Convincing Leah by Becca Jameson

Chapter 14

Leah

I’m excited when I wake up the next morning. I’m not even confused. I know where I am. I’m in Craig’s bedroom. He’s not.

I slide to the floor, use the bathroom, and race out of the room in search of him. When I find him in the kitchen standing at the stove, I close the distance and throw myself around his body, hugging him tightly.

He startles and then wraps an arm around my shoulders. “Good morning, sweet girl. You’re in a good mood.”

“Toys are coming today,” I exclaim.

“Yep. A lot of stuff is coming. It’s going to be a busy day. I’ll have to assemble most of that furniture. Do you think you can be good while I’m working?”

“Yes, Sir.” I bounce next to him. I’m still trying to come to grips with this new strange Leah who has totally shed her adult self and become a five-year-old girl.

Craig cups my chin, his eyes dancing. I’m making him happy too. He meets my gaze and holds me steady. “I need a moment with adult Leah. Can you do that?”

I stop wiggling and nod at him. “Yes.” I don’t want to, but I can.

“I know the last thing you want to deal with is work, but do you know if you have anything pressing that needs to be done with regard to your books?”

I chew on my bottom lip for a moment. He has a point. “I don’t think so. I’m in between books, and I’ve been struggling with writer’s block for a while.”

“Maybe we should open your computer after breakfast just to check your email and make sure, okay?”

“Yes.”

He pats my bottom. “Good girl. Can you grab the plates and silverware and set the table for Daddy? Breakfast is almost ready.”

I nod again, eager to help. I feel kind of awkward when I sit around doing nothing while Craig does everything for me. I’m five. Not two. I race to the cabinets and rise onto my toes to open the one where I saw him get out the plates. “I’ll get you a grownup one,” I tell him.

“Okay, just be careful so you don’t drop it. You don’t have shoes on. I don’t want you to end up stepping on shards of broken plates.” I realize he worded that in such a way that tells me he doesn’t care about the plates. He cares about me getting hurt.

It makes me grin as I get everything we need for breakfast and set the table. I even add napkins.

I giggle when he lifts me onto my chair and pushes me up to the table.

He smiles and leans down to kiss me on the forehead. “I love the sound of your laughter.” He holds my gaze for a moment, his thumb rubbing my cheek.

When he releases me to go fill our plates, I feel a shift in the air. Something is happening between us, and it makes me both nervous and excited. I’m happy this morning. Lighter and freer than I’ve been in a very long time. When have I ever been light or free?

Master Quinten was spot on when he analyzed me. I became an adult at five and never looked back. Maybe he’s right. Maybe I’ll benefit from stepping into that headspace I missed out on for a while. For how long though? I can’t be sure, but it feels right and good today.

Craig sets a plate piled with scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast in front of me and hands me another chubby fork. He fingers the frilly shoulder of my sleeveless nightgown. “I like this one. I should have Eve order you a new wardrobe.”

I glance down at the silly nightgown he pulled over my head last night. It’s pink with princesses on the front. I might have had a similar one when I was an actual toddler.

I squirm. “Are you ever going to let me wear panties at night?”

“Nope. I like your bottom bare when you’re in my bed.” He takes a bite of his eggs and points at mine. “Eat, sweet girl.”

I purse my lips, still staring at him.

He narrows his gaze. “Leah…” he warns.

“I’m not in your bed right now,” I point out, needling him.

He chuckles, slowly setting his fork down. “Here’s what I think, and I want you to listen to me closely before you respond.”

I nod, my face heating.

“I think you don’t have the first clue how to misbehave. You’ve been a good girl all of your life, never getting into trouble at home or at school. I bet you’re very sensitive about even making the smallest mistakes. I think a brief conversation that five-year-old Leah had with a stern doctor twenty-five years ago has left a lifelong impression on you.”

I open my mouth to say something but then snap it shut when he lifts his brows, reminding me that I’m supposed to be listening, not speaking. “Sorry, Sir,” I murmur, my face heating even further.

“Case in point. On a scale of one to ten, how badly do you feel right now about almost interrupting me?”

I squirm my naked bottom against my seat. “Seven,” I whisper.

He leans closer and takes one of my hands in his. “Do you rationally think you should feel that badly about opening your mouth, sweet girl?”

I shake my head.

“But you can’t stop it.”

I nod.

“There’s a lot to unpack here, but let’s start with discipline. I haven’t spanked you since Friday night. It’s been a week. You’re practically in withdrawal.”

I lower my gaze, my shoulders slumping. He’s right.

“You went through an enormous life-altering trauma, sweet girl. There was no way I could spank you after that. It’s only been two days since I found you. I’m leery about setting a hand on you, but I get that your needs aren’t being met. Am I right?”

I’m embarrassed. I nod subtly.

“You don’t really care that much about the fact that I haven’t given you panties, do you?”

I shake my head just as slowly.

“You were hoping that arguing with me might get your bottom spanked, yeah?”

I pull my hand out of his and fidget, lowering my hands to my lap and twisting my fingers together. “It’s easier to get spanked as an adult. I choose when I want to get spanked. I set a date and time and even pick a Dom. I need that, Craig. I don’t know how to do it differently.” I lift my gaze, hoping he can see my plea in my eyes.

His eyebrows are drawn together. “Okay, so we have multiple issues to tackle here. One is you getting the physical release you need from impact play. Here’s what I propose. I don’t want to use spanking as a form of punishment for you. It’s too stressful and counterproductive.”

I gasp.

