Page 168 of Guardian Daddy

“You’re going shopping? Where?”

“I’m not going anywhere. I’ll do it all online. I don’t think we should leave the house at the moment. Unfortunately, the traffic cam footage Brody accessed wasn’t any help since the car was stolen.”

“Does that mean I can’t ever go out again?” she asked. “Because I’ve got another meeting on Wednesday.”

“No, we can figure it out. The stalker might leave you alone with Rhodes back in the city.”

“But he took those photos of us together when Rhodes was in the city.”

He stared at her. “Fuck. You’re right. We’re going to need to step up security.”

Cate chewed her lip. That sounded really expensive. “I’m going to talk to Jordan. See if I can do my meetings online.”

“Do you think he’d go for that? It would help.”

“I think so.”

“That would be great, baby.” He stood and grabbed a clean cloth, running it under the water before returning to her side and wiping her face and hands.

“Now, while Daddy does some shopping, he thought that his girl might like to hang out in her fort.”

She loved the way he cleaned her up. It felt so sweet and caring.

Wait. What?

“A fort? But I don’ts have one of those, Daddy.”

“Hmm. That’s why we’re going to build one.”

40

Ethan looked down at his girl. She was sitting on the floor and staring at the fort they’d built together as though she’d never seen one before.

She seemed so much more relaxed. The tension in her face and shoulders had gone. This is how he wished she could be all the time. Maybe after they’d gotten rid of this threat, she could spend more time like this.

It could be difficult for some Littles to let go of their Big life. Their worries and tasks. Too often, they were thinking about everything they had to do and how they didn’t have time to just stop. To take the time for themselves.

It was especially true for women.

He actually hadn’t thought they’d get there today. Thank goodness she’d thrown a small tantrum. Something he usually wouldn’t spank her over. But then she’d tried to move the bigger sofa cushions and he’d seen it as an opportunity to try something.

Sometimes, a spanking could help break down someone’s walls.

And it had helped Cate.

“Daddy . . . this is . . . it’s beautiful.”

“We did a good job.”

“Daddy!” She frowned up at him.

“What?”

“You wouldn’t let me even do anything.” She pouted.

Adorable.

“Now, that’s not true. I let you decorate the inside.”

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