chewed, nodded and swallowed.
“Number two: There will be a strict bedtime observed.”
“A bedtime? I thought that Daddy Dom/Little girl is supposed to be a subcategory of D/s, not age play.”
He lowered his glasses and his eyes met mine. “Which part of our conversation did you miss? Was it when I said every relationship is unique, or could it have been the part where your Daddy makes up the rules?”
“Never mind,” I mouthed, taking a quick sip of water.
“Number three: You have permission to use my car and I’ll give you a credit card to go shopping. But the first time you abuse those privileges, you’ll be severely disciplined, and the perks will be taken away.”
“Can you explain that in detail, please?”
“Where the car is concerned, you will stay within the speed limit and obey all safety driving laws. No texting or talking on your cell phone while on the road.”
Nodding, I took another bite and reached for a paper napkin to wipe the butter from my fingers. “And the shopping?”
“You’ll have a budget for the week, which will include a generous allowance for clothing, accessories, and other personal items.”
My eyebrow quirked before he finished his sentence.
“In case you missed an important word, it’s called a budget. And I if were you, I’d do my best not to go over it.”
“Is there more?”
He rubbed the back of his neck and sighed. “A crucial component in this relationship has to do with trust and respect. Which means there will be no lying or deception in this house. Is that clear?”
“Yes, of course. I know I’m supposed to treat my Daddy with respect and trust, knowing he has only my best interests at heart.”
“Jake and I believe in you, Lori. Your intelligence and creativity are inspiring, and I’m hoping our time together will educate you while coaxing all your inner desires to the surface. Unfortunately, there will be times I might need to discipline your naughty behind—especially if you put yourself in harm’s way or act disrespectfully toward me.”
“Ooh, here it comes,” I sang out loud, instead of intelligently to myself.
“When my little girl breaks the rules or deliberately sasses her Daddy, she will be spanked good and hard.”
The bread I’d been chewing turned into a thick lump that was difficult to swallow, and I could feel the heat rising in my face. “You’re speaking in third person.”
“That warning shouldn’t be shocking to the author who’d just released a series of Daddy Dom novels.”
“Which weren’t too popular with the BDSM crowd,” I bit out, finishing his sentence.
He tilted his head toward mine. “Which is exactly why you’re here. You must learn first-hand how a disrespectful young lady is disciplined.”
Though I knew he was right, it wasn’t easy to look the man in the eyes.
John leaned forward and took my hands into his. “We’ve had a chance to get to know each other in these last couple of months through phone calls, e-mails, and the technology of Skype…”
“I would’ve never agreed to live with a total stranger. It was also comforting to know you’re Jake’s father.”
His lips pursed as he nodded slowly. “But at times, this living arrangement will be outside the lines of your comfort zone. So, at any hour—day or night—you decide to end this agreement, I’ll support that decision wholeheartedly.”
“No worries. I have no intention of reneging.”
John leaned back, crossed his legs and picked a piece of lint off his dark pants. “We never talked about the fact that all the heroines in your books have been somewhat bratty.”
“Jake thinks they are, but in my opinion, they’re just witty and have good, quick comebacks. For better or worse, I like to give the women in my stories a bit of my own personality.”
“Well, as much as I’ve enjoyed your humor and instant repartees in the past, you might want to start keeping that sass to yourself. In this house, your Daddy needs you to be respectful and compliant.”
My swallow was loud and obvious. “I-I’ll try.”
“Wonderful,” he said before uncrossing his legs to sit forward in the chair. “Oh, and one more thing…”
Thinking the intense part of our conversation was over, I picked up my sandwich to finish eating.
“From what Jake tells me, his readers seem to like darker punishments than what you’ve penned up to now. So, we’ll need to delve into some activities that might be a tad uncomfortable for you. Are we still on the same page?”
Slowly, I put my grilled cheese back down on the plate. “What kind of activities?”
“Anal,” he stated, his eyes lighting up with an unmistakable pleasure.
My cheeks felt like they could explode from the heat. “You don’t beat around the bush, do you?”
“I think it’s best to put all our cards on the table before you unpack. After all, you came here to be trained, correct?”
“I did, John, but…”
“Just so we’re clear, during a punishment or a firm correction, you will refer to me as sir or Daddy.”
My nod was tentative as I swallowed hard.
“A set of training plugs from my favorite online adult toy store recently arrived in the mail. Since you haven’t written any anal scenes, I’m assuming you’re a novice and need to be trained in that tender area. Some of your readers are looking to buy books that include that type of kink. Am I correct?”
As my pucker pulsed, I silently willed myself to melt into an unrecognizable puddle.
“I g-guess so.”
“In all honesty, I want this week to be filled with more snuggles than discipline, and hopefully, my house will become your safe space where you can express all your day-to-day concerns as well as your dreams and fantasies. By the time you leave, I’m hoping we’ll be the best of friends and you’ll have plenty of good memories to write about, but unfortunately, there will be some embarrassing times, too.”
Just the way he said embarrassing was enough to make my core clench. “Since we’re being honest with each other, can I ask a silly question?”
“No questions in this house are silly, Lori.”
Nervously, I smoothed a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “I agreed to be trained by you, but for some ridiculous reason, it didn’t occur to me that you’d be seeing my bottom… bare.”
His
