by Laurie Lochs
"It sounds like a great idea."
I hopped out of the car and walked to the trailer. Luke joined me. All at once, I felt something stir in me. His beard, his toned arms. The deep tan glistening off his body.
Suddenly, it reminded me of the older boys I used to have crushes on growing up. When I was 14, there was a young man who worked at the farm next to me who I'd been hopelessly in love with. He was a farmhand. His family were undocumented immigrants from Mexico. Though my family was staunchly conservative, I'd fallen in love with him. During lunch breaks, I'd wander across the road to his farm. If he wasn't busy, he'd take me around the farm and show me how he worked the fields. Even though I’d grown up working the fields, there was so much I didn't know that went into managing farmland. But José taught me everything. He was 19 and I was ready to throw myself at him, just strip him in the middle of the corn stalks and suck his delicious cock.
José understood I was far too young to make those decisions. He fended me off.
But Luke also reminded me of something else. A dark secret I hadn't told anyone in my entire life. Sometimes, in the middle of the night, I'd slip out of my bed and tiptoe to my dresser where I kept a secret stash of baby things. I had little boy pajamas and a secret stash of pacifiers. They were every pastel color of the rainbow. I'd gotten them from Aliexpress in a top-secret package. No one could tell what was inside. If my parents had ever found out, they'd kill me. But since I moved back to Bozeman, I was able to order from Aliexpress without anybody knowing.
Had Luke ever had a baby boy? Did he even know what that was?
"Here, Blossom." Luke's voice snapped me out of my daze. My heart was racing. My cheeks were flushed. I pried my gaze away and focused my attention on Blossom. From his leather satchel, Luke pulled out an apple and handed it to her. Blossom promptly took it in her mouth and began to chomp.
"She's a beautiful horse."
Luke smiled. "She's my pride and joy. I pray she’ll find a great home in Neverland."
Luke untied the back of the trailer and ushered Blossom out. But before he could tie her up, she shook her mane and, with a roar, broke off towards the ranch house.
Chapter 4
Luke
My heart stopped as the horse darted off. "Blossom!" I cried, bringing my hands to my mouth. But Blossom paid me no mind. Finally free after an insufferable ride in a hot cramped trailer, my pleas did little to quell her desire to explore the meadow and nibble fresh flowers.
Goddammit. This could blow the deal.
"I'll get her," George whispered. His face was filled with fierce determination.
I nodded. "Let's go."
We took off, darting across prairie grass and hopping a white picket fence. Pain seared in my leg but I forced it down. Blossom darted behind the ranch house and zipped towards the fence at the far end of the field. I forced myself onward, knowing I needed to reign in the horse.
Isn’t she supposed to be calm?
We rounded the corner and glanced into the back pasture. To my horror, there was a little boy standing in the middle of the field. He was in Blossom’s path.
Except… Oh my God.
It wasn't a little boy at all.
It was a young man wearing teddy bear pajamas.
Holding a small teddy bear by his side and staring at the clouds. He wore white velcro shoes that looked expensive.
When he saw Blossom, he dropped the teddy bear and screamed.
"Blossom!" I shouted, sprinting after the horse. "Get back here, girl. You're going to hurt that little boy!”
But Blossom charged straight ahead. Rearing her hooves, she dashes straight towards the boy. He cried and leapt out of the way, flinging himself out of danger at the last second. Blossom zoomed right by him into a vegetable garden on the far end of the yard, where she immediately stopped. With a final whinny, she bent her long neck down, flicked her tail, and wrapped her lips around an apple that had fallen from a tree.
I hurried towards the boy lying on the ground. "Are you okay?"
My heart did a somersault as he batted his long eyelashes. "Yes," he whispered. "I almost got run over by a horsey."
"A horsey?"
"Yes," the boy said. “The big scary horsey almost trampled me while I was looking at clouds."
George let out a shocked laugh. No doubt we were thinking the exact same thing. Why had this boy called it a horsey? Why was he wearing "little" pajamas?
