Page 55 of Daddy's Naughty List

Just like with the hot chocolate the night before, it should have made her happy to get what she wanted. But just like before, her stomach twisted with the feeling that something was not quiterightbetween them.

And it was damn well time to get to the bottom of it.

Chapter Three

“Something’s wrong with Ian.”

Looking up from the puzzle they were putting together on the kitchen table, Carly blinked in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. He’s just being… weird.”

Mischief flashed in the blue of Carly’s eyes. “This sounds like a problem to be solved over chocolate.”

The familiar thrill of doing something naughty raced through Taylor’s veins as Carly hopped up from the table and opened the pantry. But the thrill was dulled somewhat by the thought that immediately followed:Not that Ian is going to care.

But surely if she was caught breaking the rules at Matt and Carly’s house, Ian wouldn’t be able to ignore it, right? Brushing off her naughties when it was just the two of them was one thing, but Matt was even stricter than Ian and he’d never let them get away with breaking the long-standing rule about not sneaking snacks behind their Daddies’ backs. Even though it was the rule they broke most often. It was almost like a tradition at this point, especially when it was just her and Carly hanging out together.

Bolstered by the prospect of a spanking, Taylor jumped out of her own chair to help Carly wrestle the step ladder from the pantry. “Where did Matt hide the snacks this time?” she asked.

“Those little cabinets over the fridge.” Carly rolled her eyes. “I couldn’t get to them when I was pregnant or right after I had Emma, and I’m usually too busy being a mom to be sneaky so this may be my only chance until we have another playdate.”

“If you hold the ladder, I’ll climb up.” When Carly pouted, it was Taylor’s turn to roll her eyes. “I’m taller, so I can reach easier.”

And, since she had no idea what kind of restrictions Matt had placed on his naughty wife, Taylor wasn’t willing to risk getting in Trouble with a capital T over some brownies. But she was smart enough not to tell Carly that, since Carly would only see that as a challenge.

“Fair enough,” Carly conceded with a sigh. “But you have to move fast. The Daddies will be back in soon to check on us.”

Heart pounding with the thrill of illicit goods, Taylor climbed the ladder and reached for the cabinet doors.

Jackpot.

Stacked inside the small cabinets were boxes of snack cakes as well as several of Carly’s favorite candy bars, which Matt had started keeping in stock during her pregnancy in the event of any late-night cravings.

There was just one problem. While she was tall enough to open the cabinets, she wasn’t quite tall enough to reach over the fridge and actually grab anything from the inside.

“I need to get higher.”

“The only step left is that one that says ‘Not a step’.” Worry colored Carly’s tone. “Maybe you should come down, I don’t want you to get hurt.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

Before she could test her theory, however, a furious voice froze her in place. “If you put one toe on that ledge, little girl, you will not sit comfortably for a week.”

Slowly moving her foot back to the correct step, Taylor turned to find two very angry Daddies glaring at them from the kitchen entryway. “Um, hi Daddy. Hi Matty. We were just…”

Since there was no explanation that wouldn’t land them in even more trouble, she trailed off, glancing down at Carly to see if she had anything up her sleeve. But Carly simply shrugged, as if accepting their fate.

“Don’t you move an inch, Taylor Grace. Daddy will help you down, and then you and Carly can go to your usual corners.”

As Ian took his place beside the ladder, one hand gripping the handle firmly, Matt took ahold of his Little girl, turning her to face the living room. “March, Carly Marie,” he growled, not letting go of her arm as he swatted her bottom.

The sound of Carly’s yelps faded slightly as she was escorted to the living room, leaving Taylor alone with her own angry Daddy. Nerves skittered up and down her spine at the furious expression on his face. “I’m sorry, Daddy.”

“Oh, you are about to be, little girl. I expect some naughtiness when we come over here, but you could have gotten seriously hurt, Taylor Grace. That isn’t something I’m willing to overlook.”

“It wasn’tthatdangerous,” she grumbled as he helped her down. But even as the words left her mouth, she knew it was the wrong thing to say.

The second her feet hit the ground, Ian’s arm was around her waist, bending her in half so he could lay a series of painful swats across her ass. In deference to the still-warm weather, he’d dressed her in a cute little dress dotted with dancing kittens in Santa hats. At the time, she’d been thrilled by the outfit choice, but now she was wishing she’d asked to wear jeans. Or leggings. Anything that would have offered even a modicum of protection from her Daddy’s hard hand.

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