Page 202 of Daddy, Sir

She inhaled sharply, breathing him in, taking in the faint traces of his spicy cologne, the same one he’d worn all those years ago. Her fingers clenched in his coat, and for the briefest second, she wanted to hold on, to stay in the safety of his embrace.

Then, too soon, he pulled back, his gaze searching hers as if looking for something.

Sasha, standing beside them, cleared her throat, a pointed reminder that they weren’t alone. The woman next to him gasped, making Lily’s cheeks heat in embarrassment. Oh, god. Hopefully, she hadn’t made it obvious that she still had feelings for Greyson in front of his girlfriend.

“Lily!” the woman squealed.

For the first time since seeing Greyson, Lily moved her gaze to look at the person beside him, and as soon as she did, a rush of relief swept through her.

“Carly! Oh my gosh,” Lily replied just as excitedly. “I haven’t seen you in forever.”

Carly was much younger than she and Greyson, but even so, Lily had always liked her, and they’d gotten along. It seemed like every few years, they randomly ran into each other and said they wanted to make plans but never did.

“You look amazing,” Greyson said, his deep, velvety voice made Lily react the same way it always had, with butterflies erupting in her tummy.

The heat spread over her cheeks and down her neck, and she peered up at him from under her lashes. “Thank you. You look really good, too.”

She needed to get away from him. Even being in his presence for these few seconds was torture. A reminder of the best love she’d ever had, and then lost. Not that she blamed him. He’d served his country, and she had been so proud of him for making that choice. Despite that, losing Greyson had been the hardest thing she’d ever gone through.

Putting on a chirpy voice, Lily brushed her hair over her shoulder. “We have to get going, but it was good seeing you.”

Greyson’s eyebrows furrowed, and she flicked her gaze away before he could look too deeply. The man had always been way too good at reading her. She definitely didn’t want him to know she was lying about needing to go.

Without waiting for a response, she pulled Sasha away from Greyson and Carly, the entire time her friend stared at her like she’d lost her mind.

“What was that?” Sasha asked. “Because he was one fine man, and he was looking at you like you’re an angel.”

Lily shook her head, not wanting to explain. By the time she slid into the passenger seat of Sasha’s car, a heavy ache had settled deep in her chest. She hated to admit it to even herself, but she was still in love with him, even after all this time.

The week dragged on in a blur of half-finished thoughts and restless nights.

Lily tried to focus on her work, sitting at her desk with a spreadsheet open, but the numbers meant nothing because she couldn’t concentrate on anything other than the ghost of her past.

Greyson.

The way his arms had felt around her. Like he was her home.

It was worse at night, when she went home to her empty house. Lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling, memories played on a loop in her mind. His firm hand guiding her to kneel. His gruff voice murmuring praise when she was good, sharp commands when she was naughty. The way he had stripped away the weight of adulthood, letting her sink into the safe, blissful innocence of Little space.

She regretted rushing off and not getting his phone number when they’d bumped into each other. All because she was a coward. Fear had held her back. She had no idea if he was single or eventhoughtabout her the way she thought about him.

By Friday night, the weight on her chest was unbearable.

She needed an escape. She neededLittle space.

After work, she took a long bath, letting the hot water and foamy bubbles soothe her pent-up anxiety. Then she went to her closet, pulling out the dress she hadn’t worn in months, a pastel-pink one with delicate lace trim and a full skirt that made her feel small the second she slipped it over her head. She paired it with white cotton panties with pink hearts all over them, some white lace-trimmed socks, and her favorite Mary Janes.

She braided her hair into two neat pigtails, tying them off with satin bows.

By the time she stepped in front of her mirror, she felt herself already slipping into her favorite headspace. The Playground was exactly what she needed tonight.

The BDSM club was her sanctuary, a place where she didn’t have to think about the real world. The moment she stepped inside, the familiar mix of low music, laughter, and quiet voices wrapped around her like a cocoon. She made a beeline for the Littles’ play area, where colorful mats and plush toys created a world separate from the darker corners of the club.

Sinking to the floor, she picked up a doll and began brushing its hair, letting herself enjoy being her most innocent self. She wasn’t sure how much time passed, and she didn’t care, either. Then…

“Lily.”

Her entire body froze.

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