“Once your hands start hurting, you’re supposed to stop,” he told her.
“You’re not winning this one,” Archer told her with a soft pat on her ass. “Come on, let’s go find some cookies and get your heating pad ready. You can talk to Marisol while you sit.”
Caley looked over at Marisol. “But I need to take notes.”
“I can do that. I don’t mind,” Marisol offered. “Or I could write things out as I’m reading your story.”
“Oh, I couldn’t ask you to do that.”
“Please. I’d love to help. I just . . . your books have helped me when things haven’t been so great in my life. I’d lose myself in them. I’ve read them several times. To help you in any way, would be amazing.”
“I think that’s one of the nicest things anyone has ever said to me.” Caley slipped her hand around Marisol’s arm. “Marisol, I think you are my new best friend.”
24
Marisol was riding a high as they drove home.
“Can you believe Caley wants my help? Mine? And she’s sending her manuscript to me so I can beta read for her?” She jumped up and down in the seat.
“Whoa. No jumping around while I’m driving.” Linc shot his arm out to hold her against the seat, shooting her a firm look.
She sighed at him. “Daddy, we’re not even on the road. I don’t even need to wear a seatbelt.”
“You most certa
inly do. I catch you without one and you’ll get a spanking every night for a week.”
Uh-huh. She didn’t think so. Linc could never spank her that much. And she could barely feel the one she’d had this morning.
“You think I won’t do it? I will. And before you tell me that one this morning didn’t hurt that bad, that was just a light reminder. It wasn’t a proper spanking.”
It wasn’t?
Hmm.
“Sit in your seat. Seems I do need to order the full car seat for you.”
“You do not!” Bad enough she was getting a booster, but a proper seat with harness was not going to happen. Was it? She shot him a sideways glance.
Damn, he looked pretty serious.
He parked outside their cabin. She couldn’t believe how today had gone. Not only was she getting help with managing her diabetes, but she now got to beta read for CJ Bennett. She’d taken notes as Caley asked questions, both of them eating a cookie, hers was sugar-free, with milk while the men all drank coffee.
Linc jumped out then adjusted the front seat for some reason. “Time to do the ‘is Mari too short to drive Daddy’s truck’ test. Although I still don’t think I’m going to let you drive it anyway.”
“Daddy,” she sighed. It was all too easy to call him that now. In fact, she couldn’t imagine calling him anything else. She might have to watch out in public that she didn’t slip.
“Don’t Daddy me.” He waggled a finger at her. “It’s too big for you.”
He helped her out of the truck and led her around to his side, lifting her in.
Crap. She shifted forward in the seat, reaching for the pedals. There! She turned and gave Linc a triumphant look.
“See, Daddy? I can totally drive this.”
“Sure, if you don’t need to see where you’re going,” a deep voice said, startling her.
She gave a gasp, twisting to see a big man standing behind Linc. He was several inches taller than Linc and broader. Thick with muscle, he had blond hair and a fair complexion. His beard was blond interspersed with red. Blue eyes watched her coldly.