Devaney’s Doctor Daddy by Honey Meyer
Chapter Ten
After stopping at home to change, Devaney drove over to the mall and parked in one of the far lots reserved for employees. As she made the trek across the acres of pavement, she thought about how drastically her life had changed in the past twenty-four hours.
She’d been living life as usual yesterday, complete with being a kid taxi and the coming on of one of her fucking awful migraines, and today she felt a little better—whatever meds were in those suppositories Eric had given her must actually work—which wasn’t the normal course of things, and she was maybe dating a kinky as fuck and handsome as hell doctor? That wasn’t what she’d been expecting when she pulled into the small parking lot at Eric’s office yesterday, that was for sure.
Once in the shop, she said good morning to her manager, clocked in, and then started tidying the displays the kids always destroyed during the day. It wasn’t a difficult job and she didn’t particularly like it but at least it wasn’t a mental drain. It could be rough emotionally when customers were assholes and physically punishing when they were busy and she was standing and running back and forth to the stockroom all day, but she could usually let her mind wander some and this morning she allowed it to wander a lot.
Last night had been…horrible, yes, because she’d been so embarrassed about throwing up and migraines were terrible, but it had also been really nice. Eric had been so kind and solicitous. He seemed to actually like her. And she’d forgotten how wonderful it was for someone to believe her when she said she was in pain, for someone to take care of her when she was sick instead of being angry at her for something so entirely out of her control because it was inconvenient.
The whole being his special patient when she wasn’t sick thing still confused her but it didn’t shock or appall her. She just didn’t totally get it. What exactly would Eric want to do to her when she wasn’t sick? He was a good doctor, he’d never want to give her medicine she didn’t actually need. But like he’d said, playing doctor… Maybe he would just want to give her a check-up of sorts?
It had mortified her when he’d pushed his finger into her bottom but in the end she’d felt incredibly relaxed. Maybe she’d like being his special patient if it meant he’d be as kind and caring always as he had been last night. She’d definitely liked being bound—that had made her feel delightfully helpless.
Well, she could daydream about all the possibilities and Eric’s handsome face and gentle voice while she restocked the jelly sandals and bubble tea earrings they’d had a run on yesterday. And once Carter had picked up the boys there was only one thing to do—she would call Eric, as she’d been told.
* * *
The day’s patients had been fairly uneventful which was good because he couldn’t get Devy out of his head. Thinking about that woman was equal parts fretting about whether she was making it through the day alright, and remembering how gorgeously submissive and needy she’d been. He’d always liked to see her when she’d brought Chase and Logan in and now he thought he knew why: because she was meant for him.
He’d been checking his phone all damn day between patients, but he was still surprised when it actually buzzed in his pocket. He was just finishing up an easy peasy physical with a cooperative and good-humored six-year-old when he felt the vibration at his hip. When he checked the number, he asked Marni to finish up and hastily excused himself, shutting the door to his office before taking the call.
He didn’t even get a chance to say hello before there was a small voice on the other end of the call.
“Eric?”
“Devy? Is that you, baby?”
“Yes.”
Her voice was almost squeaky, like she was trying so hard to hold back tears the words could barely make their way out of her mouth. His brain went into overdrive thinking what could be wrong but he tried to dial it back because he had a habit of overreacting with his littles. It was a trait he shared with most of his friends who were also into age play—how could they be expected not to fret about their little girls and boys when they were so vulnerable and fragile?
But even though he was fairly certain Devy was a little, he didn’t think she identified that way—at least not yet—and even with his patients who did, he always made sure to check if they were in little space before treating them that way. So he tried to keep his tone even without seeming callous.
“What’s the matter? You okay?”
“No. I…I got sick. At work. And my boss, she made me clean it up and then fired me. And I’m so sorry to bother you but I didn’t know who else to call. I can barely keep my eyes open it hurts so much and I…”
Fuck.
“Okay. I hear you, and you did the right thing by calling me. I’m really happy you followed instructions. We’re gonna fix this, okay? Where are you?”
Please be at work, please be at work.If she’d driven home in this state he was going to lose his damn mind and that wouldn’t do either of them any good.
“I’m in my car in the employee parking lot,” she said, her voice no more than a whimper.
He wished he could hold her at that very second, make her pain and her worry all go away. Not that he could snap his fingers and make a migraine disappear but the meds he’d given her last night and this morning had seemed to help, and he was guessing she hadn’t eaten anything. He could at least get some calories in her, give her another dose of the meds, and get her to rest in a dark, quiet room where he’d be able to check on her.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes. Do you want to stay on the phone or is it better to hang up?”
