Page 118 of Guardian Daddy

“Yes. Thankfully.”

“Now, tell me what happened.”

“I was trying to get out of the bath and the room spun for a few seconds and I slipped back into the water.”

“Baby, are you all right? Did you hurt yourself?”

For some reason, the tone of his voice combined with the words had her lower lip trembling. How odd. It was even sticking out slightly.

“Y-yes. I hurt myself.” There was something wrong with her voice. It was higher pitched.

What was going on?

“Poor Catie-Pie,” he said soothingly. “Perhaps you shouldn’t have stood up without me here to help you.”

Catie-Pie?

That was a new one. Right? Somehow, though, it stirred her memory. Had he called her that before? But normally she had a very good memory, so she didn’t think she would have forgotten that.

Unless he did it while you were in Little space.

That was . . . interesting. Why would he be calling her that now, though? She wasn’t in Little . . . oh, or was she close? That tone of her voice before had sounded so high-pitched.

“A Little girl like you shouldn’t get out of the bath on her own, should she?”

Should she say her safeword? Was she ready for this?

Somehow, it felt right, though. Because what she really wanted, deep down, was for Ethan to take control. To look after her. And perhaps it would be easier in Little headspace to let go and allow him to do that.

And perhaps it was something he needed as well.

“Would you be all right with me staying here with you?” he asked.

She nodded.

“You remember your safeword if you have to use it?”

Another nod.

“I know it’s hard sometimes to talk, but I really need a verbal response for this one. I need to know I’m not taking advantage of you while you’re vulnerable.”

“I have a safeword. I know what I’m doing.” She hoped he thought the flush on her face was due to the hot water.

But somehow, she thought he knew the truth.

“Do you want to be in Little headspace?” he asked.

“I . . .” What she wanted was to not make decisions. She understood why he was asking, but it felt irritating to have to talk this through.

She slapped her hand down on the water in frustration, sending an arc of water right into his face.

Oh, no. Oh, dear.

What had she just done?

She stilled, waiting for him to get angry.

He’d said he wouldn’t yell. That he wouldn’t call you names.

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