Page 33 of Taking Her Medicine

“You don’t have to give Leeann any grace, not when she’s treated you poorly. But I want to address the other part of your statement. Try not to focus on what other people are doing or saying. I’m not available.” He stroked a knuckle down the side of my cheek. “I’m not going to just decide to be with one of them. I’d never do anything to put our relationship at risk.”

“I will do my best to ignore their comments.” I fed him a strawberry. “What else did you want to talk about in your office yesterday?”

“Nothing.” He grabbed one of the berries out of the bowl and fed it to me. I licked the juice off his finger and he growled. “It is much too early in the morning for you to be poking at me, little girl.”

“Oh.” I looked down. “Are you mad I didn’t go to bed on time?”

“I told you. I wasn’t mad, just disappointed.”

“Would you like another cup of coffee, Daddy?”

“Yes, but I’ll get it.” Aaron got to his feet and poured a new cup. “We’ll address the issue of you not adhering to a rule I set when I’m more awake.”

“I, um, haven’t let my little out in a long time. She can only be good for so long before all the bad things happen at once.”

“Come sit on Daddy’s lap, and tell me what makes my little girl happy.”

Oh, god.

The way he called himself Daddy made some decidedly not little thoughts creep into my brain. I swallowed hard, straddled him, and looped my hands behind his neck. “I like smelling pretty scents like flowers and candles, drawing with markers and crayons are so much fun. Cartoons transport me to a really happy place, as well as crafty things, and, um, I really adore stuffed animals. But I don’t have any. I’m not great at spending money on myself.”

“It’s okay to spoil yourself every once in a while, but I plan on doing it as well.”

“You don’t have to spoil me, Daddy.”

“I want to.” He tapped my nose. “When is your appointment with Dr. Baldwin?”

“She was really booked, so it’s not for another month.” I scrunched up my nose. “I don’t remember the date, but it’s on a Tuesday. I’ll text you.”

“I got you something for listening. Be sure to remind me when we are at my house.”

“But, you didn’t know I was going to do it!” I protested.

“Yes, I did.” Aaron kissed my cheek. “You’re such a good girl, Zoelle.”

I swore my heart smiled at his declaration. “Are you going to punish me for staying up late?”

“Yes, but not until I finish this cup of coffee.”

“Oh! Let me take care of it, Daddy.” Before he realized what I was doing, I grabbed the mug and topped it off, adding sugar and cream. He waggled his eyebrows as I handed it to him.

“Well, kitten, this is a new cup, so I guess we’ll address your punishment now.”

I thought I had been so clever, but Aaron beat me hands down. “You were up really late, Daddy.”

“Yes, but my hands aren’t tired.” He got up and found a wooden spatula.

If I had realized his intentions earlier, I would have hid the damned thing. Aaron dragged one of my kitchen chairs away from the table and sat down. I watched his calm demeanor and inwardly sighed. He seldom became flustered and it was something that had been happening a lot to me. I set myself across his lap albeit reluctantly. He lifted the hem of my nightshirt but left my panties in place. They were barely there hipsters in plain beige and they offered no protection.

“You’ll get ten on each side.”

“Yes, Sir.” I took a deep breath.

Ten. A nice even number.

The heroines in my naughty romance novels ate ten strikes for breakfast. The first blow hit the lowest curve of my ass, and I wailed. “Red!”

Aaron immediately spun me around and tipped me upright. Tears poured down my cheeks, and I sobbed. It wasn’t the pain, no, I enjoyed certain types of pain, even when he had punished me with the dreaded remote control, but my whole body shook. I clutched his shirt, pulling him closer to me.

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