Katie's New Daddy

by Allysa Hart

  She glanced at Jeff as he drove. His strong jaw was set in a determined line, and he remained hyper focused on the road in front of him. She took the opportunity to take stock of the body she had been pressed against for the last chunk of their day. She tingled with desire thinking about his lips against hers. Shaking the thought from her head, she turned her attention to the road. It was safer that way.

  When they pulled into the driveway, Katie jumped out of the car and headed for the door without looking back. She fished her keys out of her purse, but by the time she got the dead bolt unlocked, he was at her back.

  His breath tickled her neck as he whispered in her ear. “Running from me is the first thing you will answer for when you are over my knee tonight.”

  She froze with her hand on the knob as he kissed her pulse point. Her legs shook, and she used her grip on the door to hold herself up. What the heck was going on with her wayward body? She needed to calm down.

  “I’m going to pick up Noah. Why don’t you take some time to think about what happened? Don’t worry about dinner. Becca made us a lasagna.”

  “That was nice of her.” Katie’s words were quiet and breathy as Jeff leaned in to give her a good-bye kiss.

  “Be a good girl, I’ll be back soon.”

  Damn that man, she thought as she watched him leave. He had to go and use words like “good girl.”

  Did he even know what he did to her? She could only hope she had the same effect on him.

  As soon as the door closed behind her, Katie scrambled for her phone and punched in Rose’s number with shaking fingers.

  “Please pick up. Please pick up. Please pick up,” she chanted, praying they were in their room between activities, as Rose had told her before she left, it was the only time she would be able to answer her phone.

  She shook with relief when Rose’s voice rang out across the line, soft and melodic. “Hi, baby. How are things?” Rose cooed.

  Not knowing when Jeff would return with Noah, Katie had no time for small talk and ignored the question, jumping straight to the point.

  “Do you know Jeff is a cop?” The accusation was so strong in her voice that even she winced, able to imagine the arch in Rose’s brows as she reacted to the harsh greeting.

  “Yes, of course I do, dear.” Rose’s voice was tinged with confusion. “The better question is, why do I get the feeling that you didn’t know that? I can hear that you are upset, but since when has being rude to me ever helped your cause?”

  Katie sighed into the phone. “I’m sorry, Rose. I just really need to hurry and talk to you before Jeff gets back from picking up Noah.”

  “I forgive you, sweetie.” Rose’s tone instantly softened. “All right, tell me what’s going on.”

  “I didn’t know he was a cop!” she wailed into the phone. “I don’t know how I didn’t know, I just didn’t. I found his badge and freaked out and had a panic attack in the store and ran from him, and then had another one in the truck. It was the worst one I’ve ever had, I think.”

  “Hmmm,” Rose hummed into the phone.

  “I told him I loved him, and he said he would quit his job for me.” Katie was working herself into a tizzy as she recounted the day’s events in a hurry, each sentence emerging in a long, high-pitched wail. “I don’t think I can let him do that, Rose, but I don’t think I can date a cop again, either.”

  “Being with a cop is scary,” Rose agreed. “More so for you, I’m sure, but here’s the thing—life is short and scary and unpredictable. And wonderful and amazing and beautiful. And love is life’s greatest gift. You lost Mark, and that was a tragedy, but you have been blessed to find love again. Embrace it. Don’t run from it. If you walk away from this gift, I guarantee you it will be one of your greatest regrets.”

  “But I’m scared, Auntie.” Her voice fell to a soft whisper as she slid into the familiar comfort of her Little headspace.

  “I know, baby. I know. But you can’t control who you fall in love with. Love is funny that way.”

  “It’s too big a risk.” A tear fell down her cheek, and she didn’t bother to wipe it away as she clutched the phone tightly, wishing the woman on the other end was there to hug her.

  “You love him, and so does Noah. And he is crazy in love with both of you. If you give that up, if you walk away, nobody wins. You all lose, and you all deserve so much more than that.”

