Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 42379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 42379 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 212(@200wpm)___ 170(@250wpm)___ 141(@300wpm)
“Secret.”
“Oh, yeah. This better be good.”
Beau led her to a door on the opposite side of his vast bedroom. Pausing dramatically with his free hand on the handle, he asked, “Are you ready?” to disguise the faint click that sounded.
“Another closet? I’m not going to be impressed by more room for suits, Daddy.”
Beau opened the door and flipped on the lights before walking inside. Stepping to the side, he turned to watch her reaction. Her jaw immediately dropped.
“What is this?” she asked in shock.
“It’s your nursery.”
“My… my nursery?”
Beau walked to the crib and picked up a green bunny. “I thought maybe my prickly bunny cactus would like to have a bunny of her own.”
Holding his breath, Beau waited to see what her reaction would be. He knew Maisie’s family had viewed toys as unnecessary. Putting food on the table was their priority. She walked forward and petted the rabbit’s tummy.
“It’s so soft.”
“Here, hold it,” Beau suggested.
“I’m too old for a stuffie,” Maisie whispered.
Her body was plastered against his as she looked over the sweet stuffed animal. Beau knew he had chosen the right one. He’d searched carefully to find one that was absolutely squishable and with the silkiest fur. Holding the bunny out to her, he corrected her statement. “Little girls are never too old to have a stuffie. Hold him for a while. He’s been very lonely.”
“She!” Maisie blurted the correction.
“Of course, she’s been very lonely.”
“Okay. I could hold Floof.”
Beau controlled his desire to smile. She’d already chosen a name. He carefully handed the sweet bunny to his Little. Maisie studied the stuffie carefully and stroked the floppy ears before bringing her close to hug.
“Oh!” Maisie breathed. “She’s so soft.”
“Floof hasn’t gotten to see all the nursery. Let me give both of you a grand tour,” Beau announced gallantly.
Maisie tucked the stuffie carefully in the crook of one arm before nodding. “I think Floof would like that.”
“This is your crib, Little girl. You’ll sleep with Daddy in his big bed at night, but if you need to nap or just relax for a while, this is a comfy place to zone out.”
“I could bring my computer and lean against the railing. It’s quiet in here,” Maisie suggested.
“We’ll set up an office for you, Little girl. This is a no electronics zone,” Beau stated, drawing the line.
“No electronics? Like nothing with a battery? No phone?”
“No. The nursery is not the place to be connected to anyone but me and Floof.”
“Oh. I guess that’s okay if the rule applies to you, too.”
“No phones here,” Beau promised, turning his pockets inside out.
“Hmm. What’s that over there?” Maisie asked, pointing at the corner.
“Let’s go look.” Beau took her hand and led her to the bookshelf. It was piled with a variety of books he knew she’d enjoyed. Interspersed were a few series that she’d always wanted to read but never had time. “I thought you might like me to read some of these stories to you.”
“I’d love that.”
Maisie paused to look all around the unbelievable room. If this got out, Beau could kiss his political career goodbye. No one would understand the kink that always drew them.
“Couldn’t your staff get in here?” Maisie asked, looking frightened.
“The doorknob is special. Only my handprint will open it currently. We’ll set it up to accept yours today.”
“No way! I’ve never heard of that.”
Beau just shrugged. Random people contacted him often with ideas for new concepts that needed investors to produce. Some he supported and others he dismissed. When this opportunity had come along, he’d jumped on it. Maisie’s nursery had one of the first prototypes.
“So, no one can get in here.”
“Just you and me.”
Turning, she looked to see that the door was closed. Immediately, her body language changed. Maisie squeezed his hand and smiled.
“Daddy?”
“Yes?”
“I love this secret. Show me more.”
Beau escorted her around the nursery, showing her all the features. Maisie gripped his hand harder when they arrived at the tall, padded table. Beau pulled out the precisely organized drawer for her to see.
“This is Daddy’s drawer. You are not to play in here.”
“I don’t even know what some of that is.”
“That’s okay, Little girl. It’s for Daddy to take care of you,” Beau assured her.
“Are those… plugs?”
“Yes, Maisie. Those are to go in your bottom to widen you to take me there or if you’re naughty and need to be punished.”
She stared at him. “Like in the book?”
“I looked up all the comments you wrote and included them in your nursery.”
“Naughty girl cream?” she squeaked. “I definitely didn’t comment on that.”
“Your Daddy did. I found it easily.”
Beau picked up a jar with a professionally created label. He turned it so she could read it. Naughty Girl Cream.
“Daddy. Everything in that book doesn’t need to come to life. That was all about fantasies.”
“As I remember, you demanded to read that book first. Did you skip over some parts?”