Hiding her wince, Andie held her breath as Eric lifted her from his lap, simultaneously rising from the chair, and carried her across the room. Overcome with a kind of exhaustion she had never experienced, Andie tucked her head into his chest and closed her eyes. She expected him to lay her down on the bed, but instead of the soft padding she expected to feel beneath her, the click of a lightswitch sounded in her ears before a bright white light exploded behind her closed eyes.

Blinking wearily into the light, Andie found herself in a bathroom; large and tiled with an impressive tub standing tall. It beckoned her sore muscles, and as if Eric was reading her mind, he set her down on the cold surface of the bathroom counter, before turning his attention to the tub.

Andie eyed the pouring water with newfound eagerness as she shivered without Eric's warm embrace around her. The counter was so cold, and she was still naked and void of any energy that would normally work hard to keep her warm.

Eric rose, and just as naked as her, he approached Andie and cupped her jaw in his hands before delivering a warm intimate kiss to her lips.

"You have no idea how badly I've wanted you, Andie..." he told her, his voice gravelly. "And now that I have you... I don't think I can let you go."

"Then don't," Andie replied, tipping her head to meet his kisses. Smiling, Eric smoothed the hair from her face.

"You're such a good girl."

Blushing, Andie tried to avert her eyes, but Eric held her jaw in place, his smile broadening.

"And you're so cute."

"Stop," Andie whined, blushing all the brighter as she playfully shoved Eric away.

Chuckling, he stumbled back before returning to her. "Come, my cute little good girl," he teased, earning him a huff in response. He reached under her arms to lift her, but his movements stopped just as Andie had lifted her hands to his shoulders.

A moment of stillness froze Eric before he lowered his hands to her knees and pried them away from each other.

"Eric!" Andie complained, pressing her knees together, but not before Eric saw the dried blood on the inside of her thighs.

"Andie," Eric whispered, his tone full of disbelief and concern. His eyes lifted to hers and fear struck her.

"Please don't be mad," she whispered her reply.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid you would stop..."

"Of course I would have stopped!" Eric pulled back from her, his hands digging in his hair. "I certainly wouldn't have fucked you like a barbarian!"

Feeling suddenly shy, Andie curled up. Her knees pressed tightly together, and her arms folded across her breasts.

"I liked it," she responded lamely.

"Christ, Andie," Eric groaned. "I was so rough with you." He turned and pointed a disapproving glare at her. "You should have told me."

"I know, and I'm sorry," Andie's voice broke as she apologized, Eric's disappointment almost too much to bear.

She wished she were dressed. She wished she had the opportunity to leave before Eric left her—he would leave her. She just knew it. It didn't matter if he had any good reason to or not, he would, because he always did. He always left when she needed him the most.

Feeling his abandonment already, Andie lowered her head and settled into the all consuming depression. Soft tears slipped down her cheeks.

And then Eric returned to her. He lifted her from the counter and carried her like a child to the bathtub. She clung to him, feeling as if it might be the very last time she would be in his arms. But he didn't place her in the bathtub like she expected. He stepped into the hot water himself, and lowered them both down into the warm, steaming, goodness.

Reaching past her, he turned off the water. Then, he settled back, and situated her so that she was submerged with her back to his chest. Then, he located a white washcloth, and he soaked it in the hot water before dipping it between her legs.

Over the course of the next few minutes, Eric removed all trace of her broken virginity.

"So..." Eric's uncertain voice broke the silence. "You haven't been with anyone else?"

Feeling stressed, Andie shook her head. "Not...sexually."

"But you have dated?"

"Yeah...I dated a couple guys."

She felt Eric nod and watched as he dragged the steaming cloth up her belly and across her breasts.

"Why didn't you..." he trailed off. He didn't need to finish the sentence, Andie knew what he was asking.

Because they weren't you, she wanted to tell him. But she offered a shrug instead.

"I suppose I didn't love them."

The washcloth stilled across Andie's ribs.

"Do you love me?"

Andie opened her mouth to reply but the word caught in her throat.

What would he do if she told him the truth? Would it keep him from leaving?

Sitting up, Andie turned in Eric's arms and looked him dead in the eye as she asked: "Are you leaving?"

"Leaving?"

Andie nodded. "Are you going to leave because...because I didn't tell you I was a virgin?"

Eric's eyebrows drew together. "Andie... Why would I do that?"

Andie lowered her eyes and shrugged. "Because that's what you do...you leave."

With a great sigh, Eric pulled her back into his chest. "No, Andie. I told you—now that I have you, I don't think I'll ever be able to let you go. Whether or not you were a virgin doesn't change that."

"I...I thought you were angry."

"I'm not angry," he sighed. "Obviously I would have appreciated being told the truth, but... there's not much we can do about that now, is there?"

