Page 28 of Small Town Daddy

He smiled, a genuine expression that reached his eyes. "You deserve to be happy, Lucy."

I leaned into him, resting my head against his shoulder. "It's been a long time since I've felt this way," I confessed.

He pressed a soft kiss to the top of my head. "I'm glad," he whispered.

We stayed like that for a while, the silence comfortable and full of unspoken understanding. The steady beat of his heart beneath my ear was soothing, a rhythmic reminder that I wasn't alone.

Eventually, I pulled back slightly to look at him. "Thank you," I said again, my eyes meeting his.

He shook his head lightly. "You don't have to thank me," he repeated. "I'm just glad I could help."

I smiled, feeling a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the fire. "Still, it means a lot."

He brushed a fingertip along my jawline. "You're an incredible woman, Lucy. Strong, compassionate, and brave."

I felt my cheeks heat at his praise. "You're going to make me blush," I teased softly.

He chuckled. "Maybe that's my intention."

I laughed lightly, the sound genuine and free. "Well, mission accomplished."

His eyes softened. "It's good to hear you laugh."

I gazed at him, marveling at how natural this felt. "I could say the same to you."

He raised an eyebrow playfully. "Are you implying I don't laugh enough?"

"Maybe just a little," I replied with a grin.

He shook his head in mock resignation. "I suppose I'll have to work on that."

I nestled back against him, sighing contentedly. "I like this," I admitted.

"So do I," he agreed, his arms wrapping around me securely.

We sat in comfortable silence once more, the only sounds the soft crackle of the fire and the steady rhythm of our breaths. I felt at peace, the weight of my earlier guilt and sadness lifted.

"Marcus?" I murmured after a while.

"Hmm?"

"Can we stay like this a little longer?"

He tightened his embrace slightly. "As long as you'd like," he assured me.

I closed my eyes, allowing myself to simply be—to exist in this moment without worrying about the past or the future. Wrapped in his arms, I felt safe, cherished, and, for the first time in a long while, truly happy.

Chapter 8

Marcus

Iwoke with astart, Lucy's scent lingering on my pillow. Memories of last night flooded back—her soft skin under my hands, the vulnerability in her eyes, that unexpected kiss that left me reeling. My heart raced as I replayed it all.

Was I crazy to feel this way? The age gap nagged at me. I was too old, too jaded. But damn, I hadn't felt this alive in years. Spanking her had been the single most exciting thing that I’d done in years—maybe the most exciting thing I’deverdone.

After she’d gone to bed last night, I spent hours online, researching DDlg relationships and BDSM contracts. If there was any chance of anything happening between us, I wanted to make sure that we kept things transparent and honest.

It hadn’t been hard to find a contract template. I’d taken some time to personalise it, but I needed Lucy’s input to finish it off. I hoped she’d want to look at it with me.

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