Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
“We could stop for something to eat?” he suggested.
“I would think you’ve had enough of me,” Aria said, hoping that wasn’t true.
“I don’t think that’s possible, Little girl.”
“Do you really think I’m your Little girl?”
“I do. What do you think? Could I be your Daddy?”
“Maybe,” she hedged before answering his earlier question. “Thanks for the dinner invitation, but I need to get ready for work. You know—laundry and organizing things for next week.”
“I’m disappointed but understand. Will you have lunch with me tomorrow at work instead?”
“Oh, no. We can’t hang out at work.”
“Why, Little girl?”
“If things go wrong, that will make everything so much more difficult. People will know you’ve ditched me,” Aria blurted.
“I’m not going to ditch you, Aria,” he said, pulling off the road into a shopping area.
After parking, he turned to look at her. “You are so worried that we won’t be a good match that you’re already planning for the end of our relationship. That’s not giving us the chance we deserve.”
“You don’t understand. I never have good luck with guys.”
“I’m not a guy. I’m a Daddy. Hopefully, your Daddy.”
“For now,” she whispered.
“And for tomorrow and all the tomorrows after that if you’ll give us a chance.”
When she shrugged, he directed, “Pull out your phone. Open a message.”
“Why?”
“We’re going to make some rules.”
“Rules?” she echoed.
“Exactly. You write them down in a message to send to me. Then we’ll both have the list.”
Before she could ask any questions, he started, “Number one. Aria isn’t allowed to concentrate on us breaking up.”
“That’s not feasible. Everyone thinks about breaking up,” she stated, stubbornly not typing.
“People who are sure they’re not supposed to be together. Are you sure or have a single reason why we aren’t a perfect match?” Cameron asked, holding her gaze with his.
“Well…” Aria thought furiously. He was charming and seemed to enjoy being with her. They liked the same things and had the same opinions on most topics. For those few subjects they had different thoughts, he wasn’t staunchly against her—Cameron just looked at it from a slightly different angle. The only thing he held a very strong view on was their relationship.
“I can’t think of anything,” she whispered finally.
“Do you think it’s time to stop looking for items that separate us and start concentrating on building a foundation for the future?”
“Yes.” She picked her phone up from her lap and typed in the rule. “What else am I doing wrong?”
“Nothing. But I’m sure you have something you’d like to rely on from me,” Cameron suggested.
“I need to know how you feel about me,” Aria blurted.
“Right now, I think you’re so damn cute I want to kiss you.”
“Because I’m needy and insecure?” she said, rolling her eyes at him.
“Because you’re willing to take a chance on us. Put that rule down. Share how we feel on a frequent basis. That will help both of us feel better.”
She typed that quickly onto the list. “Anything else?”
“I’d like for us to interact at work as well as during our free time.”
“That scares me,” she admitted.
“What will make you feel better about seeing me at work? Because I’m not going to run the other way if I see you coming down the hall,” Cameron probed.
“I don’t know. We spend a lot of time at the office. I don’t want things to be weird.” Aria shivered, feeling a zing of cold roll down her spine.
Cameron turned off the SUV before pushing his seat back as far as possible. “I need to hold you.”
He scooped Aria out of her seat and onto his lap. She curled into his warmth, resting her face against his hard chest. “Aria, I promise not to be a jerk. I won’t let you run away from our relationship. Can you be brave?”
“You’re going to get so tired of reassuring me. I feel like a big baby.”
“That’s not going to happen because eventually you’ll know that I want the best for you.”
“I know. You’re really a nice guy.”
“You’re not going to think I’m a nice guy when I spank your bare bottom,” he informed her.
“You wouldn’t!”
“I very definitely would. Do you want to have a Daddy?”
“Yes.” After their magical day today, she could imagine actually having a Daddy.
“Then along with that relationship comes nurturing, affection, support, and boundaries.”
“From you?” she asked, leaning away from his support to see his face.
“Yes.”
Aria took a deep breath and exhaled strongly. “Okay.”
“Okay?”
“I’m sorry I’ve wavered around and tried to create problems when there aren’t any. You seem like the kind of man I’ve dreamed about for so long. It’s scary. I never realized I might be Little or expect to find out my dream man was a Daddy.”
When he opened his mouth to talk, she covered his lips with her fingers. “I need to finish. I’m ready to be brave and take a chance. Thank you for being patient.”