I glanced around. Blossom was still munching on vegetables. I couldn't help but take in my surroundings. The boy in the pajamas, the name of the ranch. Suddenly, the chips fell into place.
This is a sanctuary for littles.
Anxiety coursed through me. How could I have been so stupid? Of course it was a place for daddies and boys. Neverland Hills. The name was enough to tip me off. I’d been naive.
After helping the boy up and dusting off his cute pajamas, we went towards the garden and subdued Blossom. Munching on delicious vegetables like carrots and celery, she was at home. She smiled and whinnied contentedly. She planted a giant kiss on George's face, licking his cheek. George giggled and wrapped his arms around the horse, peppering her mane with kisses.
“We're so happy you made it, Blossom. Daddy’s been saying so much about you.”
George shook his head in disbelief. I couldn’t help but grin. Was this his first time seeing a little up close?
The mystery boy didn’t seem to notice. He continued stroking Blossom. “The rest of the boys might be upset she ate our garden,” he said dejectedly, “but I don’t mind one bit. Blossom is the perfect horse for Neverland.”
I cleared my throat. ”I take full responsibility for that. We should have tied her down in the trailer. She doesn't normally get spooked."
The boy laughed. "She's such a pretty horsey. Someday, I want to ride."
I glanced at George yet again. He had an amused grin on his face. Neither of us could believe this boy was speaking like a baby.
Suddenly, the door of the ranch house burst open and, without warning, a group of young men wearing pajamas raced towards the garden. They burst into laughter when they saw the horse.
"Oh my God," one of them said. "It's eating my tomatoes."
"I guess we'll have to plant the garden again," another said with a grin.
"I'm Nathan," the first boy said, walking to me. He smiled and shook my hand. "I was new at the ranch, but I've found my place over time."
I shook his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Nathan. You and your friends seem like very sweet boys."
"Yes, sir." Nathan blushed. “They're my best friends in the world. I was nervous to come at first but they made me feel at home. This is Calloway, Jacob, and Dennis. We’re all friends at the ranch."
I grinned and shook their hands. "It's so nice to meet you, boys. You seem like such sweet young men."
The boy called Calloway frowned. "We're not men. We’re littles."
I barked out a laugh. "My apologies, sweet boys. Thank you for welcoming us to your home."
George’s eyes were glazed over. He was awestruck. Suddenly, the boy called Nathan walked up to George and softly wrapped his arms around his waist. Then, Nathan opened his mouth to speak. "Are you the one they've been talking about? Our newest playmate?”
George froze on the spot.
Chapter 5
George
I opened my mouth to speak but the words were caught in my throat. A bubble of anxiety rose up from my tummy and made my legs turn into jelly.
“N-No," I stammered, glancing around. "I'm only applying for a job.”
The boys glanced at each other. Jacob and Dennis grinned. "If you say so." They rolled their eyes.
Luke spoke. ”It's true, boys. We didn't even know what this place was three hours ago."
Jacob rolled his eyes. "Everybody knows Neverland Hills. It's the place where boys and daddies play away from prying eyes. Buried in the part of the little Rocky Mountains, Neverland Hills offers –"
&
nbsp; "You don't need to give the sales pitch, Jesus. They're already here." Nathan's voice was loud and crisp.
I giggled. "The only sales pitch you need is this beautiful view. Honestly, it's something out of a picture book."
Jacob smiled. "Don't say picture book. Nathan will get scared."
Nathan glared at him. "Stop making fun of my dyslexia, Jacob. It's not funny."
"I'm just teasing. I know you can read with your special dyslexia font."
I laughed. Clearly, there was a whole history here. They all had stories of their own. I hoped I’d soon be a part of their history too.
You can fit in too, George. You can be just like them.
But I knew I couldn't. Not now. I needed money to help Ma and my little brothers. I wanted to work with animals and make money doing it. If Neverland Hills couldn't offer me a job, I couldn’t stay.
