Total pages in book: 184
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 188108 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 941(@200wpm)___ 752(@250wpm)___ 627(@300wpm)
But it probably wasn’t a good idea to tell him that. It would just lead to more questions that she couldn’t really answer.
“So if you want off the counter, you have to ask Daddy.”
“Okay, Daddy. Can I get off the counter now?”
“Not yet.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Are you just having me on here, Daddy?”
“No. I just want to talk to you for a moment. I thought we could do some shopping for you this morning.”
“Shopping for what?” she asked. “I don’t need anything.”
“Hmm, as gorgeous as you are in our clothes, you might want something else to wear.”
“But I have clothes at my place.”
“Well, we could drive over there and get some, if you like.”
Oh. Wait.
No, she didn’t want to do that.
“Uh, no. That’s okay. Shopping sounds fun!” she said.
“Good. Are your clothes from yesterday clean enough to go out in?” he asked.
“Sure.” She’d just go without panties. “At least the pants will be. Maybe I could borrow a T-shirt.”
“All right, let’s get going.” He lifted her down, then turned her to face the counter.
He lifted the sweatshirt she was wearing and smacked his hand down on her ass.
“Hey! Ow!” she cried. “What was that for?
He turned her back around to face him. “For not listening earlier. Now, off you go and get ready.”
Sheesh.
He should have gotten her ready himself.
Salem stood at the bottom of the staircase, waiting for her. He’d debated whether to push for more control and in the end had decided to let her get ready on her own.
Idiot.
Now he felt out of sorts.
She was turning him inside out. And the truth was that he wanted more.
Tamsyn reached the top of the stairs and started down.
“Wait,” he snapped.
Fuck.
He regretted that tone of voice as soon as it happened. Quickly, he raced up the stairs to where she was frozen.
“What? What is it?” she whispered. “Is there a crocodile behind me?”
Um, what?
“No. No crocodile.”
She let out a deep breath. “Whew.”
“You know that we don’t actually have crocodiles here, right?”
“Yeah, but you never know when one of them will turn up, wanting a cup of tea. It’s creepy.”
“Are you talking about the children’s book?” he asked. Although hadn’t that been about a tiger?
“What? No! What children’s book? Who would write a children’s book about a crocodile who comes for tea? That sounds horrifying.”
“Um, yes, I suppose it does.” He rubbed his forehead. “But I think that book was about a tiger.”
“Oh.” She put her hand on her chest. “Thank goodness. That sounds so much better.”
It did?
This was a strange conversation but he decided to go along with it for now.
“So why did you yell at me to freeze?” she asked. “I could have really hurt myself freezing on the stairs, you know.”
“I didn’t want you to climb down the stairs on your own,” he explained.
She blinked and rubbed at her head. “Why?”
“In case you hurt yourself.”
“Umm. I’ve been climbing up and down stairs a long time on my own.”
“Yes, but when you’re Little, you shouldn’t be. Little girls don’t always pay close enough attention to where they’re putting their feet. So you should always wait for Daddy, Papa, or Roman to help you.”
“I’m thinking that you worry way too much, Daddy,” she said, shaking her head. “You are going to get even more worry lines than you already have.”
He took hold of her hand and helped her slowly down the stairs. Yeah, maybe he was being too overprotective, but he was driven by this need to keep her safe and he wasn’t going to ignore it.
He didn’t know why his body kept telling him that there was danger. It was odd considering there were no indicators.
But still, his instincts were flaring, and it was like he had a warning siren going off inside him.
Protect. Danger. Protect.
“Wait. Worry lines?” he asked as they got to the bottom of the staircase. “I don’t have worry lines.”
“Sure, you do.” She reached up and pointed to the corners of his eyes and then his forehead. “Worry lines here and here and here. I think I’ll call them Mary, Sherry, and Berry. Don’t worry, they make you look distinguished.”
And old, no doubt.
He ran his finger over his forehead.
Okay, he needed to stop worrying about his appearance. He glanced down at her. She was wearing her own pants and shoes as well as one of Roman’s T-shirts. He opened the coat closet to grab her coat.
There was just one problem . . .
“Where is your coat?” he asked her.
“My coat?”
“Yes, your coat. It’s now autumn and is getting cooler. You should be wearing a coat to and from work.”
“I should?”
“You should.”
“Hmm, well if I should, then my coat must have disappeared. Is this a magic coat closet?” She stepped closer, looking inside. “Is it a portal to a magical place? That’s so exciting.”
“Again, this is not a children’s book,” he said.