Undercover Daddy

by Katherine Deane

  It was breaking her heart, thinking of losing him. But it was for the best. He had had fun playing with her and pulling her strings. All that Daddy, little girl, spanky, sexy stuff had turned him on too. But it was just for their cover. There was no way he would want to continue a relationship with this, like Gigi and her two part-time tops. And she couldn’t be a full-time submissive like Becky. Her job and lifestyle did not mesh. And she didn’t want this. Right?

  “Pip.” Connor rubbed her shoulder. “Your forehead is doing that thing where it dips down to your nose and then raises so high it reaches your hairline. Do you want to talk?”

  “I…” She wanted to talk to him. Explain how she felt, how confused she was, and that she wanted more. But it scared her. Damn. She was Chicken Little hiding and her sky was definitely falling around her. Taking the coward’s way out, she looked back at the traffic light and prayed for it to change. “Green. Sorry. Maybe later.”

  She pulled out, and focused on slow, easy breathing through her nose to calm her nerves as she drove the final few miles to the hotel. “Okay, we’re here. Let’s just get this night over with.” And move on with our own lives. Her heart ached.

  “You sure you don’t want to talk?” Connor’s eyes were full of compassion, just like the night of her father’s funeral.

  “No, it’s okay. I’m good.” She raced out of the car and grabbed their bags, tossing them over her shoulder.

  “I can get my own bags.” He shut the car door a little harder than necessary and scowled as he leaned on his crutches.

  She pulled a little further away from him, so he wouldn’t even think of taking his bag from her. “Just like a man. Doesn’t know when to accept help.”

  He grinned at her and leaned down over her. “Pot or kettle, Pip?”

  “Frying pan.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder with a flip and strode toward the entrance. “Followed by a campfire.”

  “You’re loony tunes, little girl.”

  “You like me that way.” She huffed over and opened the door for him, and his eyes flashed at her as he took the door out of her hands and pointed for her to precede him.

  “Just keep pushing me, Pip. I’ll show you exactly how much I can still do—even on crutches.”

  She couldn’t help but giggle at his angry face. God, the poor man was hating those things as much as she would. “All right, Daddy,” she whispered quietly. “I’ll be good.” One night. She could let go again—just a little, maybe—for one night. One last time to play with Connor. Even though it would just make it harder when they went their separate ways.

  This sucked.

  * * *

  Connor watched his tense partner practically melt into a puddle of nerves when they walked down the hall toward the auditorium. Her shoulders were so tight, and her head so straight, it seemed like she had a wooden board affixed to the back of her body. He wished he could say something, do something to calm her down, but without her consent, he wouldn’t touch her. And she was emitting more don’t fucking touch me vibes than that pregnant woman who had gone into labor during one of his shifts last year. What should he do?

  They had dumped their bags into their room—well, she had dumped their bags into the room. Alex had requested two beds this time. She was backing away from him and shutting down fast and heavy. He had hoped she would take long enough to get dressed into a cute play outfit, at least consider some roleplay, just for tonight. But she wasn’t budging. He had even asked her if she wanted a stress relief session—over his knee, over the bed, wherever. She had seemed ready to accept, but clenched her fists suddenly, firmed her resolve right in front of him, and told him No, thank you.

  As firm, professional energy poured from every pore in her body, she strode ahead of him into the room. It was as if she was bravely going to meet a firing squad. He wished he could take away the nervous anticipation and fear. But if she wouldn’t open up to him, there was nothing he could do, except be there for her when she was ready.

  Connor had talked to Bradley, Helms, and a few other people from the group, and they all seemed to be in the same mindset. They welcomed him and Alex, and actually wanted them to celebrate with them. And since he knew the second big reason for this last-minute event, he knew Alex would be all right. He just wished he could let her know. But since she wouldn’t even let him catch up, let alone listen to him, she would have to wait. A small surprise would be part of her punishment for being so grumpy and unwilling to communicate with him tonight.

