Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 111278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 111278 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 556(@200wpm)___ 445(@250wpm)___ 371(@300wpm)
Bad, because it meant he kept a very close eye on her.
She entered the living room after taking off her boots and moved into the kitchen to grab a glass of water. Her phone buzzed.
Kiesha:
How did operation get-rid-of-the-p-book go?
Gwen:
Operation successful.
Kiesha:
Good luck. Rubber ducky out.
She had to grin even as nerves filled her. Had she made a mistake?
“Uh-oh, Butterball.” She made her way into the playroom. Being in here always helped comfort her. Dominic had painted it a soft gray color for her and they’d bought white furniture including a big bookcase, storage for her toys, a daybed that had sides so it could work as a crib, and a big, fluffy white rug on the floor. There was also a huge armchair that she liked curling up in with Dominic.
She moved to the daybed and climbed in, pulling the blankets over her head.
It might be a good idea to hide from Daddy right now.
Dominic walked into the cabin. “Darling girl?”
There was no reply. He frowned and moved through the cabin, entering the playroom.
He spotted her hiding straight away. What was she doing there? Instead of calling out again, he went back to their bedroom. There was something he needed to do this afternoon. That he’d waited to do until she was feeling a lot better.
And that was give her the punishments in her punishment book . . . which was not where it was supposed to be.
He started searching through the shelves. Where the heck was it?
He paused and thought about it.
Why would she be hiding?
Because she was feeling guilty?
Oh. That naughty girl. He moved back into the playroom and walked over to the bed.
“I really wish I could find Gwen,” he mused. “Sally, have you seen my darling girl? No? I’m going to be so upset if she’s run away. I might even cry. Will you cry, Sally? What do you think happened to her? I think I might have to call the police.” He pretended to sit on her.
She let out a squeal.
“No, wait, Daddy! I’m here!” She threw back the bedcovers. “Don’t squish me!”
He stood, staring down at her. “It’s a miracle! There you are! Thank goodness.”
“Silly Daddy. You could have squashed me like a bug.”
“I’m sorry, Shortcake. But what were you doing under the covers? Were you hiding from me?”
She nodded slowly.
“Because you felt guilty? Perhaps over a missing punishment book?”
A guilty look filled her face. “I’m sorry, Daddy. I was naughty.”
“You certainly have been,” he said solemnly, sitting and drawing her onto his lap so she was facing him. “What did you do with it?”
“It’s gone, Daddy. Destroyed.”
Okay, he hadn’t expected that.
“You understand how naughty that is, right?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“And that I won’t be just using my hand to punish you now. You’ll also be getting extras. With the paddle.”
“What? No, Daddy! Not the paddle!”
“I’m afraid so, Shortcake. Getting rid of the punishment book was extra naughty and you know that, or you wouldn’t have been hiding. I’m going to have to spread your punishments out as there were quite a few in your punishment book. So for the next three days, you’ll get fifteen from my hand and five from the paddle each day.”
“Daddy, no! I won’t be able to sit at all.”
“Well, my baby, you should have thought of that before being naughty. Is there anything else you want to tell me?”
“No, Daddy.”
Was that a flash of guilt in her face? He couldn’t be sure. Hmm. Had she possibly had help getting rid of the book? He knew it had been there before he left as he’d checked it to see what she was owed.
But no . . . who would help her? No one else would be that naughty.
“All right. I want you to strip off completely, then go and stand in the corner with your bottom poking out and think about how naughty you were. Off you go.”
He watched her remove her clothes, taking in her gorgeous body. All curves and smooth skin.
Crap. Don’t get hard.
It was difficult not to, though. She moved into the corner, poking that delectable butt out.
Standing, he moved to get the paddle. She let out a sigh, but remained quiet otherwise.
That was a small miracle. She loved to talk while in timeout. It usually made it last twice as long. Sitting, he set the paddle down.
“All right, Shortcake. Turn around and come here.”
She walked over to him slowly.
He grabbed her hips and pulled her between his open legs. “Well? What do you have to say for yourself?”
“I’m sorry I got rid of the book, Daddy. It was really, really, really naughty. I just . . . I didn’t want to get punished.”
“And you don’t think Daddy had your punishment book committed to memory?” He tapped his forehead.
“Oh. You did?”
“Yes. And you earned yourself extra punishment for no reason, darling girl.”