* * *
“Daddy Z,what do you think of my outfit?”
Surprise filled him at her words and he glanced up slowly from his phone. There was something wrong with him. He knew it, he just couldn’t seem to fix it. It was like there was a cloud of doom around him, pushing down on him.
This wasn’t like him. At all.
He didn’t like feeling this way.
Feeling like he’d made a mistake. Feeling guilty. It was a rare emotion for him. Generally, he was so certain that everything he was doing was the right thing to do that he didn’t feel guilt or worry or have regrets.
“Daddy Z? Are you listening to me?”
He blinked, frowning. What was going on? Why was Keira calling him Daddy Z? The only time she’d called him that was when she was under the sedation Lochy gave her. Why would she be calling him that now?
“Daddy Z!” She stomped her foot, then to his shock, a pillow landed in his face.
It was even better than a glass of water to his face. He suddenly came back into himself as he realized what was happening.
He took her in. She was wearing a pair of striped socks that went up over her knees and a pair of short denim overalls. On her feet were the fluffy slippers he’d sent to her while he was away. She’d even tamed her hair into two braids.
She looked utterly adorable, and he felt the gloomy cloud lift a little, letting in some light.
Then he glanced down at the pillow.
The one she’d thrown at him.
Tut-tut. That was very naughty.
“Did you just throw a pillow at me, Little Thief?” he rumbled, sitting up slowly so he didn’t scare her.
She bit her lip, but she didn’t look scared. Just nervous. And so she should be.
“You weren’t paying me any attention.” She stuck out her lower lip.
Oh no. If he was going to be a good Daddy, and he had expectations that he would be the best Daddy Dom to ever walk the planet, then he needed to nip this behavior in the bud.
“Baby girl, it is not acceptable to throw things at Daddy,” he informed her.
“It’s not acceptable for Daddy to ignore baby girl,” she replied.
How was that both cute and sexy at the same time? He wasn’t sure. But it was.
“Sometimes a Daddy has to do things and his baby girl needs to learn to wait patiently for her Daddy’s attention.”
“No.”
“No?” he raised an eyebrow at her reply.
“Yes. I mean no. That’s a no from me.”
“What’s a no from you?” Why did he feel like he was losing control of this conversation? Did he ever really have control of it? He was thinking that was a no.
“No, I don’t think I should have to wait for your attention. I don’t like waiting. I’m impatient.”
“Well, I’m sorry, baby girl. There will be times you have to be patient.”
“No.”