Page 32 of Chasing Amber

“What if you don’t mess things up, and nothing gets ruined, and instead, you end up with a man who’s everything to you—Daddy, lover, protector, and friend?”

I gulp. A tear runs down my cheek. “What if you change your mind?”

“What if I don’t?” He lifts a brow. I can see his expression clearly. He must have turned on the lights in the hallway before he rushed into my room to save me from my demons.

“Love has risks, baby, but they say it’s worth it.”

“Have you ever been in love before?”

“Nope.”

I give him a slight smile. At least he’s honest, and we’re equal.

His hands come to my back and my bottom. “Hold on, baby.”

I grip him with my arms around his neck.

He stands and carries me into the bathroom, where he sets me on the vanity and reaches for a washcloth. He keeps one hand on my waist as if I might fall without his support. It’s not necessary, but nothing about the things Daddies do is usually necessary. It still feels good.

I feel cherished while I watch him wet the cloth, wring it out, and bring it to my cheeks. I stare at him while he gently wipes my face, carefully avoiding the bandage still covering my chin.

I wince when he gets close to it.

“Sorry, baby.” He leans over and gently kisses my booboo over the bandage. His eyes are dancing when he tips my chin back. “You know, Cassandra is probably sleeping on her stomach tonight for spinning in circles and encouraging you to do so also.”

My breath hitches. “Really?” I squirm on the counter at the thought of Cassandra being spanked. I also feel kind of bad about it.

Isaac kisses my cheek. “I’m sure of it, and spinning in pretty dresses until you get dizzy isdefinitelygoing on your naughty list of rules tomorrow.”

“I don’t have any pretty dresses,” I murmur.

“We’ll get you some. Bright, pretty colors.”

I bite my lip. I sort of like the idea, but I’m scared. “What if I’m not good at being Little?”

“Baby, I hate to burst your bubble, but you’ll be good at being Little. You just haven’t let yourself try it until today. We won’t really know what age range you’ll be comfortable in or how much time you want to spend in that headspace until we experiment, but we’ll figure it out. I promise.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Daddies know these things.” He scoops me off the counter, forcing me to wrap my legs around him again. He flips off the light in the bathroom and carries me to my bed.

I whimper when he leans over to settle me.

When Isaac turns to walk away, I lift onto my elbows in a panic. “Daddy…” I don’t want him to leave me here.

He spins back around, bends over to cup my face, and kisses my forehead. “I’m just going to turn off the hall lights, baby. Be right back.”

I’m panting as he walks away. “Can you leave the lights on, please, Daddy?”

He stops at the door. Instead of going through it, he pulls it partway closed, dimming the light without extinguishing it. He returns to me. “How’s that, baby?”

“Good.”

“I’ll get you a nightlight in the morning. I bet you’ll sleep better with one.”

I nod. He’s probably right. On the nights when I have bad dreams, I always bolt awake, confused. It takes me a while to get my bearings because it’s so dark in my room.

He pulls the covers up my body, sits on the edge of the bed, and strokes my hip. “Better?”

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