Total pages in book: 159
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 779(@200wpm)___ 623(@250wpm)___ 519(@300wpm)
Oh, God. If only he knew how much she liked him touching her. It was strange when she wasn’t usually fond of people she didn’t know touching her. But there was no way that she was going to tell him that.
She’d had enough embarrassment for the day.
“Anything else, baby?”
She shook her head. She thought that was more than enough.
To her surprise, he cupped her face with his hands. “I’m going to look after you, Addie. No one is gonna hurt you while I’m around.”
Too bad this was only for a short time, and that he wouldn’t be around for longer.
Because she really liked the sound of that.
36
“Now that’s sorted, it’s time for bed.” He stood and, to her surprise, picked her up in his arms.
She let out a surprised cry that immediately turned into a cough.
“Does this often happen to you? Where you start to lose your voice?”
She shook her head. He carried her into her bedroom and set her down.
“Should have had Hack come in and check on you today.”
She used his phone to type out a message. “It’s just strained. The humidifier and the hot honey drink are helping. It might be all better by tomorrow.”
“We’ll see what it’s like tomorrow. But I’m in charge of your health now, so if I think you need the doctor, then we’re going to call one, all right?”
She nodded. She’d never had anyone care about her health, except for her sisters.
He tucked her into bed and made sure she had everything she needed, including Snaggles by her side and a glass of water on the bedside table. The heating pad had already been plugged in, but he turned it on and tucked it by her tummy.
She was growing tense at the thought of him leaving her on her own, she wasn’t sure what was wrong, but she didn’t want to be in the room alone.
However, she also didn’t want to ask him to stay. He was no doubt tired and wanted to get some sleep of his own.
“Do you need any painkillers?” he asked her as he brushed her hair back off her face.
She shook her head. “Took some.”
Her eyes widened in horror as she realized she had spoken. It was just so hard to type all the time.
And it was just two words.
Cash’s face grew stern. “You couldn’t even last five minutes, hmm?”
She grabbed the phone to write out a message. “Small words don’t really hurt my throat. It’s more longer sentences.”
“You don’t want to add lying to your punishment,” he warned.
Addie groaned. Shoot.
“You were given plenty of warnings, baby girl.”
“You’re not really going to spank me, are you?”
“Well, I should, trouble is there’s no privacy in this house. Everyone can hear everything. So unless you want your sisters, Ralen, and Butch to hear you getting your bottom reddened, I don’t think that’s going to happen anytime soon.”
Oh, thank God for that.
“But tomorrow morning, you’re going to write one hundred times: I will not talk anymore.”
No, he was kidding. She couldn’t do that.
“A hundred times?” she asked
“Yes, you’re very naughty. And if I had to, I could always take you out to my truck to spank your bottom.”
No, she didn’t think that would be necessary.
“No, no. I’ll write the lines.”
“I thought you might see it that way. And you might need some corner time, just to contemplate whether it’s a good idea to disobey Daddy.”
Oh, man. She liked hearing him call himself Daddy.
“Is there anything else you need from me tonight?” he asked.
She shook her head no. She wasn’t going to ask him to stay.
“I have a feeling that might be a lie,” he said. “And we’re not allowed to lie to each other, are we?”
Oh, shoot. She forgot how easily he could read her face.
“So I’m going to be really nice and give you one more chance to tell me if there’s anything you need from me.” His voice was stern again, and she couldn’t resist answering him.
“Can you stay with me until I fall asleep?”
His face seemed to soften, which didn’t really happen that often. Cash was a hard-looking guy. He often seemed all hard lines and firmness.
As though a lot had happened to him in his young age.
“Of course I can.”
She smiled.
“That’s better. I like it when you smile. I don’t like to see you stressed or scared or anxious.”
“Pretty sure I’m always one of those things. Unless I’m hiding in my bedroom.”
“Hiding in your bedroom?” he asked. “Do you do that a lot?”
“All the time,” she typed. “I don’t really like to leave. I like all of my things around me. Strange places and lots of people stress me out. I live with Dotty and Monroe and I work from home, so I spend most of my time in my room. Anything I need, I can get delivered. So I don’t really need to talk much. I guess maybe that’s why my throat is easily irritated.”