Dr. Daddy Dom (Little Lake Bridgeport 2) (3 page)

"It's not fair!"

"Yeah, that's what I keep hearing from you every time you get busted. I'm going to go to bed shortly. Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"

"I want to sleep with both of you. Please?"

"It's up to Layton. I have to be up before dawn. No big girl playtime, though. I'm sorry, but I'm way too tired."

"You're always tired. Layton, please sleep with us. I miss being between you two," May begged, her big green eyes melting as she looked at the man.

"Sure. I'll be in later, though. I have to finish this case," Layton said, reaching over to stroke May's hair.

"That's another thing. He promised not to do any work after five. He fibbed," May snitched.

"Can we talk about all this at another time? Please?" Caine pleaded. "Go up and get the big bed in the rec room ready and I'll be up in about fifteen minutes. I want to finish my dinner and talk with Layton, then you and I can have some cuddle time before I go to sleep."

"Oh, all right. Do you want me to run a bath for you?" May asked.

"Not tonight, sweetie. I showered before I left the hospital and I just want to hit the sack. I love you," he said, softly kissing her cheek.

"I love you, too. Will you take me swimming on Sunday? Layton won't let me go into the lake by myself, and all he wants to do is work on his tan."

"Yes, I'll take you swimming. Now go upstairs and get the bed ready." Caine waited until she had trotted away and turned to his brother. Rubbing his temple, he asked, "Why won't you take her swimming, for crying out loud? And whatever happened to the big, mean Domly Dom who would never have thought of saying yes to her driving on her own?"

"I take her swimming, but then she just complains about it being too hot outside and wants to go back in. She forgets that I have work to do. And as for the Domly Dom shit, since you read me the riot act, I've been trying to do as you suggested and stay more in the 'uncle' mode. She's really upset about no big girl time with you."

"From what I hear, she's not getting it from you, either. I wish you guys would give me a break. It's either do these rotations once every couple of years or go back to working full-time at the hospital. Like you, I have responsibilities that demand my time if I want to keep working from home. I don't think that I've slept for more than ten hours over these last three days, and the last thing I want is to come home to drama," Caine said.

"It's not like we planned it. I can't believe that you only get a twelve hour break between this part of the rotation. It's illegal and dangerous."

"It's on-call, and it was my choice so that I could get my required hours done sooner. I'll be fine."

"Well, you look like you've been run over by a rototiller," Layton said with concern. "The fact that you didn't explode about the flip-flops tells me that you're exhausted. That's a safety issue, and I've never know either the doctor or the Daddy Dom in you to blow it off so quickly."

"I didn't blow it off, I postponed my reaction for when I can think clearly. I'm just glad that she's safe." Caine yawned and closed his eyes. "I'm getting too old for this. I never liked working on-call emergency or ICU for a reason. They induce a very different type of stress than delivering babies."

"And now add to your plate this whole Ian thing."

"Can you blame me? He was one of your closest friends for years, and that friendship was dissolved because of a woman. Are you going to be okay with working with him?"

"The same thing happened between you and me when our ex played us against each other, remember? And look how that turned out. I promise that I have no hard feelings towards him. I'm more worried about his wife. Do I know her?" Layton asked.

"You've met her once. Remember when Pop asked us to come to the old high school's homecoming game; the year I started my residency and you were working at the firm in Dallas?"

"Yeah, Pop still had the ranch then and Ian had just started working for him."

"Right. She was that freshman cheerleader who got all up in your face, trying to flirt with you. You blew her off and told her to call you when she was of legal age," Caine said.

"
That
was Savannah? The little brat dumped a Slurpee on my lap! Ian married her? When?"

"Three years ago. From what he told me, the bratting didn't stop." Caine proceeded to share the events that had led to the woman's hospitalization. When he had finished, he looked at his older brother and waited.

"Ian needs to grow a set of balls if he's going to have any hope of fixing this. You said that she's going to be completely dependent on him for a while, right?"

"She won't be able to do anything for herself until the wrist bones mend. It's not just her physical dependence that's going to be the problem, but her alcoholism. Fortunately, she's heavily sedated as she's detoxing, but then he'll have to deal with keeping her from using. It's going to be tough on both of them, and I was thinking that maybe we can help him out. Not just with caring for her, but teaching him how to be the head of the household. He's always seemed to be a bit passive, so this might be the chance to help him find his voice."

