Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154595 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 773(@200wpm)___ 618(@250wpm)___ 515(@300wpm)
“Fine. But I get to do whatever I want to you. And you can’t spank me for it.”
“I promise.”
Damn.
That had been a stupid promise to make.
His spanking hand was really itching. Especially when the naughty brat put her phone right in front of his face and took a photo.
“If you send someone that photo, you are not going to sit for a week,” he warned her.
She gave him a sad look. “But, Daddy. You promised.”
“I promised to let you do what you wanted without punishment. I didn’t say you could take photos and send them.”
With a sigh, she set her phone down. “Fine. I won’t send a photo to Cat and Immy. But, Grumpy Bear, you look so cute.”
“I look like a giant glitter bomb exploded over me.” There was glitter everywhere. Pink glitter on his eyelids. Gold glitter across his cheek bones and in his beard. There was red glitter on his lips and his eyelashes were about an inch longer because they had so much gunk on them.
“I’m going to be getting glitter out of my beard for weeks,” he grumbled.
Maeve started giggling. She laughed so hard that she bent over. When she finally managed to calm herself, she straightened and wiped at her tears.
And suddenly, he didn’t care that he’d be cleaning glitter out of his orifices for weeks.
All he cared about was her laughter. She sounded more carefree than she had in ages.
Reaching out, he drew her toward him. Then he kissed her. It started off soft then grew deeper. When he pulled back, they were both breathing heavily.
“Grumpy Bear?” she whispered.
“Later,” he promised. “Right now, you have to get this shit off me. Then we’re going to go jump in puddles.”
It’s just a darn puddle, Maeve.
But it wasn’t really the puddle. It was being outside. It was being away from the safety of the house.
She let out a breath. She could do this.
“Here’s a good one, baby. Jump.”
She stared down at the tiny puddle and over at Gray. She could see some glitter in his beard still. Not that she was planning on telling him.
She thought he looked cute.
Adorable.
“Grumpy Bear, that puddle sucks.”
“It does?”
She took hold of his hand, breathing in deep. Well, as deep as she could with the amount of layers he’d insisted she wear. He’d even made her put on mittens and a hat.
Paranoid man.
And she loved him for it.
She knew that some of his guys were in the woods around them, but they were staying back and he said they wouldn’t interfere.
She led him toward a giant-sized puddle, and found herself smiling at the alarm in his face.
“This puddle is perfect.”
“Like hell,” he muttered. “You jump in this and you – Maeve, no!”
She ignored him, taking a running jump at the puddle and squealing as water shot everywhere, wetting her. She laughed in delight, bouncing up and down. “This is so much fun!”
Why had she thought she didn’t want to do this again? So silly of her. She didn’t care that her pants were wet. That water was getting in her rain boots.
There was something so satisfying about jumping in a puddle. It made her feel carefree.
The last layers of tension and fear eased from her. She knew they weren’t gone for good.
But this was the start of her feeling more like herself.
Suddenly, she realized that Gray was very quiet. She turned and found him standing there.
His jeans were soaked. Even his jacket had splotches of water on it. She realized she must have made a really big splash.
Hmm. She wondered how he felt about mud? There was a big muddy patch right beside the puddle she was in. She rushed over, then crouched down to scoop up a glob of mud. Turning, she flung it right at him.
Her aim had always been terrible.
She’d never been able to play any sort of sport.
And yet, somehow, she managed to get him right in the face.
She started giggling and took off.
“Come here!”
“Daddy, no!”
“Come back here!”
She dodged around the puddle as he tried to grab her. Her laughter filled the air. And when he finally caught up with her, throwing her over his shoulder and smacking her ass, her giggles grew louder.
“Daddy! No! You can’t spank me!” she cried, not caring who could hear her.
“Oh, can’t I!” He smacked his hand down on her ass as he carried her into the house.
“Wait, you’ll get mud everywhere!”
“It’s all right, I’m sure it can be cleaned up,” a deep voice answered.
Markovich.
Oh, hell. She tried to twist and see who was there, but she was facing the wrong way.
Dahlia started giggling. “She got you good, Grampy.”
Gray growled. “If you’ll excuse us.”
“Have fun!” Markovich called back.
Gray carried her into their suite and through to the bathroom. Then he set her on her feet and leaned down to fill the tub. She wondered if she should make a run for it.