by Golden Angel
There hadn't really been a reason to stay after Melody had left.
Walking through his house into his kitchen for some water, Kawan pulled his phone out of his pocket. He didn't recognize the number, but the message made him grin because there was absolutely no doubt in his mind who it was from.
Hello, hopefully I'm not waking you up or interrupting anything. You don't have to text me back right away, but I just wanted to know if I can ask you some questions when you're free. You said you wanted me to think about what I want and I'm going to, but I need to ask a few questions to really know what I want, if that's okay.
Melody. She texted without any abbreviations, which somehow seemed very her even though he admittedly didn't know her that well yet. It fit how he saw her. She was also rambling, even in text, and he found it wholly adorable.
He leaned his shoulder against the cabinets next the fridge, quickly swiping a message back.
Any questions, any time, baby girl. I can't promise I'll be able to answer right away, but I will always answer.
Grinning, he put his phone down on the counter while he got his glass of water. He was a little disappointed when she didn't text back right away, but he didn't let that get him down. Maybe she'd sent the text and then gone to bed. It was definitely late enough.
His phone finally dinged again when he was on his way up the stairs, glass of water in hand and half finished. Grinning, he downed the rest of it so he could focus on the conversation.
Why do you like being a Daddy Dom?
Interesting. Considering how long it had taken her to respond, he'd expected a longer text.
But it was an important question, since it would also encompass what he'd like to do for her... what he hoped she'd do for him.
A lot of reasons. I like knowing that a woman trusts me so completely that she's willing to not only give up so much control to me, but also that she'll let herself be so vulnerable with me. I love being able to give her a safe space where she can just be, where she can indulge the little girl inside of her, and know that she is loved, cared for, and protected.
He studied the response carefully. It was how he felt, but it was something he felt a little vulnerable about sharing too. Submissives weren’t the only ones who could be taken advantage of. Still, he was determined not to let the past harden him against trying for what he wanted in the future. He pressed send.
This time her return text came much more quickly.
What do you want from your submissive? How do you want her to behave?
Little Miss Melody might not realize it, but that question bolstered his confidence. Not only was she wondering if she could please him, she was specifically looking for pointers on how to go forward. She probably wasn't going to like his answer though.
I want her to be respectful of me as her Daddy, and obey any rules we agree to, but other than that, it's up to her. We'd set up soft and hard limits together and then go from there.
He could almost hear the frustration in her next text.
But what should she do?
He shot off the reply just as quickly.
Whatever makes her happy as long as she's following the rules.
When she didn't text back immediately, he chuckled and started getting ready for bed. Staring at himself in the mirror while he brushed his teeth, it was all too easy to picture her reading through his texts and trying to pick them apart for clues on what he wanted her to do. But Kawan didn't want a slave. While he liked control, he didn't want to direct his submissive's every movement. Part of what he loved about being a Daddy was that his baby girl would have a lot of freedom to do what she pleased. He enjoyed watching his baby girl enjoy herself.
Of course, if she crossed any lines, then he'd also be there to provide the necessary discipline.
Washing his face, he sighed as he studied himself in the mirror. Even though he was only thirty-four, he was starting to find the occasional gray hair among the many black. His mother had pointed them out the last time he'd visited and claimed that it was because he didn't have a good woman to take care of him.
He thought maybe Melody was done for the night, but she sent him another question just as he was climbing into bed.
What if she doesn't follow the rules?
That made him laugh. There might be a little bit of a brat inside Melody, or maybe she'd just liked the spanking earlier and was hoping for more. Either way, Kawan never minded a little bit of innocent mischief. He enjoyed funishment much more than actual discipline, although he wouldn't hesitate if he felt the latter had been earned.
It depends on what rule she breaks and what her hard and soft limits are. The punishment should fit the crime.
Plugging in his charger, Kawan clicked off the light and lie down. He wasn't going to be able to fall asleep yet, not while he was waiting to see if Melody had any more questions, but resting in the darkness was peaceful.
As he lie there, his mind wandered to the one room in the house he hadn't unpacked yet. The room he'd chosen as his playroom. There hadn't been any rush to set up that room because he hadn't thought he'd use it any time soon. Especially not when he had access to Black Light.
He still planned to make good use of the club, but maybe he'd get the playroom set up sooner rather than later.
Maybe it was too soon… but the idea was tempting. It didn’t have to be for her, specifically. They might find they weren’t compatible after another few scenes. Kawan needed to find someone who enjoyed weaving the sexual play and the baby girl play together the same way he did.
The way Melody had seemed to tonight.
His phone buzzed again, interrupting his thoughts.
Thank you for answering my questions, I'm going to bed now. Good night =)
Polite little thing. He liked that. And appreciated that she let him know she was done for now.
Sleep tight, sweetheart. Feel free to text me with any more questions that you have in the future.
Setting the phone down on his nightstand, Kawan closed his eyes and tried not to think about how empty his bed suddenly felt.
Chapter 8
Kawan woke up just a little later than he normally did, had a light breakfast, went for a run, and came back to shower. What made it different was that in between doing all of these things, he was also fielding more questions from Melody.
