If I’ve ever been more humiliated in my entire life, I can’t think of a time. I also can’t think of a time I’ve ever been so completely wrung-out from pleasure, even twenty years ago when we were fucking like rabbits every chance we got. Bennett Kincaid was by far the best lay I’d ever had.
But Bram Thorne is another level altogether.
The muffled sound of water running reaches my ears, and I realize belatedly it only sounds muffled because my ears are literally ringing. Daddy gently pries the soap from my lips, whispering words of praise as he helps me rinse my mouth clean. The bitter taste lingers even after several rinses, and I wonder if I’ll ever be rid of it.
“All right, bug. Let’s get you upstairs for a diaper change and a nap. You’ve had quite a day.”
For once, I don’t argue, because both those things sound like heaven. So I let him scoop me up in his arms, let my head drop to his shoulder as he carries me up the stairs to his bedroom.
To my nursery.
Daddy lays me out on a tall piece of furniture my muddled brain recognizes as a changing table. A thick strip of leather is pulled over my stomach, holding me in place as he pulls the soaked diaper from me and wipes my skin clean.
When I’m wrapped in a fresh diaper once more, he unstraps me and carries me to my crib. But when he tries to put me down, I cling to him, a low whine slipping from my lips.
“Josie. You need to rest, baby. You’ve had a really long day already.”
“No crib,” I manage to whimper, too exhausted to even be humiliated by my whining, needy tone.
“Babies sleep in their cribs, little bug. You’re much too Little to sleep in the big bed by yourself.”
I’ve been sleeping in a big girl bed for thirty-plus years, dumbass.The retort sits heavy on my tongue, but so does the lingering taste of soap, so I force the sarcastic response back. “No crib,” I repeat, more firmly if no less sulky this time.
Daddy sighs. “All right. But just this once. You’re going to have to get used to sleeping in your crib sooner rather than later, little bug.”
A smug sense of triumph fills my chest as he carries me to the bed. But instead of simply tucking me in and leaving me there, he climbs under the covers with me, his arm wrapped tight around my waist, anchoring me to him as he spoons me.
“What are you doing?” I ask, my words slurred with the dragging exhaustion trying its best to pull me under.
“Like I said. Little girls can’t sleep in the big bed by themselves. It’s too dangerous.”
That sarcastic part of me rolls its eyes, but there’s another part of me, a part I haven’t heard from in a long time that simply sighs in satisfaction. It’s been too long, far too long since I had anyone to care for me this way.
And maybe it makes me weak. I know for a fact it makes me a fool. But I close my eyes anyway, and let the comfort of my Daddy’s arms rock me to sleep. And try not to think that I’m finally, after so many years, right where I belong.
CHAPTER 10
BRAM
Igive my babygirl an hour to nap, savoring the warm, familiar weight of her in my arms. It's tempting to just let her sleep, but if I do that odds are good she’ll be up all night.
So even though she looks so sweet and peaceful, snoring softly in my bed, I give her a gentle shake to wake her. “Josie. Nap time’s over, little bug. Time to wake up.”
Her brows furrow in the most adorable way as she rolls away with a low whine. “Sleepy,” she mumbles, burying her face in my pillow.
“I know, baby. But you need to get up anyway.”
“Don’twanna.”
My adorable babygirl. She never did like waking up, whether it was in the morning or from a nap. Sleep might actually be her favorite hobby, now that I think about it.
“C’mon, little bug. Do you want Daddy to have to spank you for being naughty again?”
That gets her attention. Rolling over again, she glares up at me. “You would, too. Big bully.”
Shifting atop her, pinning her to the bed beneath me, I grin down at her annoyed expression. “Maybe. But you love it when I’m a bully.”
Wrong thing to say. I can tell even before her face goes blank and her body tenses beneath mine. “Get off me, please.”
