“I’ve missed you too. I know this is what I said I wanted. To be on my own. To be my own boss. But it’s been awful. This house is huge and it gets scary at night. And I’m so lonely. I miss you. I miss you so much.”
“It’s okay. I’m here now, baby girl. I’m not going anywhere.” He ran his fingers through her hair, his touch a comfort she had desperately missed.
“You promise?”
“I promise. I made a mistake leaving you. I wanted to give you space. To give you what you wanted, the chance to be alone. I didn’t want you to go from one controlling relationship to another.”
She frowned. “What do you mean? What controlling relationship? You mean like what my parents did to me? Bear, you could never be like that.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “No, not like that. But what I want isn’t exactly normal.”
“Maybe not. But I like what you want. In fact, I think I need it.”
“I didn’t want you to resent me or to wonder what your life would have been like if you’d had a chance to live on your own. And I guess that part of me thought you deserved better than me.”
“Better than you? There is no one better than you.” He was the best man she’d ever met. Hands down.
He gave her a small smile. “I’m just a simple man, honey. I live a simple life. And you have all this.”
He swept his hand around.
“What do you mean? This house? Bear, this is a gorgeous house but it’s not a home. A home is with the people you love, right? And I love you.”
He grew still. “You do?”
She sucked in a breath. She knew it would decimate her if he didn’t feel the same but she had to tell him. “Yes, I love you, Bear.”
He leaned in and kissed her lightly. “That’s good. Since I love you more than I ever thought was possible.”
Happiness filled her, making her feel a little lightheaded. Then she started to wonder about what exactly that meant for them. “What happens now? Where do we go from here?”
“That depends on you, baby girl. You can stay living here. I won’t be able to see you every day because of my job, but you can be damn sure that I will be calling and texting often. You tend to get into trouble when you’re unsupervised.”
Trouble? What trouble? “I do not!”
“Uh-huh. You told me twice that you would go to the doctor.” He gave her a disapproving look.
“Oh, that.” She bit her lip.
“Yes, that.”
She squirmed slightly then winced as her body protested the movement. “I didn’t have much money and I’ve just started working at the diner and I…”
“Yes?”
“I guess maybe I was hoping you would text me to check that I’d been and then when you found out I hadn’t been you would come to see me.” It was humiliating to admit and when she looked up into his face, he looked just as stern as before.
“So, you were trying to manipulate me?”
“No! Well, maybe a little bit. I just wanted to see you.” Okay, so the plan was a little juvenile.
“And you didn’t think to just ask me to come see you?” he asked.
That would have been the mature way to handle things. But she’d felt so unsure of herself, of him and she guessed she hadn’t been brave enough to try. “I’m sorry. It was a silly way to handle things, but I just wasn’t sure what your response would be.”
He sighed. “We’re a pair of idiots.”
She gave him a hopeful look. “Does that mean you won’t punish me for not going to the doctor?”
“Oh, no, you’re getting your butt roasted. After the doctor has given the okay, that is. I won’t ever be lenient with you when it comes to your health, little girl.”
She stared at him in horror. “You’re not going to ask him if you can spank me, will you?”
He grinned. “We have our own doctor out at the ranch. He won’t bat an eyelid over me asking that.” He grew sober. “I hope I didn’t bring these migraines on when I spanked you at the cabin.”
“You didn’t bring them on. To be honest, I’m not sure what triggers them. I’m also having a little problem with my vision.”
He glared down at her. “Little girl, you are in such trouble. What problems?”
She shrugged. “When I try to read, the words tend to dance around a bit, maybe it’s because of the concussion?”
He muttered something under his breath.
“Umm, Bear?” she interrupted.
He took a deep breath in as though to calm himself. “Yes, baby?”
She played nervously with the covers. He loves you. Be brave. “What if I don’t want to live here? What if I didn’t want to just see you on the weekends?”
He looked thoughtful. “You saying you want to live with me?”
She sighed. Good, he understood. “Yes, please. I mean, if you want me to, that is. I can stay here if you don’t.” She bit at her lip worriedly. He reached out and pulled her lower lip free of her teeth. He rubbed it soothingly. Well, it was probably meant to be soothing, but it shot sparks of arousal at her clit.
“Baby girl, there’s nothing I want more than to have you with me. All the time. But are you sure you want that? I would be more than just your boyfriend. I’d also be your daddy, your Dom.”
She tried to pull herself up into a seated position. He ended up having to help her, arranging the pillows behind her so she could sit up comfortably. She was so tired.
“Bear, I know you’re worried that I’ll think you are controlling me like my parents. But I don’t see things that way at all. Because you are the opposite of them. You always put me first. You take care of me. You love me. And this sort of relationship is what I want as well. I’ve never felt safer than I did during those few days with you. That’s what I want. To be your Little girl. And to be your woman.”
“I want your promise if it ever gets too much or you find you don’t want to live in that sort of relationship anymore that you will tell me. Straight away.”
“It won’t,” she said quickly.
He gave her a stern look.
“But I will,” she added.
“Promise. And this time, I want you to keep your promise.”
