Page 21 of Mountain Man Daddy

“No, you’re definitely the first. Butno one has ever needed to be told this badly before.” She snickered when his eyes narrowed further. It made her belly dip. “Mike, it’s awful!”

“Oh, someone needs another trip over my knee.” He uncrossed his arms and picked up his bread. He broke a hunk off, scooped stew onto it, looked her straight in the eye, and shoved it in his mouth. “Mmm.”

“Bread is supposed to tear, not come off in hunks.” She pointed at the bread in his hand. “And Daddy? My butt’s still a bit sore, but I’d love some of what came after the spanking.” She bit her lip when his mouth quirked in a smirk he couldn’t quite hide.

“Your backside can’t be all that sore, little girl.” He scooped more stew onto his bread and eyed her, exchanging his smile for a weary look.

“It definitely is.” She reinforced her statement by wiggling on the chair and grimacing. “How about I pay you back for the rescue, spanking, tremendous sex, and dinner by giving you a good bread recipe? And showing you how to make it?” She took a big spoonful of stew.

He crossed his arms again, leaning back in his chair to examine her while she chewed, swallowed and took more. She did this until her bowl was almost empty before speaking again.

“This is delicious, by the way.” She smacked her lips. “It would be better with my bread though. It’s a recipe that you can do a few different things with—whole wheat and honey, cinnamon raisin, garlic and cheese, or even just plain bread, and it’s one that’s really hard to screw up.” She clunked the bread again, ignoring his long, low growl.

“You’re still insulting me, missy,” he said, after the last scoop of stew emptied his bowl. “Okay, on one condition.” He smoothed his beard.

“Name it.” She curled her lip at the bread still beside her bowl. “Anything to avoid eating this.”

“You go straight to bedwhenyou’re finished.”

“Finished? Like, as in, once I’ve consumed this rock?” She swallowed hard when he nodded.

“Out here, we don’t waste.”

She yawned loudly, and he continued. “Little girl, you can’t manipulate me.”

Her lids felt more like they were made of cast iron than little flaps of skin. She seemed to need an awful lot of sleep since the accident.

“And if I choose not to eat it?” She pressed her lips together to stop herself from giggling at his stern look. “Will I have to sit here until I do?”

“In your condition? No, but another spanking would be in order.” He shoved his sleeves up, and her belly flipped again.

“But my bum’s too sore!”

“A little tender perhaps, but nothing like it’ll be if you don’t eat up.” He rubbed his hands, stood and grabbed her empty bowl. “If you’re not going to eat it, off you go, little girl. I’ll be in with a wooden spoon in a minute.” Then as he stacked his own bowl on top of hers, he winked. “I think I use it better than I bake bread, what do you think?”

She shoved the whole piece in her mouth and took several swallows of water to wash it down. He watched her struggle, shaking his head. When she had finally choked it down, she stood.

“Can I help with the dishes first?”

“No.” His answer came with a stony expression that kept her protests where they were. “Do you need me to tuck you in?” Her smile was slow, and when she bobbed her blonde head, it broke his hard expression.

“Go on then. There’s a pair of thermal underwear in the second drawer if you’re cold. I’ll be in in a minute.”

“Yes, Daddy,” she replied sweetly, and he chuckled.

Her heart wobbled in her chest as she entered his room. Had she ever been tucked in before? She imagined her parents had done that, but she had no recollection. Her grandparents certainly hadn’t. Alex had snuggled with her at first until it became apparent he was only with her for what she could give him. What was Mike’s motive? Sex? No, that had been a surprise to them both. He was just a good man. She shook off the vulnerability that started to strangle her. She took the thermals out of the drawer and began dressing.

Tomorrow, first chance she got, she’d crack that box in the closet, take what she could, and get the hell out of this place. She didn’t need anyone. She just needed to survive on her own—find a little place and job she didn’t hate and live a quiet, simple life. A small voice told her that she’d spend that quiet life looking over her shoulder, and regretting leaving Mike, but she couldn’t think about that now.

She peeked at Mike, his back to her as he washed their bowls. She felt a stab of regret. He’d been kind to her, kinder than anyone had ever been, and it hurt her to think about betraying him. That would be her only regret, she decided, even though deep down she knew it was a lie. Mike was someone special, and even though she didn’t deserve him, she wanted him. A whole life with him.

Staying here with him, playing house and having sex would only hurt him—if not from finding out about the crimes she’d been forced to commit to survive, then when Eddie and Moe found her. Alex’s lifeless body flashed in her mind again, only when Moe rolled him in her grim recollection, it was Mike’s face instead. The ache in her chest was so encompassing she fell to her bottom on the bed. Mike was too good to die because she wanted to be with him. No way. She was out of here first chance she got.

“Are you in bed yet, little girl?” She heard his chuckle and felt more sadness seep in. It was kind of nice to pretend for a while.One more day, Avery, she told herself. Storm or not, she’d leave tomorrow. For now, though? She’d be hislittle girl.

* * *

“Nope!” She snorted at his growl and scrambled onto the bed as he flew around the corner, sliding in the room on his wool socks.

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