Page 83 of Their Forever Daddy

On one, they both pounced, attacking his sides with their fingertips. Grant came alive beneath them with a shout and soon the room was filled with shrieks of laughter from her and Jesse, punctuated regularly with rather inventive swears and threats from their Daddy.

Grant rolled, reaching for Jesse, who noticed what he was doing a moment too late. A second later she was flipped onto her back between them, with their Daddy pinning her to the bed.

“Run, Edie!” she screamed through her maniacal laughter. “Save yourself!”

But before Edie could do more than scramble to the edge of the bed, Grant’s voice stopped her in her tracks. “Freeze, pixie.”

Again, she was caught between brat and good girl, but this time self-preservation won out and she froze in place, turning to look up at him with a sheepish grin. “Morning.”

“It does appear to be morning, yes,” he drawled, one dark eyebrow raising. “Which is far too early for surprise tickle attacks.”

“But Daddy, we—” Whatever explanation Jesse had been about to give was cut off by a single warning glare from Grant.

“I’m going to go to the bathroom. I suggest you both do the same if you haven’t already, because it’s going to be a long morning for my two naughty girls.”

“Shit,” Edie mumbled as he rolled off the bed and stalked to the bathroom joining her two guest rooms. “Do you think he’s really mad?”

“Nah. But we’re still in so much trouble.”

Like a true brat, Jesse’s happy tone didn’t at all match her words. Or the knots forming in Edie’s stomach as she contemplated exactly what ‘so much trouble’ might entail.

Then again, Jesse had been with Grant long enough to have a pretty good idea of what was coming next. Edie was still in that discovery phase, learning Grant’s hot buttons and where the lines between playfully naughty and disrespectful actually were. It was simultaneously thrilling and terrifying.

Because she did have to use the bathroom as well, she hurried across the hall to her bedroom and did so as quickly as possible. The last thing she wanted was to make Grant any madder than he already was.

When she rushed back into the guest room, he was standing at the end of the bed in all his naked, chiseled glory, and Edie couldn’t help but stop to admire the view. God, he was pretty.

“If you’re done drooling, little pixie, you can join our naughty babygirl on the bed.”

Embarrassment threatened to flood her face, but Edie willed it back. Why should she be embarrassed by her enjoyment of his body?

“Yes, Daddy.” Flashing him a cocky grin, she strode over to the bed and sat beside Jesse, who was watching the exchange with wide-eyed wonder.

“Daddy?” Jesse asked, and again Edie felt that worry inching up her spine at her uncertain tone.

“Yes.” Grant’s expression softened. “I’m sorry, little outlaw. I should have discussed that with you before I asked Edie to address me that way. Is it alright with you if she calls me Daddy?”

Jesse’s gaze flicked between them several times before she gave a small, hesitant nod. “I think so…”

There was something in her tone that said it wasn’t entirely alright. “What is it, babygirl?” Edie asked.

“It’s just—nothing. It’s nothing.”

“That doesn’t sound like nothing.” Grant’s tone was the low, soothing notes she’d noticed he used when Jesse seemed especially Little. “Tell us what’s going on up here.” He tapped Jesse’s forehead, making her giggle a little before her worried expression returned.

Nibbling at her bottom lip, Jesse picked at the comforter and shrugged. “I dunno. I guess I was just wondering… if Edie is calling you Daddy, does that mean she’s staying with us forever?”

Ah, fuck. Judging by the look on Grant’s face, he hadn’t expected that question, either. Edie forced a smile, hoping it covered some of her own uneasiness. “I don’t know, baby.” It wasn’t much of an answer, but it was an honest one. “I think it’s more like, this is part of trying to see what works for us. Is that okay?”

“Yeah. It’s okay. I was just kinda hoping…”

When she trailed off again, Edie ran a hand over her hair, offering comfort and support. “What were you hoping, baby?”

Jesse glanced at her, then Grant before dragging in a deep breath. “I was kinda hoping it meant you would be ours forever and I could start calling you… Mommy.”

Jerking back slightly, Edie looked up at Grant, who held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. “I haven’t said a word about it.”

“About what?” Jesse’s brows drew together in confusion.

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