She held out her pinky finger. “Pinky promise. I can never break a pinky promise.”
He rolled his eyes. But curled his pinky finger with hers. “I guess I should have made you pinky promise to go to the doctor.”
She grimaced. “Are you sure we can’t just wipe the slate clean and start again?”
“I don’t suppose we can,” he told her in a dry voice.
“Yeah, that’s what I was afraid you were going to say.”
He ran a finger over her cheek. “I’ll always put your health first, baby girl. I’m so glad that I found you that day. Because now you’ll be mine forever.”
“So, I’m coming back to the ranch to live with you?” she asked in a hopeful voice.
“There is nothing I want more.” He kissed her gently then sat back. “But there are things I haven’t told you about the ranch. Things about the way we live there.”
“Like Clint thinks he’s God and he gets to interfere in everybody’s relationships?”
He grinned. “Oh good. So, you already know about the worst of it.”
“Is he still here?”
Bear shook his head. “No. Clint is a work-a-holic. He hardly ever takes time off. You should probably be flattered that he took the time to come out and check on you himself.”
“Oh yeah, I’ll get right onto that right now.”
“On the ranch, Clint’s word is law. He can be an interfering bastard. But he really does want to take care of those he considers his. His great-great-grandfather started that ranch. He wanted a safe place to live with his wife, and her other husband.”
Her eyes widened. “She had two husbands?”
“Yep. And he only allowed like-minded people onto the ranch. Others who believed that men should be head of the household, which was
n’t such an odd thing back then, but they wanted a safe place for women to live. Women have always been cherished and protected on Sanctuary. And the men take all the responsibility. Make all the rules. And put their women over their knees when those rules aren’t followed.”
She gaped at him. “Wow. All the women on the ranch live like that?”
“Yep. More than that, they want it. Enjoy it. Although, to be honest, there aren’t that many women living there currently. Every woman has to have a guardian. And the only woman who isn’t married is Clint’s sister.”
“A guardian?”
He nodded. “Someone who watches over her, takes responsibility for her and punishes her if necessary. Usually guardians are their husbands or boyfriends, but sometimes it’s a family member like with Clint’s sister.”
“But what if a guardian abused one of them? Was horrible to them?”
He reached forward and took her hands in his, rubbing them. “Do you ever believe that I would abuse my power over you?”
“Of course, I don’t.” She clung to his hands. “But you’re you, Bear. You’ve got more integrity in your little finger than most people have in their whole bodies.”
He flushed, looking embarrassed. That was pretty damn adorable.
“But I know that other people aren’t like that,” she worried.
“Okay, I have another question. Do you think that Clint would allow anyone onto his ranch who was even the slightest bit abusive to a woman? That I would? Everyone on that ranch is there because they believe women should be kept safe. We would never allow any abuse.”
She thought that through. “Clint would know, wouldn’t he?”
“Everyone would know. And it would not go well for any man who ever abused a woman. If for some reason I lost my mind and hurt you, then you go straight to Clint and you tell him. And you’ll be taken care of. And you’ll never have to see me again.”
“You’d never do that.”
“I know. But if I did, you would go to him,” he told her in a commanding voice.
“But he’s your friend. I’d be the one who’d be sent away.”
He shook his head. “You still don’t get it, baby. Women come first. Always. We don’t give them rules to be assholes. Or because we enjoy spanking them.”
“You don’t?” she asked cheekily.
“Well, I don’t necessarily like causing you pain. But a sexy spanking could be fun.”
Her body heated at his words. “Yeah. I think that’s the only spankings I’m going to get from now on.”
He gave a bark of laughter. “I wouldn’t bet on that.”
She wrinkled her nose at him. “You’ll see. I’ll be a good little girl from now on.”
“We will see. You’re still very pale. Ellie, I love you so much. I can’t stand the idea of you being in pain and not telling me. We’ll get Doc to examine you as soon as we get back to the ranch. Hopefully, he can figure out what these headaches are about.”
“Are any of the other women on the ranch like me? A Little?”
He looked thoughtful. “No, I don’t think so. Although sometimes Clint’s sister can act a bit like a teenager. But that doesn’t mean anyone will make fun of you or look down on you.”
“I don’t feel comfortable showing my Little side to anyone else.”
“Then you don’t have to,” he said easily. “It will just be special for the two of us.”
She smiled up at him. “I like the sound of that.”
“Like I said, everything is different for everyone. And we’ll do what’s right for us.”
She held up her arms and he carefully pulled her into his lap, holding her close. “I love you, Daddy.”
“I love you too, baby girl.”
“So, does this mean I get to know what your real name is?” she asked hopefully.
“Not a chance.”
14
“I can’t believe you actually asked him about spanking me,” Ellie said to Bear as soon as they walked into his cabin on the ranch.
“I told you I was going to.”
“Yeah, but I thought you were joking about that.”
They’d spent the night after her migraine at her Aunt Rose’s house then the next morning, he’d packed up all her stuff, without letting her lift a finger, and driven her out here. She’d decided that she might rent Aunt Rose’s house out. It deserved to have a family living in it.
