Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 34052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 34052 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 170(@200wpm)___ 136(@250wpm)___ 114(@300wpm)
“A good Daddy would never ever make fun of you, Zia. That would be awful. He wouldn’t be a Daddy at all.”
“I guess I would worry that he wouldn’t like taking care of me. I’d constantly feel self-conscious and worried about what he was thinking.”
“Not if he was the right Daddy,” I reiterate. Chase would never ever, ever make fun of me. I know it in my heart. I may have worries and concerns sometimes, but never that.
“Do you have a nursery and a crib and all that now that you’re living with Chase?”
I nod. “Yes. It’s so pretty. Maybe you can come over one day for a playdate and see it.”
She grins. “That would be fun. Does Chase take care of everything when you’re super young?”
“Yep. Everything.” I emphasize that last word just like she did. I’m feeling bolder and less self-conscious since she seems genuinely curious and not grossed out. “He even feeds me a bottle sometimes, and I have a pacifier. I’ve started spending a lot of time in a younger age space evenings and weekends. It’s hard to explain, but it’s sort of freeing not to have any responsibilities.”
“That’s so awesome. It’s a lot different from living alone and hiding who you really are most of the time,” she points out dreamily.
“Yeah.” I take her hand. “Thank you for being so understanding. I was worried about what you might think of me if I told you I’ve been younger lately.”
She squeezes my fingers gently. “I would never judge you, Josie. We’re friends. I’m kind of jealous even though I’m not sure I could ever let myself go and spend as much time as you do in Little space.”
“Don’t you at home?”
She shakes her head. “Not really. Sometimes super late at night, I pretend in my head, but I don’t have many things in my apartment that would give away my secret. I mostly just let myself be Little while I’m here at the Dungeon.”
I didn’t realize Zia was living her life without indulging her Little side more than once or twice a week. It makes me sad. “Why?”
She shrugs and looks down at her lap. “My parents are pressuring me to meet and marry a respectable man. They have no idea I belong to this club or that I’m Little.”
I wince. “I’m so sorry.” I’m very fortunate my parents know I’m Little and have supported me for many years. I didn’t have to hide the fact that Chase was a Daddy from them. I’m sad for Zia.
“You’ll be miserable if you lie to yourself and settle for someone boring who doesn’t understand you,” I point out.
“I know.” She plays with the hem of her dress. “I just don’t know what to do about it. If I tell them about my Little side, they will never understand. If I let them steamroll me into marrying someone they choose, I’ll hate my life. It’s a mess.”
My chest tightens. Now I understand better why she doesn’t make eye contact with Gabriel or anyone else. “You just graduated from college, right?” I remember her telling me this when we first met. “Did you get a job yet?”
She shakes her head. “No. I applied for graduate school. I start in the fall. You know why?”
I cringe. I’m pretty sure the answer is not going to be because she loves her chosen profession and wants to continue her education.
“Because it was the only way to get my parents off my back for two more years. I told them I don’t want to settle down and get married until I get my masters.”
“Zia, that’s so sad.” I feel bad for her. “What’s your degree in?”
“Education. I could be a teacher. In fact, I’d love to teach school. But I know that’s not what’s going to happen. My parents are kind of wealthy. They want me to marry one of their friend’s sons and stay at home and make babies.” She cringes. “Babies? I don’t ever want to make a baby. It doesn’t appeal to me at all. They think it was important for me to get my education but not use it. That would be beneath me.” She rolls her eyes.
I’m still holding her hand, and I squeeze it again. I don’t know what else to say. She’s really in a bind. “Maybe going to school for two more years is a good plan. At least you like your degree choice. It will give you options in the future and buy you some time.”
“Yeah. That’s the plan.” She sits up taller, pulls her hand free, and wipes her watery eyes. “Let’s do something fun. Wanna work a puzzle?”
I nod enthusiastically. “That’s a great idea.” We stand up and scramble over to an open table.
Chapter Three
We are just finishing our puzzle when Daddy sits in the chair next to me. He tucks a stray curl behind my ear and meets my gaze. “Have you thought about doing a scene with Daddy here at the club tonight, Baby girl?”