Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 45251 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45251 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Yum.
“We were just talkin’ about a repeat of last night before y’all showed up,” Colt went on and sat down. “Madigan and Abel are already honorary members in our community outside DC, and you and Tracy are more than welcome to join us if you’re ever in the area.”
I gasped and looked up at Daddy. “That would be so fun, wouldn’t it?”
He kissed my temple. “Sounds like a fantastic vacation. Maybe after the holidays?”
“We gotta make it happen,” Kit urged. “I’ll send you an invite to join our online community too, Tracy.”
“Thank you.” I smiled widely and sat down next to Daddy. Crap, this felt almost as good as last night. I’d been hoping to make more friends and spend time with them without being a third wheel.
But I never could’ve dreamed of hitting the jackpot like I had with Griffin.
It was going to take me ages to process my happiness.
Also, it meant a lot to me that Daddy seemed to get along so well with the people in our community—and now Kit, Colt, and Lucas too. Granted, Daddy had been a member of our community for longer than I had, but I’d had partners who weren’t interested in being social at all. And when it came to kink, that mattered. Because I wanted the big events and the get-togethers.
I smiled goofily as he unwrapped a sandwich for me, and he dipped down and kissed my nose.
“Is this a good time for me to say I told you so?” Abel asked casually. “Because I freaking told you you’d get along with Mister Griffin.”
I let out a huff, but that was about all the protesting I could manage. I mean, he’d been right. Super right.
Daddy spoke up before I could. “Just this once, I’ll bow to your genius, Abel.”
That made Abel sit up straighter, and he looked proud. “Okay, I’m waiting, Sir. Bow.”
I laughed—so did Kit and Madigan.
“We Sadists bow internally,” Colt supplied. “Everyone knows that.”
Daddy nodded and pointed his sandwich in Colt’s direction in a silent exactly.
Typical Sadists!
“Can we go to your place tonight?” I asked.
Daddy pulled into his parking space behind the restaurant. “Yeah, of course. We’ll stop by your place and pack a bag after work.”
Fist pump!
“I can’t wait to see it,” I admitted and unbuckled my seat belt. “Do you have a fireplace? A woodstove?”
“Yes to both.”
Amazing! I jumped out of the truck. “I’m gonna make you the best biscuits you’ve ever had. My grandpa taught me—and he always used a woodstove.”
Daddy smiled to himself, and we shut the doors before meeting up behind the truck, where he pulled me close and kissed the top of my head.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
Me too. Also, the parking lot smelled delicious, and we knew what that meant. Adam was working his brisket magic on the other side of the outdoor seating area that’d closed for the season.
We headed into the restaurant, or the kitchen, and discovered we were first. But we could hear the echoes of Adam’s and Alessia’s voices from upstairs, so they must be on their way down. Their son was evidently joining us too, because his little voice carried in the stairwell.
“I’ll go change,” Daddy said.
“Be right there. I’m just gonna log in.” I wanted to see how many reservations we had today—and how many dietary restrictions.
I logged in to the computer and hummed to myself, and I gave myself a stern reminder to switch from Daddy to Griffin. At least when I spoke! I wasn’t sure I could change the way I thought about him.
I’d noticed how naturally we flowed in and out of our dynamic, blurring the lines here and there, and I loved it. I wanted our relationship fluid. Some people had specific times for kink, but given how I reacted to everything Daddy did, I wasn’t sure I could chop up our day into slots for this and that. Work created enough of a barrier.
Hmpf. Four vegans tonight. My brother’s wife was a vegan, and I adored her—possibly because she was the first to say something like, “Um, why would a vegan go to a steakhouse? Meat is in the name!”
We did not serve any fake meat here, but we did have some alternatives. Adam made a good sandwich with grilled eggplant, roasted onion, and a creole aioli that didn’t have eggs in it. That was about all for the entrees, though! Not even our zucchini fries were vegan. Tonight’s vegan party would have to order up on the grilled veggies and regular fries.
I scratched the side of my head. Two gluten-free, one with severe peanut allergy.
Okay, we were good to go!
Just in time for Adam to kick open the door and carry in a crying toddler.
“Hi, Chef!” I walked over to them and kidnapped Nicky, positioning him on my hip. “What’s the matter, little dude? Why’re you crying?”