He shakes his head. “Let me finish. How about instead I assure you I will spank you at least once every day. I choose when and where and how. You won’t be scheduling it, but you can relax knowing that at least once every twenty-four hours your bottom is going to get spanked. Not as harshly as I would if it were every four days, but enough to give you the release you crave. Does that work?”

I nod, sitting up straighter, relieved he has found a solution.

“You never know when I might swat your bottom or how hard or how long or whether or not I let you orgasm. Just because I spank you first thing in the morning doesn’t mean I won’t do it again at lunch or dinner or before bed. Got it?”

I smile. “Thank you, Sir.”

“Now, problem number two. I want you to lighten up on yourself. You don’t have to be perfect all the time. Neither adult Leah nor little Leah needs to be perfect. It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to argue with me. It’s okay to disagree or drop things or spill things or cry or even stomp your feet.”

I draw back, my face scrunching. Is he crazy?

He chuckles. “You’ve never stomped your feet in your life, have you?”

“Definitely not.”

“You should try it sometime. It feels good.”

I shake my head. That’s outside of my comfort zone.

“Anyway, you need to do some naughty things, Leah. Start small. You have naughty thoughts, right?”

“Yes. That’s why I like to get spanked. That’s how I forgive myself for having mean thoughts.”

“I want you to act on them sometimes. Don’t hold back. Do it. Instead of spanking you though, I’m going to punish you in other ways that don’t give you physical release. Timeouts. Take away your television privileges. Things like that. Totally different type of discipline.”

“Okay,” I murmur, uncertain about his plan.

“That removes the stress of feeling like you need to misbehave to get spanked. We’ll separate those two things entirely. Got it?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Now, when you were young, you made your own rules about things like cooking and cleaning and making your bed.”

I nod.

“I’m going to have rules too. Very strict ones that will make it difficult for you to comply all the time. Just for this week. That way you won’t be able to avoid getting into trouble and ending up in timeout. Hopefully, you’ll realize it’s not a big deal to misbehave sometimes.”

“Okay.” I like this idea. I do better with structure.

He points at my plate. “Finish your breakfast and then we’ll talk some more.”

I pick up my fork and take a bite, chewing slowly as he resumes eating too. I push the eggs around on my plate while I swallow. I’m not interested in eating now.

“Leah, clean your plate and drink all of your milk. You need to eat more. If I serve you something you don’t like, we’ll negotiate how many bites you have to take, but I know you like bacon and eggs and toast. I haven’t given you more than you should be able to eat this morning.”

“Yes, Sir.” I take another bite. I don’t feel like it, but I do it. I’m the one who worries all the time about being underweight, and I’m the one who never eats enough or healthy enough. I take another bite before saying, “I don’t like Brussels sprouts.”

He laughed. “I won’t make you eat any then.” He finishes his breakfast and leans back. “I noticed in your apartment that your office was a mess.”

“Hey now, I know exactly where everything is. It makes sense to me.”

His smile is filled with plotting. “I’ll help you come up with a better system.”

I frown. “My system works fine. It’s not bothering anyone.”

“Are you arguing with me?”

I lift my gaze. “Maybe.”

He stands, his smile switching to a warning smirk. “Finish eating, put your plate in the dishwasher, and go use the bathroom and brush your teeth.”

“Yes, Sir.” I clean my plate and finish my milk, load my dishes in the dishwasher, and pad down the hallway to the master bedroom.

When I come out of the bathroom five minutes later, Craig is rummaging in my suitcase. He holds up a pink cotton dress fit for a toddler.

I shuffle toward him slowly. “Damn Eve,” I murmur.

He lifts both brows when he turns around. “Cussing and arguing in less than half an hour? You’re going to nail this naughty thing down in no time.”

I cringe. “Oops.”

He laughs as he reaches for the hem of my nightgown and pulls it over my head, leaving me naked.

I shiver, hoping he’s going to dress me quickly. I have this absurd newfound embarrassment about being naked while I’m little.

Craig holds up my panties but stops. “You really feel uncomfortable when you’re naked and little, don’t you?”

“Yes, Sir.” I reach out to snag the panties from him.

He pulls them out of the way. “I was going to dress you and then put you in timeout, but I think you’ll think twice about cussing if I put you in timeout naked.”

I gasp and meet his gaze, shuddering. My hands come to my breasts and squeeze them as my traitorous nipples stiffen. How the heck am I both mortified and aroused at the same time?

I’ve never minded being naked in front of people before this week. It’s baffling. It’s like I’m someone else. Little Leah is bashful.

Craig leads me to the corner of the bedroom and angles me so that I’m facing the wall. “Forehead against the wall. Nose in the corner.”

I’m shivering as I do as he tells me. There’s a rush of wetness leaking from me too. Hopefully, he won’t know it.

“Clasp your hands behind your back. Press your nipples against the walls.”

I whimper now. The moment my nipples touch the cold walls, I shudder from head to toe.

“Good. Now, spread your legs apart, Leah… Wider… Good girl.” He sets his hand between my shoulder blades and slides it down to the small of my back, over my cheeks, and between my legs.

I cry out and rise onto my toes when he strokes his fingers through my wetness. Shit.

“That’s what I expected. I told you little girls often get aroused from being disciplined. Welcome to intense age play.” And then he’s gone.

I don’t know how long I have to stand here. He didn’t tell me. But I can still feel his touch between my legs. I want more. I’m dripping with need. He hasn’t mentioned how sex is going to fit into all this. Now I’m super curious.