  She stood in the open doorway, eyes wide, as she took in the scene that was pretty much like the party a few weeks ago. Kittens with ears and tails pranced around; a ballerina danced; a schoolboy held his mommy’s leg; some colored; a bare-bottomed redhead was standing in the corner. Yeah, the same. But different. The energy was so much more alive this time. He wondered if Alex felt it.

  “Come on, Pip. Let’s go in and mingle.”

  Her eyes, wide as saucers, met his, and she looked as if she wanted to bolt.

  “Oh, no. You are not running away from this.” He grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest for a strong hug.

  “You can’t make me.” Her lower lip stood out as she frowned at him.

  “I’m still in charge of this mission, and you always follow orders, don’t you, Makowski?”

  Her eyes narrowed.

  “And in case you forgot, I am Daddy in this scene. What I say goes. If you don’t obey, you will get your bottom smacked in the most embarrassing way I can find.”

  She trembled in his arms.

  “What’s your safe word?”

  She fisted his shirt and grumbled into his chest, and he smacked the back of her jeans.

  “Alexis Mary Grace. Your safe word ends everything. I know you’re nervous about being here, but trust me. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Enjoy your night, and when you want to stop, you will say…”

  “Donut. Donut stops everything.”

  “Do you need to say it now?”

  “No, sir.”

  “Good girl.”

  She relaxed finally and melted into his chest.

  “Let’s go say hello to a few people, before we find our seats.”

  “Okay.”

  He wished she would embrace the scene again and call him Daddy. But she wasn’t ready. Hopefully soon. He had never felt more complete than when playing with this beautiful young woman. So energetic, so strong, so fucking amazing. She brought warmth into his heart and made him feel alive. He wanted no one else, and nothing else, but her. As a professional partner, as a friend, a lover, and someone who would try out different scenes with him. That would make his life finally full. He was pretty sure she wanted him too, but was conflicted about her desires. Tonight, he would lay his heart out for her and everyone to see. Hopefully, she wouldn’t stomp it into a million pieces. Hopefully, he hadn’t read her wrong.

  “Good evening.” Helms, the chapter president’s low voice rumbled through his microphone, quieting the audience. “I’m so glad everyone was able to make it back tonight…” As he continued his introduction, Connor felt Alex slink lower into her seat. Grabbing her hand, he gave her a light squeeze, and she squeezed back. She was afraid to be here. But she was still here. His brave girl.

  Everyone politely cheered when he called up Becky, the new pageant winner. She wore long pigtails adorned with red ribbons to complement her red and white chiffon petti skirt and white socks folded down to her ankles. Alex would have killed it in that outfit. Though she probably would have tweaked a few things, like over the knee black socks, tennis shoes, and a braid instead of pigtails. He could picture himself pulling her over his knee, lifting up the skirt to rub her bare bottom—of course she would not wear panties underneath per his instructions—her little feet would kick wildly as he spanked her hard and fast, and she would shout, “No, Daddy. Please, no more.” He would stop after an earth-shattering orgasm. Fuck yeah, she would orgasm from his hard hand, and then lift her bottom and beg for more. H
e shifted in his seat and tried to pay attention to the sweet woman on the stage as she talked about the charity they would each individually send their monetary gifts to.

  It was brilliant. Many charities wouldn’t accept money from a group like theirs, no matter how large the donation. So they had decided a few years earlier to do their giving separately. Everyone would send what they could as part of their club dues to the charity for this year—The Kidney Foundation.

  “Now I would like to reintroduce someone very special to our group. Alex Makowski.”

  Chapter Seventeen

  Holy crap! The world started spinning on its axis, and Alex prayed for a hole to swallow her.

  “It’s okay, Pip. I promise, it’ll be okay.” Connor squeezed her leg and pulled her up to stand. She thought about stepping on his injured foot for about half a second, but then took it back. He wore a sweet smile and his eyes shone with pride.

  “Promise?” she whispered, her hands shaking in his grasp.

