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To say she didn’t like my mother would’ve been an understatement.

“So closed doors mean don’t go in there.” Again, it wasn’t a question, but I nodded anyway and it encouraged him to keep talking through what was on his mind. “So that means if we have a playroom, then if I keep the door closed, it’s private.”

Hmm.

“I think you’re missing how much I really hate dusting and vacuuming. I can do it. I’m skilled at a variety of useless things, but if it comes down to deciding that we’re going to spend our time playing or dusting, well.” I thought that decision would be pretty obvious.

Dessie sighed, so I decided it had been. “You’re not wrong.”

That meant I was right.

I’d already known that but it was good to see that he’d realized it too.

“We both work long hours and I want us to be able to completely relax together. Picking up your toys is one thing and I think it would be perfectly reasonable for me to be the one to empty that trash can, but it’s not reasonable to make me vacuum.” That would never be reasonable.

Dessie’s eyes went wide, but I played dumb. “I’ll be cranky if you make me clean instead of having time to spank you or give you dessert.”

Blink.

Blink.

“Daddy.” His scandalized tone came out in a whisper but it was adorable. “My diapers.”

Pushing up on his arms and doing his best not to squish me, he looked down under his body. “My diapers.”

Had he just realized he was wearing one?

We needed to make sure he got more sleep during the week.

Chapter 20

Dessie

“I’m not sure I understand the question.” Daddy was looking very calm but I wasn’t sure if it was because he was actually calm or I’d just woken him up too early. “Can you explain what the problem is?”

No.

“I…” Ignoring the diaper for the time being, I forced myself to lie back down. “I don’t know.”

Nodding like that made perfect sense, he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me higher up onto his body. “There we go.”

When he had my head tucked under his chin and he could rub my back more easily, he let out a sigh. “Okay, please remember I haven’t had coffee yet.”

Giggling broke some of the tension in me and I carefully nodded so I didn’t crack his head. “Yes, Daddy.”

“Good.” Taking a deep breath, his brain started moving so fast I could almost hear it. “So you were surprised to hear someone in the house, and the discussion on diapers had several unexpected bumps too. I want you to take a deep breath and listen as I explain what I think I know.”

He was so cute.

“Yes, Daddy.”

As I obeyed, he kept caressing my back and made more thinking sounds. “We’ve established that Sofie will not walk into this room without the house being on fire—that rule was established after a kitchen fire when I was thirteen.”

Really?

His family was weird.

“We need to set reasonable boundaries about what she will and won’t see, but we’ve established that I’m not going to do as much housework as you seemed to think I would.” Daddy ignored my giggles and sighed before he kept going.

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