7. Abby
7
ABBY
Royce followed me up the three flights to my apartment as my keys jangled in my hand. I wasn’t in the habit of bringing men home, and no one ever saw my bedroom. But everything was different with Royce.
None of my regular rules applied with him.
"This is it." I pushed the front door open and stepped to the side. "Nothing fancy."
His eyes scanned the living room and our mismatched collection of IKEA furniture and family hand-me-downs. Royce’s presence immediately filled the space like he was meant to be there. "It's nice."
I laughed. "Is it, though?"
"Your roommate isn't home?" He gestured to the closed doors down the hallway.
"Out of town for the weekend." I kicked off my shoes and reached for his hand. "So, um, do you wanna see my room?" I felt like a child bringing home a friend for a playdate, and that was kinda what I was doing.
The words hung between us, loaded with meaning. I knew that my room represented who I really was beneath the grown-up shell I showed at work. But it was time to stop hinting around with Royce. I was laying my cards on the table, and it was up to him to decide what to do with them.
"Lead the way, sweet girl." His eyes were hungry with desire as he squeezed my hand.
My heart crept up my throat with each step closer to my room. I paused with my hand on the knob. "Are you sure you’re ready for this?"
He brushed a strand of hair from my face and his fingertips felt like whispers against my skin. "I know who you are, baby girl. I've been paying attention."
"Okay," I breathed and turned the knob.
He stood in the doorway and took it all in. My room was basically an explosion of pink and lavender that covered every inch of my private space. My sanctuary was the only place where I could be Little.
Royce stepped in and went straight to my bed, dragging a hand along the railing. It was my own creation. A full-sized bed with a canopy of twinkling fairy lights and safety rails that slid up and down. I didn’t pull them up often, but when I needed a safe, enclosed space to feel protected, it was nice to have the option.
My shelves were lined with stuffed animals, and I suddenly realized it was a bit excessive. "I… Uh…"
"It's beautiful," Royce said, his voice genuine. "Just like you."
Surprised, I turned to look for any sign of mockery or discomfort, but there was none. All I saw was warmth and something understanding.
"Is this okay?" I gestured to the desk that was covered with colored pencils and glitter and watercolor paints. "I know it's probably not what you expected."
"It’s exactly what I expected, sweetheart." He stepped further into the room, examining the details with interest rather than judgment. His fingers brushed against the bed rails. "I love this."
My cheeks burned. "They make me feel safe when I'm... you know, in that headspace."
He nodded without needing any more explanation than that. "And these little guys?" He gestured to the army of plushies arranged on my pillows.
"My friends." I reached for Grumpy Goose and held him up. "Except this one. He’s a reminder not to try to feed the geese when they have babies around." I shivered at the memory of a particularly traumatizing trip to the park when I was younger.
His smile crinkled the corners of his eyes. "They're watching us pretty intently, though."
The tension in my shoulders released slightly. "They're very protective. They don’t know if you’re a nice Daddy or a mean one." I gathered them in my arms and carried them to my dresser, arranging them carefully so they faced away from the bed. "There. Now they can't see what we're up to."
Royce's laugh was low and rich. "I’m sure they appreciate that, because what I want to do isn’t safe for stuffed eyes."
I wrapped my arms around myself and took a step closer to him, suddenly feeling shy. “What do you want to do?”
I breathed in his scent and wanted to get even closer. He smelled like clean sweat from the game with the faint trace of his cologne still lingering that made me feel both aroused and protected. "You're perfect."
My heart swelled in my chest. I'd spent so long hiding this part of myself, convinced no one would understand my needs and want to meet them. In the past, I'd have to choose between my Little side and having a relationship, but Royce seemed all in for it.
Royce reached for my hands and pulled me until I was straddling his legs. "What does my little girl want to do now?"
His little girl? He wanted me to be his? Those words radiated from my tummy like ripples of pleasure spreading outward. This was really happening. He understood me and wanted this too.
"Well…" My voice naturally shifted into a higher register. "’Member the bath you promised?" I glanced toward the bathroom door where the edge of my bathtub was visible.
“I do ‘member that.” He looked at me with so much affection before his lips found mine, picking up where we left off at the park.
The softness of his mouth against mine made me want to climb inside him and live there forever. I sank into the sensation, letting my body melt against his. This wasn't our first kiss, but it felt like a beginning. A beginning to something beyond my imagination.
Royce cradled the back of my head, with his fingers tangling in my hair. Just feeling his power and growing interest underneath my bottom made my toes curl against the plush carpet.
"Watching you hit that home run… I was so proud of my girl," he murmured against my lips.
The praise rippled through me like warm honey, sweet and thick. My fingers clutched at his shirt, bunching the fabric and pulling him closer for a kiss.
We sank deep into the kiss as his tongue slid against mine. It was gentle but insistent, and I couldn’t hold back a small whimper. I felt safe but vulnerable with Royce. Daddy .
His hands slid down to my waist, his palms large enough to nearly span it. The heat between us built slowly as each brush of his fingers against my skin made me squirm with need.
"Abby." His voice was raspy as his fingers slipped under the hem of my shirt, touching the bare skin of my lower back. “We should take this slower, baby.”
The contact was electric, a closed circuit of desire.
I shook my head as I gripped his shoulders, feeling the strength he’d displayed on the field earlier. I'd watched him lead our team to victory and command the respect of his team at work. He was both a strong leader and gentle caretaker. Exactly who I needed. “Not slower, Daddy. Faster.”
“Fuck.” He deepened our kiss, and I rolled my hips experimentally, happy to feel his hard cock pressing against my leggings. His fingers tightened on my skin in response to the added friction. “Careful, baby.”
Royce broke the kiss and rested his forehead against mine. His eyes had darkened to something, and they flicked toward my bathroom door. "Is that your bathroom?"
I nodded, suddenly shy again. "Mm-hmm."
"Let me get my special girl’s bath ready." He gently moved me off his lap and stood up. "Come with me."
I took his hand and let him pull me to my feet. "You were really proud of me?"
"So proud. You were amazing." His praise wrapped around me like a warm blanket.
“Thank you.” Daddy . I didn’t want to say it too often, but it felt so good. Now that he’d given me permission, it was always on the tip of my tongue. He was right about slowing things down, but on the other hand, I needed Daddy Royce, and as long as we were both on board, maybe nothing needed to be slowed down at all.