"Are you suggesting that we
make
him try age-play?" Layton's eyes went wide.

"No." Layton's raised eyebrow made Caine change his answer. "Okay! Yes. Listen; the set-up is perfect. Savannah won't be able to refuse anything he does and he will be forced to step up to the plate, including making decisions and acting on them. I trust my instincts, and my instincts are telling me that this could help them rediscover something in their marriage—and each other—if they're given the chance."

"What if he thinks that we're perverts and then goes blabbing it all over town?"

"I don't think he would ever do anything like that, out of respect for Pop. Ian's desperate, Layton. He says he's tried everything, but she's been completely resistant."

"He's tried everything except blistering her ass." His brother snorted.

"Very true." Caine grinned. "He'll have a lot of help between us and May. We can even call in Auntie Sri if we need her assistance."

"Madam Sri has her hands full managing the safe house. She's not going to have time to babysit."

"I'm talking about using her professionally. She's a psychiatrist and a Mommy Domme, and Savannah won't be able to resist her input. We both know how convincing that woman is when she has her mind made up."

"Yeah, that's true. Sri does make herself impossible to ignore when you most want to do just that. I guess that vice relates to Team Marshall as a whole," Layton commented, tapping his foot as he mulled over the idea. "All right, I'm in, but you are going to be the one who breaks the news to Ian. If he rejects the idea, I don't want to be around to watch you throw a tantrum, Dr. Daddy Dom."

"I don't throw tantrums, Counselor Cranky Pants," Caine teased back. "I'm going to bed."

"I'll be up after I've done the dishes. Sleep well, little brother. The schedule from hell is almost over."

"Did you get any rest?" Caine said, suppressing a yawn as he entered Savannah's room the following morning.

"Not much. How about you?" Ian asked, his eyes bloodshot as he looked up from his wife's bedside.

"I went home last night to spend some time with my family. My darling wife didn't abide by my request to let me sleep without pestering me," Caine answered with a smile. "Do you want to get some coffee?"

"That's probably a good idea," the distraught man said, releasing his hold on Savannah's swollen fingers, which were peeking out from her cast. "I've never known her to be quiet and to see her like this… I'm at a loss, Caine. How long is she going to be this way?"

"Come with me. We have a lot to talk about."

After they had settled down at a table in the cafeteria, Caine began. "I spoke with the radiologist and the surgeon. Like I told you yesterday, we're certain that she will make a full recovery, but it's important that their instructions are followed to a 'T'. First, we have to address the alcohol issue. Alcohol messes with the body's immunity response and, with the removal of her spleen, we have to be extra careful to avoid infection and illness. So, no more drinking."

"I've been clean and sober for over ten years, so you don't have to convince me on that point. What else?" Ian asked.

"This opinion is from friend to friend, and you can take it for what it's worth." Caine inhaled deeply and paused to study the man's eyes.
He is scared!
"I'm an obstetrician, as you know, and I see so many babies born to couples in the process of trying to heal their relationship because they believe that a child would make things better. Please take into consideration that until your marriage is solid, having a baby won't improve either of your situations, and the one who will suffer the most is the little one."

"She doesn't want kids, so that's not a concern."

"How about you?"

"Despite the likelihood that we will divorce when this is all over, I'm okay with that. I like kids in short doses, but I'm really not that comfortable with them. I'd be a good part-time uncle at most. Do you have any children?"

"Nope. I get my baby fix by delivering home births and follow ups. Maybelle is also enough of a handful for me that I don't need a child around to keep me on my toes," Caine said with a warm smile.

"You seem happy when you talk about her. Every time you mention her name, your eyes soften," Ian said.

"She is the love of my life and, as Pop would have said, the hot pepper in my Texas chili. I miss him."

"He and your ma were good people. They always took care of the ranch-hands, even though your ma would swear to holy hell if we tracked mud into her house," Ian said softly. "This world won't be the same place without them."

"I agree, but Pop also made sure to leave Layton and me something very special to remember him by. After he passed away, we discovered that he had set up and maintained a secret safe house for abused and neglected girls. He left us the safe house in his will, along with special instructions to keep his legacy alive for those women. In fact, May was a gift that he passed onto us. He was her guardian angel, she was the daughter he never had, and he wanted to make sure that she would be cared for. We started out as her two guardians, but never thought that we would fall in love with her," Caine said.

