“Sorry?”

“I want names. I’m going to TTAL.”

It took him a moment. “Teach Them A Lesson?”

She nodded, looking like a fierce kitten.

“If anyone could, it’s you,” he told her. “But I have long since moved past what happened.”

Sort of.

With some lingering hang-ups.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Good. I really should get back to cleaning.”

“How about you come read a book with me? Come on.”

“Are you sure? What about your work?”

“It will still be there later.”

Fifteen minutes later,they were on the couch in his office, with him reading to her from one of his Daddy Dom books.

He noticed that she was careful not to get too close to him.

Which he was both grateful and disappointed about.

However, it didn’t stop his body from reacting. He was used to this reaction while reading the books, but it seemed to happen quicker with her here.

And he hoped she didn’t notice.

“Wow this book is good,” she said when he took a break to take a sip of water.

“Isn’t it? Do you like Daddy Dom stories?”

“I’ve never read one before but I’m really enjoying this one.”

“You can get them in audiobook form too.”

“Oh, really? Wow. That sounds like fun. How does that work?”

“Ahh, well, I can download them onto your phone, and you can listen to them.”

“We could do that,” she said. “But I also like the way you tell the story. Your accent is so nice.”

“It is?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Where are you from? You don’t even have much of an accent.”

“Oh, HTAE.”

“Uh, I’ve never heard of that place.”

She grinned at him. “Here, There, And Everywhere.”