"Hey, George," Dennis said. "Why don't you come in for lunch? We're making crispy fish with fresh vegetables from the garden.”
“I think poor Blossom ate them all.”
Dennis laughed. “Okay. Fine. The ones she didn’t eat.”
I grinned. "It's okay. Thank you. Luke and I already stopped for a chicken sandwich on the road."
Nathan's eyes glazed over. "Oh my God. I want a chicken sandwich."
"Maybe tomorrow," another boy said. He introduced himself as Calloway. This was the boy who'd been standing in the yard when we first arrived. "I can tell daddy Oscar to make us them tomorrow. It’ll be a yummy treat."
Jacob laughed. "Yes, but fish is better. It's healthy and full of omega threes."
“You’re three, Jacob. You’re not supposed to know what omega threes are,” Nathan said with a grin.
I took a glance at Luke. We rushed inside with the boys. When we arrived, I immediately noticed four grown men setting the placemats for the sweet boys.
"Daddy!" Dennis exclaimed. "We found some strange men in the garden. We invited them in for lunch."
Luke immediately cleared his throat to explain himself. “I’m so sorry for intruding. We were bringing our horse Blossom to the ranch. I spoke on the phone with Brent. We were about to head out."
The man laughed. "Nonsense. It doesn't matter if you're just bringing the cute horse we saw in the pictures. We've got plenty of lunch for everyone."
We pulled up a seat. In no time at all, the daddies brought out a delicious feast. It smelled so good. Even though I wasn't super hungry, I still took a delicious slice of fish on my plate. With a healthy helping of tartar sauce, it was something out of a dream.
"It's so fresh," I whispered. "I want this every day."
Jacob's eyes flashed with life. "You can have it, George. If you stay."
I was about to shake my head but then I took another bite of fish. I moaned as it made its way into my body. It was the most delicious fish I'd ever had. It tasted like rainbows.
We finished lunch. After we cleared the plates, Nathan suddenly grabbed my hand and pulled me close. "George," he whispered. "I have something I want to show you."
Something flickered in my chest. "What is it?"
His eyes sparkled. "Follow me."
He grabbed my hand and jolted me out of the dining room. My eyes shot around for Luke but he was still at the table. I had no choice but to follow Nathan. When we reached the end of a long hallway, he paused outside a closed door.
"George," he whispered. "Welcome to the playroom.”
Chapter 6
Luke
I relaxed in my chair as George left the dining hall. It warmed my heart knowing he was making friends. It made me feel like a real daddy.
It was about time.
It’d been so long since I'd been a daddy. My last boy had burrowed his way inside my heart. But he destroyed it on his way out. I'd put off talking to little boys for so long.
But sweet George is making you change your mind.
It certainly helped we were surrounded by welcoming people who understood this dynamic.
"Luke," Brent said, passing me a cup of coffee. "Have you ever considered the age play lifestyle?"
I grinned. "It's funny you should ask. A while ago, I had a boy of my own. I played with a few boys throughout my life but there was only one I loved."
"Did it go well?"
I sighed. "I wish I could say it did. The truth was I loved him with my entire heart. But one day, I came home to discover he was in our shared bed with another man. The daddy he was with was peppering kisses all over his soft body. Kisses that should have only come from me."
Brent sighed. "I take it you didn't have an open arrangement."
"No. We'd discussed polyamory but never agreed to do it."
The man to my right named Oscar spoke. "That's why it's so important to discuss expectations before entering any relationship. You need to make sure both parties completely understand the terms of your arrangement. I've heard stories of daddies who've been completely blindsided by boys who had different expectations. Likewise, boys can get seriously hurt if their daddies don't go over the terms of the agreement with them. For instance, I heard of a sweet 18-year-old boy in Minnesota who got in trouble because he didn't realize his daddy was into taboo kink role-play. Obviously, that's not something I would ever do, but I understand the attraction. Luckily, the boy liked taboo things. But people were pissed when they found out about it even though it was none of their business. That’s why we don’t allow boys under the age of 21. It’s too much drama.”
