Chapter 10
10
A ri places a few pieces of sushi on her plate, then backs away from the spread I brought. I watch her with a frown as she turns toward her living room. As she takes a step in that direction, I grab her arm gently.
“You’re kidding me, right?” I raise an eyebrow pointedly at her meager selection. “All this food and that’s all you’re having?”
“I didn’t tell you to get so much!” she snaps, frowning back at me. “I know I’m fat, but I don’t eat my weight in food every meal.”
I suppress a wince and release her arm. Shit. I knew I was going overboard, but I thought it would make dinner special. Getting all this food was meant to be a sign of how much I want to spoil and provide for her, not a commentary on her body size or eating habits.
Rubbing the back of my neck, I shoot her what I hope comes off as an a pologetic smile. “That’s not what I meant. I was worried you weren’t eating enough, but it’s none of my business what you choose to eat or not eat, so I’ll shut up.”
The tension on her face eases slightly, and she lets out a weary sigh. “I know. Sorry. It’s just… a man talking about what I eat is triggering. I try to avoid eating on dates—one too many judgmental looks or ‘helpful’ tips about my diet.”
The beast inside me seethes at how she’s been treated. “Fuck those guys. Insecure dickwads who couldn’t handle you. You don’t have to worry with me.”
“Why? Because this isn’t a date?” Ari asks, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Nope, this is totally a date. Because I’m a monster, not a man,” I say, stroking one of my horns and letting my tail smack playfully against her leg. “Also, I’ll probably eat most of what I brought. Just wanted to make sure you got everything you wanted before I demolished it. You’re not the only one who fucking loves those cupcakes.” I grab one and give the frosting a lascivious lick while maintaining eye contact.
She laughs and shoves my tail away as I go to twine it around her waist. “Okay, okay. I’ll eat more. I’m pretty hungry…”
Pride swells inside my chest, knowing she’s letting herself relax around me. “Good. I want to take care of you, Ari. I won’t bring up what you eat again. But I hope you learn that you’re safe with me,” I say, stroking her leg again with my tail.
She looks up at me, eyes glassy as she nods.
Fucking hell, the world is so cruel to women. That this goddess worries that even I’ll judge her food choices makes me see red.
I push the anger away, not wanting her to misinterpret it. “Alright, let’s eat! I’m starving,” I say, dragging my eyes up and down her body and savoring the way she blushes and averts her eyes.
We eat around her coffee table, with her insisting on sitting on the floor while my bulky ass takes up the majority of her couch. I tried to convince her to squeeze in next to me, or better yet, sit on my lap. I could’ve casually touched and teased her until she was squirming her ass on my cock. But she scoffed and rolled her eyes before plopping down on the floor.
We’ll work on that. At least I hope we will. I want her sitting on her daddy’s lap when he offers, like a good girl should. Fuck, I want her sweet submission and hint of brattiness so bad I can taste it lingering in the air between us. I groan and attempt to adjust my hard dick to a more comfortable position without making it obvious.
Ariana sets her plate aside and moves on to her cold brew, taking a sip with a pleased hum that makes me stare at her mouth. I’m too turned on and eager that I can’t wait any longer to bring up the elephant in the room. I’ll stay and help her with her orders no matter what, but my mind is buzzing with the need to define what we’re doing together.
“We should talk,” I say as evenly as possible.
Her eyes widen. “You know that’s the worst way to start a conversation with an anxious person. Can you be more specific? Because we’ve been talking for the last half hour.”
Gods, she’s so snarky. It makes my cock twitch. “We should talk about our dynamic. Set some…parameters. Is that better? ”
She huffs out a wry laugh and shakes her head. “Not really. Just tell me what you want from this. I can’t handle beating around the bush or vagueness.”
I resist the urge to make a bush joke and nod. “I can respect that.” I take a moment to consider my words, more than a little worried about scaring her away even after the conversations we’ve had in the past 24 hours. Bluntness wins out, since that’s what she asked for.
“I want to be your daddy.”
Ariana chokes a little on her drink, obviously not expecting me to be so forthright. “W-what does that even mean? You… you want me to be your kinky fuck buddy?” Her tone holds a mixture of arousal and disdain at the idea.
I run a hand through my hair, trying to find the right words. “It means I want you to be my baby girl. Like we were last night, but more, and on a long-term basis.”
I almost say a permanent basis, but that isn’t a reasonable request with a kink like this. She always needs to be able to give or withdraw her consent from that kind of arrangement and not feel pressured to keep it going if she stops enjoying it.
“For as long as we both feel like it’s right,” I add. “Me being your daddy means me taking care of you, both in and out of the bedroom. Spoiling you like a princess. Rewarding you when you’re good and disciplining you when you’re naughty. That’s what I want. Now, what do you want?”
Ariana blinks back at me, her chest rising and falling with her rapid breaths. I give her a moment to process while I fight back the urge to haul her up into my lap and whisper every dirty thing I want to do with her while I grind her on my cock until she’s begging for it all.
“I…I don’t…” She struggles with her answer, and my stomach sinks as I watch the conflict on her face settle into a frown. “I liked what we did last night. A lot. But I’m not a little girl, Wes. I don’t want to pretend I am. I can’t see myself playing with toys, wearing kid’s clothes…having you cut my food and wipe my ass. That’s not for me.”
Ah, so that’s what’s tripping her up. My worry eases and I give her a reassuring smile. “I know you’re not a child, and I’m not interested in age play. I enjoy the caretaking and discipline. I want the exchange of power and control. I know it’s unconventional, but I can’t help what turns me on. Being your daddy like that is what I crave. I have since I met you.”
I shouldn’t admit that, but fuck it. I want her to know. “I think you want that, too. I think you want someone to take care of you. Someone to set rules and enforce them so you can give up always being in control. Someone who uses your sexy body because it belongs to them—making you theirs to discipline, fuck, and cherish.”
Yep, now I’m officially hard as steel, especially as I watch her pupils dilate while I talk. My baby girl wants this. She just needs to feel safe enough to embrace it.
She laughs weakly. “You think you have me so figured out, don’t you?”
“Don’t I?” I ask, letting my voice drop lower. “Say the word and I’ll drop this. I want a relationship with you, whether or not there’s kink involved. I don’t need to be your daddy to make my dick hard for you or to want to spend time together.”
“Really?” She looks a little taken aback.
“Fuck yeah. I’d give my left nut for you to be my girlfriend.”
Ariana laughs, her face softening in a way that makes my heart clench. She’s so damn perfect. “Wow, your left nut? How could a girl say no to an offer like that?”
“I know. It’s a great deal!” I get up from the couch and offer her a hand. She takes it and I tug her up and into my arms. She fits so well against me, her plush breasts and stomach melding against my bulk. I lock eyes with her and squeeze her tighter. “I’d give you anything your heart desires, if it meant I could call you mine.”
Her mouth falls open in a soft gasp, but then her brow furrows. “You’ve gotta stop saying romantic shit like that.”
My eyes drop to her lips, eager to feel them against mine again. “Why?”
“Because you’re going to make me fall for you!” she says, sounding almost annoyed by the thought.
Good. Then I won’t be the only one head over heels. “I don’t see a problem with that. After all, you’re my girlfriend now.”
She sighs dramatically, but her eyes light up. “Fine. I’m your girlfriend.”
My lips are on hers as soon as she says it, and she lets out a little squeak in surprise that melts into a soft moan. I soak her in, letting my hands roam up and down her body as our tongues slide together. My dick begs me to throw her over my shoulder and take her to the bedroom, but I pull back, needing to know the answer to my earlier question.
“Do you want me to be your daddy, too?”