Page 89 of Bet On Me, Daddy

She was still far too wrecked for actual words, so she simply hummed and buried her face in his chest.

They stayed like that for a while, and little by little she returned to reality. Lovely, sweet reality where she was being cradled in her Daddy’s arms while he ran his fingers through her hair. At some point, he must have taken it down, and she smiled against his chest. “You remembered.”

“Hmmm?”

Tilting her head back she looked up at him. “You remembered I like having my hair played with during aftercare.”

“Ah. Of course I remembered. It’s important.”

“Not to everyone.”

His hand stilled in her hair. “Then those people have no fucking business being Doms.”

Guilt stabbed at her chest. Leave it to her to ruin a perfectly lovely moment. “Sorry. I’ll shut up.”

Now he grabbed a hold of her hair, forcing her head back even further, his expression fierce. “Don’t do that. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I upset you.”

“And I’m a big boy. I can handle being a little upset.”

But she didn’twanthim to be upset. Especially not because of her. “I could use a shower.”

“You think I don’t notice you changing the subject, naughty girl?”

“I do… but I could still use a shower.”

That muscle in his jaw she’d mentioned at dinner jumped, and for a moment she thought he would push the issue. But then he simply sighed and released his hold on her hair. “All right. One hot shower for my good girl, coming up.”

She squealed as he scooped her up in his arms, carrying her into the bathroom with that effortless way he had that belied his slender form. They showered, and he asked if she wanted the jets before switching them on. For what seemed like hours she stood there with him rubbing the stiffness from her shoulders as the jets did the rest of the work. And when they were clean and dry again, he took her back to bed, where he insisted on cuddling her again.

Who would have known that Beckett ‘I don’t do aftercare’ Stone was such a cuddle-whore?

“I really need to get back home,” she said, stifling a yawn as she ignored her own protests and snuggled deeper into his embrace.

“Why?”

“Gotta work in the morning. Don’t have my car.”

“I’ll drive you.”

That had her tilting her head back again to smirk up at him. “I have to be at work by five-thirty, which means I need to be up no later than four thirty to get out the door on time.”

“You can borrow one of my cars.”

The simple, easy shift from one solution to the other made her laugh. “Your cars probably cost more than I make in five years. I’m not risking it.”

“I have insurance. It’s fine.” Dipping his head, he nuzzled her neck, and despite how thoroughly he’d worn her out earlier, the need he’d satisfied flickered back to life. “Stay with me, Ruby Red. I want you to stay.”

How the hell was she supposed to say no to that?

She couldn’t. Not when the thought of going back to her empty apartment, falling asleep without the warmth of this arms around her held such little appeal.

“All right.” Sighing at her complete lack of willpower, she snuggled into his embrace. “I’ll stay.”

Ruby

Groaningat the sound of her alarm, Ruby reached over and smacked the button to turn it off before rolling over and staring at Beckett’s ceiling.

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