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)
“No. Not at all. I would love not to have to worry about all of this.”
“Then you won’t.” He kissed the tip of her nose. “I’ll take care of all this stuff so you don’t have to worry about it.”
“I’m not going to have to eat salads and drink kale smoothies, will I?”
He laughed. “I’m not looking to torture you, so no.”
“Thank God. Because I might just have to smother you with my pillow if things get that dire.”
“I promise, all I want is for you to be healthy, happy, and safe. Can’t be happy living on kale smoothies, can you?”
“Lord, no. Thank you, Dominic.”
“For what?” he asked.
“For being here for me. For taking care of me. For being exactly what I needed, even when I didn’t know I needed you.”
“You’re welcome, my darling girl. Now, I have to tell you something though I’m not sure you’re ready to hear it.”
She worried at her thumb nail and he reached up to free it, running his thumb over her lower lip, then pressing it slowly into her mouth. To his shock, she started to suck. Maybe she’d like the pacifier he’d bought for her.
“I don’t want to scare you. I know you’ll think it’s too early.”
She drew his thumb from her mouth. “Tell me. Please.”
“I just need to tell you that you’re everything to me, Shortcake. When I learned that you were missing . . . that you’d been taken, I was so scared I felt ill. And I realized that the thought of living without you . . . it wasn’t something I wanted to contemplate. Because I love you. I love you, Gwendolyn Mary Anderson.”
Tears dripped down her face, filling him with alarm.
“That’s good,” she whispered. “Because I love you too, Dominic Brand. I don’t ever want to live without you.”
“And you won’t ever have to.”
34
Gwen studied the bunch of goodies in shock. “They bought me all of this stuff?”
“Yep,” Dominic replied, arranging the gifts that he’d received from some of the Daddies on the ranch.
There was a black notebook that had Gwen’s Punishment Book written along the front of it in white.
She might have to find a way to burn it.
Now, that was a happy thought.
He’d also been given a red, heart-shaped paddle. Gwen’s Naughty Paddle was written along the handle.
His friends and colleagues seemed to be under the illusion that she was a naughty girl.
Pfft. As if.
She looked out over the gorgeous gifts she’d been given. There was a really cute purple sweater with an image of a cat on the front. There was also one of those squishy pillows with a cat face. Some slippers with cat ears on the front and bright blue socks with images of cats on them.
“They knew I love cats.” She hugged Butterball.
“They asked me what you like. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to use the coloring books and pens until your brain is doing better.” He gathered those things up and put them up high on a shelf.
Her lower lip dropped out. “I like coloring.”
“You’ll be able to do them later, once you’re feeling better. There’s a sticker and activity book too.”
“But I want to do it now, Daddy.”
“I’m afraid not, Shortcake.”
“Why am I called Shortcake? You have to tell me now.”
“I do?” he asked, looking amused.
“Yep, because you love me you have to tell me.”
“Hmm . . . I’m not sure I do. But all right. It’s because of Strawberry Shortcake. The cartoon character.”
“Really? Wait . . . is it because we both had red hair?” She narrowed her gaze at him.
He grinned. “Something like that.” He brushed her hair back over her ear.
Hmm. She wasn’t sure whether to be insulted or not.
“And because you’re both just too cute,” he added.
Well. She didn’t really think she was cute. But she’d accept that, she guessed.
He picked up the soft scarf and matching kitten mittens, putting them in a drawer. “I’ve cleared out these drawers for all your stuff.” He put away her socks next and the sweater. Ooh, those kitten tights had to be her favorite, though. They had kitten faces on the knees. She wanted to wear them now.
After everything was put away, except for the pillow pet, he started opening the other packages. Her eyes widened as she spotted a set of training plugs. Holy heck. And a huge bottle of lube.
“Don’t look so scared, darling girl. I promise you’ll like them.”
Yeah. She didn’t think so. She was happy when he put them to one side. The next package held a baby bottle with an extra big nipple, a sippy cup, and a pacifier. They all had images of cats on them. The pacifier was adorable with a kitty face on the front done in tiny jewels.
She loved it. Immediately, she reached for it and pulled it to her mouth.