“Hang up. I like hearing your voice but any sound makes it worse.”
“That’s a good decision. Make sure your phone’s on vibrate in case I need to call you back, okay?”
“Yes, Eric.”
“Good girl. I’ll be there soon, baby. Promise.”
Eric had only canceled patients a handful of times in the eight years he’d been practicing. He didn’t get sick often—thanks kids who brought every damn germ in existence into this office for strengthening his immune system—and he always planned his vacations well in advance. But this was going to have to be one of those times.
He caught Marni coming out of an exam room and herded her toward the front desk where Flora was finishing up checking a patient out.
Looking at the rest of his schedule, he knew could ask the Del Bosques to reschedule the twins’ visit. It was a well visit and he’d squeeze them in whenever he had a spare second. Plus, he knew Sable and Jethro would be sympathetic to his plight of needing to attend to a sick little.
He’d been the one to look over Sable when a man from Savage attacked her after she rejected him. Eric didn’t think of providing that kind of service at the club as then being owed a favor or anything—he’d care for people who needed it regardless—but it didn’t hurt that people tended to think kindly of him.
“Flora, I’ve got to run out for a bit, I should be gone for about half an hour.”
His admin’s eyes got big and her forehead creased. “Is everything okay?”
Eric frowned. No, it definitely wasn’t, but he also didn’t want Flora to fret. She was a little worry bug.
“I’m fine. It’s just that Mrs. Bishop who was here yesterday?” Flora nodded, confirming she remembered. “Her migraine’s gotten worse and I told her to call me.”
Flora’s full mouth pursed slightly in an attempt to hide her smile. “Of course you did, boss.”
“Can you—”
“Call the Del Bosques and reschedule?”
“Yeah, thanks. Give them my apologies, but—”
“They’ll get it,” she assured him, picking up the phone. While Flora wasn’t—to his knowledge anyway—into age play herself and didn’t work during the littles’ clinics, she did know about the other part of Eric’s practice and some of his personal interests, as well as being familiar with some of the families in the practice who shared those interests.
When he turned to speak with Marni, she was already staring at him with a sympathetic but amused expression. “Don’t worry, I’ll hold down the fort. And Devaney Bishop, huh?”
Eric shrugged, spreading his hands. What was a guy to do?
“Can’t say I blame you, she’s a beautiful woman. Now get out of here.”
Marni shooed him toward the back hall and he shucked his white coat, tossing it in his office before he rushed out the door and into his garage.
* * *
Devaney sat bolt upright at the soft knock on her window, hoping it wasn’t one of the mall security guards. It wouldn’t be the first time one of them had found her hiding in her car. Although usually she managed to sit up in the front seat.
Today she was in such misery she’d had to crawl in the back and try to curl up. Even in her sizable SUV that wasn’t comfortable though. At least Chase had left his rain coat in here from the other day so she could tug it over her head and keep most of the light out.
The meds Eric had given her had worn off during her shift and her migraine was full blown now, the right side of her head throbbing. There was an extra pulse of awful when she sat up so quickly and it hurt so bad she wanted to cry.
But outside wasn’t a grumpy rent-a-cop wondering why the fuck she was asleep in the back of her car. It was Eric. Besides when Logan had gotten lost at a theme park when he was five and it took them half an hour to find him, she’d never been so relieved to see anyone in her whole life.
It was strange to place so much faith in someone she’d really only just met, but Eric’s presence was so reassuring. He was going to help her, take care of her. Everything would be better now that he was here.
She unlocked the SUV and then Eric was opening the door and helping her out, taking her into his arms. He was so strong and warm, and underneath the antiseptic smell of the clinic, she could smell the fresh scent of the soap he used and the slightly musky human smell of his skin.
In the middle of the parking lot, he held her close. While it didn’t do anything to ease the intense pain in her skull, it did relieve some of her tension and it was a comfort to be able to slump against him instead of trying so damn hard to defy gravity.
“Hey, babygirl. I’m here. We’re going to get you home and help you feel better, okay?”
Devaney nodded into his chest and a second later he was scooping her up into his arms, still murmuring in her ear. She should’ve felt ridiculous being carried through a parking lot like a helpless damsel but she couldn’t be too troubled about it right now. Eric put her in his own car and buckled her seatbelt. Planted a kiss on her forehead and asked if she needed anything out of her car.
“Just my bag,” she muttered, keeping her eyes closed against what felt like bare lightbulbs in an interrogation room even though it was an overcast day.