Page 66 of Daddy's Naughty List

“Here, here.” Leaning over, Dom clinked his bottle with Rex’s, and it took all Ian’s willpower not to audibly gag.

He liked Dom. He really did. But he also really didn’t need the nitty-gritty details of his baby sister’s love life, thank you very much.

Unfortunately for him, it was difficult to escape with Dom and Noelle being such an integral part of their friend group.

“So, catch me up.” Leaning back against the counter behind him, Grant took another sip of his beer, saving Ian from more of Dom and Rex’s joking. “What’s new in Lost River? Dom, how are wedding plans going?”

Everything about Dom seemed to light up at the mention of his pending nuptials to Noelle. “Amazing. She’s having a blast planning everything. I gotta say, I wouldn’t have pegged her for the big, fancy wedding type, but between her and her mom, I have a feeling this is going to be the best damn wedding Lost River has ever seen.”

Grief and pride twisted around Ian’s heart. Grief, because there was something about watching his little sister take such a big step in her life that felt like he was losing her. And pride because he’d seen for himself the way she’d blossomed over the past year since Dom had come into her life. Even if it did give Ian the ick to think about themlike that, he couldn’t deny that Dom had been good for her.

“Mom’s having a blast, too,” Ian supplied, swallowing the lump in his throat and forcing a smile for the man who was going to be his brother in just a few short months. “I’m glad Noelle wanted a big wedding because I think it would have broken Mom’s heart if y’all had eloped or something.”

“Trust me, the thought has crossed my mind a few times. Big weddings come with big feelings, apparently, and I’ve had to roast Noelle’s ass more often than usual the past couple months.”

Now that was surprising. Of all of them, Dom was easily the most laid-back. Despite his reservations about prying into their personal lives, Ian found himself leaning forward. “Really? You? But you’re always so… chill.”

Dom lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. “Yeah, but sometimes Noelle needs me to be not so chill. It seems to help with the stress if I’m extra strict, especially when she’s Little. And she’s been asking for Little time more and more.”

It seemed backward to him, to be harder on a Little girl than a Big girl. But there was no denying their dynamic seemed to work for Noelle.

Not for the first time, he wondered if he was denying Taylor something she needed by being more lenient with her than he had been in the past. She’d thrived under his strict rules, but she hadn’t really lapsed back into her old ways when he’d backed off. So just like Dom and Noelle, the dynamic he had with Taylor seemed to be working for them.

Besides, if she needed him to be strict again, she would tell him.

Wouldn’t she?

“Hey, Taylor. Did you ever figure out what was going on with Ian?”

For nearly an hour they’d been talking about Jesse’s new movie and her trip to New Zealand. Which also meant listening to several hilarious anecdotes about Edie’s first trip out of the country. A few of which earned Jesse a warning glare from her Mommy that had Taylor’s tummy fluttering nervously, and she wasn’t even on the receiving end of those looks.

And then they’d spent some time oohing and ahhing over Noelle’s wedding, which had Taylor’s tummy fluttering for entirely different reasons. As excited as she was for her friend, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like when she and Ian finally tied the knot.

But now, Carly’s question had all eyes on her, and her tummy was doing something that resembled somersaults more than butterflies. “Ah… I’m not sure, really.”

“Something’s wrong with Ian?” Worry knitted Noelle’s brow as she turned to face Taylor. “Why didn’t you say something? What’s wrong? Is he okay?”

“He’s fine. He’s not like, sick or anything.” It wasn’t the first time she’d had a conversation of this nature with Noelle, but somehow it never seemed to get easier. Not only was she Ian’s sister, she’d been super judgmental about the ‘Little stuff’ before she’d gotten her own Daddy. “He’s just… different.”

“Different how?” Ginny asked, sitting up straighter in the armchair she often claimed as her own. “Bad different?”

“Yes and no? I don’t really know how to explain it.”

Hopping back up onto the couch, Carly wrapped an arm around Taylor’s shoulders and squeezed. “Just tell us what’s going on. Safe space, remember?”

The latter was said with a pointed look toward Noelle, who rolled her eyes. “Yes, yes, safe space. I promise to keep my snarky remarks about my annoying brother to a minimum.”

“Okay, well, he’s been a lot less strict lately, I guess is the best way to put it. You remember when we went to the Christmas parade and we met up for hot chocolate after?”

Noelle nodded. “Yeah, you guys were talking about something when Dom and I walked in but he wouldn’t let me ask you about it. Meanie-head,” she added under her breath.

“I was saying it wasn’t fair because he threatened to spank me for getting whipped cream and marshmallows on my hot chocolate.”

“That bastard.” Surprisingly, that comment came from Ginny, though it was delivered with a grin instead of Noelle’s usual scowl.

“Yeah, well, he sort of told me very specifically that I was only allowedonetopping. But then I ordered two anyway, so…”

From her chair, Edie raised an eyebrow. “I hope he showed you the error of your ways when you got home.”

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