Page 16 of Finding Little Fiera

He gave her a chin lift. Not as a reward or praise, but as a quiet acknowledgment. He finished the demonstration, letting the rope fly clean and true. His loop settled over its target post with a satisfying thud. “That’s the goal,” he said. “You are after control, not speed or force.”

He gestured toward the Littles and their Caregivers. “Let’s take a few minutes now to practice together. On Sunday, we’ll have games and competitions. Lassoing will be part of that, so pay attention now.”

Excited chatter broke out as the Littles grabbed their Bigs and their ropes. Once everyone was paired and practicing, Mace turned back to Fiera. She was watching him, and he could tell by her expression that she was unsure of what came next.

He approached at an easy pace, stopping close enough to be heard without crowding her. “You didn’t stay where I told you to.”

Her chin tipped up. “I didn’t go far.”

“That wasn’t the instruction,” he said calmly.

Her mouth opened, then closed. She huffed, looking away. He waited, giving her time to come to the right conclusion.

Looking down, she scuffed the pointed toe of one boot against the grass. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I moved.”

An unexpected smile tugged at the corners of his lips. “You did,” he agreed. “And you corrected it when you saw me looking at you.”

Her eyes flicked back to his. “I did.”

“That matters,” he said. “Thank you for listening. Next time, I expect you to mind me.”

Her shoulders dropped, and he didn’t know her well enough to tell whether it was from relief or disappointment. They both knew she deserved discipline for disobeying him, but he didn’t have the right to punish her.

Yet.

Hopefully, that would change soon because he’d never wanted to get his hands on a Little more… and not just to punish her.

“Now,” he continued, lifting the rope, “want to learn to throw a lasso?”

Her smile returned, quick and bright. “Yes.”

Maybe it was from her enthusiasm. Maybe it was her adaptability to change. Or maybe it was the way her smile lit her entire face and made her eyes practically glow.

Whatever the reason, his heart rolled over, and warmth spread throughout his body. It had been a long time since he’d been attracted to a Little like this. Before he realized what he was doing, he stepped closer, grasped her chin, and tilted her head up to face him.

Her eyes widened, and then her gaze lowered to his lips. It took everything he could do not to kiss her silly on the spot. But he couldn’t do that. He didn’t even know her. She didn’t know him, either. It was crazy, and he didn’t do crazy things. He made a plan and followed it.

So instead, he moved behind her, careful to keep his distance and hoping she wouldn’t ask him what the hell he’d been thinking. “Lassoing, right. Let me show you the proper hold. Tell me if I’m too close.”

She nodded, her body tensing the moment his arms came around her. Not from fear, exactly, but from alertness. There was something going on here that he didn’t understand, but he adjusted immediately, loosening his hold. He needed her to know he was there to guide, not do it for her.

“That’s good. Now relax your shoulders,” he murmured. “Let the rope do the work.”

He guided her hands, slow and patient. It didn’t take long for her to settle when he gave her time. He needed her to know she was in control. He didn’t force contact. Ever. But damn, he loved the feel of her in his arms.

After they’d practiced for a while, he checked his watch and let out a low whistle. The sound cut through the dusty warmth of the afternoon sun. “All right, everyone,” he called, keeping his voice steady. “That’s enough lasso practice for now. There’ll beopportunitiesto practice several times before Sunday, but for now, how about some free play until craft time?”

A cheer went up from the Littles, who were already bouncing on the balls of their feet. Sadie yelled, “Who wants to play tag?”

Wren and Daisy both cried out, “Me, me!”

The chorus of whoops, hollers, and shouts of “not it” told Mace it was settled. He stopped his eager little firefly before she could scamper away. “Master Derek sent word he would like to talk with you. I think now would be a good time.”

Her eyes widened with worry. “I didn’t do anything. Why does he want to talk to me?”

He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “You aren’t in trouble. He just wants to talk.”

Knowing the camp staff had been notified and would step in to take charge, he led her to Master Derek’s office. They reached the large wooden double doors in no time at all.