“Because I knew you wouldn’t want me cleaning the windows.”
“And you definitely should know I wouldn’t want you climbing a ladder without me. Nor would I want you outside without plenty of clothing on. None of that was acceptable, Mari-girl and you know it.”
“I know, Daddy. Are you going to spank me?”
“I sure am. And this one is going to be far harsher than the others you’ve received before.”
“I deserve it.”
“Why do you think you deserve it?” He tilted her face so she had to look up at him.
“For scaring you. Daddy?” she asked quietly.
“Yes, teeny?”
“You’re not ever going to leave me, are you?”
“No, teeny. I’m not. I love you. I can’t stand the idea of not having you in my life and I’ll do whatever I have to in order to prove that to you. To make you believe it.”
“I overheard you and Doc talking.”
“Teeny,” he growled.
“I know, I know, you can add that to the punishment. But I . . . I realized when I heard you speak to Doc, when I heard how upset you are, it just hit me. Everybody leaves me. But not you. You won’t.”
He cupped her face between his hands. “I love you, baby. I’d never leave you. Ever. And truth is, I said you had a choice when it was safe, about whether you wanted to stay or leave, but I don’t have the strength to let you go.”
“That’s good then, since I don’t want to go. Because I love you too.”
“You’re sure you can take all of me? I might ask a lot of you sometimes, teeny. Maybe more than you ever thought to give. But I will always take care of you. Can you take all the sides of me? The man who’ll treat you like a fucking queen, but then demand you submit to him in the bedroom? The Daddy who will have tea parties with his little princess. Who will make sure she knows that he is always there for her. Who will make the tough calls when she can’t or won’t. But who won’t hesitate to take his naughty princess over his lap when she breaks the rules?”
“Oh yes, yes please. I want it all.” Her gaze met his. “I’ve never had someone at my back, fighting for me.”
“I won’t fight for you at your back. I’ll be in front of you, making sure no one gets through me to you.”
“Then how could I say no? How could I say no to someone who wants to give me everything I ever wanted? How could I say no to the man who I haven’t been able to get out of my head ever since I met him? Who can make me want him with just one look? Who texts me just to check on how I am? Who puts my needs and desires first. There is no way I couldn’t want to be with that man.”
“Thank God.” He leaned in and took her mouth hard. Hot. She let out a sigh as she wrapped her arms around his neck. When he drew back, he ran a finger over her lips. “I love you so much, Mari-girl. I’m glad you realized how much I need you. That you trust me not to leave you.”
“Me too,” she told him. “I need you so much, Linc. I’m so sorry I scared you today. I’ll try not to do it again.”
“I need you to know that you don’t have to do things to pay me back for taking care of you. You already do plenty of things for me without even realizing it. When I’m stiff and sore, you rub my shoulders. When I’m doing hated paperwork, you bring me coffee. When I need a taste of your pussy, you open your legs.”
“Linc!” she cried as he grinned. “Oh my God, I can’t believe you just said that.” She giggled. “You’re crazy, you know that, right?”
“I know. You make me crazy. I love you. And you don’t owe me a thing.”
“I’ll try to remember that. I can promise you, I’m never going on another ladder. In fact, I don’t even think I’ll get on a step stool.”
“Good,” he growled. “You could have gotten dizzy and fallen off and broken your neck. You could have frozen to death up there. You could have had a seizure from low blood sugar.”
Whoops. He was off again.
“I know. I promise, I’ll be more careful.”
“Good. You know I’m still gonna paddle your butt for putting yourself in danger though, right?” he growled at her.
She gulped. “Now?”