Each text added another little kernel of hope that she was just as interested in him and what he had to offer as he was in her.
What is your favorite punishment?
What do you like to do for aftercare?
Do you always have to be called 'Daddy'?
Have you had a baby girl before?
He answered as best he could, although certain questions—like the one about aftercare—would really be individual to the submissives. Kawan liked to cuddle, but he'd played with subs who weren't interested in being snuggled after a scene. His job as a Dom, as a good Daddy, was to give his submissive what she needed.
Other questions were easier, although confirmation that he'd had a baby girl before brought on such a flurry of questions that he decided he should try to take the next step. Thankfully, she didn’t ask why they’d broken up, she seemed more interested in the actual mechanics of the relationship.
Why don't we get together to talk? We could have coffee, or dinner, if you're available, and I can answer all of your questions in person. Or we can keep texting, if you're more comfortable this way.
Since they’d already met, and her questions indicated she was definitely interested, he decided to try and see her in person again rather than suggesting a phone call. It would be much easier to gauge her reactions actually seeing her than just speaking over the phone.
As the seconds ticked by, he started to think that maybe he was pushing too fast, too soon.
He busied his hands with making himself lunch, to keep from rescinding the offer too quickly, and nearly tripped over his feet trying to get to his phone when it dinged again. At least there was no o
ne there to see him acting more like a teenage boy than a grown man, rushing to talk to his crush. That was how he felt right now.
When he saw the message, he grinned, feeling exactly like a teenage boy with a crush.
Dinner sounds good. Is tonight okay?
Dinner with Kawan tonight.
The thought seemed to run around in circles in her brain.
Even this morning, when she'd swung by the labs just to check on her petri dishes and make sure nothing had changed, she hadn't been able to think about anything except him. Most of the time she struggled to keep her work from intruding on her brain when she had downtime. She'd never had to struggle to focus on her work before.
"Oo, this is hot!" Peggy's voice sliced through her inner musing, bringing her back to the present. "Melody, look."
She turned to see her bestie holding up a forest green lace bodysuit with an opening in the crotch. It was definitely hot and it would look incredible against Peggy's ivory skin, red hair, and green eyes. Which was exactly what Peggy was going for. She'd been in a bad mood since Elliott had canceled lunch with her earlier today.
Which was why she'd dragged Melody out shopping this afternoon. She wanted to buy something scandalous, so she could go to Elliott's apartment and surprise him with something naughty under her trench coat. Melody wished she had half of Peggy's confidence. She tried to picture herself doing something similar, and immediately felt nauseous with anxiety as all the ways it could go wrong tumbled through her head.
Yup, definitely not a move she'd be able to make. Throwing up from anxiety on a man's shoes was probably not the way to seduce him.
Would Kawan be grossed out and shut her out, or would he go full Daddy Dom and jump right into 'caring' mode? Melody did not hate the idea of being taken care of while she was sick. Sometimes she thought part of the reason she wanted a Daddy Dom so badly was because she was so fiercely independent. Even as a kid, she'd felt the need to do everything herself. Her mom had sometimes seemed disappointed that Melody didn't need her more often, but she didn't force the issue, allowing Melody the space she insisted on.
A Daddy Dom wouldn't take 'no' for an answer though; he'd ignore everything but a safe word. And safe wording over being taken care of would be so silly.
"Melody!" Impatience and annoyance were laced through the way Peggy said her name, jolting her.
"It's totally hot," Melody reassured her immediately, making herself focus on the issue at hand. "I was just picturing you in it."
The little white lie was good enough for Peggy, who immediately beamed at her, draping the bodysuit over her arm. "I'm getting it. Are you going to get anything?"
She looked down at the sheer white babydoll she'd stopped in front of. There was lace over the breasts and a little pink bow that tied between them, then a long fall of sheer white that ended in a ruffle which would hit mid-thigh. Melody fingered the soft lace.
"I was thinking about this one." She liked the sexy innocence of it. Plus, it was very baby girl, right? That was kind of the definition of babydoll lingerie. Even though it covered a lot less than what she wore to Black Light last night, she could see herself feeling comfortable wearing this in the club.
Coming between the racks of clothes to see what Melody was looking at, Peggy wrinkled her nose as soon as she saw the garment. "Oh, honey, no, not with your body. We need to emphasize your boobs and cover up your stomach. There's a corset over here I think you'll like."
Turning away, she either didn't see or totally ignored the crestfallen expression on Melody's face. Yeah, she didn't have Peggy's slender waist and flat stomach, but she liked her body. Most of the time. Looking down at the sheer fabric again, she bit her lower lip.
Maybe it wasn't the best choice for her body type.
"Melody, here, what about this?"
She blinked back the threatening tears in her eyes, because she knew Peggy hadn't meant to be mean. Sometimes she just didn't realize how harsh she came across. Looking up, she saw her bestie holding up a pink corset with white ruffles along the top and bottom. There was even a white bow right in the middle of the dipping sweetheart neckline. It had the same sexy-innocent flair that the sheer babydoll had, but would cinch in her waist and push up her cleavage. The second she saw it, she fell in love with it, and all the insecurity she'd been feeling vanished in the face of an outfit that both she and Peggy could get behind.
