Page 58 of Daddy P.I. 3.0

“I plan to apply for membership,” Faolan says. “I hope you’ll support my application. If you have any concerns about it, please talk to me.”

“I’m happy to support it and I don’t have any concerns. Matty seems happy and healthy. I think she had a great time today.”

Faolan nods. “She did but we need heavier play and I’m not sure how receptive the playgroup will be to that.”

“I hear you,” I respond. “Emily’s one of the few masochistic littles at the playgroup. But Jack and Sammi also go for heavier play, particularly on the punishment side, which you’ll appreciate Sammi earns often.”

Faolan chuckles. “I noticed. I’ll have a word with Jack. I plan to keep coming to playgroup but I think it’s important for Matty to connect with other masochists. Javi tells me many of the house submissives are masochists.”

I blink. I’ve never, ever heard anyone call the fearsome Master Javier “Javi.” Not even Maude would dare.

Javier’s mouth twitches but he doesn’t acknowledge it otherwise.

“Yes, they are,” I agree. “As is Mac’s fiancée, Brenna.” I glance around for her but she must be upstairs, because I don’t see her with Mac, who is rocking Livvy in front of the TV while she coos madly at him.

“Good. I’ll put my application in this week.” Faolan offers his hand, which I shake. “I’ll look forward to seeing you on Tuesday. I gather we’re doing arts and crafts.”

I gather that, too. “Emily will cook, because not even Mac can keep her out of the kitchen but if you’d like to bring some snacks, that would be welcome. Emily’s food is on the very healthy side.”

Faolan glances at our littles, who are hugging goodbye in the hallway. “I noticed. Matty makes an amazing trail mix that I could, quite frankly, live on. I’ll encourage her to bring that.”

Javier rolls his eyes. “What is wrong with potato chips? Long live salt and fat.”

We all chuckle.

seventeen

LOGAN

When I wasat my lowest after finding out about Livvy’s paternity and doubting whether I could be the Daddy Emmy needs, Max told me about his feeling ofDaddyness. He described it as a swell of joy and terror. A sense that everything was right with the world when he was with his little and that he had to protect her from the entire universe.

Daddyness swells my chest as Emmy comes skipping into the kitchen. She’s wearing PJs, probably because she’s been playing with Olivia. We’re still figuring out how to incorporate the baby into our naked-time but for now it’s just when we’re all in the bath. Emmy’s dark curls are topped with the black cat ears she’s been wearing recently, which turn the swell of Daddyness into a tsunami. Her hair’s caught back in a ponytail after Livvy grabbed a big curl and stuffed it in her mouth earlier. Emmy’s expression as she washed milky-saliva out of her hair in the kitchen sink was priceless. I predict her lingering issues with mess will dissolve under the messiness that is caring for an infant.

I quickly swallow the cookie I sneaked while waiting for my baby doll and open my arms. She snuggles in but turns a verysuspicious glare up at me. I nearly choke at the adorableness of her owl-eye.

“You have crumbs in your beard, Daddy,” Emmy observes.

I wipe my chin. Damn beard. I should have shaved. “Did I not tidy up properly after dinner, baby?” I ask innocently.

Her eyes narrow. “Those look like oatmeal cookie crumbs.”

They are, indeed. “More likely those delicious mini-quiches you served tonight. I couldn’t get enough of those.”

She’s not confident enough to call me a liar but I’m getting an intense owl-eye. “Do I need to count the oatmeal cookies?”

Damn, I didn’t think of that. “Sable might have gotten one or two.”

She swivels in my arms to look at her cat, who is lying upside-down on the carpet near the dining table, his belly distended from all the scraps he got fed under the table at the dinner party. He stretches in true cat nonchalance under Emily’s regard.

“Please tell me you didn’t give him oatmeal cookies, Daddy? Human food really isn’t good for him. It makes him stinky.”

Oatmeal cookies are probably the least egregious of the human food Sable got fed tonight. I saw Sammi sneak him a whole mini-quiche.

“I thought Ryan said he was okay eating human food as long as it doesn’t make up the main part of his diet?”

“Master Ryan did but he gets so stinky when he eats human food. It can’t be good for his tummy. Did you give him a cookie?”

“No?”

---