Page 66 of Guardian Daddy

Moving slowly so he didn’t frighten her, he settled on the floor. “What do you want me to do?”

“It’s not working.” Her breathing was fast and shallow. And he didn’t like it.

Not one bit.

“What isn’t?”

“C-can’t comfort myself. You.”

“You want me to comfort you? To pat your chest?” he asked.

“Hold me.”

She wanted him to hold her?

Well, he could do that.

Sitting on the floor, he held open his arms. “Come here, baby.” Ethan figured it might be better to let her come to him. What he wasn’t expecting was for her to throw herself into his lap. He immediately wrapped his arms around her.

“Tighter.”

He tightened his hold. This was . . . surprising. From what he’d been told and seen, she didn’t enjoy being touched. But he wasn’t questioning it. She turned in his lap so she was straddling him and then wrapped her arms around his neck as she pushed herself into him.

He kept his arms around her back, just holding her until he felt her body relax, her breathing ease.

“You all right, baby?”

“Why are you calling me that?”

“I don’t know if I’m honest. It just feels right.”

“So you don’t go around calling a lot of women, baby?” she asked.

“No. You’re the only one.”

“And you aren’t calling me that because I . . . because you sensed that I am . . .”

“Ahh, you think I sensed you were a Little before last night?” he asked.

“I don’t know that I am. I can’t remember anything I do when I wake up like that in the night.”

“So you haven’t ever slipped into Little headspace any other time?” he asked.

He was surprised by how open she was being with him. Although she did sound completely exhausted. Her words were almost slurring together, as though she’d been on a bender.

He guessed her barriers were down. And he probably shouldn’t be questioning her. But he needed some help to understand this complicated woman.

“I don’t think so. It’s not that easy for me to relax. I mean, I can relax when I’m reading. But that’s it. I do like to relax in here with my blanket, Lady, and sometimes I . . .”

“Sometimes you what?”

“I’m not sure I should tell you all of this.”

“Cone of silence,” he said.

“W-what?” she asked, sounding confused.

“Not a Get Smart fan, huh?” he asked.

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