Page 51 of Cutter

“Don’t leave me, Daddy. I’ll be lonely.”

“I’m getting our breakfast ready for when you’re finished in the bath. Aren’t you hungry?”

She nodded.

“I won’t be long.”

Of course, he thought of everything and was always one step ahead of her. She had to learn how to relax and stop thinking altogether when he was around. Wasn’t that the whole point of surrendering her heart and soul to Daddy? A lifetime of acceptance and rewarding ageplay loomed on her horizon. And she was going to hold on with both hands.

Moments after Cutter left her, ambient classical music streamed from her living room into the bathroom. Obviously, he’d found the TV cable’s music channels. The orchestral sounds relaxed her even further, and she wondered why she’d given up on this routine. Tucking her worn-out mermaid between her neck and chin in an affectionate gesture, she slipped lower, allowing the water to cover her collarbones.

“Our Daddy is wonderful. You’re going to love him too,” she whispered to the toy and sighed.

Emily could stay like this forever.

Chapter Ten

Cutter’s timing was excellent. Emily was dozing off under the spell of the heated water and sliding down too deeply when he came back to the bathroom.

“How’re you doing?”

Blinking out of her sleepy daze, she pushed up, sloshing water out of the tub.

“Watch it, little Emmy. You’re getting the floor wet.”

The first time Cutter had used the endearment, she hadn’t been too convinced it fit her. Now, she felt good with it. She turned, and her eyebrows shot up. He carried a chair from the kitchen and the pitcher she used for iced tea.

Settling the chair next to the tub, he chuckled at her questioning expression. “I’d rather sit to wash your hair. It’s more comfortable than bending over. I found the pitcher in your cupboard. How’s the water? Hot enough?”

“Yes, it’s very comfortable.”

“Good.” Reaching over, he turned on the spigot and held his hand under the water for a minute. Satisfied with the temperature, he slowed the rush to a thin stream. “I’m making sure the water stays warm until we’re finished.” He shook his fingers and sat back. “Okay, sit up for me and close your eyes.”

Emily sat upright. Feeling a little anxious and curious, she waited for him to begin. Once more, Cutter was bringing new experiences into her life and showing how a real Daddy behaved. With every action and gesture, the emotional wounds Dennis had inflicted on her sense of worth closed and healed. Not even a scar would be left behind. Soon, he’d fade out of memory altogether.

This was new territory. Except for Emily’s beautician, and probably her mother when she was a child, no one had ever washed her hair. And certainly never a guy. What’s-his-name would’ve laughed at her if she’d asked. The next thing she felt was Cutter pouring water over her hair. He paused and did it again. She supposed the pauses indicated when he was refilling the pitcher.

The floral scent of her shampoo reached her nostrils just before Cutter’s strong and confident fingers handled her hair and massaged her scalp. And if she thought she’d entered Heaven when she stepped into the bath, Daddy was now putting her into a floating trance.

“That…feels…so…good,” she whispered.

“I love babying you, sweet Emmy.”

Goodness, she loved the way he babied her. He went straight to her heart and soul and was so good at it. Maybe she could remain once and for all in her late tweens and not a day later.

While she mused her age regression options and which age fit her best, the delicious process continued. As he rinsed her hair, then thoroughly finger-combed the conditioner without yanking her once, she remembered Cutter also had long hair and this was part of his normal routine. Nevertheless, he was handling someone else’s hair, not his…

Ah…that did it.

She’d tripped herself and stumbled onto the wrong path. Her thoughts marched straight to other women he might have pampered the same way.

“Stop it,” he said. “You were doing so well.”

“I can’t help it.”

“Yes, you can. Open your eyes.”

The moment she did, he twisted her hair around his hand and tilted her head back, forcing her to look at the disapproval on his face.

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