The ranch was beautiful. She was pretty certain it was heaven on earth, nestled between two mountains and surrounded on two sides by trees that seemed to go on forever.
Bear had spent yesterday settling her in and then this morning, he’d taken her to see Doc. Who had to have the worst bedside manner of any doctor she’d ever met.
But he had some good news. He’d given her an eye test and discovered she was far-sighted. He believed that was causing her headaches and blurry vision. She would need to go to an optometrist, and get some glasses, of course. But he was hopeful once she did that the migraines would clear up.
When Bear, the rat, had asked him if it was safe to spank her, he’d told him to lay off any heavy punishments for a bit. Until they’d made sure that the headaches were entirely related to her eyesight. But he’d added that a few swats would be all right.
Those were his exact words. Her cheeks were still burning in mortification. Then Bear had gone and asked if it was all right for them to have sex. Doc had been very matter-of-fact when he’d replied that as long as he wasn’t going to tie her upside down or do anything else extreme to fuck her, they were good.
“I’m so embarrassed.”
“There’s no reason to be. Neither Doc nor I were. If I’m going to look after you then I need to know your limitations, don’t I? I don’t want to do anything that will harm you.”
“I know…but…sheesh…” She sat on the bed and stared at her feet.
He crouched down in front of her and lifted her chin so she had to look at him. “I’m sorry you were embarrassed, baby girl. But I can’t let that get in the way of taking care of you, okay?”
“Okay. I…umm…I suppose you have to get back to work now.” She looked from him to the bed.
“Actually, I’m off until tomorrow. What would you like to do for the rest of the day?” He gave her a knowing look.
“Well, I suppose we have been given the green light to…well…and…” She blew out a frustrated breath. “I wish I was sophisticated and worldly and could talk about this stuff.”
He chuckled and stood. For a moment she worried he was going to leave. But he just started undoing his shirt buttons. “Well, I for one, am glad you’re not sophisticated and worldly. I like you just the way you are.”
By now, he had his shirt off and her gaze was caught on his chest. All that gorgeous muscle encased in tanned skin and he was hers. All hers. Her mouth went dry, nerves fluttered in her stomach. Were they really doing this?
She reached up and ran her hands over his chest, down his stomach until she reached his belt. She slipped it open then undid his jeans, pulling them down over his ass.
His cock was straining against his black boxer shorts and she leaned in and licked it right through the cloth.
He groaned as she ran her tongue up and down the length.
“Enough. Take him out.”
“Him, huh?”
“Well he’s certainly not a she. Stop teasing me, minx. I want to feel your mouth on me.”
She gently tugged at his boxers, but he obviously grew impatient because he took over, dragging them down along with his jeans and chucking them to one side. She leaned forward and grasped hold of his shaft at the base and licked along the head, then sucked him into her mouth.
“Fuck, baby. Feels so good.”
She hummed in pleasure as she licked her way up the shaft then took him into her mouth again, sucking on him strongly. She reached out with her free hand and cupped his balls.
“Oh hell. You do not know how amazing that feels. Your mouth is a furnace a
round my cock. Take me deep, honey.”
She took him down, loving that she could do this for him, bring him such pleasure.
“Faster, baby. That’s it. Suck me inside you. Oh fuck, yes.” She heard the need in his voice. Knew he was close.
“I’m going to come. Suck me down. Such a good girl to swallow. Yes, that’s it. Christ!”
When he was finished, she licked him clean then leaned back to smile up at him. “Okay?”
His gaze was hot. Intense. “Okay doesn’t even cover it. Come here.” He crooked a finger at her and she stood. He immediately picked her up. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he kissed her, not seeming to care that she still had his taste in her mouth. Then he laid her back on the bed and stripped her. He tugged off her leggings and the thick socks that he’d given her to wear, which were about five sizes too big since they were his.
Then he reached for her sweater, gently tugging it off.
“You have entirely too much clothing on. You should spend all of your time naked,” he grumbled
“That could be rather cold,” she commented as he removed her thermal shirt. He’d insisted on buying her some warmer clothes yesterday before they’d headed to the ranch. “We’d have to move to Hawaii for that to be possible.”
“It’s a thought,” he muttered. She knew he wasn’t serious. He loved it here. The mountains and quiet suited him.
She wasn’t wearing a bra and in no time, she was lying there naked while his hot gaze devoured her.
“Beautiful.” He ran a finger between her breasts then up over her right nipple. She trembled. She was so turned-on she didn’t think it was going to take much to push her over the edge.
“Did you masturbate while we were apart?” he asked as he moved his finger over her nipple.
What? Why did he do this to her? “Bear, you can’t ask me that.”
He lay alongside her and ran his finger down her stomach to the very top of her pussy then just as he was about to reach the top of her slit, he changed direction and moved his finger back up towards her breast.
“I just did. And you’re going to answer me. If it makes you feel any better, I masturbated every night. And while I was rubbing one off, I was thinking about you naked. About the taste of this sweet pussy.” He cupped her mound. “The little sounds of pleasure you make as your pleasure grows. The way you tense up then explode, your entire body shaking when you come.
Daddy Bear Page 14
