Page 24 of XOXO, Daddy
“I can’t be princess right now. I am going to be late for work! Shit, where are my clothes?” I scanned the floor of the bedroom, trying — and failing — to remember where I had taken them off last night.
“Your clothes are right over there, folded up on the chair. But before you go, turn and face me.”
“Adam, I —” but he put a finger to my lips, halting my words.
“You need to take a breath and calm down if you’re going to have a successful day at work. You told me during our dateyesterday that your workday starts at eight, which gives you over an hour to get ready and get to work on time.”
“Yes, I did say that. But I have a meeting at seven this morning. I didn’t mention anything because I thought I would go home last night, but —”
“I see what happened. Come here and take two slow, deep breaths.”
“But I —”
“No, buts. This is part of my job as a Daddy. To take care of you. Let me take care of you.”
“Fine.” I stood straight and huffed out two frustrated breaths in quick succession.
“Mmm, no. I don’t think so. Slow it down, breathe in on five, out on five. Slowly.” His caring sternness called to my submission, and I closed my eyes for a moment.
“Okay.” Slowly taking two deep breaths, I regulated myself.
“Feel better?” he asked with a knowing grin.
“Yes, Daddy.” He kissed the top of my forehead sweetly.
“Now, go freshen up and get dressed. You should have time to run home and change quickly if you hurry.”
I scurried from his bed towards the bathroom, but not before he threw a hand out, slapping me on the ass sharply with a chuckle. I shot him a look and then closed the bathroom door on his smarmy, charming, all together too handsome face.
As it turned out, I didnothave time to run home to change before work. Traffic was a nightmare, and I was forced to make a Hail Mary pass at getting to work on time at all. I only prayed that no one noticed I was in the same clothes as I was yesterday.
A full work day later, and I was frazzled out of my mind. Frazzled wasn’t even the word. I had been late for the meeting, though no one had really said a word about it. Then, I had returned to my office to a slew of emails that all seemed to be on fire. Who hired a new director of marketing when there was anew product launch less than a month away, and didn’t tell that new director about the launch during the hiring process?
It had been one thing after another, and as I cleared away all but ten of the emails, I was grateful to see that if I could just keep my head down, I would actually get out of work on time today. Probably. Well, maybe.
“Shame, shame!” A squeal came from my office door. Alyssa burst through and quickly closed the door behind her with a look on her face like she had gossip to spill. I did not have time for gossip. After the day I’d had, I had no desire to be around Alyssa, either. I was barely holding it together.
“Hello, Alyssa. What can I do for you?” I asked her, adopting the professional tone that the job required and pushing any other thoughts of her, or Adam, or being little, aside. Right now, I needed to focus on work, and that was hard enough as it was, with everything that had already happened today.
“Oh, don’t even start with the professional pish-posh Willow. You aresowearing the same clothes you were yesterday!” Plopping herself into the chair opposite my desk, she literally put her elbows on my desk, her chin in her hands, and looked at me with a glimmer of mischief. “Spill the tea, sister. Who wereyouwith last night? Coz, you know you said you weren’t ready for dating.”
“Who says I am ready for dating now?” I scoffed. My frustration and temper simmered right at the surface.
Deep breath, Willow. Count to ten if you have to.
“Stop the presses! Are you saying that it was ahookup?” She whisper-shouted, shock writ large across her face.
“Alyssa, I really don’t want to talk about this right—”
“Well, too damn bad! Come on! I’m your best friend. You have got to dish!” she tittered.
“You know what, Alyssa? No. I don’t have to dish, actually.” The final strings holding my fraying temper together finally snapped.
“But I’m your best friend, Willow.”
“No, Alyssa. Youweremy best friend. Back in high school. We are in our late twenties now. Our ten-year class reunion is literally this summer. A lot has changed since then,” I lashed out in pent-up frustration.
“Willow, I didn’t mean any —”
