Page 30 of Maddox

As I was plating some fruit and toast, I heard soft footsteps on the stairs. Clare appeared in the doorway, looking small and vulnerable in my oversized t-shirt. Her eyes were puffy from last night’s crying, her hair mussed from sleep.

"Good morning," I said gently. "How are you feeling?"

She was silent for a moment. “I don’t know. Did I...was I in the playroom last night?"

I nodded, keeping my voice calm and non-judgmental. "You were. Do you remember what happened?"

She shook her head, looking distressed. "It's all fuzzy. I remember waking up and feeling scared, but after that..." She trailed off, wrapping her arms around herself. "I'm so sorry," she whispered. "I didn't mean to cause trouble."

I moved closer, deciding we both needed normality. At some point this morning, around dawn, I’d decided all this pussyfooting around wasn’t helping. I was a Daddy and Clare was a Little girl. She might be trying to deny that to herself, but long-term that wasn’t going to work. Today, I was starting as I meant to go on, and that included feeding my princess her breakfast.

I moved closer to Clare, my voice gentle but firm. "You have nothing to apologize for, princess. You didn't cause any trouble. Now, let's get some breakfast in you."

I guided her to a chair at the kitchen island, noting how she didn't resist my touch. I placed a plate of fruit, toast, and bacon in front of her, along with a glass of orange juice. She stared at it, but then I sat and pulled her down on my lap. Clare looked at the food, then back at me uncertainly. "I'm not very hungry," she murmured.

“Just a little.” I had a piece of melon at her lips as she opened her mouth to protest. I had a second plate filled with pancakes that looked a little intimidating, but I was hungry. I saved the tiniest pancake bites, the juiciest pieces of melon, and the perfect strawberries for her and simply hoovered up the rest myself.

She barely ate three mouthfuls, and even though I wasn’t gonna push the food, I decided that today was the start of our relationship. At least our Daddy/Little one. It was a minefield, but Dion had been right. I couldn’t hide who I was.

“Let’s get you showered for your morning,” I said when she’d eaten more than I expected. “Then you can explore the playroom, or if you want a ride home that’s no problem.”

Clare's eyes widened slightly at my words, a mix of emotions flickering across her face—surprise, uncertainty, and maybe a hint of longing.

"I...I don't know," she said softly, biting her lip. "Maybe I should just go home."

I nodded, keeping my expression neutral even as disappointment settled in my chest. "Of course, if that's what you want. But Clare, I want you to know that you're always welcome here. Whether you want to explore your Little side or just need a safe place to be."

She was quiet for a moment, her gaze dropping to her hands fidgeting in her lap. When she spoke again, her voice was barely above a whisper. "What if...what if I want to stay? Just for a little while?"

My heart leapt at her words, but I kept my voice calm. "Then you can stay as long as you like, princess. We can take this one step at a time."

Clare nodded slowly, still not meeting my eyes. "Okay," she said softly. "I think...I think I'd like to stay. For now."

I smiled gently, resisting the urge to pull her into a hug. "I'm glad. Now, how about that shower? I have some clothes you can change into if you'd like."

She nodded again, finally looking up at me with a small, hesitant smile. "That would be nice. Thank you.”

I wasn’t sure Clare knew what she’d agreed to, but I didn’t intend for her to shower alone. Would she panic if I joined her? I didn’t know. But if so, I would retreat. Of course I would. But for now, I had a Little to get ready for her day.

I guided Clare upstairs to the bathroom in the room she had slept in, my hand resting gently on the small of her back. I’d love to take her into the master, but I had a feeling that would be too much.

"I'll get you some towels and some clothes," I said softly and started stripping.

Clare stared at me. "What are you doing?"

I glanced up at her. “Helping you take a shower,” I explained, like there was nothing wrong. Taking a deep breath, I decided to take a risk. "Clare," I said gently, "would you prefer to get a shower alone or do you want Daddy to help you?”

She froze, her eyes snapping to mine in surprise. For a moment, I thought I'd pushed too far, but then I saw a flicker of something in her gaze—longing, maybe? Or relief?

"I...I don't know," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "I'm not sure if I'm ready for that."

I nodded understandingly. "That's okay, princess. There's no pressure. I’ll go get my own shower while you’re in here.”

Swallowing the bitter disappointment down I jogged to the laundry and swapped her clean panties and bra to the dryer. I’d washed them last night and I doubted if she’d even noticed. I had a few outfits that I’d bought with her in mind this week, clean, dry and hung in the playroom closet. She hadn’t even questioned what she would wear after her shower.

Ready to take her home if that was what she wanted I took my own.

CLARE

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