A Daddy for Alexi by Joe Satoria
11. ALEXI
TWO WEEKS LATER
WEDNESDAY
I really liked this guy, but I couldn’t fall into that with him. It was sudden; it was soon. My last relationship ended a year ago, and Warren was like ten years older than me—well, eight. I told myself I shouldn’t get involved with anyone else. I had too much to work through.
Warren had all the answers, even to questions I didn’t ask. He was just there, assuring me, telling me things, and whispering everything was going to be ok.
Every night, he invited me to stay over and tell me he wanted me there, but I didn’t feel comfortable when we would be working the next day, especially since my new job meant I was working under him—directly.
It meant I could wear my clothes, instead of the stuff I bought that made my neck itch, and I was sure had brought me out in a rash.
BrattyBoy69: I love the white top on those cream trousers.
I was in the habit of sending him pictures of my clothes each morning. Benny was great, sending his support from through the forum.
Alexxxi: Thank you! He picked them out for me.
BrattyBoy69: I want a daddy to pick things for me.
Alexxxi: Didn’t you say there were sugar daddies around?
BrattyBoy69: I’m not interested in those. I want to be touched and maybe someone’s hand in my mouth.
Alexxxi: Mine has great taste, and he’s kind, and he’s definitely not fisting my mouth.
BrattyBoy69: I’m surprised he hasn’t asked you to move in with him.
Alexxxi: What do you mean?
BrattyBoy69: He’s been picking your clothes out; you mention how good he makes you feel. You sound like you’re really connecting.
Alexxxi: We are!
BrattyBoy69: I’m still shocked you’re not staying with him every night. You won’t show me any pictures, so I’m using my imagination and he sounds like someone I’d keep close.
Although I felt a modicum of confidence online in private with messages, I didn’t share every detail of my life. And I didn’t want to share anything about Warren. What we had together was ours, and I didn’t have any friends, except for Benny, and we’d never even met.
Alexxxi: I don’t want to be a burden on him. It’s still now.
BrattyBoy69: Daddies should want to take that on. They should want to care for you.
He did. In fact, if I’d spent as much time with him at his place as he’d invited, he probably would have invited me to live with him. He didn’t even know where I lived, or what my room looked like.
Alexxxi: He does care. He got me a new job because of how stressed I’d been.
BrattyBoy69: Maybe I’ll get to meet you both. I’m coming through to Manchester this weekend.
Alexxxi: YES! That’s when the food festival is happening.
BrattyBoy69: I’m actually coming through to meet someone. Apparently, he has some toys I can play with. You know, toys. *wink emoji*
I knew what Benny meant when he was talking about toys, and he didn’t mean plush teddies, barbies, or action figures. He was talking about silicone bases with detachable balls. He’d told me so himself.
Warren’s text notification came through.
—Want me to pick you up? he asked.
He only knew the building I lived in, and that’s because he booked me Ubers between my place and his.
—Won’t it be weird arriving together?
—You’re my assistant, and you live on the way, it would be weird if I didn’t.
—And you could have stayed over last night.
—Sure, pick me up!
BrattyBoy69: I hope you don’t mind me meeting you both. Daddies find me irresistible. *laughing emoji*
I snorted out my nose like a piglet, grabbing my things and putting them into my small bag.
Alexxxi: No, no, he’s not like that. He doesn’t like your stuff.
BrattyBoy69: I was kidding, anyway. When does the festival start?
Alexxxi: Friday until Sunday.
I would be there, but only because Warren was going to be there. They were going to be doing surveys and selling drinks, offering them out in shot glasses. A weird choice for a soft drink, but I didn’t question it.
Warren met me outside the building in his car. His window down, his smiling face peering out.
“Come on,” he said, slapping at the passenger seat.
In the car, the smell of cherry air freshener. I tugged at the seatbelt, slotting it into the latch. “I could’ve walked to the bus stop.”
“I missed you,” he said, his hand on my knee. “I don’t see why you don’t just stay at mine, and we can drive in together.”
“I don’t want you to get bored with me,” I said, placing my hand precariously over his. “And I like what we’re doing.”
“We can make a report with HR to say we’re dating, at least,” he said, leaning in for a kiss on my forehead. It sent a warm chill down my body. I couldn’t help smiling when he did it.
“But I don’t want people to—” I panicked, looking out of the car window to the apartment building.
“I know, I know.” Warren turned his hand on my knee, intertwining his fingers with mine. “I just want you to be comfortable and happy. And I know you’re happier.”
I was, but I couldn’t escape the looming dread of the other shoe waiting to drop. “I like to work with you,” I said, “but I don’t want people to talk about me—us.”
“Nobody would dare,” he said, “everyone knows I’m a professional, and I am.” He smirked. “Except that time when you pulled your trousers down to show me your underwear.”
My hands clenched. “Only because you asked,” I said. “And it sounds like I have no choice. You’re basically my boss. And—” He looked at me, waiting for me to say it. “My daddy.”
“Oh, Alexi,” he chuckled. “That’s something a bad boy would say. And bad boys don’t get colouring pages with their notes.”
“No, no, it was a joke. I wanted to show you,” I said. He liked it when I wore the lace. “Don’t take my colouring pages.” During meetings in the boardroom, I sat at the back wall ‘taking notes’, and mostly colouring. He said I was only allowed one pen, so I chose a pen with four retractable colours.
“Good boy.” He kissed my forehead. “We should go. I have to drive the speed limit when I’m driving precious cargo.” He squeezed at my hand. “That means you.”
I blushed. “We’re gonna be late.”
“I think we’ve got enough time for Starbucks.”
“No. The drive-thru too far.”
“We’ll be fine,” he said, removing his hand to place on the gearshift. “And if we’re late, we say we were in a meeting together.”
I didn’t mind that it might’ve been a lie if we were caught, but Warren’s actions were never questioned, only from Marcus, the owner, but even then, I’d heard Warren talk him down from making some crazy decisions in the last two weeks I’d be working as Warren’s shadow.
“Tonight, I want to take you somewhere special,” Warren said.
“Oh? Where?”
“It’s a secret,” he said, smirking. I hated surprises, but I’d gotten used to them from him. They were always nice surprises. They made me warm and fuzzy inside. I remembered what I’d told Benny in the forum. Benny was always talking about sex being the most important part of his relationship with a daddy. My most important part was having someone there. I think reassurance was a sexual act.
“You’ll have to tell me where,” I offered back in a softer voice, “you know, so I can make sure I wear the right clothes.”
“Don’t worry,” he said, “you look perfect the way you are.”
“Thank you.” The same warm chill up my chest and face. “I am your assistant though,” I continued in my soft voice, “so, if it’s in your calendar or diary, I should know.”
He didn’t take his eyes off the road. He smiled, his hand instinctively reaching out for mine. “Well, it’s not there,” he said, “if you want a clue—” he sucked on his teeth, “I’m not sure I can give you one.”
“What if I stayed over tonight?” I suggested, blurted out.
“Oh, so now you’re bribing me,” he chuckled. “I think you’ll want to stay over tonight, anyway.”
“Ok.” I was suspicious, but I wasn’t nervous about it. Warren knew how to tease, and my anxiety wasn’t triggered at all by it. Perhaps because I knew he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me. “When we get to Starbucks, I want one of those strawberry drinks, with the cream. I don’t trust myself not to spill coffee on my clothes.”
“A Frappuccino?” he asked.
I nodded.
“Anything for you.” He squeezed my knee lightly. “Fun fact, Starbucks trademarked the word Frappuccino.
