I gasp and glare at him in the mirror as he laughs. His muscular abs flex as he does, and I struggle not to stare. Gosh. It’s not fair how hot he is.
“You knew?” I cry out.
Maddox grins at me and raises his eyebrows. After he spits and rinses his mouth, he turns to me and taps my nose. “I know everything about you. Like the way your nose scrunches slightly every time I pull the tube out of the drawer.”
Shoot. I thought I was hiding my dislike of it pretty well.
“It’s so bad,” I whine, then make a face. “I can’t believe you knew and kept using it on my teeth.”
Maddox cups my chin and brings his face down to mine, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. “What are you supposed to do if you don’t like something, baby?”
Guilt swirls in my tummy as I stare up into his green eyes. “Tell you,” I whisper.
He nods, then steps back, pulls open the top drawer, and grabs the pink-plastic-tasting toothpaste. Then he opens the cabinet under the sink and tosses the tube into the trash.
“Tomorrow morning, you’re going to eat breakfast with a plug in your bottom.”
My mouth falls open. “But…”
Daddy raises a stern brow. “But, what?”
Dropping my shoulders, I sigh. “I felt bad because I begged you for it, and it costs money. I didn’t want you to be upset with me for wasting it.”
Without hesitation, Maddox slides his hands under my armpits and lifts me to sit on the counter. Then he steps between my thighs and places his hands on either side of my hips. He smells so good. So fresh. It’s so him.
“As I’ve told you before, my sweet little wife, I don’t give a flying fuck what anything costs or if we have to throw it away. I know you’re used to living on a strict budget, but you don’t have one anymore. It’s a tube of toothpaste. It’s not the end of the world. But keeping the fact that you hated it from me is naughty.”
Letting out a heavy breath, I nod and slide my hands over his broad shoulders. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”
He pulls me off the counter, and I immediately wrap my legs around his waist so he can carry me to bed like he does every night.
“I know. And tomorrow morning, by the time you’re done eating, you’ll be even more sorry.” He sets me on the bed and waits until I crawl across to my side. He gets in under the covers next to me, propping himself up on some pillows. Then Maddox reaches for me, and I snuggle up to him as he presses the nipple of a bottle to my lips. We stare at each other in silence as I slowly suckle, the cold water helping to wash the toothpaste flavor from my mouth.
“I love you, Baby Girl,” is the last thing I hear before I drift off to sleep in the safety of my Daddy’s arms.
Maddox
Coffeein one hand and a clean, shiny plug in the other, I walk into our bedroom to wake up my sleeping princess.
I knew she didn’t like that fucking toothpaste. She hates bubble gum, so why she wanted something flavored that way is beyond me, but like the sucker I am, I gave in and let her get it. And the very first night I brushed her teeth with it, Iknewshe hated it. Maybe I’m a terrible Daddy, but I wanted to see how long it would take her to tell me. She’s gotten more comfortable asking for what she needs over these past couple of years, but it’s still a struggle. That’s why it’s a rule that she has to tell me if she wants something, doesn’t like something, or if something is bothering her. Every so often, she needs a reminder that she is my priority and that she’ll never upset me because of her needs.
“Time to wake up, baby.” I set my cup on the nightstand along with the plug and lean over Brynn, placing my hands on either side of her as she stretches and moans sleepily, her eyes still closed, but she’s smiling. “How’d my sweet girl sleep?”
Her lashes flutter when she finally looks up at me, her light blue eyes so fucking stunning in the morning light.
“Like a baby,” she answers softly as she reaches up to run her hand over my jaw like she always does before I trim it in the morning. “What about you?”
I kiss her forehead and then give her several gentle kisses on her soft lips. “I always sleep great next to my girl.”
She smiles and kisses me back, like she does every morning, and it’s the best. From the first night I met her, I’ve never grown tired of spending time with Brynn. She’s my everything and more.
When I straighten, I pull the blankets back and grin when Brynn lets out a whine of protest and tries to grab them from me.
“Sorry, baby. It’s time to wake up if you want to make your shopping date with Lucy today.” I reach between her legs and squeeze the front of her diaper to check if it’s wet. When I’veconfirmed that it’s not, I pop open the buttons on her onesie and untape it carefully. “Come on. Potty and then back here for your punishment.”
Brynn’s cheeks turn pink, and she sticks out her lower lip slightly, but she knows damn well she won’t get out of this. If I know one thing about my girl, it’s that she needs consistency and follow-through. And I need her to understand that she can speak up in this relationship without upsetting me.
She doesn’t argue, instead taking my offered hand to help her up. I follow her into the bathroom, and while she sits on the toilet, I grab a bottle of lube and set it on the counter before I go over to clean her up. During the day, once she’s dressed, I let my girl be a bit more independent, but late at night and first thing in the morning, I take care of everything for her. It’s our special time just for us, where she can be completely free of responsibilities, and I can really flex my controlling side the way I like. I’ve had to learn to compromise over the years. Even if I don’t always love it.