  “I promise as your friend, your partner, your lover, and your daddy.” His features firmed into a protective smile. “I will not let anyone hurt you.” He pulled her gently past him and gave her a tap on her rear. “Go on up now.”

  She hid her shaky steps with firm, long strides and straightened her spine, giving a tiny smile as she walked onto the stage. Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God. She counted the potential exits and took a deep breath as Becky hugged her. One stood about twenty paces, behind the audience, another off to her left—a door leading to the west ballroom. Or she could just will herself invisible. Maybe?

  Becky released her with a giggle. “I can still see you,” her tinkling voice whispered to her. “Open your eyes, silly.”

  She opened them and forced herself to look at her friend’s pert nose, freckled cheeks, and sweet smile. She wasn’t going to cry, right? Hold it together. Let them say their piece, nod her head, then make the mad dash for the west ballroom—preferably before she puked. She knew it going in. Connor belonged here, with these people. This wonderful group of fun, sexy open-minded explorers. But not her. She had lied to all of them. Even to herself. Alex didn’t belong here. And they were going to nicely, but firmly remind her of that. Publically thank her for kind of almost helping save the day, followed by a nice dismissal. Here’s a smack on the ass. Now get out.

  Her knees were doing that crazy jelly thing again. Crap.

  “As this year’s new princess, I’d like to start a new custom,” Becky began, her soft-pitched voice melodiously singing through the microphone. “You all know Alex.”

  Alex felt her body un-hunching when Becky lifted her arm up, forcing her gently into a small wave with a giggle.

  “Say hi, Alex.”

  “Um, hi, Alex.”

  The audience laughed.

  “That’s why I love this woman. She’s funny, and great with off-the-cuff commentary and entertainment.”

  “You won’t be saying that when I pee my pants in front of you,” Alex grumbled a little too loudly and the audience snickered again.

  “I’ll make sure to stand a few feet away,” Becky laughed and motioned for the president with a huge smile. “So, I get to start something new. It’s an award I want to give you.” She nodded her head, and Helms pulled the long pink sash over Alex’s head. “Don’t pee yet, girl. Just give me a sec.”

  Another small tug on her arm preceded Becky’s laughing voice. “Open your eyes. You’re still here.”

  Squinting through her eyes just enough to see Becky’s eyes, she listened as Becky regaled the audience with the events of the night, then preceded to work her way backwards. “Alex was kind enough to help me find my lost earring. It was my lucky set from my daddy, and I was panicking the day of the talent contest. She found it, and received a nasty bruise on her arm for her efforts. Mean old buffet table.” She wrinkled her nose.

  “Alex got a spider off my shoulder,” Calli called from the audience. “Sorry, it’s dumb, but I’m really scared of spiders.” The woman’s cheeks reddened. “She held it for me, so I could look at it up close—she didn’t make fun of me for screaming, but she did help me and then let me see it. I’m still scared of them, but they’re not quite as bad as before.”

  “She accepted me as a full-time little, and never once rolled her eyes or made fun or degraded me for wanting a full-time Daddy,” Gigi said from the first row, her eyes flashing in excitement. “She’s cool like that.”

  The audience shouted more murmurs of approval and Alex’s eyes started stinging.

  “Alex…” Becky took her hands and tried to pry them away from her chest. “May I officially present your award?”

  “I’m kind of freaking right now,” she mumbled.

  “I know. But I’m right here with you, promise.” She gently pulled Alex’s hands out from her body and spun her to fully face the audience.

  “I’d like to introduce Alex Makowski. Funny, smart, kind, she totally has a sweet tooth for lollipops, and she is perfect for this group. She brings a ray of sunshine to everyone she meets, and makes them want to stretch their arms out and bask in her warmth. She’s also, whether she’s ready to admit it or not,” she grinned at Alex, “totally a little at heart.”

  Alex nodded and gave a long sniffle. Yeah, she really was little at heart. She thought she had fooled everyone, but the only one fooled had been her. “So what’s all of this mean?”

