Daddy's Submissive Little (Wounded Daddies 2)

CHAPTER FIVE

Charlotte

I can’t recall a time I’ve felt so excited about things. Of course, I worry I’ll mess things up. In fact, just glancing through the files gives me a clear understanding of the complexity of most of the real estate transactions Charlie handles. Getting these properties clear for transfer will be a lot like untangling complicated knots. There are so many different places where I could make a mistake and the pressure is already starting to grow.

But, I really like Nancy and, of course, I adore Charlie.

He leaves about three-thirty for a dinner meeting an hour away. I continue to organize the office and at about four-fifteen, I have a stack of current files on my desk. The rest are put where they belong in the filing cabinet. There are fourteen properties, and I can tell that a lack of legal expertise has affected the office’s functioning. A few of these files have been in process for months, and one has been working for nearly two years!

I pull out a yellow legal pad and tackle the oldest file first, reviewing the paperwork, taking notes and developing potential strategies. I’ve just closed it and moved to the next, when Nancy steps into my office.

“You know it’s way past quittin’ time, right?”

“Oh,” I say. I shrug. “I’ll probably just stay here for a while and get through these files.”

“Uh, uh,” she says. “No way. It’s Friday night and you’re not in the Big Tomato at some high-powered law firm. My Daddy’s taking me dancing tonight and you’re coming with me!”

She’s so bright and so demanding! I laugh and say, “It’s the Big Apple, not the Big Tomato.”

She laughs and says, “How do you know I wasn’t talking about some city in Italy?”

“I really have to get through all of this work,” I say.

She looks at me as if I’m a crazy person.

“What are you talking about? It’s your first day and you weren’t even supposed to start until Monday. You’re going dancing with Daddy and me. I think you thought this was a question. It’s not. It’s a… um… What presidents do to make holidays. Not a declaration, but …”

“A proclamation?”

She smiles. “So you agree! Great. Come on, let’s go.”

I give up trying to argue, and it actually feels really good that she wants to include me. I’m also kind of interested to meet a father, who has fun with his daughter, as opposed to one who just makes demands and sets expectations.

“I’m not dressed for dancing,” I say and she rolls her eyes.

“You’ll be the belle of the ball. Now, no more arguing or I’ll have to come up with devious ways to torment you on Monday. I’ll give you coffee with salt. I’ll call psychic hotlines and transfer them to you. I’ll put jelly on your paperclips. I’ll—”

“Okay, okay!” I laugh. “You win!”

She stares at me expectantly, until I stand up. She waits for me actually to leave the office before following me. “There will be no workaholics at this office,” she says. “Well, no more anyway. And none of Fridays!”

“Hey, you already won,” I say. I find it amazing how easy it is to hang out with her. To just be… God, do I actually have another friend? That makes two, if my friend back in New York still likes me now that I’ve gone. “So give it a rest. What’s that rule about selling someone who’s already sold?”

“We leave the sales in this office to Charlie,” she says sternly. Then, she laughs.

“When will your father be here?” I ask. The clock says five forty-five at present.

“Oh boy,” she says. “You…” She chuckles and shakes her head. “I’m sorry. You behave like much like a Little that I forget you’re not one.” I stare at her in confusion and she says, “It’s my boyfriend, Douglas. He’s not my father. I call him my Daddy, and he takes care of me like I’m his little girl.”

“Oh,” I say. “That’s cute, actually.”

She nods and says, “I oversimplified it. It’s kind of a… Well, we get kinky, too. Sometimes I’ll even wear a diaper.” She notices my look of shock and says, “It’s not just about that, though. I mean, when I’m really feeling crazy, it’s nice not to have to worry about anything. I just let him make decisions and be responsible for everything. It changes how my day goes and changes just about everything.”

I breathe out a sigh as I realize how wonderful all that sounds. If only there was someone I could trust to make decisions for me…

“Here he is!” she says. Her excitement over his arriving is beautiful, and I find myself wishing I had someone in my life like Douglas; someone I could… Oh, who the hell am I kidding? What I want is for Charlie to be my boyfriend.

If he feels any surprise that Nancy has included me tonight, he gives no sign of it and we head to a cowboy bar where Nancy teaches me to line dance. In between songs, she tells me about the Daddy/Little lifestyle. I can’t believe how remarkably appealing it all seems and I lose myself in thoughts of having a relationship like that with Charlie.

It’s easy to dream while dancing. During one song, I’m so lost in it that I end up dancing with a man before I even realize I’m not holding onto Nancy’s hand anymore. I start to pull away but stop when I notice it’s Charlie. He smiles and says, “It’s taco night and now that the meeting’s over, I thought I’d stop by.”

The dance is wonderful although I spend the whole time terrified my attraction for him will be completely obvious. When the music ends Nancy steps over to us and says, “We’re going to head home. Can you give Charlotte a ride back to the office for her car, Charlie?”

“My pleasure,” he says. I’m thrilled because I get two more dances with him and when we stop at the office, he walks me to my car. I don’t know where I get the strength to do it, but before I open my door, I get up on my tiptoes and kiss him. He stiffens and I feel as if I’ve made a terrible misstep, but then he kisses me back, urgently and powerfully.

When the kiss ends, I smile at him and whisper, “See you Monday.”

I get in my car and drive back to my hotel. I spend the whole time swinging between complete joy over the kiss, on one side, and irritation with myself for not asking him to come over. In the lobby of the hotel, I see Tami at the front desk. She’s a bright and friendly girl and we’ve become friends. She already knows I have a crush on Charlie and I run right over to her and give her an excited and breathless report of everything that’s happened.

We talk for almost an hour and by the time I get up to my room, I feel happier than I’ve felt in as long as I can remember.