Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 183(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
“Tell me, Little girl. What is one thing you need your Daddy to know about you?”
Her eyelids blinked open and she blurted, “I deserve to be spanked.”
Before he could react, she slapped her hand over her mouth as if she’d shocked herself. “I didn’t mean that. I don’t know where that came from.”
“I do. You were probably thinking about eating cupcakes and you felt like you needed a spanking? Is that it?”
“No… Well, it could be, but I think I’m hard on myself. I don’t do too many things right. I drop glasses or forget to order peppers. I never am perfect.”
“No one is perfect, Precious Girl. We all have accidents or oops moments. That’s part of being human,” Deke assured her.
“Tell me something you did that wasn’t right today?” she demanded.
“I scared you when I talked about the nursery at my house. That was too fast for you, and I should have anticipated that.”
“It wasn’t too fast,” she rushed to assure him.
“Really? You’re ready to go there now?” he pushed back against her politeness.
“No. I’m sorry I’m not ready.”
“I always want you to tell me how you feel, and I never want you to be sorry for feeling one way or another,” he said sternly. “You’ve already been very brave to tell me this wasn’t the time for you to see the nursery. I was simply using that as an example. Daddies make mistakes, too. I’m counting on you to help me be your best Daddy.”
“Okay,” she whispered and took a sip of her water.
Deke figured she was giving herself time to think. A few seconds later, he asked, “Little girl. What’s your next day off?”
“The day after tomorrow,” she answered. “Why?”
“Would you spend the day with me? We could go on a picnic and have some fun in the park. There’s a neat one a few miles away from here with swings and big shady trees.”
“That sounds like fun. I’d like that. I can make some food tomorrow after work. Or I could get some stuff to go from La Havana,” she offered.
“Daddy will take care of the picnic. Are you allergic to anything? Anything you don’t like?”
“I don’t have any allergies except to something that blooms in the spring. I’ll be honest, I’m not too into Chinese food, but I like everything else.”
“Perfect. I’ll bring a picnic and you can leave your chopsticks at home.”
“I like sushi. Well, the non-raw stuff. You can eat those with chopsticks,” she added.
“Why do I suddenly get the impression you have a hundred pairs of chopsticks at home?” he teased.
She shrugged and admitted, “I have two pairs. One gold and one bronze. Colored, not like the real metal.”
“Maybe someday you’ll teach me how to use them. I always just try to stab things with the ends.”
“No way! You’re joking,” she said with twinkling eyes.
“I don’t know how to use them, but I’d love to learn. We can go for sushi for our third date when you’re off again.”
“Are you going to take all my time off?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Chapter Four
Maya was still floating on air a few hours later when the restaurant closed. Deke had walked her back to La Havana after they finished their cupcakes. He’d even stopped a few storefronts away to take her in his arms and kiss her lightly before escorting her the rest of the way.
Greedily, she wished he’d kissed her so hard her panties had fallen off. That thought made her laugh out loud.
“I’m not going to ask what you’re thinking about,” Mateo said as he pulled the money drawer from the cash register after the guests had left.
That immediately made her blush and almost trip over the broom she was using to sweep the entryway. Steadying herself against the wall, Maya pretended that his words had not thrown her for a loop. She hid her heated face by leaning over to sweep the mess into a dustbin.
“Keep your secrets, Maya. I’m just glad you’re happy.”
“Thank you, Mateo.”
“When you get done there, would you tidy up the front waitress stand? Then take off. I know you’re here early in the morning tomorrow. Go get some sleep,” her older brother recommended.
“That’s a very good idea.”
Finishing that last assigned task quickly, Maya gathered her things, including the precious treat Deke had purchased for her, and headed out the door. In just a few minutes, she arrived at her quiet apartment. After placing the boxed cupcake in her refrigerator, she dropped her purse and keys on her kitchen table and headed for her bedroom.
“I’m home, Tawny!” she called.
Crawling up from the foot of the bed, she plucked the stuffed lion from the comforter and plopped on her bottom to sit with him held against her chest. She hugged the stuffie tight before leaning him back so they could talk. As always, she heard Tawny’s answers in her head.