Sheriff Daddy (Montana Daddies Book 10) by Laylah Roberts (good book club books txt) 📗

will help you sleep better. And be thankful I didn’t make it nine like I was planning.”

Nine! Was he insane?

“Do we need to go over the other rules? We have respecting yourself and me. No putting your health or safety in danger. Eating regularly. Telling me when something is wrong. Kissing and hugging me hello and goodbye and sitting on my knee. Except when out in public.” He shot her a look since she’d made him put that last part in. “And no going beyond the yard or going running without telling me.”

They’d gone through punishments and her hard limits, as well as his. Luckily, they seemed to be on the same page with most of it. But communication would likely be her downfall.

“Now, these might need to be added to as we go forward. But they’ll do for now. Agreed?”

She sighed. “Agreed.”

He wrapped her braids around his hand and tilted her head back. He’d insisted on doing her hair for her and instead of her customary bun, he’d separated her hair into two braids. “That’s my good girl. Let’s seal it with a kiss, yeah?”

“Okay, Daddy.”

He kissed her. Lightly at first, but then deeper. She melted into his arms. When he drew back, her lips felt swollen and her heart was racing. He gave her a soft smile. “You’re so beautiful, my girl.”

“So are you,” she blurted out without thinking.

He grinned. “Beautiful, huh? I was thinking something more along the lines of ruggedly handsome or strong and fit. Not beautiful. No one is as beautiful as my girl.”

She blushed.

“Now, what would my Georgie-girl like to do?”

“Do?”

“Hmm. Want to spend some time in Little space?”

“Oh, umm, well.”

“Do you like to play? Watch cartoons? Color? Craft?”

“I don’t really do much of any of that,” she admitted. “When I was a kid, I used to play with dolls, but that’s what my mother wanted me to do. I preferred playing with my brothers' toys. But if she caught me, she’d take them away from me and send me to my room.”

“You can play with whatever you like here. There’s no right or wrong thing to do. Although, unfortunately, I don’t have much in the way of toys.”

“That’s okay. Sometimes I might watch cartoons. But I often get bored of that. I don’t know about coloring. I don’t have any kids' coloring books. August bought me one of those coloring books for adults, but it’s really hard and I ended up getting frustrated.”

“All right. When we go shopping we can get you some other ones you might like. So is there anything you want to do?”

“Well, I like building forts.”

“Yeah?”

She nodded. “I find lying in them relaxing. Sometimes I’d build one and then I’d sleep in it with Squawkers at night. That happened when I was really anxious.”

“Then let’s build a fort.”

He returned with a pile of blankets. She was feeling nervous, not quite sure what to expect. But he quickly took over, rearranging furniture and throwing blankets everywhere.

“Go get Squawkers, Georgie-girl,” he ordered. “You’ll want him, right?”

She did. She returned to find that Ed had pulled off all the cushions from the sofa and rearranged them on the bottom of the fort.

He was standing there, tapping his chin. “I feel like it’s missing something.”

“I think it looks great.”

“Hmm, but I don’t want you scared if it’s too dark.”

That was so sweet of him.

“I’ll leave the door open, Daddy,” she said, finding herself slipping into Little space.

“I’m sure I have something better, though.” He clicked his fingers. “I have an idea.”

When he returned, he held a plastic container with smiling pumpkin lights. That was unexpected. She raised her eyebrows.

“Kiesha,” he told her. “From the one time I let her decorate for Halloween.”

He climbed into the fort and she bent down to watch as he strung them up. Then he turned them on. “You’re not scared of smiling pumpkins, are you?”

He climbed back out.

“Surprisingly, that is one thing I’m not scared of.” She grinned at him. “Daddy, it looks great.”

“Good. Anything else you need?”

“Do you think you have anything that could be a steering wheel?”

“Steering wheel? Like a car?”

“Like the helm of a boat.”

He looked at her onesie. “Aye-aye, Captain Georgie.”

“Well, get to it then, Second Mate Daddy.”

“Hey, can’t I be first mate?”

“No way. That’s Squawkers' job.”

“Outdone by a parrot. Story of my life.”

“Time for lunch and a nap, Georgie-girl,” Ed called out. “Come on out.”

“Can’t come out, busy!” she said back.

“Finish what you’re doing and come out. You need to eat.”

“Daddy.” She popped her head out of the door of the fort that Ed had helped her build in the living room. It had taken her a while to relax enough to let her Little side come out, but Ed had been patient. Lying down in the fort with her, even making lots of silly noises when she’d decided the fort was actually a ship, exploring the seven seas. “I can’t come out. I’m Captain Georgie and with my First Mate, Squawkers, we’re searching for buried treasure.”

“The buried treasure will still be there after you nap.”

“Captains don’t take naps, Daddy!” It had become easier to call him Daddy as well. To the point now that she didn’t even think about it. Daddy just popped out of her mouth naturally.

“Well, Captain Georgie does. Because her Daddy says that she has to.”

“I don’t think Captains have to do what their Daddy’s say.”

“Captain Georgie does. Because her Daddy doesn’t want her getting sick. Which is what is going to happen if she doesn’t get enough sleep. And eat enough food.”

“But if I leave now, the pirates might find the buried treasure.” She pouted. “You don’t want the pirates to get the buried treasure, do you, Daddy?”

“That would be terrible,” he agreed. “But Daddy will keep an eye out for those pirates and I promise that if they appear that I will fight them off for you.”

“How will you fight them off, Daddy?” she asked. “You don’t have a sword.”

He wriggled his eyebrows. “Don’t I?”

“Daddy!