“Hm. Is this all I needed to do to get you to open up? Spank your ass and check your temperature? This feels too easy,” he said chuckling.
“Well, it worked. It would probably work anytime I’m stressed out, but I’ll never say it again.”
Sam was ridiculously smart. I figured it wouldn’t be the last time I’d be bent over a surface with my rosy ass higher than my body, a rectal thermometer sticking out of it like a white flag in surrender. And I supposed it was in a lot of ways. Submitting to Sam. Submitting to my desires. Allowing my Daddy to take care of me. He slowly removed the instrument and fixed my pants.
“No fever. Must have been nerves, Mickie.”
“Must have been.” I waited for him to help me back to my feet. Sam kissed me once then went to the sink to dispose of his gloves. I unlocked the front door and slowly sank back into the chair at the reception desk wincing from the lingering burn on my bottom cheeks.
“So, what do you say? Will you stay and help run this office? It shouldn’t be hard. Doc cancelled most of his appointments. He spread the word that we’ll be more of an urgent care until he returns from Costa Rica.”
“If it’s not that much work, you don’t really need me,” I said quietly. I shouldn’t have needed any additional convincing. But it wouldn’t hurt.
“Stay anyway. Then I get to see your beautiful face every day.”
Well, that did it. “Money is sort of tight.”
“Another excuse. You have paid time off. That information came directly from you,” he corrected.
He was right again, and I was running out of my laundry-list of excuses. “It’s just that maybe I don’t want you to have readily available tools at your disposal.”
“Well, sweetheart, I have all these same tools at the cabin. I want you here with me. Two weeks would give you a break from that job you hate. Show you how easily you’d fit in here again. Enough time to convince you that your life is here with me, Mikayla.”
“Forever?”
Sam wrapped his arms around me from the side, kissing my temple. “Yes. Forever if you’ll stop overthinking. You’re my girl. Stay.”
“Yes, Daddy. Okay, I’ll stay. I’ll make arrangements and stuff. But only for two weeks.” I affirmed knowing that no matter what happened it wouldn’t take much to show me how much better life could be in his arms, in his bed. It didn’t mean I’d quit my job immediately and pack up, but it was a start.
Chapter Ten
Sam
“Come on, babygirl. We are walking.”
“It’s cold,” Mikayla protested, rolling her eyes.
“The fresh air will do us some good. Coat,” I said, leaving no room for negotiation.
“No, I’m Mikayla,” she said, sticking her bottom lip out.
“Put your coat on.” I reached around her and smacked the back of her thighs. “Let’s go.”
“Ugh, you’re in mean Daddy mode…”
She sauntered up the hallway finally listening for once. Lunch hour gave the clinic a rare lull, and I wasn’t letting her disappear into an exam room and scroll on her phone. Though she’d settled into a routine with me, the past few days she’d been arguing with everything in reach. Patients, vending machines, gravity.
Walking was happening whether she approved or not. I was fairly certain it was because our time together was quickly coming to an end. Not that our relationship was ending, but it was back to our routines in separate cities.
We stepped into the crisp air and headed toward Creekside Roast. The bell chimed as we walked in. Across the street, Josie fromDenver’s Dinerwaved while handing Rosalie Hawthorne a bag outside the vet clinic.
“Well, look who’s finally stopping to smell the coffee,” Josie called.
“It’s been quite the week!” Mikayla waved back, then slipped her hand into mine like she hadn’t spent the last hour pretending she didn’t need grounding. We ordered quickly.
“They basically scraped that off the bottom of the pot and plopped it into a cup,” she said, wrinkling her nose.
“Listen, little miss double-shot brownie mocha latte. You don’t get a vote.” I laced our fingers together. “More walking, less pouting.”
