It was just the two of them. The sun had gone down long ago. The only light in the room was the soft, multicolored glow of the Christmas tree.
Yuletide tunes played quietly in the background.
With Daddy’s arms wrapped around her, it was perfect.
There was a devilish gleam in Kendrick’s eyes. “Are you sure? You packed an overnight bag, remember?”
She shifted on his lap. Her cheek brushed his chin, the hard five-o’clock shadow scraping against her skin.
Oh, how she wanted to stay! But her mind raced as she tried to come up with an excuse anyway.
A comforting thought stopped her; Kendrick wouldn’t demand a reason. He would be okay with whatever she chose. He wanted her to move at her pace.
That much was confirmed when he said, “You, little girl, are welcome to stay any time. We have guest rooms, too. Doesn’t have to be in my room. But I’d be happy to take you home.”
Suddenly she saw the best of both worlds as an option.
Well, the best thing would be getting railed by Kendrick. The thought made her almost blush, but she managed to stave it off as she said, “I packed some clothes for tonight, but forgot my work uniform. Would you be able to take me home tomorrow morning so I can change and catch the bus?”
“Nope,” he said. “But I can take you home to change and then drive you to work. Or we can run and get your uniform right now. Just tell me what you want.”
Samantha didn’t even have to think about it. “I want to stay!” she said excitedly.
“Then let’s go get the guest room ready,” he said, giving her one more kiss.
Stupid spanking, she thought as she followed him.
If it wasn’t for those damn stripes, I wouldn’t be in a stupid guest room!
I’d be in Daddy’s bed.
The following morning, Samantha examined herself in the mirror in her suite’s bathroom the best she could, trying to determine if the stripes from her punishment were still there.
She couldn’t make out all that much. Best she could see, though, her butt was still pretty red.
Best to give it some more time, she decided. It wasn’t as if she could really do anything that morning, anyway. They needed to leave right after breakfast if they wanted to make it to her apartment and then the diner on time for her shift.
Samantha enjoyed eating breakfast with the other Littles and their Daddies. It would be so nice to live there and constantly have people around! She couldn’t imagine a life that wasn’t lonely.
It seemed wonderful.
Perhaps that would be her life soon. Or maybe it already was…
She told everyone goodbye, got in Kendrick’s truck, and held his hand the entire way to her apartment.
Her side of town sure was different from where the mansion was. But she got the impression Kendrick didn’t mind. He wasn’t the judgmental type. She also got the impression that he only lived in the mansion because it came with the job. He—nor anyone there—seemed to be the snooty, pretentious type.
One the truck parked in the area of the grassy lot that had been flattened by other vehicles—all of them tenants who’d comebefore her—she hopped out and called over her shoulder, “I’ll be right back down. Won’t take long!”
Through the open driver’s window, Kendrick smiled and gave her a little wave.
Practically skipping up the stairs—the sturdy stairs, thanks to Daddy—she sighed. Life was just beautiful all of a sudden! Things were so good, in fact, she had completely forgotten about Auntie Athena knowing her secret and about how she’d tried to tell Kendrick only to chicken out at the last moment when they were on their walk.
“All of that will work out,” she encouraged herself quietly as she made it to the top of the stairs. “Things are good. You’ll?—”
It took her a moment to fully comprehend what she was seeing.
She stood there for a moment, staring. Finally, it sank in.
