Page 19 of Jade

She shook her head. “I wasn’t really ever able to experience much of Vegas in a fun way. It was always about survival until Baze came along. He’s taken us lots of cool places, but never here.”

They were seated right away by a perky-looking server with a high ponytail and given menus to peruse.

“I’m having the bacon-bourbon burger and sweet potato fries,” he announced, shutting the menu.

Jade was staring at hers with wide eyes. As he’d expected, the massive shakes had caught her attention. They were huge, all topped with actual deserts on top like giant cookies or slices of cake. He figured it was a Little’s dream.

He reached over and tapped the menu. “Eat all your dinner like a good girl, and we can share one of these for dessert.”

“Can we share dinner too?” Jade asked, completely serious. “There’s no way I could eat a whole dinner and even half of one of these.”

As hungry as he was, he realized she was right. The portions were likely huge and even he would not be able to eat that much. “We can share,” he confirmed.

When the server came he ordered their meal with two plates and a giant cookie topped shake for when they were done. When she left the table, taking the menus with her, he turned his attention to his naughty middle.

“Jade,” he said sternly, tapping the tabletop with his fingers, “You look very nice tonight. However, I can’t help but think you’d look even nicer without all that gunk on your face.”

Her head jerked up as she met his gaze, her eyes wide. Her lips parted and she licked them. “Oh. You noticed.”

“Of course I noticed. That’s my job as a Daddy, isn’t it?”

“You didn’t say anything.”

“I’m saying something now. Go into the bathroom and wash your face.”

He thought she would say “yes, sir” and go to do as she was told and that would be that. He wasn’t expecting an argument.

That was exactly what she gave him. Puffing out her bottom lip, she glared daggers in his direction. “I don’t want to.”

His breath hitched in his chest. She was testing him again, and she’d upped the ante. In Vegas speak, the stakes were high.

He had a moment of internal panic where he didn’t know what to do when faced with such defiance, but it passed and he realized he knew exactly what to do.

“I didn’t ask what you wanted,” he told her, keeping his voice low and even. “I told you what was gonna happen.”

She shrugged. “It might not happen.”

He could feel himself losing patience. “Little girl, you will do as I say and you will do it right now. You are already getting a spanking at the end of the evening for breaking a rule. Unless you want to add another one for being defiant and disobedient, and you want to leave right now, and cut our date short for discipline, you will do as you were told and you will do it now.”

At the end of his speech, Jade was staring at him, her eyes the size of saucers, her cheeks pink with embarrassment. Seemingly shocked, she swallowed hard, jumped to her feet and rushed to the bathroom.

When she was gone, he heaved a sigh of relief. He’d passed the first test.

While Jade was in the restroom, the waitress delivered their food and he cut the burger in half, splitting it, and divided the fries between them.

“Oh good! The food is here. I’m starving.” She slid into the bench across from him, her face damp and freshly scrubbed, and grabbed a fry, shoving it into her mouth.

“Jade.” He stopped her, placing his arms on the table, palms up, he reached for her hands.

“I’m a pastor,” he explained when she didn’t seem to get it. “I say a prayer before I eat.”

“Oh!” She quickly swallowed the food in her mouth and placed her hands in his, blushing profusely and bowing her head. “I’m sorry! I never… I just… I’ve never said grace in public.”

“I’ll keep it short and sweet,” he promised, and did just that, murmuring a short soft-spoken and sincere offering of thanks for the food and the company. “Amen,” he said when he finished.

Jade looked up, pulling her hands from his. “I’m sorry,” she said again.

“It’s not a big deal.”