Page 27 of Daddy's Heart

“Yeah. I kicked the damn bed,” she called out.

He bit back a warning about her language. He’d said if she was spiraling, he’d step in, not if she cursed a little. So long as it wasn’t directed at him, he’d have to let it go.

For now.

The door opened, and there she was. Her hair all bundled up in a messy ponytail, her face freshly scrubbed, her sleeping tank clinging to her body. It took what little energy he had left to force his gaze to her face.

“You kicked the bed?” he asked, resting his forearm against the doorjamb.

She lifted her bare foot and pointed to it. “I stubbed my toe on the corner.”

He checked it out.

“Does it hurt?” Would carrying her to the bed and kissing the boo-boo away be too much?

He clenched his teeth to hold himself steady. Until she indicated otherwise, they were just a normal couple getting to know each other while she stayed with him.

She tilted her head. “Of course, it hurts.” She left the door open and hopped back to the bed, sitting on the end. He followed and knelt down in front of her, propping her foot on his knee.

“You don’t need to look.” She tried to pull her foot back, but he held steady.

“It’s a little red.” He ran the tip of his thumb over the blotchy pink spot. “I thought you’d gone to bed already.”

“I got ready for bed. I forgot to turn off the closet light, and I was getting up to do it.” She nodded toward the closet behind him.

“Well, why don’t you get into bed now, and I’ll handle the light.” He ran his hand down her foot, just beneath the fabric of her pajama pants.

She bit down on her bottom lip for a long moment, staring at him as though words were jumping against her lips, trying to get out.

“Sammy?” he asked in a tender voice.

“It hurts,” she whimpered.

His lips tugged into a smile. Of course, it did. He hadn’t made it better yet.

Keeping his eyes fixated on hers, he lifted her foot to his mouth and placed a gentle kiss to her toe. Her pink tongue ran along her lips, and her delicate throat worked as she swallowed back her emotion.

“Better?”

“Much.” She grinned.

“Okay, in bed. I’ll get the closet light.” He placed her foot back down and got to his feet, watching her as she climbed up the bed and wiggled beneath the quilt. Once he took care of the light, he rounded the bed.

“Your alarm set for tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yep.” She gave an exaggerated nod.

“Okay. Off to sleep.” He clicked off the lamp on the nightstand. Leaning forward with his hands on the mattress, he brushed his lips across hers. Not satisfied, he took her mouth in a deep kiss. Her lips parted for him without hesitance, and her tongue danced to the melody he set.

When he pulled back, a deep sigh escaped her, and he smiled into the darkened room.

“Good night, Sammy,” he whispered, then placed one more kiss to the very tip of her nose.

“Ryder?” she asked in a quiet voice.

“Yeah, Sammy?”

“Do you think…I mean…if you’re okay with it…could I call you…Daddy?” Her face flushed red, and her gaze lowered.

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