His eyes widened. “That long?”
“Yes. It’s not as bad as it sounds. When I had work, I would usually stay in a cheap motel so I could shower each day. Otherwise, I’d find public facilities where I could bathe.”
“Jesus, baby.” He hugged her, but she noticed he didn’t squash her. He was always very aware of his strength. “I can’t believe you managed that for so long. And on your own. You’re so brave.”
She didn’t feel brave. She felt like a coward.
He reached over and picked up Inky, where she’d put him beside her on the bed. “What’s his name?”
“Umm, Inky.”
“Hello Inky,” he said in a serious voice. She tensed. Was he about to make fun of her for being attached to a stuffed toy?
“Inky appears to be well loved. Do you sleep with him? Hug him often? Play with him?”
She gasped in a breath. How had he guessed? “I think I need to leave.”
He held her easily on his lap. “Answer me, little one. I’m not going to make fun of you. Or hurt you. Has Ellie talked to you about her relationship with Bear?”
She blushed, pressing her thighs together as longing moved through her. “Yes.”
“So, you know that as well as being his girlfriend and lover, she’s also his little girl.”
She licked her lips. “Yes.” Seemed she wasn’t capable of saying much else. Her heart thundered in her chest.
“Well, I’ve been searching for my own little girl. For a long time now. Thought I might have found her a couple of times, but it wasn’t right. Until I met you.”
Her heart leaped into her throat. She shook her head. “No. You don’t mean that.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I do. Are you saying it’s not something you want? Because I think you do. I think you need a Daddy Dom. Someone to protect and cherish you. Set boundaries. And enforce those rules and limits.”
Her heart thundered in her chest. She was scared to open up. Terrified of being hurt. But he’d started this conversation. “I-I think I might want that. When Ellie explained her relationship with Bear…well…I felt a little jealous.” She stared up at him. “It used to annoy my ex-boyfriend, though. That I had a stuffed toy and needed a nightlight and enjoyed watching cartoons.”
“I think all of that is cute. Although I do think it’s appalling that you only have one stuffed toy. We’ll have to remedy that.” He brushed her hair back from her face. “If you agree to be my little girl.”
She shook her head, then winced.
His hand stilled. His face froze. “You don’t want that with me?”
“No, you don’t understand. I do. So much.”
He frowned. “Then what’s the problem?”
“You…you shouldn’t want that with me. If you knew everything about me…”
“We’ve all got pasts, Charlotte. I don’t come without my own baggage. You may not realize it, but I’m not always that easy to be around. I can be demanding. And I like to be in control, to make the decisions. To take care of those around me. I don’t want to be a dictator, although I’ve been told once or twice that I think I’m God.”
“Oh, I’ve figured all of that out,” she teased him. “But I don’t know another person who would have looked after me the way you have.” She felt embarrassed at the thought of all he’d done for her.
“It was my privilege.”
She stared at him and knew he meant every word of that.
“What if you grow tired of me? I’m not that easy to be around. I’ll try to be good but—”
“Hush.” He placed two fingers on her lips. “Little girls can’t be good all the time. You break the rules, you get punished and then you’re forgiven.”
“I just can’t believe you want me.” She shook her head in disbelief. Her? How could she be that lucky? And how long would it last before he got sick of her?