Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146666 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 587(@250wpm)___ 489(@300wpm)
“Yep. That’s what a guardian does.”
“I’m still not sure I said yes to this whole guardian thing. I think I only agreed to save you from cat marriage.”
“So you don’t want me to help you? To take on some of the decision making?”
Crap.
He was silent, just waiting for her reply. She couldn’t believe she was going to do this.
“What is my bedtime?” she asked, both nervous and excited.
She just hoped like hell that she wasn’t going to get hurt.
28
Hack had to grin as Greer muttered to herself about the bedtime he’d given her.
He’d heard the words ridiculous, stubborn, and goat.
But he decided he would ignore them. For now.
He’d gotten what he’d wanted.
The microwave dinged. He’d heated up some of the food she’d bought.
Had she really been intending to eat all of this on her own?
“I’ll get that,” she said.
“Nope. You can come sit at the table while I get it. You’re resting your wrist, remember?”
“Is that really necessary?”
“Yes. And if you keep from using it, I’ll have to put it in a sling.”
“Hack! It’s likely just bruised. It doesn’t need a sling.”
“Keep it nice and still, and you won’t have to use one,” he warned. “Now, sit.”
She pouted, and he tapped her lip. “You look so cute, but that’s not going to sway me. Your health and safety come first.”
“Who knew being taken care of would be so hard?”
“I know,” he muttered. His cock was constantly hard around her.
“What do you mean? It’s hard for you? If you don’t want to do this . . .”
“That’s not what I meant at all, baby,” he soothed. Crap, he wanted to kiss away the worry on her face.
“Then what did you mean?”
Shit. He couldn’t tell her the truth. That he was constantly turned on in her presence. She wasn’t ready for that.
“I just meant that it’s hard not to take over more.”
“You mean this is you holding back?” She gaped at him as he grabbed out plates.
“Yep.”
“Lord ,help me,” she muttered.
He grinned. “How many burgers do you want, Ladybug?”
“Just one. Are you sure you don’t need help?”
He turned and pointed at her. “You will stay where you are. You’re injured.”
“I’m not that injured. I can help make dinner.”
“What did I just say about using that wrist?”
Another pout. Fuck. They seemed to have a direct line to his cock. Because whenever that lip dropped, he imagined ordering her to her knees to open her mouth so he could slide his dick inside.
Yeah. This is not helping your current blue balls situation.
“Were you planning to live on all this food until Aidan got back?”
“What? No. Gross.” She wrinkled her nose.
“Then you were planning a party?”
“No, I just . . . ordered that much by accident. It can happen. I’m sure lots of people do it.”
He wasn’t so sure about that. But decided to drop it since she looked embarrassed.
He brought the food over. Then he cut her burger into quarters. It was steaming hot, so he brought one piece to his lips to test the temperature.
“I don’t think anyone has tested how hot my food is before you. At least not since I was a baby.”
“Get used to it. It’s just all a part of taking care of you.”
“I’m not sure this is normal.”
“It’s normal in Hack World.”
“Hack World?” she questioned with amusement as he held a piece of burger out for her to take a bite.
It brought him a huge amount of satisfaction that she ate a piece without argument.
Fuck yes.
Feeding her, taking care of her, it all felt so damn right.
“Yep. Hack World. Where a Little girl called Greer does as she’s told without argument.”
“Ahh, so it’s a made-up world filled with delusions.”
“Hey, brat!”
She giggled as he gave her a stern look. “I am not delusional. You are going to do as you’re told.”
“I am? What happens if I don’t?” she challenged. “You can’t keep buying me stuff. I don’t need anything and you’ll go broke.”
“Be a while before I go broke.” He wasn’t rich by any stretch, but he lived pretty simply and didn’t have any debt. “And I’m sure I can find more things to buy for you.”
Like that Care Bear he’d seen her eyeing in the toy store.
“Or we can just move to other punishments,” he added.
There was a flush in her cheeks. Was she imagining him taking her over his knee?
Because he sure was.
She cleared her throat.
“Eat some more.” He held up another piece of burger.
She shook her head. “I need a drink. Do you want a soda?” She tried to rise, but he shook his head and reached over to grasp her shoulder lightly.
“What did I just say? Stay there. Just tell me what you need.”
He jumped up and got two sodas. He glanced around for her water bottle, but couldn’t see it, so he also grabbed a couple of bottles of water from the fridge.