Page 38 of Dallas
Dallas chuckles before I can respond.
Claire shoots him a glare. “How can you laugh?”
He scoots his chair closer to mine and wraps his arm around me, kissing my head. “Because Arianna doesn’t care about her things. She only cares about the books.”
Claire grins. “Ah. Understandable. That would freak me out, too. Maybe you’d like to check out the library here with me. Reagan and I were discussing cataloging everything, but we’ve had a few…challenges.” She elbows Ryder in the chest.
He grunts and pretends to rub the spot as if she’d injured him. “Hey there. You should rethink your sassy attitude, baby. Soon, your stomach is going to be too large to lie on, and then you’re going to have trouble getting comfortable if I spank your bottom as often as you’ve needed lately.”
The dynamic among this family is baffling. I have no doubt Ryder means every word, and yet, I also believe Claire goads him every time because she likes getting her butt spanked.
After my spanking experiences, I understand why. It’s oddly titillating. I have no idea why I enjoy it so much, but I can’t deny the appeal.
Claire goes so far as to actually roll her eyes, which I’m certain is going to earn her even more swats to her butt. She leans toward me conspiratorially. “First, these neanderthals wouldn’t let us go into the library because it was too dusty. So, they hired someone to come clean it up. Then, they refused to permit Reagan and me to climb the cool ladders to get to the upper shelves because they were afraid the ladders were not safe since they’re so old. So, they got someone to inspect them. Now, they still won’t let us climb because they don’t want us to fall.”
Ryder smirks so hard it seems his entire body is involved. He tugs his wife's hair, making her tip her head back. “And now you’re pregnant, so you’re not climbing on anything more than two inches off the ground.”
She gasps. “You can’t be serious.”
“Dead serious, baby.” He kisses her forehead and releases her hair, pointing at her plate. “Eat.”
She narrows her gaze. “How will I get upstairs? Each step is more than two inches off the ground,” she sasses. She’s so boldly defiant it makes me chuckle.
“You won’t need steps at all after I cuff you to the bed. Perhaps I should leave you just enough of a lead to reach the toilet and keep you confined to the bedroom for the next eight months.”
I laugh harder than I have in a long time. It feels good.
Dallas takes my fork out of my hand, stabs a potato, and holds it to my mouth. “You need to eat, too, baby. What do you want to drink? Juice? Tea? Coffee?”
Claire groans. “I hope you don’t like coffee. If you do, you should go cold turkey and stop drinking it now.”
I frown. “Why? Are these guys bad at making it?”
“You hush now, child,” Gretchen says as she bustles over to fill my water glass. “I make the coffee around here, and it’s the second-best coffee in town.”
I can’t stop smiling. “Who has the best?”
“Claire’s parents, of course, at the bakery. I would never claim to outdo them.” Gretchen winks at me. “Apple, cranberry, or orange juice?”
“Orange, please. Thank you.”
“Coffee? Tea?”
Claire waves her hands and shakes her head. “Don’t do it. Don’t fall into the trap.”
I giggle again.
It’s Gretchen who waggles a finger at Claire to admonish her this time. “Pregnant women do not need that much caffeine. Stop harassing Arianna. She just got here. Behave, or I’ll spank you myself.” Gretchen turns back to me.
I’m laughing so hard now I can’t contain myself.
Gretchen ignores my guffaws. “Are you pregnant?”
Dallas grunts. “She’s not pregnant.”
“Then you may have whatever you’d like. Coffee or tea?”
“I’m good with just juice for now. Thank you.”