  Her chest clenched with fear. This time, though, the panic came from the thought of walking away from him, instead of the fear of something happening to him on the job, and she realized Rose was right. She didn’t want to lose him, period. If she let her fear and pride take over and walked away, she would have the same end result.

  Rose spoke soft words of love and reassurance while the sobs subsided.

  “Dammit.” Katie smiled at Rose’s sharp intake of breath. The newly enforced shift of power meant Rose couldn’t say anything about the naughty word.

  There was a beat of silence while they both adjusted to the new normal, and then Rose spoke.

  “What’s up, little one?”

  “I’m gonna risk it. I can’t lose him.”

  “Mmhmm.”

  “And that means he’s gonna spank me tonight,” she admitted with a soft wail.

  The chortle that followed was almost gleeful. “It’s about dang time! You run all over that poor man. He should have taken your butt to task months ago.”

  “I do not run all over him,” she protested, weakly, knowing it was far from true.

  “Baby, you push every button he has. You have been begging for him to take you in hand.”

  “Ugh! Why do I feel like I am about to go on a first date?”

  “Because you kind of are. This is a big deal, baby.”

  She sucked in a deep breath and let it go before responding. “I keep telling myself it’s not, but it is. You and Keith are the only people who have disciplined me in over a year. How do I just let him jump in and take control like that?”

  “Do you trust him?”

  “Yes.” Her answer was confident and immediate.

  “Well then, this is just another step forward in your relationship, and that’s a good thing.”

  “I know, Auntie. It’s just scary.”

  “Some of the best things in life are, baby.”

  The sound of gravel crunching under tires alerted her to Jeff’s arrival with Noah.

  “He’s here, Auntie. I gotta go. Thank you.”

  “Anytime, sweetie, Good luck tonight,” Rose sang and disconnected, leaving Katie to stare at the phone as she recounted the things she would have to answer for.

  Luck was exactly what she would need to get through tonight.

  With her hair wrapped in a towel, Katie took extra care to moisturize herself from head to toe. She knew they would not end up in bed together, but spending a couple of extra minutes to take care of herself made her less self-conscious about her body. As she rubbed the sweet-smelling lotion all over, including her backside, she wondered what it would be like when Jeff spanked her. Would he want her to keep her panties on? Would he scold? Would it hurt as much as it did when Keith spanked her? Her brain bounced with questions, and her stomach tightened at the possible answers. Leaving the safety of the bathroom was one of the hardest things she’d ever had to do. Noah slept in the other room, and Jeff had been more than patient, giving her plenty of time to stall. Time was up. Now she had to face the music.

  Her hands were sweating, her stomach in knots, and her heart beat hard, but she stepped out of the bathroom in a purple tank top and a pair of striped pajama pants that provided only the illusion of protection, they were so thin. She could not have been more nervous, but she trusted him, and she knew they both needed this to clear the air and move forward as a couple.

  Jeff’s brown eyes bored straight through to her soul. She could get lost in the promise she saw every time he looked at her like that. She swallowed past the lump in her throat, but when she opened her mouth, no words c
ame out. She didn’t know what to say.

  “Why don’t we sit down and chat first?” Jeff gestured toward her bed, and she went without a word. He sat next to her and took an audible breath. “I want to start by apologizing to you.”

  Confused, she turned her body to him. “What are you apologizing for? I’m the one who freaked out and acted like a crazy person. I ran out of that store and almost got myself killed then I refused to listen and fought you. I have bruises on my shins from kicking your truck!” Her voice escalated with each sentence, ending in a shriek.

  Chuckling, he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in close. “Well at least we can skip the ‘why are you getting spanked?’ portion of the lecture.” He kissed her on the head, and she closed her eyes in embarrassment. “But, now, it’s my turn to talk.” Holding her tight, he rested his chin on her head. Her body fit so perfectly against his, she snuggled in, soaking in the love and comfort he offered. “I have been thinking about it since this afternoon, and while I haven’t necessarily hidden my job from you, I think I have actively avoided talking about it. That’s on me. I really am sorry, sweetheart.”