"I can tell. We definitely discussed consent beforehand. I firmly believe consent is the foundation of age play relationships."
“So what went wrong?"
I sighed and sipped my coffee. "I set the wrong expectations. I told the boy I’d be there for him forever. But the truth was I was more caught up with starting my horse-rearing operation. We had clients all over the Midwest and business was taking off. Though unintended, I relegated the boy to the backseat.”
Brent bit his lip. "It sounds like he sought affection elsewhere."
"Exactly. You can't just blame him."
Oscar sighed. "It's never easy coming home to discover your boy with someone else. That actually happened to Brent."
I glanced at Brent.
”It's something I've never discussed before,” Brent said. “My first daddy/boy relationship ended in flames. It turns out, the boy wasn't into the ABDL lifestyle at all. He was only pretending. But he needed a place to stay. He felt that being a little was the only way I’d let him sleep in my home. Obviously that wasn't true. I would've still welcomed him. But it put a wedge between us we couldn't knock down."
"That makes sense. It's hard when you set the wrong expectations."
"Exactly. That's why these discussions of consent are so vital to relationships. Without them, one of the parties can get confused. In vanilla relationships, they’re vital. But in the BDSM lifestyle community, they’re even more."
We finished our coffee and brought the cups to the kitchen. Brent and Oscar introduced me to the rest of the daddies. Joe and Paul were two daddies from Montana who'd started the Neverland Hills ranch with their boys. I learned that Joe was paired with sweet Dennis. Daddy Paul was with Jacob. Calloway and Oscar were a couple. And Brent and Nathan were one. Finally, I could get a handle on everything going on so I didn't get confused.
"Luke," daddy Brent said after we set the cups in the sink. "Let's go to the playroom. You can see your sweet boy playing."
I laughed. "He's not my sweet boy. We just met this afternoon."
Brent's eyes twinkled. "That's adorable. Nathan and I met the same afternoon too. You’ll both fit wonderfully."
I scrunched my face. I had a business to run. But my heart swelled the moment Brent led me down the hallway and stopped outside the playroom. We peered through the windows. Inside, George seemed to have found his place. He was building a castle with Jacob, Dennis, and Calloway. George was focusing on the door to the castle while Calloway was building the walls. Suddenly, George plac
ed a beautiful princess at the top of the castle. There was a big dragon just underneath, breathing fire and fury. If they didn't rescue the princess quickly, the dragon would eat them all.
"It's adorable." My voice was soft and airy. The scene touched my heart.
"I love watching my sweet boys play,” Brent said. “Sometimes, I'll sit in the playroom while they're immersed in their world. It brings me so much joy.”
His words blazed across my heart. "I completely understand. I've never seen a boy play like this before."
I pressed my palm against the glass. George was deep into constructing the doorway to the castle. He needed to make sure it’d withstand the force of the dragon. He fashioned a quick bridge over the moat small enough for a knight in shining armor to cross but not a dragon. He was so smart at protecting the princess.
Suddenly, Brent put his hand on my shoulder and asked if I wanted to go inside to watch the boys play.
Chapter 7
George
"George," Nathan whispered, placing his hand on mine. "Can you please pass the blue blocks?"
"Yes. I'd love to."
Nathan smiled as I handed him the plastic container. He selected a fistful of blue Legos and spread them out over the floor. He arranged them by size and sorted them into categories. Constructing the top of the enormous fairytale castle was no easy task. But Nathan was up to it. All he needed were his blue Legos and he was good to go.
On the other hand, I was having a difficult time getting the door done. Who knew creating a dragon-safe door was such a difficult task? I'd tried to construct it with red Legos that were long and skinny but these didn't hold when I did my initial tests. After that failed, I pivoted towards the 2 x 4 yellow blocks. But those didn't work either.
I glanced at Nathan. Would he be willing to share the blues? That might be the way to go.