Page 124 of Little Sunshine

Inevitably, they’d see whatever bullshit dating advice they’d read was wrong, and that what I did worked. They’d try to copy me, but it never lasted.

Not everyone was a Daddy. Not everyone got off on that carefully calibrated level of control, nurturing, dominance, and power exchange.

But I did.

If someone had asked me that morning whether I could be with Mila without her calling me Daddy, I’d have said yes. But after hearing her say it twice? I wasn’t so certain.

Not without the memory of it haunting me.

I knew without a doubt, though, that I could never turn off my actions that backed up my words. I was obsessive. Arrogant. Over-the-top protective.

I couldn’t soften that with anyone, but especially not Mila. She sparked every instinct I had, stronger than I’d ever felt it.

Running my palm down my face, I knew I was getting ahead of myself.

The elevator opened, and I stepped into the waiting room outside of Maximo’s office. “It’s me,” I called, moving slowly. “I’m nearing the plant. Now the chairs. I can almost see into the room.”

I smiled at Juliet’s laughter.

Maximo was less amused. “Get your ass in here before I shoot you.”

“And have to hire five people to replace me? Go for it.” I moved into the open doorway and held my hands up. “And I just wanted to give you ample time to hide your shame.”

“Ain’t no shame in what I’ve got.” He winked at Juliet. “Any of what I’ve got. Not to mention, you just texted a minute ago.”

“A lot can happen in a minute.”

And I’ve walked in on it.

“If that’s true for you”—he gave a slow, sad shake of the head—“no wonder your woman ran.”

I shot him the middle finger. My gut hurt at the memory of her trying to run from me while my dick wanted to harden at the memory of chasing her. I kept it in check as I glared at Juliet. “Snitch.”

She sat on the side of his desk and crossed her arms smugly. “Payback.”

“And I was gonna give you a Get-Out-Of-A-Snitch pass. Never mind now.”

“Dammit. Is it too late to lie and say Marco told?” Her flippant attitude dropped, and she looked concerned. “Is she okay?”

I wouldn’t share Mila’s business, so I went for the vague truth. “She will be.”

“Good. Please tell her about my run through the desert so she knows she’s not alone. At least her escape attempt didn’t require a snake murder. And feel free to embellish my heroism.”

I lifted my chin since that story would probably help.

I could’ve waited to ask Maximo until we were in the elevator, but I wanted Juliet’s opinion, too. “At the beginning, did you worry Juliet would reject you as her Daddy?”

“No,” he said.

Helpful.

“I knew there was a possibility she would, but I wasn’t worried about it.” At Juliet’s gasp of outrage, he shot her a warning look that was mostly bullshit bluster. “Because it wasn’t an option. Not one I’d accept anyway.”

That time, it wasn’t a gasp from Juliet, but an exaggerated eye roll she would undoubtedly pay for later. “Don’t listen to him. I think the wedding ring on his finger is somehow cutting off blood flow to the part of his brain that houses his memories.”

“My dove.” That warning wasn’t bullshit bluster.

Juliet continued despite it. Or maybe because of it. “Either that, or he’s getting forgetful in his old age.”

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