Page 93 of Their Forever Daddy

“There’s just one problem.” Everyone turned to look at Noelle, who rolled her eyes. “All the Daddies are hanging out in the kitchen, remember? How are we supposed to get all the stuff if they’re in the kitchen?”

“We could just ask,” Ginny suggested.

Jesse shook her head. “No! I wanna surprise Edie!”

They were all silent for a long moment before Taylor sighed. “I have an idea. But you’re all going to owe me and Noelle so big.”

Grant

* * *

Edie returned from the foyer with an odd little smile on her face. Bending down when she reached his side again, Grant pulled her close and dropped his voice for only her to hear. “Everything okay?”

“I think so,” she whispered back. “The girls went down to visit Luna and the not-a-llama. I feel like they’re getting up to something, but I don’t know for sure.”

Knowing Jesse, they likely were getting themselves into some kind of trouble. But from the stories the others had been telling, it seemed to be a bit of a tradition during the play dates.

Having Edie tucked up by his side was both comfort and distraction. Comfort, because as much as he tried to assure Jesse that Edie’s friends would become their friends, he was keenly aware of how out of his element he was with this group. He had no idea what they were talking about half the time, especially when they started in on the car Matt was fixing up.

Distraction because, well, everything about Edie seemed designed to drive him to distraction. He could barely concentrate on the conversation at hand because all he could think about was dragging her upstairs and forcing her to come over and over again without making a sound.

Thoughts of torturing his sweet little pixie kept him occupied until the front door slammed again, and the sound of giggling Littles once again filled the house.

And then, moments later, the sound of raised, angry voices.

“Give it back!”

“No! It’s mine! Let go!”

Ian and Dom shared a look. “Uh oh,” Dom said, sounding far more cheerful than Ian looked, though as far as Grant could tell that seemed pretty par for the course for the two of them. “We should go see what that’s about.”

Curious to see what the ruckus was, Grant followed the group into the living room. Just in time to see Noelle place her hands on Taylor’s shoulders and shove.

Hard.

Luckily, Taylor was standing in front of the couch, so the shove didn’t hurt her. She just fell onto the cushions, glaring up at her friend. But judging by the furious looks on both their Daddies’ faces, that technicality wasn’t going to be enough to save either of them.

“Noelle Joy Grady, what has gotten into you?” Wrapping his hand around his errant Little girl’s arm, the normally laid back Dominic transformed in front of Grant’s eyes into a strict, no-nonsense Daddy. “You have about thirty seconds to give me a good explanation for what I just saw before I paddle your bare bottom right here in front of everyone.”

Unfortunately, Noelle was too busy glaring at her friend to take in her Daddy’s furious expression. “She started it!”

“That is not an explanation, little girl. Edie, I don’t suppose you have a paddle or a hairbrush I could borrow.”

That got her attention. Eyes wide, Noelle whipped her head from side to side as she reached her free hand behind her to cover her bottom. “Daddy, no! I don’t want a spankin’!”

“You’re definitely getting a spanking, sugar plum. But I’ll let you decide if it’s in front of all your friends or in private. Start talking, and I’ll wait until we get home to blister your bottom.”

“Um—I—we were just?—”

“It was my fault!” Taylor blurted out, drawing everyone’s attention to where she was curled up on her Daddy’s lap on the couch. “I’m sorry, Dom, I knew it was going to make her mad but I did it anyway, please don’t be mad at Noelle! It’s all my fault, I swear!”

“No, it was my fault!” Sniffling loudly now, Noelle gave her Daddy a pleading look. “I’m sorry, Daddy, I didn’t mean to be naughty.”

It occurred to Grant then that nobody had actually admitted exactly what they’d been arguing over. And as he looked around the living room, another observation hit him in the gut.

“Excuse me, gentlemen, but I believe your interrogations may have to wait a moment. We seem to be missing a few naughty Little girls.”

Jesse

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