Page 28 of Protecting Little Phoebe

“Go, little girl. Now.” The firmness in his tone had her turning away without argument.

Barren forced himself to stay where he was and take some deep breaths.

You cannot throw her on the bed and fuck her. That isn’t getting to know her. No matter how much you might want her.

To keep himself occupied, so he didn’t walk into that bathroom and join her in the shower, he started folding her clothes and putting them into drawers and the closet.

“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”

Turning, he saw her standing in the bathroom door, chewing on her thumbnail. Her wet hair was pulled back into a ponytail.

“Hey, don’t do that.” He stepped forward and drew her thumb out of her mouth. “There’s nothing wrong.”

“I’m messy.”

She looked so vulnerable dressed in her pajamas with her wet hair slicked back. “Do you hear me complaining? There’s something you should know about me. I actually like cleaning and organising and folding laundry.”

“That’s so weird,” she told him.

He grinned. “Maybe. It’s an affliction, for sure. And the only cure is more tidying and cleaning. So you’re going to have to indulge me, even though I maybe overstepped by touching all of your stuff without asking.”

She shrugged. “It’s just clothing. Feel free to tidy up after me as much as you like.”

“Thank you,” he told her solemnly. “Come on, let’s get you into bed.”

“I’m not really tired, though.”

“It’s well past the time that all Little girls should be in bed,” he told her sternly.

“Not me! I’m a night owl.”

“Are you?”

“Uh-huh.”

“What time would you normally go to bed?” he asked as he drew the covers back.

“Oh, I don’t know. Normally, I’d read a book for a while and then I’d just put it down when I was sleepy. Maybe two or three?”

“In the morning?” he asked, shocked.

She giggled. “Yes, silly.”

“And what time do you get up? Do you sleep in?” How did she get to her job on time if she was going to sleep so late? Althoughhadn’t she said that she was between jobs? She must be burning through her savings.

“Nah, I only need a couple of hours sleep and I’m good to go.”

She yawned as she said that which made him wonder if that was really the case.

“I’ve always been like this. My dad used to say my brain was just too busy to let me sleep.”

“Maybe I can help quieten it. Do you want me to braid your hair?”

“You can do that?” she asked as she climbed into bed.

“Yep. Do you have hair ties?”

“Uh-huh. I can get them.”

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