Page 64 of Daddy's Naughty List

But even as she tried to convince herself there was nothing wrong with how he’d been treating her, that knot in her stomach grew heavier. She didn’t want to be naughty, not really. And when she was naughty, she still craved the cleansing a punishment would bring her. The way things stood now, she was getting a lot of things she wanted, but nothing sheneeded.

“What are you thinking so hard about, Tayter Tot?” Daddy asked, glancing over his shoulder from his spot at the stove.

“Nothing.”Liar.

“You’ve got an awfully big wrinkle between your eyes for a Little girl not thinking hard about anything.” His tone turned teasing, but there was a current beneath the words that told her he wanted an answer.

But how could she tell him that, as wonderful as he’d been this past week, she wanted…more?

Deliberately smoothing out her expression, she smiled at him. “Just trying to figure out my surprise. Is it another trip to see Santa?”

“Not this time, baby. And I can promise that no matter how hard you try, you’re not going to guess.”

“Can I have a hint? Please, Daddy?”

“Nope.” Turning from the stove, he carried a plate full of eggs and bacon and fruit to the island and placed it in front of her. “Be careful, Tayter Tot. It’s hot.”

She didn’t actually need him to say it, but something in her warmed at the warning. And she immediately felt guilty for being so ungrateful earlier. “Thank you, Daddy!”

They ate together, and she even ate all of her fruit without arguing to make up for her mean thoughts. Daddy cleaned her hands and face before taking her back upstairs to pick out an outfit for the day.

Her first clue came from the outfit he chose. The fluffy tulle skirt and matching shirt that saidNaughty or Nice?in white rhinestones was definitely a “Little” outfit. Certainly not something she would wear out in public.

“Are we going to Matt and Carly’s?” she asked, bouncing on the bed as he tried to wrestle a pair of red and white striped knee socks onto her feet.

“If you don’t stop wiggling, we’re not going anywhere,” he said with a laugh. “And if I tell you where we’re going, it won’t be a surprise.”

Forcing herself to sit still, she sighed. “No fair.”

“Very fair.” Daddy tugged the first sock into place and repeated the process with the second sock before sliding a pair of glittery white Mary Janes onto her feet. “There. You look fucking adorable, Tayter Tot.”

“Fucking adorable!” she repeated with a giggle, losing herself in the Little space she’d been occupying for so much of the past week.

Shooting her a glare, Daddy wagged a finger at her. “Just because Daddy says it, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for Little girls. Any more naughty words from you and you’ll be tasting soap the rest of the day. Understood?”

“Yes, Daddy. Sorry.”

“Good girl. Daddy’s going to get dressed and then we can go get your surprise.”

Twenty minutes later, she was in the car, a silk scarf covering her eyes as Daddy drove… somewhere. He’d been annoyingly tight-lipped, refusing to give her any hints at all about where they were going. And since he’d blindfolded her, she couldn’t even try to guess from the road.

“Daddy, are we there yet?”

“Almost, Tayter Tot.”

The car turned, and beneath them the road went from smooth to bumpy, and she could hear the familiar sound of gravel beneath their tires. Squealing with delight, she reached for the blindfold. “We’re at Edie’s!”

“Don’t you touch that scarf, little girl.”

“But I already guessed!”

“Taylor Grace.”

Lowering her hands to her lap, she huffed out a breath. “Fine. But it’s silly to leave it on when I already know where we are.”

“You did guess correctly. But that’s not all of your surprise. So just be a good girl and leave the blindfold on. And you have to be perfectly silent until the blindfold comes off. Understood?”

“Yes, Daddy.”

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