Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 134598 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 673(@200wpm)___ 538(@250wpm)___ 449(@300wpm)
That was mean.
“Speaking of bottoms. Mine is sore. I need a cushion.” She went to get down off the stool.
“Freeze.”
She froze. Wow. That voice of his was potent.
“You could command armies with that voice, Daddy.”
“Thank you, baby. Now, what is the rule about when I put you somewhere?”
“I’m to stay where you put me,” she muttered. “But that’s for Big Cate.”
“No, all the rules are for Little and Big Cate. Sometimes Little Cate might have some extra ones, though.”
Well. That was rude.
“But I want to get down.”
“Then you ask Daddy politely if you can get down.”
“Daddy, can I get down?” she asked.
“No.”
She gasped. Why was he being so mean? “That is not nice.”
“You may not get down because we’re going to have lunch. Also, you don’t get a cushion for your stool.”
“But my bottom hurts!” Maybe he didn’t understand that. Perhaps he’d never had his bottom spanked. “Have you ever been spanked, Daddy?”
“Sure. I got spanked plenty as a kid.”
“Then you know that sitting on a spanked bottom isn’t very comfortable.”
“Sure do. I also know that having to sit on a freshly spanked butt is part of the punishment.”
Well.
That was just dumb. And it didn’t seem at all fair.
“But after a punishment isn’t everything supposed to be forgiven?”
“It is. Did you read that in your books?”
“Yes. So, then, shouldn’t I get a cushion for my poor abused butt?”
“Nice try, not happening.” He set a plate down with carrot sticks, apple slices, and cheese and crackers. A small container with ranch sauce in it was placed by the plate.
“Also need to get you a bib,” he muttered. “But for now, we’ll have to make do with this.” He pulled a cloth napkin out of one of the drawers and then tucked it into the front of her top.
She probably looked ridiculous. But that wasn’t what was worrying her right then. Cate stared down at the plate and chewed her lip, her tummy upset and anxious.
Ethan had gone to all this trouble to make her lunch and she . . . she was going to seem so ungrateful.
“Hey, what is it? What’s wrong? Do you not like anything on your plate?” he asked.
“I like it all!” she cried.
“Okay,” he said in a low, quiet voice. “Then what is it, Catie-pie?”
“You’re going to think I’m naughty.”
“Hey, I don’t think you’re naughty. You can do naughty things. But that doesn’t make you naughty. And I like you when you’re a bit sassy. Means that you trust me if you can be yourself. And I know you haven’t done anything that bad. So tell me.”
“I c-can’t eat it.”
“Why not?”
“Because the food is all touching each other.”
He blinked down at her, then stared at the plate. This was it. The moment he decided she was too much. She knew it was.
It was inevitable. Who would want to be with someone like her? She was too much.
Cate could feel her heart starting to shatter.
Reaching under her sleeve, she started to flick her hair tie against her wrist.
Ethan, thankfully, was focused on the plate.
“Well, of course it is! Silly Daddy. I will get a new plate for you soon. I think we need to get one of those divider plates for you so Daddy doesn’t forget next time.”
Wait. What?
She moved her hand away from the hair tie.
He wasn’t mad? He was going to make another plate of food because she couldn’t stand her food touching. Even though it made no real sense since she ate other food that was mixed up. Like lasagna and burgers. But if there were separate foods, like mashed potatoes and peas, for instance, they couldn’t touch.
It made no sense in her mind so how could he be so understanding?
“I’m sorry, Daddy,” she said as he placed two plates in front of her. One had the cheese and crackers spaced apart. The other had apples and carrots. Again, with a gap between them.
“We’ve talked about saying sorry when something isn’t your fault.”
She sniffled.
“Hey, what’s wrong? I’m not mad. What is it?”
“I just . . . I thought you were going to be upset with me.”
“Hey, no. Of course I’m not upset with you.” He walked around the island and picked her up in his arms. He had her tightly pressed against his chest as he rocked her back and forth. “I could never be upset with you over something like that. Lots of people don’t like their food mingling. They say it’s unnatural.”
She had to smile.
“Each type of food needs to stay in its own lane,” he lectured in a deep voice. “I mean, who do carrots think they are? Trying to mosey up to their clear superiors . . . the apple.”
A giggle escaped, and he kissed the top of her head. “That’s better. I don’t want you to ever worry about me being upset with you. If I am, I will explain why, and we’ll talk about it, okay? I won’t just shut you out.”