Seeing the expression on her face, Peggy grinned. "Definitely not my style, but you can totally pull it off."
Making her way over to Peggy, Melody took the corset from her. "I love it, thank you."
She still loved the babydoll too, but Peggy was probably right. This would be sexier on her.
"Awesome, now let's find you a garter belt and some thigh highs to go with it." Peggy was already looking around for where those would be located, obviously eager to continue dressing Melody up like a doll.
Melody followed along behind her, kind of amused as she realized that even when it came to her friendship with Peggy, she was kind of subby. That was probably why they got along so well.
It was also why she hadn't dared tell Peggy that she was going out to dinner with Kawan tonight. She'd tried to talk to Peggy about it this morning, but Peggy had just reassured her that they'd find her a better Dom the next time they went to Black Light. Then she'd gotten the text from Elliott, canceling lunch, and Melody hadn't wanted to fight with her when she'd already been upset. Talk about a recipe for disaster.
Besides, Peggy was going to be surprising Elliott while Melody was meeting Kawan for dinner.
If the date turned out to be a bust, Peggy would never know. And if things worked out with her and Kawan, Peggy would get on board. She just wanted Melody to be happy, even if she had strong opinions about how to best make that happen.
As first dates went, Kawan couldn't remember the last time he'd had so much fun. Maybe it was because they'd already scened together—or because they'd already been through a stressful situation together—but there was none of the awkwardness that usually accompanied getting to know someone.
They'd met at Sunset Pins, a newer establishment that combined bowling with gourmet cooking. Kawan had asked her for suggestions and immediately jumped on this one.
When he bowled his first turkey, he turned to find Melody scowling adorably at him, rather than jumping up and down in excited awe the way she had the first two times he’d had a strike. She had her arms crossed over her chest, plumping her breasts up under the low cut blouse she was wearing, her eyes narrowed at him. The soft waves of her hair were clipped back away from her face, hiding none of her now suspicious expression.
"Are you on a bowling team or something?" The question was almost more of a demand, and said with enough of a pout to make him chuckle.
"Aren't you glad I didn't take you up on turning this into a competition?" he teased, putting his hands on her waist and pulling her into him, forcing her to tip her head back to keep looking at him. Kawan dropped a kiss on her mouth, feeling her soften slightly under his hands and lips, before he lifted his head again. "And yes, I was on a team in high school. I'm not anymore, but I still enjoy bowling just for fun."
Her eyes sparkled even though she wrinkled her nose at him. "How is it fun if I'm getting creamed?"
"Well, it's fun for me."
Making an exasperated noise in the back of her throat, Melody lightly smacked his chest. Sweet little brat. If they were in the club he'd spank her for that. As it was... chuckling, he turned, guiding her forward and giving her a little swat on her bottom to get her moving. She squeaked, jumping, and then shot him another look over her shoulder as she rubbed where he'd spanked her. Kawan could only laugh at her mock-outraged expression.
Little minx.
After her spanking last night, he knew very well there was no way that little slap had made any real impact on her. But he liked how playful and flirtatious she was being with him. It was a complete turnaround, not only from how she'd been in the co
urtroom, but also from last night at Black Light. This was Melody when she was comfortable, relaxed. Happy.
Definitely enjoying herself. And so was he.
Being compatible in the club had been one thing, especially once he'd discovered that she had a thing for Daddy Doms, but being compatible outside of it was another. He'd been a little worried that maybe they wouldn't have anything to talk about that wasn't sexual, but that hadn't proved the case.
Before they'd started their game, they'd sat down and ordered their food, talking in between, and sex hadn't come up once. Instead she'd told him a little bit about her research for her dissertation—what he was able to understand of it, anyway. Science had never been one of his strong suits, but he loved to see the passion shining from her face as she attempted to describe her thesis in terms he could understand. Something about studying blood and fecal samples to try and find ways to help diabetics and their mental health. Exactly how they were doing that was where she lost him.
It didn’t matter that he only understood about half of what she was saying, as he liked listening to her anyway.
Then they'd started bowling and he'd been completely distracted by the delicious curve of her ass in the jeans she was wearing. So distracted that he hadn't managed a strike until the third frame. Not that he was complaining.
Bowling had never been so sexy.
Actually, before tonight, Melody had never found anything remotely sexy about bowling. It was part of why Sunset Pins had been one of her suggestions. She'd wanted to meet up with him in a completely different venue than Black Light. Maybe there'd been a small part of her that had wondered if being in the club had influenced how she felt about him.
After all, it would be very easy to be swept away by the big bad Daddy Dom fantasy when they were at a BDSM club, surrounded by sex, leather, and orgasms.
Now they were bowling and she was thinking about how graceful he was when he moved, how nice his jeans looked on his ass when he sent the ball flying down the lane, and how hot his forearms were. Seriously. Was there such a thing as a forearm fetish? Because his were really hot. It didn't hurt that he was wearing a button-down shirt and had rolled up the sleeves in order to get a better range of movement for bowling.