"You said 'we'. Do you and Layton actually share her? I heard some rumors some time back that you two were into that sort of thing."

Caine looked him straight in the eye. "Small town rumors usually have some small kernel of truth. That rumor was probably started by our ex, who caused a lot of trouble between Layton and me. In fact, it was so bad that we stopped talking and he moved up to Baltimore, where he got married and then divorced. He came back home when Mom was terminal and we reconciled. As for your question, yes. Layton and I do share May in a committed and legally binding relationship."

"Polygamy is illegal, though."

"Two husbands is polyandry, and we circumvented the system thanks to a very dear friend. We were both formally assigned guardianship, and the same judge who issued the conservatorship also conducted an impromptu marriage ceremony. We love our life and our little girl. She's the center of our world, and I wouldn't want it any other way."

"I would do anything to have a marriage like that. But what did you mean by 'little girl'? I thought you said you didn't have kids," Ian said, his brow furrowed.

"Let me explain, and promise me that you'll hear me out. Our life is a bit unorthodox and some people can't understand it."

"Are you gay?" Ian looked confused. "I really don't care, it doesn't change my opinion of you in the least."

"No, I'm not gay, nor am I bi. I am, though, what is called a dominant. Specifically, a Daddy Dom."

"What's that?"

"You've heard of BDSM, right?"

The other man nodded, giving no indication in his expression that the term bothered him. Relieved, Caine continued. "I'm sure that you know Layton was involved in it for a long time, but so was I. However, my practice took a different route. I feel compelled to nurture and protect my girls. Specifically when they are in their 'little' mode."

"I don't understand. You're not screwing chil—"

"No! Oh, dear God, no. What I do has nothing to do with pedophilia. In fact, nothing irritates me more than when I see people use the terms of this lifestyle while engaging in sex. No, I am a Daddy Dom, which means that when we are in our roles, my wife is allowed to take on a childlike persona and behaves according to that age group. I, in turn, watch over her and care for her in the same way a parent would. It's very satisfying for both of us."

"Caine—" Ian began.

He interrupted. "She reverts back to her big girl status—that is, she behaves age-appropriately—when we are sexually active. I don't allow her to mix the two worlds. It's too confusing for her and uncomfortable for me."

"So, you just role-play," Ian stated, sounding relieved.

"Some call it that, but that isn't exactly how we conduct our lives. The age-play component is a very real and natural thing, and it's what allowed her to heal from the trauma that sent her to the safe house in the first place. It's also helped Layton find that part of himself that likes to laugh and play. When Pop died, we were all so broken, but practicing this lifestyle mended our hearts."

"Why are you telling me this?" Ian asked curiously.

"Because Lake Bridgeport is a gated community that houses age-players. Each family had to apply to join, and they are all committed to this way of life. It will be peaceful and quiet there, and there will be plenty of people who can help you with taking care of Savannah in the way that she needs to be treated. They will also show you what a healthy and respectful relationship is supposed to look like, and provide some amazing examples to model. What do you think?"

The man looked ill-at-ease and fidgeted in his chair. "I really don't know, to be honest. We're as straight-laced as you get. I mean, missionary position in the dark when we actually did have sex. Which wasn't often, I'm ashamed to admit."

"Did your marriage ever have any passion or adventure in it?" Caine asked.

"Truthfully, no. She's what people call frigid. She hates sex, hates being touched, and hates being told what to do. I even got me a dog at one point because I needed physical contact—and she made me get rid of it."

"Ian, have you ever wanted to be the head of your family? Not all men like being in charge, but—"

"Hell yeah, I do. I tried when we first started out. In fact, she used to mind me in the beginning. I didn't put up with any guff but over time her resistance and the constant bickering exhausted me, and I started to cave in instead of fighting back." Ian was quiet for a moment. "That's probably where I went wrong, huh? I lost her respect."

"If she had any to begin with. Is what I'm proposing distasteful for you? Layton warned me that you might not understand."

