Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 509(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“Well, shit,” Lilac muttered.
Yep. Shit.
“Alec thought he was serious. He invited him to Sunday lunch,” Ryleigh said. “I should tell him that he’s messing you around.”
“He’s not messing me around. He made everything clear.” Sort of. “We’re just having some fun together and what’s wrong with that? A girl has needs. And he fills those needs. He’s got big dick daddy energy and I like that.”
A throat cleared and they all looked up.
And there stood Renard.
So, she should probably say something to make it seem like they hadn’t been talking about him . . .
But she had nothing.
“Hey there, Big Daddy.”
19
Hey there, Big daddy?
Seriously? Big Daddy?
And what the hell was Big Daddy Dick Energy? Because he really didn’t know . . .
Although whatever it was, apparently he had it.
“Hey there, Sugar Dumpling,” he replied as he stepped further into the room. He held a paper bag.
Her eyes narrowed. “Nope.”
“What’s nope, my Dumpling?”
“I am no one’s dumpling,” she growled at him.
“She’s right,” Ryleigh added. “She’s not a dumpling.”
“Definitely not a sugar dumpling,” Lilac told him.
“Hmm, if she was any sort of dumpling, it might be a temperamental one,” Ryleigh said.
“Snarky,” Lilac told him. “A snarky dumpling.”
“Got it,” he replied, barely holding back his smile as Opal glared at her friends. Who knew that they were so funny? “Hello my little Snarky Dumpling.”
“Still not a dumpling and you’ll quit calling me that unless you want to be washing your dick with a toothbrush.”
He couldn’t hold it inside any longer, throwing his head back, he let out a laugh.
When he stopped, he noticed that Opal looked smug while her friends appeared shocked.
“I didn’t know he laughed,” Lilac whispered.
“Yeah. I thought you were always grouchy,” Ryleigh added. “That’s what my brothers told me.”
“I am always grouchy,” he reassured them. “Except when my little snarky dumpling makes me laugh.”
But his amusement fled as he looked past the frown on her face to see how pale she was.
Pale and tired.
“Why do you look exhausted? I thought you slept last night,” he demanded, walking further into the room.
“I’ve really got to get back to work,” she told him. “Liston has been out there on her own for a while.”
“She’s fine. There’s some lady in there that she’s helping with a dress. She’s kind of jumpy, though.”
“Who?” Opal asked.
“The woman trying on the dress. Let out a squeal when she saw me.”
“Oh, dear Lord,” Opal muttered.
“What? She had clothes on, I don’t see what the big deal is. And I was looking for you. Don’t men come into this store?”
“Not often,” she replied dryly.
“Did you sleep?” He was thinking that she hadn’t and that she’d lied to him when he’d texted her this morning.
Which made him wonder if she’d lied about other things, considering she looked like she was in pain right now and she’d also told him her back was feeling better.
“Opal doesn’t sleep well,” Lilac informed him. “Not unless she hits a wall and then she will sleep like the dead.”
“I’m fine. I slept a bit last night,” Opal told them.
Right.
“I knew I should have come around to see you this morning,” he muttered. “Did you stop at the pharmacy to get your medicine?”
“I ran out of time.”
Oh, she was in trouble.
“What did you say before? That I have Big Daddy Energy? What kind of energy do I have right now?” He crossed his arms over his chest and glared down at her.
“Actually, it was Big Daddy Dick Energy. And I’d say that it’s a kind and forgiving energy that you’re exuding,” she told him.
“Nice try. Not even close.”
“If I had to guess, I’d say you looked constipated,” Ryleigh added.
He turned his glare to her.
“Yeah, constipated and hungry at the same time,” Lilac mused.
“Nope. Right now, I’ve got big spanking energy. As in someone is about to get their butt spanked. Any guesses who?”
“Ooh! I know that one!” Ryleigh cried, waving her hand in the air.
“You can’t spank her. She has a sore back.” Lilac stood up, looking defensive.
Oh shit.
The last thing Opal needed was her friends attempting to defend her from Renard. She had no idea how Renard would take that. Would he get offended?
Was she going to have to wade in? She would if she had to, there was no way she wanted him to hurt one of her friends.
Renard just nodded solemnly. “You’re right.”
Wait. Really?
“I would never spank Opal or do anything to harm her while she’s injured. And she will always have a safeword that I will honor. I never want to do anything to abuse her trust or to harm her.”
“Good answer,” Ryleigh said, staring up at him like she thought she’d won the lottery.
Only, it was Opal who had.
“Well, that might be our cue to leave,” Lilac said.
What?
No!
“Leave?” Opal asked. They were going to leave her with Renard when he resembled a bear who had just woken up from hibernation to find that Mrs. Bear had been naughty while he was away.