Page 81 of Bet On Me, Daddy

He hesitated, and for a moment she was certain he was about to tell her they were turning around so he could take her home and put her to bed. But then he nodded, and killed the engine. “Sure. Wait there.”

Ever the gentleman, he climbed out of the driver’s seat and made his way around the car to help her out. She deliberately ignored the butterflies fluttering in her tummy at the gesture.

After all, opening her door might have been romantic, but the location for their ‘date’ was anything but.

Because it’s not a date. It’s just two kinky friends enjoying a meal together. Nothing more.

Right, because friends often shoved a plug up one another’s asses before going out to dinner.

The situation was further confused in her mind when he took her hand lightly in his, giving it a little swing between them as they made their way to the front door of The Honk.

“Is it actually called ‘The Honk’, or is part of their sign just missing?”

Beckett laughed. “Local lore says it used to be called ‘The HonkyTonk Bar and Grille’ but a hurricane knocked out part of the sign and… well. You’ll see when we get inside.”

She only had a moment to be confused before they stepped through the front door—and she stopped dead in her tracks, her brain refusing for a moment to recognize what she was seeing.

Geese. Everywhere. From paintings on the walls, to little knickknacks on nearly every surface, to giant ‘porch geese’ dressed in varying outfits, there were so many geese she couldn’t even take them all in.

“Oh. My. God. This place isamazing.”

“Thanks!” A perky redhead bounced up to them, a wide grin stretched across her face. “We’ve put a lot of work into tormenting Shane, and it’s nice to be appreciated.”

“Who’s Shane?” Ruby asked, her delight with the strange place growing by the second.

Mischief danced in the other woman’s eyes as she grabbed two menus and silverware for them. “Our owner. Is it just two tonight?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Beckett’s tone was filled with amusement, and to Ruby’s fascination, his southern drawl had grown noticeably thicker. He always had a hint of southern gentleman in his voice, but now he sounded like he could be from this small town just as easily as the woman leading them to their table.

“Perfect. So, Shane, the owner of this fine establishment, has tried to fix the sign outside twice now. It used to say The HonkyTonk Bar and Grille, but a hurricane knocked out the second half of the name. Well, the first time anyway.”

“First time?” Sliding into the booth the hostess led them to, Ruby found herself completely absorbed in the story.

“Yes. So when that happened, people started bringing in the geese.” Glancing around, she lowered her voice and leaned in. “And by people, I mean me. Wasn’t long before the rest of the town caught on, though. Shane fixed the sign, and for a couple of days all was right with the world again, as far as he was concerned. But then some enterprising person went and fixed it again. Back to just ‘The Honk’. Shane tried once more after that to fix the sign, but after that he just gave up and accepted his fate.”

Something about the way she told the story made Ruby think she was the one behind the ‘fixing’ of the sign, and she thought she might actually be falling a little bit in love with the perky redhead. “That’s… amazing. I think I might be a little obsessed with this place.”

“Oh if you think our lore is good, just wait until you try our food. I highly recommend the sassburger.” Reaching into her apron, she pulled out a pad of paper and a pen. “I’m Kessily, bythe way, and I’ll be your server tonight. Can I get y’all started with some drinks?”

“Coke, please.”

“Same.” Beckett sent Kessily one of those dazzling smiles of his. “And water for both of us.”

“You got it. Be right back with those drinks, and you folks take all the time you need to look over the menu.”

“What if I don’t want water?” Ruby asked when Kessily had sauntered away.

From across the table, Beckett pinned her with a look that was soDaddyit made her insides clench. “You’ll drink it anyway. Because you’re a good girl, aren’t you, Ruby?”

That submissive side of her, the side he tapped into so easily, wanted to give in. Especially when she shifted on the bench seat, and despite the comfortable cushion beneath her, she was reminded of the heavy plug nestled firmly inside her ass.

But there was another side of her. The side that needed to poke, and prod. The side that needed toknowwhere the lines were, and what happened when she crossed them. This was new territory for them, which meant new boundaries to be discovered. “But what if I don’twantto?”

Glancing up from his menu, Beckett raised an eyebrow, slowly leaning in. And when he spoke, his voice was low but firm. “You will drink your water, Ruby. And you will not order anything else to drink until that first glass has been finished. If you disobey, you will not be allowed to come when Daddy fucks that tight little asshole of yours tonight. Am I understood, little girl?”

Heat flooded her cheeks, not just at the deliciously sexy threat, but at the shame of having been put so thoroughly in her place right out in the open. Not that anyone could hear him, but still.Sheknew she’d just been called out for her behavior inpublic, and the embarrassment of it threatened to swallow her whole. “Yes, Sir. I understand.”

“Good girl.” Reaching across the table, he thread his fingers through hers, the gesture grounding her and easing some of her humiliation. “I don’t want to punish you tonight, Ruby. But you agreed to submit, and if you’re going to test me, I will push back even harder. Got it?”

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