  “It means that you are welcome to be a part of our group for as long as you wish. You’re our family, we want you. And you get to start off as the first ever Little Miss Sparkle. It’s kind of like a runner-up. And you get to announce your choice for a second charity.”

  “Really?”

  “Yeah! The club for mentors for boys and girls, right?”

  Alex’s eyes started swimming, and all she could do was nod.

  “Black Leather Desires, the second charity for this year is The Boys and Girls Club as offered by Alex Makowski. Everyone, Little Miss Sparkle.”

  The audience surged to its feet and cheered and clapped; Gigi bawled in the front row. And a few other friends were openly crying happy tears.

  “Take a bow, Little Miss Sparkle.”

  Through happy tears, Alex grabbed Becky’s hand and did a curtsy with her. Then her friends stormed the stage to hug her. Alex had never felt so accepted in all her life. Hugging and crying, yeah, even the girly crying stuff wasn’t that bad, because she had real friends. People who accepted her.

  But there was still one person who she desperately needed to see. Connor slowly waded through happy club members, shaking hands, returning hugs, a huge smile stretched across his face. “Are you okay with all of this? You can take your time, and decide whether or not you want to be a part of the group, keep the title, help with the charity.”

  “Are you kidding? This is fantastic. I wish you had told me. I hate surprises.”

  “Yeah, I know. Sorry. I tried to warn you, but you were being grumpy.”

  “About that.” She bit her lower lip and looked up shyly at him. “Would you come back to our room for a bit? I want to apologize properly.”

  “Go to our room, and take off everything from the waist down, except for your panties. Put your hair into two long pigtails, and then stand in the corner and wait for me. Do you understand my instructions, little girl?” His voice was rough and low, sending delicious shivers down her spine.

  “Y-yes, Daddy. I’ll go get ready.”

  Connor leaned down and kissed her on the forehead. “Good girl. Go get ready, and I’ll be in in a bit.” He planted a firm, hard swat onto the back of her jeans and she jumped with a yelp.

  “I’ll be back later, girls.” She hugged her friends and practically sprinted to their room. Yanking off her pants as she toed off her shoes and tossed them into a jumbled pile in the corner, she ran into the bathroom.

  She wasted no time, brushing her long blond hair in quick, thorough strokes, smoothing it out, and then pulling it into two identical pigtails that hung ov
er her shoulders. Well, they were almost identical. One was a bit misshapen and lopsided. But there was nothing she could do about that now. She found an empty corner and pressed her nose into it, clasped her hands against her back, and pushed her panty-clad bottom out—just the way Daddy liked it.

  But did Connor really like this? Did he really want her? Maybe she was just jumping to conclusions. Yeah, they both got off on the spanking and sex, and he obviously liked dominating her. But he could have anyone. Maybe this was just another session for him. A chance to get off. Were they friends with benefits—albeit super kinky wonderful benefits like hot bottoms and wet pussies, and aching nipples? God, she could feel a warm wetness dribble into her panties. So maybe he didn’t want to have a relationship with her. He had never said anything about one. Could she stand being his play toy? Super hot sexy time with a man she would call Sir or Daddy, then when it was over, go their own way? Only to repeat whenever the itch surfaced?

  Her knees buckled and it became hard to breathe. She didn’t want to just play with him for a weekend. She wanted more. Confusing thoughts drifted through her mind as she curled into a tight little ball and let the tears come. If he didn’t want her, she would be devastated. She had thought she could handle this, but she had been wrong. She really was a pitiful little girl, hurting on the inside, and so very alone and scared. And dammit, she wanted Connor—her daddy—to make everything better. She pounded the wall, bruising her hand. If this wasn’t the most screwed-up moment ever, she didn’t know what was.

  She wanted him, and didn’t want him to nurture her. Her brain was really starting to ache now. How was she supposed to tell him what she wanted when she didn’t even know what she wanted? Full-time little? No, probably not. Part time, with no strings attached, open-ended so they could have other partners? She rolled over and almost puked at that thought and a fresh round of sobs burst from her aching throat. What the hell did she want?