Andie shook her head, silently agreeing with him. She still felt very sheepish about the whole thing, and Eric's disappointment settled very badly with her, but she was also relieved.

He wasn't going to leave.

"So..." he started again, resuming his gentle bathing of the washcloth across her skin. "Do you love me?"

Smiling at the uneasiness in his tone, Andie nodded her head. "Yes."

She felt him nod, and then heard him clear his throat, before stumbling over his next reply. "That's...uh...good."

Andie swallowed a laugh. She turned her head into his chest and closed her eyes. The thrumming of his heartbeat lulled her into a newfound peace, especially now that she had validation that he wouldn't leave her.

"I love you too."

Overcome with joy at hearing the words she had longed to hear for so long, Andie couldn't bring herself to say anything. Her throat thickened with emotion and tears stung in her eyes.

At last...after all these years...she had him. He was completely hers.

With a few deep breaths and several swallows to clear her throat, she responded: "That's good."

She wasn't sure, but she thought she felt Eric smile against the top of her head. The idea of it made her smile too. He kissed her hair, and his arms tightened around her.

"So, am I still a cute little good girl?"

"You're still cute," he grunted, and Andie couldn't help the giggle that bubbled up her throat.

"But not good?"

"You're teetering at the precipice of good and bad."

"Because I didn't tell you...?"

"Yes. I think I'll need to apply some heat to your backside over this matter."

"Really?"

"Don't sound so excited," he growled, pinching her bottom underneath the water.

"I just didn't realize that we might still...do that."

"Would you prefer if we didn't?"

"No," Andie answered with a smile.

"Good," Eric replied with a smile of his own. "So, prepare yourself for a lifetime of spankings."

"I can't wait."

Eric pulled her in for a kiss, cupping her bottom and fondling her breasts all the while. Andie turned in his arms and locked her wrists behind his neck. She felt him harden beneath her and she couldn't help but rub herself against him.

"Hey, none of that."

"Why not?"

"Honey, I don't think you've quite realized how sore you are down there. The bath is helping, but if we were to try to make love again, it would be more painful than pleasurable for you."

"Oh, come on."

Eric lifted an eyebrow. "Don't make me get stern with you, little girl."

Gulping, Andie ceased her seductive bodily movements and settled back into Eric's chest.

"Alright..." she sighed pitifully.

"Don't pout," he told her as he rubbed his hand up and down her back. "Right now, I'm going to take care of you, and you're going to let me. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

Eric smiled. "Good girl." Then, after a moment: "...You can call me Daddy too, if you'd like."

"Would that be...weird...outside of sex?"

"Do you think it would be?"

"I don't know... I've never called anybody that before. Do you want me to act...little?"

"Well...Probably not in the way you're imagining right now. I like to see that little-girl-like vulnerablilty in you. You felt it when you called me Daddy earlier; remember?"

Andie nodded.

"Did you like that?"

Andie nodded again. "I think so..."

"So...why don't you try it again?"

"Right now?"

"Sure," Eric smiled reassuringly. "Give it a try."

A hot blush crawled up Andie's neck. "I-I don't know what to say."

Eric hummed for a moment as he thought, his eyes turned upwards towards the ceiling. "How about..." He dipped his head and whispered in her ear. The suggestion he gave her made her blush even brighter, and she felt herself get antsy with the nervousness she suddenly felt.

He drew back and smiled patiently as he waited to hear her say his suggestion.

Unable to hold still, and biting at her lips, Andie tried.

"I..." Andie took a deep shuddering breath. "I love you...daddy..."

Eric beamed. "Now that's a cute little good girl."

Groaning at the degree of embarassment she felt, Andie lunged for Eric's chest, burying her face in the crook of his neck. He chuckled and held her warmly in his embrace.

"I think you'll get used to it, love."

Nuzzling at his skin, Andie felt like a change of subject would be most beneficial now.

"I like this..."

"What?"

"This... I don't know what to call it... You're being very nice to me, and affectionate, and I feel very... loved, and happy."

"That's my intention, Andie," he told her as he dropped little kisses to her shoulder. "I'll always take care of you like this after we've made love, and even after your punishments."

"Really?" Andie lifted her head.

"Yes." Eric nodded. "You're very vulnerable afterwards. I've singlehandedly seperated your peace of mind into a million peices and it's my job to put you back together.

"Huh... I was feeling a little scattered. And...uncertain."

Eric hummed his reply. "That's why I do this." He kissed her again, gently, while continuing the path of the washcloth up and down her body.

Stunned, Andie looked at him for a moment, her eyes drinking in every curve of his face, and the different colors that filled in the iris of his eyes.

"You're really here..."

Eric smiled. "I'm not going anywhere."