Page 59 of Accepting Love

Giggles reach my ears, and I glance over to see a doorway that leads to what can only be described as a pink paradise. Apparently the Littles are showing Hannah where she’ll be staying for the week.

I step closer to the adjoining door and smile. There’s more pink in here than I’ve ever seen in one place, and this apparently makes Little girls giddy.

Leah is running around the room pointing out every detail. Amy is bouncing on her feet. Giana is grinning at her friend.

Hannah is standing in the middle of the room, spinning slowly around. Her eyes are wide as she takes everything in. She’s quiet. Pensive.

“You’re different,” Giana points out as they surround Hannah.

Hannah’s cheeks pinken and she shrugs. “Yeah. I guess I had a club persona that has turned out to be not authentic.”

Giana rubs her arm. “That’s okay. You’re finding yourself. I’m just surprised because I’ve always known you to be kind of mischievous.”

Hannah wrings her fingers together. “I can still be naughty, but I think at the club I always came there with sort of an agenda. Like I needed to pack a week’s worth of my Little into a few hours every week, so I wanted to make the most of it. And then people started thinking of me as naughty, and it just stuck.”

“That makes sense,” Leah says.

Amy giggles. “Sometimes we get into mischief here at The Ridge just to shake things up a bit.”

A throat clears at my side, and I glance over to see Foster hovering in the doorway next to me. “Sometimes Little girls end up with red bottoms in the timeout corner too,” he points out.

Craig and Kendric are close enough to see through the door also. Craig narrows his gaze. “Leah…” he says in a warning voice.

“Daddy… I didn’t do anything wrong. We’re just talking.”

“Don’t get any ideas. Hannah just got here. Why don’t you girls go downstairs and show Hannah the naughty corner in the kitchen. It will help remind all of you what happens when Little girls are mischievous.”

“Yes, Sir,” Leah says reverently as she turns toward the door that leads to the hallway.

I’m struggling not to laugh. I love this banter, and I think it will be good for Hannah. A chance to spend some real quality time living in her most comfortable space with like-minded people.

As the Littles scamper out of the room, I turn toward the men. “I guess I should familiarize myself with this famous naughty corner too. I’ve heard of it. I wonder how many hours will go by before Hannah decides she wants to stand there.”

When we reach the kitchen, I catch only a glimpse of skirts as Giana, Hannah, and Leah race down the stairs toward the basement. Amy is in the kitchen, stirring something.

She smiles as she lifts her head, her blond pigtails bouncing, her green eyes dancing. “Thank you for coming to stay with us this week, Sir. If you need anything, let one of us know, and we’ll make sure you’ve got it.”

“Thank you, Amy.” I’m fascinated by her role here. She’s the head chef, so she obviously does most of the cooking, but she seems to do so while keeping one foot in her Little space.

Foster rounds the island to tug one of her pigtails and kiss her forehead. “Do you need me to get anything from up high for you before I head outside?”

“No, Sir.”

He lifts a brow. “You’re sure? What will happen if you change your mind?”

“I’ll find you or Craig, Sir.”

“Good girl. What will happen if I find you standing on a stool on your tiptoes, trying to reach a cabinet above your head?”

“I’ll get my bottom spanked, Sir.”

“Is that something you’d like to achieve this afternoon?”

She shakes her head, her pigtails flying. “No, Sir.”

Foster kisses her again and heads for the back door that leads out to an amazing view. He nods in our direction. “I’ll catch up with the rest of you at lunch. I need to take care of a few things.”

I step closer to the view. “Gorgeous,” I murmur.

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