Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Who are you kidding? He was intimidating you not that long ago.
“It’s okay,” she said to Andrea. “Daddy is just a worrier. He’d worry his butt off if he could.”
“Um, right,” Andrea responded, still looking unsure.
Reuben drew Faith to him, pressing his lips to her ear. “Worry my butt off? You owe me for that.”
“What do I owe you, Daddy?”
“A blow job. When and where I choose.”
Um. Okay. That was a penalty she would gladly pay.
“All right, Daddy,” she said with a fake sigh. “It’s a tough ask, but if I must.”
“Brat. When did you get so sassy?” he grumbled.
“It was always there. Just hidden.” She’d never been this sassy before. Maybe because, deep down, she’d always worried she’d be too much for Matt.
Perhaps she’d never felt safe enough in that relationship to fully be herself.
It was a sobering thought. Especially when she might never have broken things off with him if the business hadn’t gone broke.
Then, she might never have moved to New York.
Never have met this man . . . who was fast becoming her everything.
Who she couldn’t imagine living without.
And wasn’t that a scary thought?
Perhaps she’d had to go through the worst time in her life to get to the best time of her life.
To this man. This life.
Perhaps she’d failed. But, also, maybe she wasn’t entirely to blame.
“Baby?” Reuben grasped hold of her chin, tilting her face back. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” She smiled up at him. “Nothing at all.” Leaning up on her tiptoes, she kissed him lightly. “I’m just so grateful to have met you. To be here with you. Thank you.”
He cupped her face between his hands. “I know I’m not the easiest man. And I’m not going to change. But I want you to know that I’ll do whatever it takes to look after you.”
“I know you will.”
He kissed her again. This time it was deeper, hotter, dirtier.
God, she loved when he kissed her dirty.
When he drew back, she was shaky. He turned her toward the gate and slapped her ass. “Go play. I’ve got to go get a few supplies.”
Part of her wanted to ask him what he was going to get.
The other part of her thought that she probably didn’t want to know.
Instead, she ran into the play area.
“No running!” Reuben ordered.
“It’s fine for her to run. It’s safe,” Andrea said.
Faith turned to see him glaring at poor Andrea again.
Yikes.
Moving into the castle, she squealed as she saw that it had steps leading up to the turret. She climbed them and stepped out onto the turret. She was queen of the world!
There was even a slide on the other side. She used that to get down.
Whee!
At the bottom, a man stepped in her path. For a moment, nerves filled her before she realized it was Charlie. The Little boy who’d gotten his bottom smacked earlier.
Like you got your bottom smacked.
Yeah. She didn’t want to think about that right now.
“Um, hi,” she said shyly.
“Hi, I’m Charlie.”
“I’m Faith.”
“You want to play, Faith?” he asked.
She bit her lip, feeling unsure.
“It’s okay if you don’t.” He tried to smile, but there was a sad look on his face. “Most Littles don’t want to play with me.”
What? Why the heck not?
“Why not?”
Charlie shrugged. “I think it’s because I’m big, you know, physically. And I’m kinda old. You know, in Big years.”
“I don’t think that’s very nice. It shouldn’t matter if you’re bigger. Or older in Big years.”
He shrugged. “I guess not.” He turned away from her, his shoulders slumped.
“I’ll play with you, Charlie.”
“Because you feel sorry for me?” he asked, turning back. “It’s okay, Faith.”
“It’s not okay, and I pinky swear it’s not because I feel sorry for you. I just . . . I’m a bit nervous, I guess. I’m not used to being Little in front of other people. I’m kind of scared that someone will be mean to me.”
Charlie beamed and it was a beautiful smile. “I’d never be mean to you, Faith.”
“Aww, thanks, Charlie.”
“Come on, they’ve got blow-up swords over here. They’re pretty sad as far as swords go, but they’ll do.”
They reached an area that was made to look like a pirate ship.
“This place is awesome,” she said.
“It’s really fun.” He handed her a sword.
“Is your Mommy doing some more shopping?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
She stared at him worriedly. “Are you all right?”
“Our relationship isn’t very traditional. She’s an old friend who is actually into women. I’m bi, but I’ve never met anyone who could give me what I need. So Ella stepped in to help. But . . . it’s getting a bit weird now that she’s started dating someone else.”
“Oh, Charlie, I’m sorry.”
He smiled sadly. “Yeah, her girlfriend really doesn’t like me and I get it. Even though there’s nothing sexual about our relationship, it is weird. So I understand why Merry doesn’t want me around.”