Page 46 of Who's Your Daddy

“Third, if your Daddy is hiding you from his family, you need a new Daddy.” Leander was getting worked up again, so I jumped in.

“No. Daddy knew it would make me stressed.” That’d been very obvious. “We’ve only had one date and we haven’t even exchanged limits lists yet, Leander.”

Dropping my voice, I was careful not to offend Daddy with the next part. “He doesn’t even know what foods I don’t like and he thinks it’s okay to buy me noodles in public. He’s not ready to take me to meet family.”

Leander’s groan was less drama and more understanding. “God, Terrence. They’re an Italian family. You’re fucked. All they’ll probably eat is pasta.”

Oh dear.

“Why didn’t you tell me that to start with?” He always saved the biggest problems for last. It had to be his dramatic nature coming into play, but it wasn’t helpful. “I haven’t even been worrying about the right things.”

Just great.

I was going to have to be big and boring and polite while eating noodles.

I was totally screwed.

****

“Leander pointed out something I hadn’t thought about.” Cool and calm—it wouldn’t help the situation if I was as dramatic as he’d been. “Your family is Italian and they eat lots of noodles. Pasta. They eat pasta.”

Did grown-ups say noodles?

Did Italian grown-ups say noodles?

Daddy stood in the doorway blinking for a few seconds before he nodded. “Yes, I can see how that would be stressful from your point of view.”

I was really glad he wasn’t as stupid as his cousins.

“I think my family is just going to assume you’re playful and a bit interesting, though.” Daddy must’ve seen the skepticism on my face because he almost smiled. “I’m going to have Orlando tell his mother about how smart you are.”

Oh.

“Leander says really smart people see the world differently.” It almost sounded like a compliment but most of the time when he said that it was him muttering to himself and rolling his eyes. He and God kept having discussions about that too.

“I like how you see things and I think you’re cute.” Daddy shrugged. “But we’re going to use that logic to make my family ignore anything that might make them curious otherwise.”

Hmm.

“So I do something weird and one of your cousins is just going to shrug and say, ‘Huh, smart people are interesting,’ and we all move on with the conversation?” It might work.

Maybe.

“I’m going to try really hard to fit in and not be rude.” I’d end up being rude somehow but I was going to try.

Daddy gave me a sexy glare. “Come here.”

Yay.

I was all for snuggles or spanks or cuddles or attention.

It was a bit too close to the afternoon for me to be getting much done anyway. “Yes, Daddy.”

Bouncing up from my chair, I hurried around my desk and crashed into his chest. “We need a plan for when I call you Daddy instead of Enzo. I haven’t used that word enough.”

Daddy managed not to laugh but his chest jerked a few times and sent sparks through me.

Oops.

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