Page 71 of Bonded By Christmas
I crave her pink cheeks and slight embarrassment. I don’t want her mortified and uncomfortable to be around me. There’s a very fine line, and I haven’t had the chance to explore Lacey’s just yet.
Her lips push together, and she crosses her arms over her chest.
I chuckle, brushing my thumb over her pouty lip.
“Unless you’d like me to accompany you?” I bend low, getting closer to her ear. “If you want help, all you have to do is ask Daddy.”
Lacey shivers. “You and Grim are lucky I never knew my father, meaning I have no attachment to that word. Otherwise, it might freak me out.”
“I have a feeling you know more about Daddies than you’re letting on.” I laugh to keep the statement light and flick my tongue over my bondmark.
It sends a sizzle through the connection, and my chest fills with…something.
Fuck if I know what that emotion is.
Pride?
Happiness?
Contentment?
The beginning of falling in love?
Damn, that might be it.
“Do you know the basics, or would you like me to lay them out for you?” I tease my lips up her jaw and over her cheek.
“I know a little,” she admits. “But that also doesn’t tell me where your head is at.”
“Daddy is a mindset,” I tell her, pulling her nude form into my chest. “A lifestyle that has nothing to do with familial relations. It’s a promise of a safe space between us.” I study her face, and when she doesn’t speak, I go on. “How about an example?”
“Yes, please.”
A thrill runs through my entire body.
Fucking hell.
She really is sweet.
“Most of all, I want to take care of you and protect you. If you didn’t listen and needlessly put yourself in danger, I would spank your ass. It wouldn’t be a fun experience, but once it was over, the slate would be wiped clean. I would never withhold affection as a punishment, and in turn, you don’t hold a grudge when you get corrected. There has to be mutual trust and respect on a foundational level. You trust me to respect your boundaries, and I trust you to speak up if something makes you uncomfortable or gets too close to one of your hard nos. Am I fond of the idea of being calledDaddy? Fuck yes, but I’d be willing to negotiate if you weren’t.”
“All of that sounds really good.” Her hazel eyes sparkle as she studies my face. “And I’m not against calling you that, but it might get confusing if I call you both Daddy.”
I chuckle, cupping her ass. “Nah, we can share. I’ll show you exactly how well once the next wave of heat starts.”
We still need to negotiate rules and a safe word. She’ll also need to have a conversation with Grim to set expectations, if they haven’t, but so far, all of our interests seem to align perfectly.
Lacey visits the toilet on her own, but she lets me help with some of her tangles once she’s done.
I’m tempted to French braid her hair, but we don’t have any hair ties in the primary bathroom. The hair on the top of my head is long, but not long enough for ties or bands. Grim’s is, but he rarely wears it up unless we’re on a job or somewhere we need to avoid leaving evidence.
Once I’m done with her hair, I pull her to her feet. “Arms up for me, sweet girl.”
Her hands shoot toward the ceiling, and I’m once again captivated by her tits. It’s a damn shame I have to cover them by pulling the pajama top over her head, but that’s life. Squatting down, I pat her ankle, and she lifts her feet one-by-one to allow me to get her bottoms on.
I stand back up, resting my hands on her hips. “Want me to carry you downstairs?”
She opens her mouth and closes it just as quickly.
