Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45314 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45314 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
When she leaned back, feeling like she’d been a bit too forward, he kept her close, smiling broadly. “I’m glad you like it, but it’s just a stuffie. What are you going to think about the other gifts in my car?”
Her eyes popped wide. “Other gifts?”
He chuckled. “I told you the day we first talked that Little girls needed surprises on their birthday, so I got you some. I know you ordered several things for yourself, but those weren’t surprises.”
“They sort of were,” she hedged.
His brow crinkled. “How was that?”
“Because I didn’t remember what I ordered, so every time something new came, it was like another birthday present.” She beamed at him, hoping he wouldn’t think she was strange.
“Ahh. I can understand that, Cupcake. But the things I got you will be total surprises. It’s a party, after all. There’s only one guest, but I came bearing enough gifts for several.” He eased her to his side. “Don’t move. I’ll be right back with the rest.”
She was stunned as she watched him walk out the front door. She sat ramrod straight in anticipation. She even clapped her hands together and giggled while he was gone so he wouldn’t see her overzealous enthusiasm.
Yeah, he’d told her he would bring gifts, but she hadn’t really expected him to get her so many things. The stuffie had been enough. Tarzan was awesome.
When Grayson stepped back inside, his hands were so full that she gasped. She slapped her palms over her mouth. “Oh, my God. Grayson!”
He set everything except for the obvious Little Cakes box on the coffee table. He carried the cupcakes to the kitchen and set them on the counter before returning. “Do you want to open these all at once now, trickle them throughout the day, or open all of them later today?”
She chewed on the corner of her lip, pondering the options. “What do you think?”
“As your Daddy, I’d say how about you let me pick out what order to open them in and when you get the next one each time. If you like that kind of anticipation.” His eyes were twinkling. He looked like he was going to enjoy her opening them even more than she would.
“That’s a great idea. Thank you,” she said again, hugging him yet again.
He kept his arm around her, holding her to his side. “Now, I know you said you wanted to lounge in your new cupcake pajamas, eat junk food, and watch movies all day, but you’re dressed. Would you like to go out for a while first?”
“Out?” She glanced at the door.
“Yeah. It’s when you open the door, walk outside, get in the car, and go places,” he teased. Suddenly he stiffened and cupped her face. “You don’t have agoraphobia, do you? I saw you at Maniac Tats earlier this week.”
She shook her head. “No. I like to go out. I just don’t do it often because there aren’t many places I want to go alone.”
“Well, today you’re not alone. You’re with me. And if I have my way, you’ll be with me every single day from now on. Sometimes on weekdays we can go out to dinner. On weekends we can hit places like the zoo. We talked about the zoo the other day. Maybe that’s something you’d like to do today,” he suggested. “Afterward, we can come back here, snuggle, open more gifts, eat cupcakes, and watch movies.”
She nodded enthusiastically. “Like a date.” She hadn’t been on a date in a very long time. She’d been kind of reclusive for several years, mostly since she’d realized she was Little and hadn’t had any hope of finding a Daddy.
“Of course. Lots of dates.” He lifted her chin. “I want you to be my forever date, Cupcake. I know you don’t fully believe me yet, but you will. I’m patient. In the meantime, we’ll go on all the dates.”
She wanted to believe him, but he was too good to be true. She even blinked several times to make sure he would still be next to her when she opened her eyes each time.
He chuckled.
Her cheeks heated when it dawned on her that he realized what she’d done.
“I’m still here,” he informed her. “And I have another question.”
“Okay.” What more could he lay on her this morning?
“The first night I came over, you told me you were trying to be brave and get a tattoo for your birthday. You haven’t mentioned it again. Did you go back to Maniac Tats this week?”
Her cheeks heated ten times more. “No. I chickened out,” she murmured.
“Nothing wrong with that. A tattoo is a huge commitment. You can’t easily undo it.”
She licked her lips. “I want to get one. I’ve been walking by the tattoo parlor for months, trying to build up the courage to go inside. That was the first day I finally went, but I lost my nerve, I guess.”