Page 2 of Grace's Daddy

“Whoa now,” Eli says as he reaches out to steady my purse. “How about you open your door, and I’ll help you get inside before mail goes flying yet again. I’m not sure Mrs. Thompson in 4C orders pizza delivery. She might not want the coupon either.”

How is he so funny?

My hands tremble as I reach into the outside pocket of my purse to pull out my key. Eli waits patiently while I fumble with the lock on my door twice before finally getting it open.

I’m not thinking clearly. All the blood drains from my face as the door swings wide, exposing my apartment to this man. I scan the inside quickly. Shit. I’m not very tidy, and there’s no hiding the unusual things scattered around inside.

Quickly turning around, I make a grab for the mail and my water bottle, hoping to hurry into my apartment and shut the door so fast that he doesn’t have a chance to see anything.

In my haste, I knock the water bottle on the floor in the doorway. This time, I’m not so lucky. The lid pops off and water jumps up into the air. Not the few ounces that a water bottle holds. Nope. Ten gallons. Because that’s how much liquid always seems to explode out of a container when you spill it.

I squeal as we both get wet.

Half of the mail falls into the water when I leap into the air, my arms flinging out in both directions, as if water will melt me. I’m not the Wicked Witch.

My mortification amps up to a hundred million billion, and this time, I’m unable to control my reaction to my incredible clumsiness. A sob escapes, and tears fall down my cheeks.

Unable to face Eli another second, I turn and run through my living room and into my bedroom. I slam the door and continue across the room until I reach my closet, which I open before dropping onto my hands and knees and crawling into the back corner.

Hyperventilating, I pull my legs up, wrap my arms around my shins, and drop my forehead against my knees. I need the world to swallow me whole. Right now.

Silent tears fall. I want a do-over. If I could backtrack about five minutes, I might be able to avoid this catastrophe. My mind races as I try to imagine how I’m going to get out of this mess. I’ll have to move to another city. Obviously.

I should have shut the door before I bolted. Why did I leave the door open? My brain isn’t working properly. Now Eli is probably inside my apartment, making my predicament even worse.

“Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…”

“Such a naughty word from such a pretty Little girl.”

I gasp and stop breathing. Did he just call me Little?

Eli’s voice rings over and over in my head. He’s right next to me. He must be squatted down inside my closet.

“Grace, sweetie, are you going to look at me?”

I shake my head. Look at him? Is he crazy? I’m never going to look at him again. I’m going to move out of this apartment as fast as possible so I never have to see him. I wonder if I can find a new apartment and hire movers to come get my stuff while I sneak out during the middle of a workday…

“Are you upset because I’ve seen your apartment, sweet girl?”

I need oxygen, but I’m afraid to breathe. It will take too much effort.

“I bet you’re worried because you don’t want anyone to know you’re Little, huh?”

How does he know what a Little is? He apparently does.

“Can I tell you something?” His hand comes to the top of my head, and he gently strokes his fingers through my hair. “I’m a Daddy Dom, Grace. There’s no reason for you to panic. I’m familiar with Little girls. I’m actually thrilled to find out you’re Little because I’ve been secretly wishing you could be from the moment I first met you.”

I gasp. All the air rushes out of my lungs before I draw in another breath. Surely I’ve misheard him.

“Do you have a Daddy, sweetie?”

I shake my head.

“You live here all alone being Little with no one to nurture you?”

I nod.

“That sounds kind of lonely. Have you ever had a Daddy Dom?”