  “I forgive you. I kind of have a habit of ignoring things I don’t like and hoping they change or go away on their own.” She was glad she didn’t have to look at him. Burying her head in the sand and not dealing with issues head-on was one of her biggest faults.

  “Yeah? How does that work out for you?”

  “Not well, usually.”

  “I bet not.” He lifted her chin. “Katelyn, I want you to know that I meant every word I said in the truck. I am not willing to lose you over a job.”

  Katie swallowed the lump in her throat and forced out some of the hardest words she had ever had to say. “And I’m not willing to ask you to give it up. Being a police officer is built into you, just like it is in Keith. I can’t promise it’s not going to be hard on me some days, but I don’t want you to quit.”

  “Thank you, sweetheart.” He kissed her head again before placing his hands on her shoulders and leveling her with a serious look. “Now, let’s talk about today. You obviously know most of what you did wrong, but none of those things are the reason I have chosen to spank you.”

  “Huh? If I’m not in trouble for putting myself in danger, then why?” she questioned, at a loss.

  “I told you earlier, I want you to turn to me when you have a problem, not run from me. I want you to trust me to handle anything you have to throw at me. I want to be your strength and your safe place, for everything. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?” His sincerity cut her deep. There was no anger and no frustration. He spoke from his soul, with a confidence she could not ignore.

  “Yes, Sir.” The term of respect flowed easily when he was being so firm and Dommy.

  “Good. Even if your problem is being caused by me or something I have done, I want you to come to me. I can’t fix things if you don’t tell me.”

  Katie sighed, “Yes, I know.”

  “You sound as if you have heard that before.”

  “Maybe once or twice.”

  “You are a stubborn one.” He chuckled, before moving the conversation along to the nitty-gritty details. “I have decided a bare-bottom spanking is not appropriate for us right now. I would like to see all of you for the first time under more pleasurable circumstances, and that won’t happen until our wedding night.”

  Katie nodded in relief. She felt the same way but had decided to trust him. He had always respected her feelings on intimacy.

  “Since this is the first time I will actually spank you, I am going to use my hand, but if I don’t feel like it’s making enough of an impact over your clothes, then I will be giving you a few licks with the belt. Understood?”

  “Okay.”

  He quirked a brow. “Okay?”

  “Umm, yes, Sir?”

  “Better, thank you. I want you to get comfortable over my knee because with the safety of your pants, I think we might be here for a while.” He tugged her arm, guiding her into place. She wiggled a bit to find a suitable position, thankful he could not see her blushing cheeks. With no warning, his hand lifted and fell, hard.

  “Ow! That hurt!”

  “It’s supposed to hurt, sweetheart. It’s a spanking.”

  “Yeah, but…”

  Her protest got cut off by more swats, each landing on a different part of her bottom, eradicating her ability to anticipate where the next one would fall. Burying her face in the bedspread, she tried to stay still, but her nerves made it virtually impossible. He was silent as his hand smacked down again and again. She lost count of how many times his palm met her butt before he stopped.

  “You are going to take twelve with my belt, and then we will be finished.” He helped her to stand, and she watched as his hands went to the buckle of his belt and released it. The sound of the leather sliding through the loops of his jeans had her shivering from head to toe. “You like the belt, little girl?”

  She shook her head. The belt hurt, and she didn’t like anything that hurt.

  “Hands on the bed, sweetheart.” He bent her at the waist and took a step back. His hand rested on the small of her back. “I am going to give you twelve. They will be fast and hard, and after they are done, we will cuddle, and you will be forgiven.”

  “Yes, Sir,” she whispered.

  He wasn’t kidding when he said fast and hard. She barely took a breath before hell’s fury rained down on her posterior. She couldn’t tell when one swat ended and the other made contact because the pain did not cease for a moment.

  He dropped his belt to the floor and lifted her into his arms before settling them both on her bed. She didn’t cry, but she had come close.

