Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
No matter how much he wanted to.
“It also doesn’t mean you get to do anything you want. In fact, when you’re a princess, I think there are more rules.”
She gasped and opened her eyes to glare up at him. “What? Why?”
“Because you need them to keep you safe. A princess always has to be protected.”
“Well, I guess that’s true. We are very important people.”
“You certainly are. I will come get you in the morning for breakfast. Go to sleep, little girl.”
CHAPTER 9
Phoebe was nervous. She didn’t get nervous much. She’d much rather spend her time thinking about happy things. Like playing with her toys or dancing or pulling funny faces in the mirror. Which was exactly what she was doing right now to try and make herself laugh. She was used to having to cheer herself up.
But nerves kept bouncing around in her tummy. What if Barren spanked her? What if he’d changed his mind and wasn’t coming to get her? Maybe he’d decided that she was too much work. That he wanted someone more mature. Someone who had their life together.
That wasn’t Phoebe.
She couldn’t really focus. She struggled to hide her feelings and emotions. Everything she felt, you knew about, which she knew could be a lot. Her feelings could be big. What if she’d inadvertently upset him?
Had she?
She stuck her tongue out at herself and then crossed her eyes. This wasn’t working. “Oogie boogie woogie,” she said as she stuck her fingers in her ears. Okay, that was a bit funny. A knock on the door startled her and she moved over to the door, opening it.
“Oogie boogie,” she said as Barren gaped down at her.
“Um, are you all right, little girl?” he asked.
“Uh-huh.” Why was he asking her that?
Maybe because you’re pulling a face still. Oh shivers!
She pulled her tongue in and stopped wrinkling her nose up.
“You’re here!” She threw herself at him and he immediately wrapped his arms around her, pulling her up against his chest.
“Hey, what’s this?” he asked. “What’s the matter?”
“I’m just so glad you’re here.”
He carried her into the bedroom, and she wiggled, trying to get down.
“Stay still,” he commanded, slapping her bottom lightly.
“What was that for?” she asked. “I wasn’t naughty! I don’t need a spanking!”
“That wasn’t a spanking,” he informed her. “It was a slap to get your attention.”
“It wasn’t?”
“Oh, my poor girl, no. When you get a spanking, you’ll definitely know.”
“I will?”
“Yes, because you’ll be over my knee, your bottom will be bare, and it will hurt. Unless we’re talking about a fun spanking. That’s something different entirely.”
Yikes.
“Bare bottomed?”
“Only way to give a spanking. Unless we’re in public. I don’t think I would want anyone else seeing your bottom. So I’d likely spank you over your clothes then spank you properly when I had you in private.”
“You’d spank me in public? I don’t think you can do that.”
“Maybe out there in the world, but you’re forgetting where we are. No one would blink twice if I spanked you here.”
Right. Yikes.
He sat on the sofa with her on his lap, facing him. “Is your back all right?”
“I’m going to tell you right now that you better not say you’re too heavy for me to carry. You are not.”
Okay. She wouldn’t suggest that.
“Now, why were you worried that I wouldn’t be here this morning?” he asked, grasping hold of her chin to tilt her head back.
“I was just worried that maybe you’d changed your mind.”
His face softened. “Little girl, I’m not going to change my mind about this.”
“Well, you might once you get to know me.”
“And why would that happen? Is there something awful about you? Something you haven’t told me? Do you turn into a vampire at night?”
“No, silly, if I were a vampire I wouldn’t be able to walk around during the day.”
“Hmm. A werewolf then?”
“Noo! I’m not that hairy!” she protested.
“Good to know. Well, do you kick puppies?”
“What?” She gave him a horrified look. How could he think that? “No! I would never! I love puppies.”
“Whew. That’s good. That would have been a deal breaker. I know, do you steal candy from babies?”
“Hmm, well, I do like candy. I would only steal it if it was Gushers. Babies shouldn’t be eating that candy anyway.”
“Very true. But then, neither should Little girls.” He tapped her nose.
“That’s just mean. Little girls are mostly made of sugar. We need it to keep us going.”
“No, what you need is lots of good nutrition like protein and vegetables and fruit. And a tiny bit of sugar.”
“I’m not sure I like where this is going, Daddy.”
He looked startled, then he smiled. “You called me Daddy.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Did you not want me to?”
“No, no. I do. I very much do.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Yes. It felt… amazing. Thank you for trusting me with you.”
“You’re welcome, Daddy.”