Page 95 of Under Daddy's Spell

“Afterward, could we talk? The waiting is killing me.”

He tracked back to her and took her chin in his hand. “We’re going to do a lot of talking, little girl. Starting with my one and only rule, which you shattered.”

“I know,” she whispered, closing her eyes against the hurt and disappointment in his.

Although she thought she had no more to shed, a tear seeped between her lashes and rolled down her cheek. He wiped it away with his thumb.

“Don’t start that again,” he ordered, his touch and his voice surprisingly gentle. “Or we’ll never get this resolved, and our entire day will be shot to hell.”

She opened one eye and peeped up at him when she asked for clarification. “Ourday?”

“With you an emotional wreck for the past hour, you don’t think I’d leave you alone, do you?”

“I... What?”

His half smile flashed and was gone just as quickly.

He tugged her to her feet and twisted a hand in her curls. With her face tilted up, his blue eyes blazed down at her. “This is our agenda for the day. Eight o’clock is punishment time followed by ten minutes of corner contemplation then aftercare with lots of cuddling. Nine to eleven—sex. Then we’ll clean up, have lunch, and go to work to check on things. Since you’ll be right next door, I can check on you anytime. Quitting time is five o’clock, so make the necessary arrangement. We’ll have dinner. Seven to nine—more sex. Then it will be bath time and bed because I know you can’t have slept much last night.” With his free hand, he brushed the hair out of her eyes and off her forehead then gently ran his fingers down one cheek. “If you’re still feeling guilty, we can add a cathartic spanking, which you’ll learn is all about you.”

Stunned by the full plate of activities, not because there was at least four hours of sex and a bonus spanking on tap. Rather, that he planned to spend the day with her after what she had done. Tessa stared up at him, speechless.

“Before we start on all that, I need to put on something dry. I’m beginning to prune.”

He shifted to go, but her hands curled around his wrists. “You forgive me?”

As was his habit when she said something stupid, he grunted. “Sweet girl, who rocked you in his arms and whispered it was all going to work out while you wept nonstop for a solid half hour?”

“You did, Daddy.”

“That’s right. I could hear the regret in your tears and feel the remorse in every shudder that rocked your body. It broke my heart seeing you in so much pain, Tessa. Pain that could have been avoided if you’d come to me at any point in the last twenty-four hours. But what kind of daddy would I be not to forgive when my baby girl is truly sorry?”

Relief so profound swept through her, if she hadn’t had him to lean against, it would have taken her to her knees.

“That doesn’t mean we won’t keep our eight o’clock appointment. You’ve earned more than the flat of my hand with this stunt, little girl.”

He had forgiven her; she would gladly accept whatever punishment he thought she deserved.

Still, if not his hand...

“What are you going to do?” When he arched a blond brow at her, she added, “Daddy.”

“That’s up to you, Tessa.”

“Me? I don’t understand.”

“I’m not going to decide what you deserve. You are. In fact, while I finish up in the bathroom, I want you to pick out two implements from around the house.”

She glanced around, seeing throw pillows and remote controls, not paddles and straps.

“With an open mind, you’ll find many things I can use to punish that naughty bottom.” After a kiss on her forehead, he walked away, pitching the towel around his neck into a hamper inside his open walk-in closet. By her non-athlete standards, it was an impressive shot. “I need to shave, so you’ve got a few more minutes to choose. Lay what you’ve selected on the bench when you’re done.” At the bathroom door, he turned and skewered her with his brilliant blue eyes. “Don’t take too long. My patience isn’t infinite.”

She should have hopped to it, in more than enough trouble already, but as he went inside, he dropped his wet towel. If on purpose, she didn’t know, but he gave Tessa a glimpse of his sculpted ass, the perfection of which put to shame Rodin’sNude in Bronzeshe’d seen at the city art museum last month.

Water running in the bathroom reminded her the clock was ticking.

With her spanking experience limited to his lap and his hand, she wasn’t sure what she was looking for. She’d already checked out his bedroom. As much as she loved the colors and all the wood, he was a man; therefore, it was pretty spartan. She headed down the hall to the living room, where she glanced around frantically. Finding nothing, she darted to the kitchen.

Going directly to the utensil drawer, she came close to slamming it shut and running for the door when she pulled it open. But she reminded herself, she’d chosen this path. When it blew up in her face, she’d only dug the hole deeper. She deserved everything she had coming, and then some.

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