“A daddy wraps his little princess up in his protection. He makes certain she has all she needs. A place where she can be herself without fear. That she’s warm and fed and healthy and safe. Even if sometimes that means Daddy has to enforce his rules to ensure all of those things.”
A small shiver raced up her spine.
“Have you ever thought about what that might feel like? Being disciplined by Daddy? Because little girls can’t always be good, can they?”
She was rarely good.
“Will you get angry? If I’m naughty?” Because it was bound to happen.
He studied her seriously. “Does that scare you?”
She blinked. Did it scare her? Zeke was a big guy, but so were her brothers. Just because he was large didn’t mean he would harm her. But she knew her brothers better than Zeke. Clint was all bluster. Blunt and growly with a soft inner core. Kent was more patient, lenient but he could be strict when he needed to.
She and Zeke had butted heads plenty. She’d seen his temper. Sometimes she saw shadows in his eyes. She didn’t know what they represented, but she didn’t believe he was the type to lose control. He was the sort of guy who thrived on being in charge.
“I’m not scared of you.”
“Daddy,” he told her.
“Wh-what?”
“Call me Daddy, princess.”
“I’m not scared of you, D-daddy.”
“I have a temper,” he admitted. “However, I have it firmly under control. And I’d never, ever harm you. Sometimes I might get angry if you put your safety at risk. However, I’d never touch you when I’m mad. Any and all discipline would wait until I’d calmed down. I never want to scare you, baby girl.”
“You don’t. D-daddy.”
Warmth filled his face. And it was worth the feeling of weirdness.
“How about we stop talking about me? This night is about you.”
It was? She blushed slightly. She didn’t know what to do with all his attention on her.
“It’s getting late and Daddy’s little girl needs to go to bed.”
She pouted. “Don’t wanna.” Holy shit! Where had that come from? Her voice. . .she sounded so childlike.
He tapped her nose. “No arguing with Daddy, little missy. Daddy decides when you go to bed.”
“That’s not fair. I’m a big girl.” She didn’t feel very adult right then, though.
“No, you’re not. You’re my very precious baby girl. And I need to take good care of you.”
Oh God, if only she was his precious baby girl. That pang of longing for more than just tonight caught hold of her so she didn’t hear the next part of what he said.
“. . .hairbrush?” He looked down at her expectantly.
Shoot.
“Um, what?”
He ran a finger down the side of her face and a flush went through her body. Seemed her Little liked being touched by him as much as her adult side.
“Were you not listening to me?”