Page 20 of Strict Daddy

The maître d' led us to an intimate corner table, candlelight casting a warm glow across the crisp white tablecloth. Byron pulled out my chair, his fingers brushing my shoulder as I sat. The touch sent a shiver through me.

"This place is beautiful," I murmured, taking in the elegant décor.

Byron's intense blue eyes met mine over the menu. "Not as beautiful as you."

I felt a blush creep up my cheeks. "Flatterer," I teased, trying to hide how much his words affected me.

We ordered, and as we waited for our food, the conversation flowed easily. I found myself laughing at Byron's dry wit, marveling at how comfortable I felt in his presence.

"So, what's your guilty pleasure movie?" I asked, sipping my wine.

Byron's lips quirked. "Promise not to laugh?"

I raised an eyebrow. "No promises."

He leaned in conspiratorially. "The Princess Bride."

I couldn't help but giggle. "Really? I love the Princess Bride!"

Byron's eyes sparkled with amusement at my unexpected confession. "No way, you too? Inconceivable!" he quoted with a smirk, his deep voice filled with mock seriousness.

“So,” I said, “how did you get into the fitness industry?”

Byron's gaze softened, a flicker of nostalgia dancing in his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. "It's a bit of a long story. I actually started out in the military. It was tough, rigorous training, but it taught me discipline and perseverance.”

My heart swelled at his openness. "Thank you for your service.

Byron took a deep breath. "It wasn't easy," he began. "But the bonds I formed with my fellow soldiers... they were unlike anything I'd ever experienced."

I listened intently as he spoke of grueling training, of nights spent under desert stars, of the weight of responsibility that came with leadership. His voice grew husky with emotion as he recounted close calls and lost comrades.

"It changed me," he admitted. "Taught me discipline, resilience . . . but also the importance of connection. Of letting people in."

I reached across the table, taking his hand. "Thank you for sharing that with me," I whispered, touched by his vulnerability.

“After my service ended, I found myself adrift, searching for something to focus my energy on. That's when I stumbled into the fitness industry."

“Have you always known you were a Daddy Dom?”

“Always?” he paused for a moment, lost in thought. “Not exactly. I knew I was different—that I yearned to protect and guard people who were important to me.” He gave me a sly grin. “And I knew I like to be in control.”

His fingers intertwined with mine, and in that moment, I felt closer to Byron than ever before.

I bit my lip.

“How about you?” he asked. “You never thought you might be a Little?”

“I didn’t know about anything to do with age play until I met you,” I admitted. felt a surge of trust wash over me, Byron's openness inviting my own. My heart raced as I realized I wanted to share my story too. “But, uh, I didn’t have much of an actual childhood.”

“Oh honey, I’m sorry to hear that.”

"I lost my mother when I was young," I began, my voice barely above a whisper. Byron's hand tightened around mine, anchoring me. "After that, everything changed."

I told him about my father's descent into alcoholism, how I'd become both sister and parent to my younger sibling. "I was just a kid myself," I admitted, a lump forming in my throat. "But suddenly I was responsible for everything—meals, bills, making sure we both got to school."

Memories flooded back – endless nights of worry, the constant fear of not being enough. "There were times I thought we'd end up on the street," I confessed, a tear slipping down my cheek.

Byron reached across the table, his thumb gently brushing away the tear. The tenderness in his touch nearly undid me.

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