Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103356 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 517(@200wpm)___ 413(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“What?” She looked up at him in confusion as he placed her in the front passenger seat. “When did I jump out of a moving truck?”
Opal was already in the backseat with a now-quiet Kye. Tanner pulled her seatbelt over and buckled it in. “Earlier, when we pulled up here. Make sure that doesn’t happen again.”
The door shut and Opal whistled. “Daddy can spank me anytime.”
“Opal!” she scolded, looking over her shoulder at her friend.
Opal just grinned. “Don’t tell me he wasn’t giving you Daddy Dom vibes.”
Lilac groaned. “This isn’t one of your romance books.”
“Why not? It could be.”
Tanner got in and Opal leaned forward. “Are you a Daddy Dom, Tanner?”
Tanner’s eyebrows rose as he half turned to look at Opal, then at her. “No, I’m not. Is that what you want, Lilac?”
“No.” She shook her head.
“Sure? I’ve never been to Saxon’s, but I’m willing to go if it’s what you need. Learn how to be a Dom.”
“Saxon’s?” Opal asked with interest.
“Local BDSM club,” Tanner explained.
“I don’t need that,” she said.
“Sure? I’ve got no objections to you calling me Daddy.”
“Are there any Daddies in this town?” Opal asked. “Who need a bratty sub with a taste for pain?”
Lilac groaned as Tanner stared at Opal in shock. “I suspect there could be.”
“Well, now,” Opal said. “I didn’t think this small town was going to be for me with all these goody-two-shoes, but things are looking up.”
“Goody-two-shoes?” he repeated.
Lilac just shook her head at him, swallowing a groan as everything spun. Shit.
She needed some sleep.
But she knew that wasn’t going to be possible anytime soon.
“Yeah, everyone here just seems too good to be true, you know?” Opal said as they started driving. “Like, it can’t be real. Although that receptionist didn’t like the look of you, Lilac.”
“Again, that was my fault. She thought she was defending me,” Tanner explained as he parked in front of Linc’s house.
“Well, I hope you set her straight,” Opal said. “Wouldn’t want to ruin her nose.”
“Ruin her nose?” he asked her after Opal climbed out of the truck.
“Don’t ask,” Lilac told him. “But Opal has a mean right hook.”
Getting out, she moved to the back door to unhook the car seat, dragging it out. Her energy was waning, and for a moment, she was worried that she wouldn’t manage.
Then Tanner tugged the baby seat out of her hands and started walking toward the guesthouse before she could even say anything.
“Well?” he questioned. “Are you coming or not?”
With a sigh, she trudged after him. He really hadn’t been this bossy and demanding before.
Had he?
20
Tanner didn’t like this.
The guesthouse was all right, but there were only two bedrooms and it looked like someone was having to sleep on the sofa.
And he was pretty certain he knew who that person was.
His girl was far too self-sacrificing for his peace of mind.
She’d totally believed that shit that Linc had said to her. Which reminded him, he owed that bastard a black eye. He’d wait until Ryleigh was feeling better.
He was just nice that way.
People failed to see that he was nicest Malone brother.
It was baffling how they missed it.
Lilac was in one bedroom, getting Kye settled while Opal made him a bottle. As soon as Opal disappeared, he started snooping. Fuck. They barely had any food. A loaf of bread. Some peanut butter. Creamer and coffee.
This wasn’t good enough.
Grabbing his keys, he headed toward the door. What the fuck right did Linc have to go off at Lilac for not taking care of Ryleigh when he was letting them live here with no food?
Well, he’d soon remedy that.
Yes, he’d rather move Lilac in with him so he’d know that she was being looked after.
But he knew that was likely too soon.
He’d give it a week.
The lack of food worried him, though. Was this why she was so thin? He could see her making sure everyone else was fed and taken care of first and forgetting about herself.
That was going to change.
“You’re leaving.”
He glanced over to see Lilac staring at him with a look of resignation. There was no surprise. Just a hint of sadness.
“I’m going to the grocery store.”
“Okay.”
“I should be about an hour,” he added.
“You’re coming back?”
“Yeah. With groceries.”
She frowned as though she didn’t understand what he was saying. He walked forward, cupping the side of her face. “Baby, you don’t have any food.”
Surprise filled her face. “You’re going to the grocery store to buy us food?”
“Yep. Is there anything you want? Chocolate? Ice cream? Any allergies I should cater for? What about sanitary products?”
“S-sanitary products? Are you seriously asking me if I want you to buy me tampons?”
“Well, I don’t know when you guys are due. You might need to restock.”
“Tanner!” She slapped his chest, wincing as she obviously hurt her wrist. “You can’t offer to buy us sanitary products!”