But now the workday was over.
She noticed that Tanner took the extra precaution of pulling down all the shades, something she didn’t usually do until the weekend. The simple act made her stomach flutter with a mix of nerves and warmth. He was protecting her, even in the small things.
It took another half hour of cleaning and putting everything away before they walked back into the bakery office in silence. She sat down on the couch before she realized Tanner hadn’t followed to sit down beside her.
“Sorry, Daddy,” she said, popping back to her feet.
“No, no,” he replied, a hint of dark promise in his voice. “I think it is a good idea for you to get as much sitting in as possible while you can.”
Junie gulped and, without thinking, rubbed her backside, already imagining how sore it might be before the night was through.
Tanner stood in front of her, legs wide and arms crossed. “For your own protection, I asked you to tell me if Preston continued to send you gifts, correct?”
“Yes, Daddy.” She looked down at the floor, regret like a weight on her chest.
“But instead,” he continued, his voice heavy with disappointment that made her tummy drop, “you ignored my request and landed yourself in trouble. Am I missing anything, babygirl?”
The words sank deep, curling warm and nervous through her middle. Flames of remorse burned across her cheeks as she realized how badly she’d messed up. She’d only wanted to keep the peace, to avoid anyone getting hurt… but now her Daddy was looking at her with that stern, protective expression that always made me feel so very Little.
How could he make her feel so exposed and so cared for all at the same time? Even though he was upset that she’d disobeyed him, it was the danger her disobedience had put her in that really bothered him most.
Heat rushed up her neck and flooded her face until her cheeks felt like they were on fire. Was it suddenly hotter in here? Her heart pounded so hard, not only couldn’t he miss it, but she was pretty sure the entire town could hear it.
And what the heck was her body doing? She should have been afraid of how he was going to punish her, but her pussy hadn’t gotten that message. It gave helpless little spasms at the possibilities, sending a fresh wave of embarrassed warmth to the slickness between her thighs.
He stepped closer, crowding her until her rear pressed firmly against the office desk. The solid heat of his big body surrounded hercompletely, making her feel tiny and trapped in the best and scariest way possible. Her breath caught in her throat.
She didn’t want to see the disappointment in his eyes. Or worse, discover that he didn’t want to be her Daddy anymore. But staring at the broad, solid wall of his chest only filled her head with the wildest, most inappropriate thoughts. Thoughts like ripping his shirt open and licking him like her favorite ice cream cone. The naughty thought made her face burn even hotter, and her core throb with a needy ache she wasn’t sure how to handle.
She finally looked up into his dark, intense gaze.
Nope.
Definitely not in the mood for a licking. Not unless it was him delivering one right across her bare behind.
“What did I tell you to do when you got another gift?” Tanner asked.
They both knew the answer. He just wanted to hear her say it.
She hesitated, her mind scrambling desperately for anything that might somehow justify what she’d done. Or rather hadn’t done. “I… I was going to tell you, Daddy. Honest,” she said weakly, her voice barely above a whisper. “But since I was just going to throw it away, I didn’t think it mattered.”
“You know better than that.” Tanner’s eyes darkened with that stern Daddy look that always made her bottom tingle with anticipatory dread, and her heart squeeze with guilt. “The danger is not in what you do with the gift. The danger is in the fact that he gave it to you. Did I tell you to throw them away and not bother Daddy about it?”
The question landed like a boulder right in the center of her tummy. That wasn’t what he had told her to do at all.
She shook her head, eyes dropping down to his chest as her voice came out tiny and guilty. “No, Daddy. You told me to call you right away if he contacted me or sent me any more gifts.”
“That’s right. And when I asked you earlier what was going on, you weren’t honest with me, were you?”
“No, Daddy, I?—”
“So you lied to Daddy.”
The word hit her hard. Lying was a big no-no. She shook her head, her cheeks burning hotter than ever. “No! I mean, well, yes… I mean, I really just wasn’t… quick. That’s it. I just wasn’t quick enough.”
Tanner’s jaw flexed, that firm, disappointed line making the skin on her bottom tingle. “Lying by omission, or as you say, ‘not being quick enough,’ is still lying, Junie. You didn’t tell me because you knew I’d be upset. You knew I’d do something about it.”
The truth of his words settled deep inside her. She’d known. She’d known exactly how much trouble she’d be in, and she’d still chosen to try keeping it from him. Her guilt twisted tighter and tighter, mixing with that now familiar nervous flutter low in her belly that always came when he was disappointed in her.
