Page 38 of Their Forever Daddy

“Well, if that makes me a genius then I suppose I should submit my Mensa application,” he said dryly. “What exactly is this about, little outlaw?”

“Edie!” Jesse bounced again, her excitement about her obviously genius solution ready to burst out of her. “Edie can’t forgive me for what I did because I haven’t actually atoned for it. I said I was sorry, but you always tell me actions speak louder than words.”

“Hold up.” Across the table, Edie held up both hands. “Are you saying you want me to spank you for breaking up with me?”

“Yes!” Glancing from one bossy person to another, Jesse rolled her eyes when she saw the doubt on their faces. “Okay, not for breaking up with you, exactly. But for the way I left. Leaving without even a note to say goodbye was really crappy of me and you didn’t deserve that.”

Edie shook her head. “I can’t spank you for that.”

“Why not? Daddy’s going to spank me for the exact same thing.”

“It’s not exactly the same thing,” Daddy said. But when Jesse turned to argue with him, his eyes were sort of unfocused, like he wasn’t really looking at her. It was the look he got when he was giving something she said serious consideration.

“Okay, maybe not exactly the same,” she conceded. “I did actually leave you a note and I was planning on coming back. But if anything, that makes what I did to Edie worse than what I did to you.”

“And you think a couple smacks on the ass is going to make up for it?” Edie’s voice had taken on a hard edge that made Jesse flinch, but she wasn’t about to back down now. She knew in her heart of hearts that this was the only way to make things right between them.

“No,” she said, choosing her words carefully. “I know there’s nothing I can do to make up for the hurt I caused you, Edie. But when we were together, whenever I messed up, this is how we fixed it. You spanked me, you forgave me, and I tried to be better. This is the only way I know how to earn your forgiveness.”

Settling back against her chair, Edie crossed her arms. But instead of looking intimidating like she usually did, it looked more like she was shielding herself.

I did that, Jesse thought as a lump formed in her throat. She had taken the strongest, most confident woman she knew and made her afraid of being vulnerable, of getting her heart broken again.

If a spanking would help to heal even a tiny bit of that damage, she would take whatever she was due.

When Edie finally spoke again, it was so quiet Jesse almost missed it. “What if I don’t want to forgive you?”

A hand settled on Jesse’s knee, squeezing gently as she opened her mouth to speak. She turned to her Daddy, who sent her a reassuring smile that only somewhat eased the tight band of panic around her chest. “Give me a few minutes with Edie, baby. We’ll come find you when we’ve made a decision.”

Her temper sparked, fueled by worry and guilt. Crossing her arms, she pressed herself back against the chair and glared at him. “That’s not fair! It’s my punishment, so I should be included in the conversation!”

The look he sent her clearly said she was skating on thin ice, and she nearly wilted under his steel gaze. “Keep arguing with me and you can wait for us in the corner, little girl. Go.”

Being forced to sit out of the conversation was bad, but being forced to stand in the corner while they discussed her fate would be even worse. “Ugh. Fine. But just so you know, I’m doing this under protest.”

“You can protest all you want as long as you do as you’re told.”

Shoving her chair back, Jesse stomped out of the kitchen and flopped down on the couch cushion closest to the entryway in the hopes she could overhear some of their conversation.

And tried to ignore the sinking feeling that her entire future hinged on what they decided.

Grant

* * *

“You can’t seriously be considering this.”

Grant studied the woman sitting next to him. Despite the glare she was sending his way, she looked so defensive, all hunched in on herself with her arms folded across her chest like she was trying to protect herself. As much as he wanted his babygirl to find her closure, he was coming to realize he wanted the same thing for Edie. There was something about her, that odd mixture of strength she wore like a shield and vulnerability she tried so damn hard to hide, that pulled at him.

“I am,” he assured her, deliberately keeping his voice as calm and soothing as possible. She reminded him a bit of a cornered animal who would spook at the first loud noise. “I think it would be good for both of you.”

“Good for her, you mean.”

Inhaling deeply, he forced back a wave of temper. It wasn’t fair to get mad at her for not believing him when he was a virtual stranger. “One thing you should know about me, Edie, is I always strive to say exactly what I mean. So when I say it would be good for both of you, then that is what I mean.”

Her shoulders rose, closing her off from him even more. That was fine. He knew how to be patient. A man didn’t reach his levels of success by rushing negotiations.

“How is it good for me?” she asked at length, her gaze glued to the table in front of her.

---