Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
“You get to decide what your normal is. And if normal is being the same as everyone else? Well, screw that. Sounds boring.”
Cate found herself smiling up at him. “That’s such a nice thing to say.”
“Again with the word nice. We have to extend your vocabulary.”
“My vocabulary is extensive, thank you very much.”
“Does it have the words, ‘yes, Sir’ in it?” he asked.
She sucked in a breath. “You want me to call you Sir?”
“Only if you want that too. Or you can call me Ethan. I also accept Daddy, but I don’t think you’re quite there yet.”
No, she wasn’t.
“Everything is negotiable, baby. Except health, safety, fidelity, and honesty. Those things I can’t budge on. But you can tell me where the limits are. All right?”
“All right.” The truth was, she was starting to feel overwhelmed.
Perhaps what she really needed was some time on her own to sort through all of this. But the thought of being alone had panic filling her.
“Talk to me. What’s going on in that smart head of yours?”
Should she tell him?
He said he wanted honesty and she had to believe that he was telling her the truth.
“I’m feeling overwhelmed. I have to be careful, I can get overstimulated easily.”
“Then we need to calm things down,” he said immediately. “We can revisit all of this later. A lot has happened today and I’m putting even more on you. Would you like me to leave you alone?”
“No!” She wrapped herself around him as best she could.
“Hey, it’s all right. If you want me to stay, I’m here. Truth is, I’d have tried, but I don’t think I would have been able to leave you. I told you I need to take care of you. But tell me what you need.”
Her breathing was slightly erratic.
“Or do you not want to tell me? Do you want me to give you what I think you need?”
Is that what she desired? In her books, when one character surrendered control it was a freeing experience. They could just be, rather than thinking and overthinking. Sometimes, she got so tired trying to read people and situations. Worrying all the time.
“Yes, I want that.”
“Good girl for telling me what you need. I’m so proud of you.”
It was silly to feel so happy about that. It wasn’t like she’d done anything amazing. But her body filled with warmth.
“Now, while I’m I charge, I need you to promise to use your safeword if you have to.”
She stiffened.
“We talked about it before and you weren’t sure if you would remember when you’d regressed. But this is different. And if you don’t promise to use it if you need to, I’ll worry that I’m pushing too far.”
“All right. I will use red if I need to.”
“Good girl. Is there anything that’s a hard limit? We’re not playing tonight. I won’t be pushing you. But I still have to know if something will trigger you. All right?”
“Being called a brat.”
“I will never do that.”
“Being told I’m useless, an idiot, a weirdo.”
“Whoa. No. Nope. That will never happen. No name-calling. No degradation or humiliation, I’m guessing?”
She nodded, unable to speak. The idea of those things terrified her.
“Good, because those are my hard limits too. Perhaps I should tell you mine. I will not humiliate or degrade you. I will not make you bleed. I will not share you. I am a very possessive man. Voyeurism is a no. I won’t put you at any risk. Things I do like are to be in control, I want to take care of you, coddle, and protect you. Eventually, I want to fuck you. To make you beg and scream my name. I like bondage, but it’s not something I need if it makes you uncomfortable. And Daddy really wants to take care of his Little girl. To play with her, snuggle her, dress her, feed her, and discipline her when needed. You good with all that?”
“Yes. Although I’m not sure I can be unclothed in front of you yet or have you touch me under my clothes.”
“Noted. But over your clothes is good?”
She could feel herself blushing, but she nodded. God. Everything seemed so overwhelming.
“Hey, don’t stress. I don’t want you to go too far into your head, all right? Stay with me.”
“I am with you. I’m sitting on your lap.”
“Physically, yes. But I can see how hard you’re thinking. I need you here, okay?”
“I’ll try.”
“You’re such a clever, beautiful girl.”
28
Dear Lord. She was practically melting against him. What would it be like to have him talk to her like this all the time?
She’d likely never get anything done.
“There’s no checklist of things we have to do or a time frame we have to adhere to.”
“Oh. I was kind of hoping there would be a checklist.”
He smiled. “Were you?”
It felt like there was a timeframe since he wouldn’t be here forever, but she pushed that thought aside. She’d told him she’d try to stay in the now and not go too far into her head.