Page 67 of Tinley's Daddy
“I don’t know.” A weird feeling crawled into my gut. “It’s been such a long day. Maybe we should go home and try it again some other time.”
“We might not get another chance.” She took my hand. “This is your initiation into our clan. You must always have your fellow ninja’s back, agreed?”
“Agreed.” The weird feeling grew.
We walked out of the bathroom.
“Daddy.” Rayna skipped over to Kyler and climbed on his lap. “You and Uncle Josh must be tired or have some work to do or something.”
I slid into my chair, my eyes darting back and forth between Rayna, Kyler, and Josh. I took Josh’s hand. He squeezed it. I tried to smile back, but he narrowed his eyes.
“Tinley and I both need to buy one more really special Christmas present, but obviously we can’t buy it when you’re with us.” Rayna batted her eyes up at Kyler.
“That’s what the internet is for,” Josh answered.
Kyler nodded.
Rayna pouted.
“We already saw what we wanted to buy. No reason to pay for shipping.” I didn’t recognize my own voice, but it wasn’t a lie. I did spot the coolest jacket at a men’s store we stopped in. It was hunter green and would bring out the sparkles in Josh’s eyes.
“Yeah, it’s just around the corner,” Rayna added. “We could run over there and get them and have them wrapped and that way you won’t see them.”
Both Josh and Kyler looked at each other for a long time. Neither spoke.
“It will take an hour tops, and Reggie and James can come with us,” Rayna added. “At a distance, of course. We don’t want people knowing we have bodyguards.”
“You’re lucky the bulletproof bubble I purchased hasn’t come in yet.” Kyler chuckled.
I laughed. He had a nice laugh.
Rayna did not.
“Are you sure you’re okay with going off by yourself?” Josh leaned into me.
“She won’t be by herself.” Rayna glared at Josh. “She’ll be with me.”
Josh rolled his eyes. Rayna gasped.
“I’ll be fine.” I squeezed Josh’s arm. “I have to learn to navigate the real world sometime.”
“Daddy.” She kissed his cheek. “Please. We will be perfectly safe.”
Famous last words.
Josh and Kyler shared another unspoken conversation, and both nodded. Rayna’s eyes grew wide.
“Okay, you go right there, and we will meet you at the corner in one hour.” Kyler grabbed Rayna’s face and squeezed her cheeks. Her lips puckered like a duck.
“Go to the store and then to the corner. Nowhere else.” He kissed her lips twice.
“Nowhere else,” Rayna repeated.
He lifted her and set her on her feet.
“You guys take care of each other. Promise?” Josh looked at me and Rayna.
“Promise.” I nodded. Josh leaned in and swiped his lips across mine. My lips tingled. I licked them, but before I could say anything, Rayna dragged me out of the room.
