Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45218 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45218 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
She counted the boxes of tabletops and chairs to compare to her order. Huh, that’s not right.
“What are you missing?” Garrett asked.
“I think there’s a box of chairs missing,” she told him, shuffling through her papers. “I’m sure I’ve miscounted.”
“How many should you have, Ellie?”
“There should be twelve boxes of four chairs and ten tables,” she answered distractedly as she counted again.
Garrett held his hand out for her pen. Walking through the sea of boxes, he labeled each one with a capital T or C and a number. Soon, everything was counted. There were only eleven boxes of chairs.
“Guys, could you check on the truck to see if there’s one more box? We’re missing a set of chairs.”
“Hold on.” One guy jogged to the open truck bay. He disappeared from view but they could hear boxes being scooted around as he checked.
“Yeah, it’s here!” he called.
Within minutes, they’d offloaded the last box. Ellie signed for the delivery. With an efficacy attesting to lots of practice, they grabbed the door stop, closed the back of the truck, and jumped into the cab. Within a few minutes, they were headed to their next stop, leaving Ellie alone with Garrett.
“You don’t have to stay and help me. I know you’re busy,” Ellie said quickly.
“Little girl, lock the door,” Garrett directed with a stern look.
“It’s daylight. Nothing will happen now,” she protested.
“Lock the door.”
Click! Ellie turned back to Garrett and demanded, “Are you happy now?”
“No. Kitchen, now.”
“I’m not baking today. My schedule says put tables together,” she corrected him, pulling up her calendar and displaying her task for the day.
“You do not wish to receive your punishment for endangering yourself in front of the windows, do you?” Garrett asked quietly.
“I don’t wish to be punished. Period,” she sassed back, knowing already that she was making a big mistake.
“You were warned.” Garrett stalked forward. Moving too fast for her to react, he leaned over and scooped her up over his shoulder. He turned so her bottom faced squarely to the large windows lining the store front.
“What? No! Let me down!” Ellie demanded, trying to free herself by flailing around.
Whack! Garrett’s immense hand landed on her plump bottom.
Ellie shrieked with anger at being controlled and the jolt of pain. “Stop this! Put me down!”
Whack! He seemed to completely ignore her orders as he easily contained her movements. “Oh, look! There’s the mailman. Would you like to wave hello?” Garrett asked, his breathing even and unstressed. He rotated to let Ellie look through the glass.
The postal worker was actually walking down the sidewalk toward Little Cakes! He stopped at each store front and dropped envelopes and small packages through the mail slot next to the door. Ellie froze as the mailman tugged the next set of mail from his satchel. He was on the other side of the curved strip center and could look up at any time to see her slung over Garrett’s shoulder.
“Kitchen! I’ll go in the kitchen!” she conceded.
Garrett carried her through the swinging door and set Ellie on her feet by the large worktable. “Lean over the table, Little girl,” he instructed.
“What are you going to do?”
“Finish your spanking.”
“I don’t really need to be punished. I’m sure I was perfectly safe,” she assured him.
“How scared were you before I walked in?” he asked quietly.
Ellie stared at him. She’d been on the edge of terrified. Not really there, but definitely on the border of being petrified. I’m not going to tell him that!
“Maybe twenty-five percent scared,” she lied.
“You’ve just added five more swats for not telling the truth.”
Studying his face, she knew nothing she said would sway him. “I’m sorry?” she tried, hoping to mollify him.
“Locking the door when you’re here by yourself will help keep you safe. I was more than fifty percent scared when I walked in and found you with those men. What if I hadn’t been here?”
The possible consequences flooded her mind. There was no way she could have fought all four of those guys. She could have screamed for help but would anyone have heard her? “It was stupid. I’m sorry.”
Garrett stepped forward and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close. “I don’t know how you’ve weaved yourself into my life, Ellie, but you’re important to me. Daddies know when they meet their Littles.”
“You think I’m yours?” she asked, staring up at him.
“Yes. You’re mine.” Garrett pulled her flush against his body. Leaning over, he kissed Ellie softly.
She rose onto her tiptoes to meet his touch. Opening her mouth as his tongue swept across her inner lips, Ellie gripped his shirt to hold on as he explored the inside of her mouth. He tasted like mint toothpaste with an underlying spice that was Garrett’s alone. Ellie never wanted the kiss to end.
“Oh!” she protested when he lifted his head.