seemed to like her. But I think you're right, and she is over dropping that pile of plates." Suzie shook her head. "I didn't see Chris with her that day, but according to Jim and Paula, it was pretty hot."

  Sonja agreed, "I didn't see the actual event, but I talked with her shortly after. She was active in BDSM in the Netherlands, went to an Amsterdam club regularly, and she was pleasantly surprised to discover we all belong to a BDSM club here. Okay, I'm going to ask her. Pity, she's here on a visitor's visa and can't work regularly, but she does enjoy meeting people and practicing her English." Sonja scrutinized the display case. "Now, where are these new treats you've made? I'm starving."

  Suzie laughed and made quick work of putting one of the new pastries on a plate. Sonja accepted and bit into the fluffy confection. She moaned as the taste of chocolate and—wait—raspberries hit her taste buds.

  After she swallowed her first bite, she said, "This food is orgasmic." At Suzie's shocked expression, Sonja insisted, "No, really, this is better than sex."

  "Sonja!" Suzie spluttered, glancing around to see if anyone had overheard.

  "What?" She raised a questioning eyebrow and innocently widened her eyes as she bit into the pastry again, making any conversation impossible. Actually, sex with Derek had been pretty amazing, even without intercourse.

  Sonja walked into her apartment later that afternoon and was greeted with a displeased meow. "Hello, Snuggles," she greeted the black cat. Sonja knew she worked long hours at the cafe, but it wasn't more than usual, and Snuggles had never complained before. Maybe it was because of the surgery. Still, Snuggles seemed to miss her lately and had more need for cuddles and affection. Sonja realized a lot of people thought it was impossible for cats to feel human emotions, but she knew better. Snuggles loved her, and she loved him back. Cats might not have the ingrained need to please that dogs did, but Sonja thought cats were better. It almost seemed like Snuggles thought of her as another cat.

  For Sonja, having Snuggles around meant she wasn't completely alone. Because she had no family, she often felt lonely, more than she would ever admit. Coming home to her cat was better than nothing, but she did long for a partner, someone to share a meal with and talk to, to snuggle up against while watching a movie. Her mind wandered to Derek and their night at the club. Their play had been different from her previous experiences at Club Indigo, and the connection she'd felt had made the scene all the more intense. Although she had freaked out, initially, being at his home had been fantastic. The whole Daddy thing had her spooked, though. How was it possible that the first Dom she had clicked with in years was into age play?

  Derek sat down at his desk and sighed in frustration. His office was extra hot and stuffy with the air conditioning on the fritz. Why did the powers that be always have to go with the lowest bid when they replaced something? They had just put in a new system that spring, and already, it was broken. After his crap day, the small office with cheap carpet and beige walls didn't help his mood. He had spent the afternoon dealing with a family that he believed was beyond repair. He had made a scheduled visit to the home of Mike, Roberta, and their three-year-old son, Kayden. The parents were twenty-one and nineteen. They had already lost custody once, a year ago, due to neglect. They hadn't known how to take care of their child. After parenting classes and counseling, Kayden had been returned to them three months ago, over Derek's objections. He thought there was more to their problems than simple ignorance. He'd been keeping a close eye on them ever since. Although he didn't like what he was seeing, he hadn't had grounds for removing the boy until today. Even though they were expecting him, or should have been, he arrived to find both parents high on meth and little Kayden crying in his playpen, filthy with feces and smelling of urine. He had bruises on his back and welts on his legs, so the case for removing him was clear. The police had arrested the parents and found more meth when they searched the apartment. If Derek had his way, their parental rights would be terminated, and Kayden would have a shot at a decent home. At three, he was still young enough that they should be able to find a suitable adoptive home for him.

  While Kayden was being cleaned up and fed, Derek started making calls to his emergency foster parents, hoping someone had room. He lucked out on his fifth call, with a placement where the boy could stay for up to a month while he was treated and evaluated for his developmental state and any apparent psychological trauma. Now, he was going through the files of foster-to-adopt families who might be interested in Kayden.

  The third file he looked at seemed like it had potential. The young couple's application information sounded excellent. He would need to meet with them before he made any decisions on longer-term placement. The husband was a firefighter, and the wife worked part-time as a grocery store clerk. He called and made an appointment to visit them the next day.

  Next, he needed to finish the write-up on Kayden's removal and his recommendations. It was already 6:00 pm, and he didn't expect to be done for another hour. So much for dinner. He had a parenting class to teach from 7:00-9:00 pm. He really liked this bunch. They were all taking the course voluntarily, as opposed to those who signed up by court order to get their children back. This group was young women and men who were expectant parents and wanted to do things right. Only one was a couple, the rest were there without their partners. They were all in their late teens, most referred to the class by their high school guidance counselors. He was particularly impressed by the six young men in the class. Three of them hadn't known their fathers, and the others had had bad examples they didn't want to imitate.

  It was this kind of group that reminded him why he had gotten into social wo
rk. He was helping these young people so their children wouldn't end up like Kayden. He loved helping children—he wished he could get to them before they suffered serious damage.

  He moved his head from side to side in an attempt to get the kinks out. An unpleasant pressure was forming behind his eyes. It told him his neck and facial muscles were tense and he needed to relax to avoid a full-blown headache.

  He pushed back his chair and leaned back with his hands folded on his neck. His mind went back to the previous weekend. His visit to Club Indigo had been rewarding. He fully expected a BDSM club that had members like Laura, James, Jim, and Paula to be a great place, but meeting Sonja and playing with her had been an unexpected bonus. Taking her home with him had been an impulse, he admitted to himself. Sonja awakened his protective needs like no one had since Angie. But where Angie had been clingy and needy, Sonja was independent and stubborn in her insistence she wasn't a little. He wasn't deterred by her resolve to keep him at arm's length. He would give her time and space but make sure to show her how it would be between the two of them when she gave him a chance. When, not if, because he knew they fit together like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.

  Chapter 3

  S onja left the changing room at Club Indigo with anticipation bubbling in her belly. This would be the third weekend she knew she'd have a play partner. It amazed her how different it felt to be sure someone wanted her there. She'd always liked going to the club, but now, with Derek as a consistent partner, it was even better. Before, she'd had to wait and see if a Dom was interested and available for play. Derek was fun to talk with and deliciously dominant. They still hadn't progressed from oral sex and toys to anything more, and she was ready to go all the way with him. Maybe he can come to my place after, or will that send the wrong signal? Why is this so complicated? Can I give in to Derek and let him make the decisions?