“Ah, but they aren’t ones you’re interested in, are they? You said you wanted to read more about the history of the United States. I don’t have many books on that subject. And I know you’d like some more fiction material. The library is a great idea.”
She pushes out her bottom lip and sets her book aside before a dramatic flop onto her side. “Daddy…”
My heart stops.
I’m pretty sure hers does, too. For long seconds, neither of us moves. I’m not sure how to react. I don’t want to make a big deal out of this, but it’s fucking huge. This is the first time she’s called me Daddy.
I take a step closer to her.
She pops up to sitting and jumps to her feet. “Okay, I’ll go to the library and the park on two conditions.”
I blink at how she has changed the subject instead of addressing the elephant in the room. I’ll go along with her plan. “Depends on what these conditions are, naughty girl.”
She rolls her eyes. “It’s called negotiating. You said that when two people are in a D/s relationship of any type, including Daddy/Little girl, they should negotiate things.”
“I see. And are we in such a relationship?”
“Duh…” She leans forward, slouching. Sometimes she’s so very much a Middle. There are a lot of things she enjoys that are fitting for a younger age, but her sassy side is more Middle.
I can’t resist chuckling as I cross my arms. “Okay, Little one. What are your conditions?”
“First, you have to have sex with me.”
My brows hit the ceiling. I open my mouth, but no sound comes out because I’m blindsided.
Before I can form words, she continues, “And then you should definitely spank me because my behavior is unacceptable.”
Apparently, my eyes can widen farther. It takes me a moment to internalize my Little girl’s words. She’s serious. I won’t turn her down because she wouldn’t ask if she weren’t ready.
She knows her own mind. She’s proven to me that she’s resilient. I’m not surprised. She’s had to look out for herself, stand up for herself, and find ways to protect herself from the moment she was born. She’s done everything she could for the past ten years, since she was twelve, to avoid the worst atrocities that could have happened to a woman.
And now she’s here, and she’s mine. And if she’s ready to have sex and experience impact play, I’ll give her that.
I lower my arms from my chest and hold out a hand. “Come.”
Eloise doesn’t hesitate. She runs to me so fast I have to brace myself. I catch her and lift her into my arms as she wraps her arms and legs around me. She’s grinning as she looks into my eyes. “Yes?”
I turn and walk out of her room. “You’re mine, Eloise. The answer was always going to be yes.”
“You were waiting for me to beg?”
I chuckle. “I was waiting for you to be certain about what you want.” I carry her into my bedroom. Our bedroom. It’s been so hard letting her sleep in another room for the past two weeks, but I needed to give her space. There was no way I could have her in my bed and keep my cock in my pants.
That’s an exaggeration. I could have done it, and I would have if she’d needed that from me. But I truly believe that giving her time to catch her breath without looking over her shoulder was important.
Apparently, that time is over.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Eloise
* * *
I’m nervous as Daddy lowers me onto his bed.
Daddy…
I’ve thought of him as Daddy in my head for a few days. He stopped being Cannon a while ago. But I wasn’t ready to say it out loud. I wasn’t sure how he’d feel about me calling him Daddy. I knew it was inevitable, but I also know he doesn’t take the honorific lightly.