  “Do you think that will be enough for you to remember not to run from me again?”

  Nuzzling into him, she reached to kiss the tip of his nose. “Yes, it will help me remember. I’m sorry for hurting you like that.”

  “All forgiven, sweetheart. I love you.”

  He pulled her in tighter, reaching down to pinch her sore bottom. He was everything she needed. Strong, dominant, consistent, and so very loving, the perfect blend for a Daddy, but she still wasn’t ready to say it out loud. There was something else she could give him, another way to let him in.

  “I love you, too, and I really want to show you my room, if you want to see it.”

  “I would love that.” He beamed.

  She pulled him into the Jack and Jill bathroom that connected her two spaces, stopping at the door for a fortifying breath before laying herself vulnerable at his feet. She stepped to the side and watched him take in her Little room. He didn’t move or speak as he took it all in for the first time. Her face heated, and the longer he stayed quiet, the more embarrassed she felt. Covering her eyes, she turned and faced the wall. Everything inside her told her he would be gone when she turned back around. She couldn’t have been more wrong. Arms wrapped around her from behind, and his warm breath tickled her cheek.

  “Why are you hiding from me?”

  “I’m not,” she lied.

  “Katelyn Summers, look at me right now.”

  The way his voice dropped made her breath catch in her throat, and she didn’t resist when he turned her and moved her hands from her face. She did, however, hold her eyes shut as tight as possible until she heard him chuckle.

  “Thank you for trusting me.”

  Her tense body relaxed. She felt as if the world had been lifted off her shoulders.

  “So are you going to show me around? This is all your stuff, right?”

  Smiling, she nodded and took his hand. Being in the room made her want to play, and her Little side took over. She skipped around, tugging him behind her and explaining all of her favorite things. Each time she pointed out something new, she was met with a smile. Overcome with gratitude, she turned and engulfed him in a hug.

  “I love you,” she whispered before a yawn took her breath away.

  “I love you, too, sweeth
eart. It’s been a long day. Why don’t we go get you in bed?”

  “Will you cuddle me?” she begged.

  “Nothing sounds more appealing in this moment.” Never letting go of her hand, he took her back into the other room and pulled back the covers. He helped her climb into bed following close behind. Katie waited for him to lie down before snuggling as close as she could. His arm wrapped around her middle and he pulled her in tight. “Thank you for showing me your room.”

  “You’re welcome. It was fun, but are you sure you want me?”

  “I could not want anyone more than I want you. All of you. I love you so much, sweetheart. Now, let’s get some rest. We can talk more in the morning.”

  “Okay.” She closed her eyes, and sleep took her away.

  “What am I going to do with you, little girl?” Mark appeared at her side.

  “What are you doing here?” Katie gasped. Jeff’s arm tightened around her, and she panicked.

  “What am I doing here?” Mark’s eyebrow rose. “Why don’t you tell me? It’s your dream.”

  “I…ummm…” she stumbled, unsure what to say.

  “You need to let go of me, Katelyn. Let go and be happy. Jeff is a good man. He deserves you. All of you.”

  “I’m trying, but it’s so hard,” she whispered desperately.

  “You promised me, Katelyn. Are you going to break that promise?”

  “I don’t break promises.”

  “I know.” He grinned. “I can’t be what you need anymore, but he can. You just need to let go.” Blowing her a kiss, he winked and faded away.

  Katie nodded, and Jeff stirred behind her. His arm left her middle as he readjusted in his sleep. She shivered at the loss of his heat and pulled the blanket tight against her.

  Jeff startled awake by the clicking sound of chattering teeth in the middle of the night. Pulling himself up on his elbow, he turned in the bed and peered at Katie. Her face appeared flushed, and she had the blanket pulled tightly around her shaking body. Concerned, he leaned over and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead. The heat radiating from her was alarming, and he immediately knew something was wrong. He sat up in bed and ran his fingers through her hair as he tried to rouse her.