Page 192 of Daddy's Naughty List

“Yes, please.” She nodded eagerly.

“Then that’s what we’ll do. Do you think you can go back to sleep with Rwahr Rwahr?” He picked up the lion, who was peeking out from under the covers, and tucked him back into her arms.

“It’s silly to sleep with a stuffie,” she mumbled.

“Not when it’s Rwahr Rwahr. He’s the perfect guard lion,” Rocky assured her.

Her nod and quick smile went to his heart. Rocky leaned forward to press his lips against hers softly. She tilted her head up to request more. He allowed himself to deepen the kiss slightly before leaning back.

“Can we sleep with you? I won’t bother you,” she promised earnestly. “You could box all the rats away.”

“Of course you can sleep in Daddy’s bed.”

“Daddy?” she repeated.

“When you’re ready to call me Daddy, I’m ready, little girl. I don’t have any doubts that Santa sent you to me as a holiday gift.”

“That’s silly. PLAYTIME sent me to you.”

“Maybe Santa loaned the creator some holiday magic,” Rocky suggested.

“Ooo, maybe. That’s a fun thought.”

“Come on, sweetheart. It’s time you went back to sleep.”

He stopped at the bathroom first and sent her in to potty. Rocky didn’t accompany her inside… yet. After she was finished and came out, he guided her into the main bedroom and into bed. After turning on the lamp next to her side of the bed, he tucked the covers around her neck before kissing her goodnight.

By the time he rounded the footboard, she’d already snuggled into the pillows and closed her eyes. Melissa was asleep in minutes. Who knew how long it had been since she’d had a good night’s sleep? Rocky couldn’t imagine being trapped in that awful apartment every night.

He wanted to be pissed at whoever this Archer was but suspected the only way he’d gotten Melissa out of there was because of her injury. In pain, she hadn’t been able to keep her guard up. Whatever the reason, whether it be her resistance was worn down or the matching on PLAYTIME that reassured her he was the right person to trust, Rocky wasn’t going to play the blame game on anyone other than that apartment owner.

Chapter Five

Prickles against her forehead woke her up. She jerked herself away, sitting up fully. Completely disoriented, she looked around. Where was she?

“Little girl, you’re okay. Did you have another bad dream?” a deep voice filled with concern asked. “Here. Hug Rwahr Rwahr.”

She took the well-loved lion stuffie and hugged him tight. The events of the previous night flooded into her brain. “I’m so sorry. You must be thinking what have you gotten involved with.”

“That definitely hasn’t entered my mind,” Rocky assured her. “How do you feel?”

“Totally screwy. I think I was lying on you. Yikes, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to invade your space.”

“Come here, Lissy.” He leaned forward to pull Melissa and her stuffie toward him until she rested against his chest. Hugging her close, he pressed a kiss on the top of her hair. “I don’t need any space between you and me. I slept better with you cuddled next to me than I have for a long time. How about you?”

“I slept so hard, I think I drooled,” she whispered, loving the feel of his hard body against her. It was difficult to keep from pressing a kiss against his warm skin. She snuck one in by brushing her mouth against his shoulder as she rested her head against him.

Happy, she inhaled quietly to memorize his natural scent. She didn’t understand why he drew her so much more than any other male she’d met before. But he did.

A faint beeping sound echoing down the hallway where she’d plugged in her phone made her jolt backward against his hold. “Crap! That’s my alarm. I have to go to work.”

“You get ready for work. I’ll make you some breakfast,” he told her, freeing her.

“Oh, I don’t eat breakfast. I’ll make a peanut butter sandwich for lunch before I leave, if that’s okay.”

“Is that what you always have?” he asked.

“Yes. It’s easy to store.”

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