Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 54968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54968 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
He chuckled. “A time or two, yes. Has anyone ever told you that you craved an overbearing Daddy in your life? Someone you can count on every moment of every day? Someone whose lap you could crawl onto when the world is scary? Someone you could cry on when you’re sad and laugh with when you’re happy?”
She sat rigid. Not blinking. Staring him in the eyes. Suddenly, two tears broke loose and slid down her cheeks.
Kestrel released her hands, dragged her chair closer, and took a risk. He lifted her off her seat and settled her sideways on his lap. He eased her ballcap off, set it on the table, and pressed a hand to the back of her head, encouraging her to rest her cheek on his shoulder.
Zara silently cried, nearly breaking his heart, but he also knew she’d probably carried around this pent-up need for release for a long time. Not just a week. Months. Perhaps years. She needed a good cry.
He reached for a few napkins from the table and handed them to her, which made her cry harder.
“Stop being nice to me,” she grumbled.
He chuckled and held her tighter. She fit so perfectly on his lap, like she was meant to be right here.
When her tears finally dried to sniffles, she tipped her red-rimmed eyes back to look at him again. “How old are you?”
“Thirty-three.”
She nodded slowly.
“Too old for you?” he teased.
She shrugged. “I’ve never really dated, so…”
His heart seized. “Why not?”
She drew in a deep breath. “Mostly because I’ve never been able to trust anyone to like me for me. Men ask me out—every day, even when I’m hiding under a ballcap and baggy clothes. It drives me nuts. I hate it. They don’t care about my personality or what I like or don’t like. They only care about my looks.”
“Well, I care about your personality and your likes and dislikes. Plus, I won’t even ask you out. I’ll just move you into my apartment.” He grinned.
She finally gave him a partial smile. “You can’t do that.”
“Why not?”
“It’s not proper or whatever. People would talk. What if your co-workers found out? They’d think I was a floozy.”
He flinched. “No one will ever think you’re a floozy, Zara. I promise. I’ll let you in on a secret. All six men on my team are Daddy Doms. Two of them have even found their forever Little girls. All of us live together on the fifth floor in six apartments. We’re a family. When Rocco met Sadie, he moved her into his apartment. When Hawking met Celeste, he did the same with her. They’d be far more suspicious if I didn’t move you in than if I did. They would worry about you.”
She chewed on her bottom lip as she pondered his words.
He continued. “I’ll tell you another secret. I haven’t slept much between the time I got your assignment last night and now. I paced in the control room most of the night, watching the security cameras to be sure no one came to your door or even entered your floor.”
Her eyes widened. “There aren’t cameras inside my apartment, are there?”
“No. There aren’t any cameras in private places. The only one on the fifth floor is at the entrance to our private quarters at the top of the stairs next to the elevator. It’s only there to ensure no one comes up there snooping around.”
She continued to look at him, which pleased him. At least she’d stopped glancing away.
“So, you see, we’ll both sleep better if you move into my apartment.”
“Because you have a second bedroom, right?”
“Yes, Little one. It’s more of a playroom. It’s already furnished and ready for the perfect Little girl to move in and decorate it to make it her own.”
She gasped. “You’re serious.”
“Totally.”
“A playroom,” she deadpanned, looking at him as if she couldn’t believe what she’d heard him say.
“Yes. A room where you can be yourself and relax at whatever age you enjoy. A room with toys and games and dolls. Coloring books, puzzles, stuffed animals. Whatever you want.”
She scrunched up her face, having no idea how adorable she was. “I’m too old for toys.”
He gasped dramatically. “No one is too old for toys, Little one.”
“I don’t think I understand what’s going on here. You know that a trafficking group of slimeballs is after me. You know that I’m working here to hide. You haven’t seen anyone coming after me, but you want me to move into a playroom on a private floor that is attached to your room. Does that sound as fishy to you as it does to me?” she asked, sliding off his lap again to sit in her own chair.
Kestrel controlled the corners of his mouth from smiling. She would not appreciate his amusement. He loved that Zara was intelligent and, when backed into a corner, didn’t allow her natural quietness to keep her from defending herself.