"I don't understand this whole age-play thing that you're talking about, but no, it's not distasteful. I honestly don't know enough about it to make that judgment. I'm also stuck between a rock and a hard place. I really don't want to lose her, but I can't keep living like this. I guess a part of me is hoping that she feels the same about me and wants something to change for the better."

"If her reaction to those divorce papers is any indication of how she feels, it seems like she does want to stay with you. May challenged us in the beginning. In fact, she and Layton started off on the wrong foot and were at constant odds, and the temper tantrums were unbelievable, but he stepped into his role despite her behavior and won her over. Her nickname for him is 'Counselor Cranky Pants' for a reason," Caine explained.

Ian smiled. "She does sound interesting. How did she react to you?"

"Me? I put her backside right across my knee and gave her both a stern lecture and a good thrashing. I have no tolerance for overt sassiness or putting one's health and safety in jeopardy, and she learned that right away when she refused to let me take care of a nasty cut on her leg. My nickname has become 'Dr. Daddy Dom,'" Caine said with a laugh. "Savannah is going to be hospitalized for at least another week to ten days, so how about you come to our place after I finish my rotation here? You can see the lifestyle for yourself, and we'll introduce you around and let you get a feel for what we represent and what it might offer you. Either way, the house is yours for as long as you need it."

"Are you certain that Layton will be okay with it?"

"Absolutely. He has no hard feelings about what happened. In fact, he's very concerned for you and your marriage. He's been through the same thing, but it was too late for both of them when he finally took charge. He knows what you're experiencing and I think he can really help you. And you will adore little May. Just beware that mischief follows that girl everywhere, and if she can, she will lure you into it with her."

"How old is she?" Ian asked.

"Twenty-one, just a few years younger than Savannah."

"And you spank her?"

"More often than I would like to," Caine answered with a sigh and a shake of his head. "She keeps us on our toes. She's also a bit of a masochist, so much of it is pleasurable for her. What's with the face?"

A cheesy grin had spread across Ian's features. "I never imagined you to be the kinky sort. I guess they come in all shapes and colors, huh?"

"More than you know. We have an appellate judge, a psychiatrist, an industry tycoon, a lawyer, a doctor, and several social workers and police officers on our Board of Directors. All of them are involved in this lifestyle and have been instrumental in helping a lot of people like May find happy and productive lives."

"Is it okay if I take some time to think about it? I'm not going to fool myself—I know I'll need the help, but I'm just not sure where I fit in with this
age-play
stuff," Ian said.

"Take all the time you need. Let's plan on you coming by next week so we can get you situated before Savannah is released to go home."

"That sounds good. Caine?"

"Yes, buddy?"

"Do you think that there is any chance of…" Ian grew quiet. "Can this marriage be saved?"

"I hope so, my friend. I sincerely hope so."

***

"Take me swimming, Daddy. Puleeze?" May begged, tugging on Caine's arm.

He cracked open his eyelids and winced at the sunlight as it struck his face. "Close the shades, it's too early to be up," he grumbled, flipping onto his stomach and covering his head with a pillow.

May grunted and straddled his back. "You've been sleeping all night. It's your day off and I want to go swimming. You promised."

"Ask Layton."

"I'm not ready to get up yet," Layton mumbled from his side of the bed. "May, it's too early. Please let us sleep."

"I don't ever want to get old like you!" she retorted. "It's already past ten and it's getting hot outside."

"It's that late? Damn," Layton groaned, slowly sitting up. He reached across to shake his brother. "Did you hear? It's after ten."

"I heard. I just don't want to believe it. Maybelle, please stop jumping on my back. You're hurting me."

"How about if I rub instead?" she asked, pulling away the sheets and running her hands across the span of his bare, muscular shoulders.

"Your hands are freezing!" he yelled, twisting his head to glare at her grinning face. "You're already in trouble tonight with your punishment book, do you really want to push it?"

"Aw, come on. First, there is no purpose for me keeping a punishment book since things are usually handled right away. Second, you and Layton agreed that the truck issue was his fault, not mine."

"We did? When did we do that?" Layton asked, pulling on a pair of shorts.

"The issue tonight is about those flip-flops. And I'm sure you have a few other things listed that we need to take care of." Caine yawned, dragged his body to a sitting position, and watched tiredly as May climbed onto his lap.

"I've been almost perfect, just so you know. Layton hasn't had to spank me one time while you've been gone."