Page 44 of Ranch Rules

Chapter Seven

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

Thomas’s deep voice broke into her soundless sleep, but she wasn’t ready to wake up yet. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so safe and warm. Natalie rolled over in bed, pulling the blanket over her head.

There was no mistaking the sound of his chuckle. “Come on now, lazybones. Time to get up.”

She curled deeper under the covers.

“All right, if you want to play games, I can play games.”

Thomas yanked the comforter off the bed, and Natalie’s eyes flew open. “Hey!”

But before she could protest further, his fingers danced along her ribcage, making her shriek with laugher.

“Thomas! Stop! Nooo!” she screeched as she tried to roll away from him.

He was quicker than she was though and soon both hands were in play, ten fingers tickling her sides.

“Please!” she begged, gasping for breath. “Please stop!”

“You’ll think twice before ignoring me next time, won’t you, little one?” His fingers were relentless and had Natalie giggling so hard her sides began to ache.

“Yes! I will, I promise!”

But still, he persisted.

“Thomas! I promised!” She squirmed under his teasing ministrations. Suddenly, it dawned on her what he wanted to hear. “I promise, Daddy.”

The new magic word, it seemed, because he stopped at once. “That’s a good girl. Now, sit up. I brought your breakfast.”

Wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes, Natalie obeyed. Thomas had already gotten off the bed and was walking toward the dresser. When he returned she saw that he had a tray laden with a breakfast fit for a queen: cinnamon raisin biscuits dripping with icing, strawberries, and crispy bacon. There was also an entire pot of coffee.

“Wow, if this is the kind of treatment I get being a little, I could definitely get used to it.”

“It’s not all tickling and icing, but those are two of the perks.” He tipped her a wink as he poured coffee into a mug.

Natalie reached for the cup, gratefully bringing it to her nose and inhaling deeply. She loved the smell as much as the jolt of much-needed energy it gave her. She couldn’t resist peeking at him over the rim of her cup, wondering what he was thinking. For her part, Natalie’s entire body felt tingly—her ass from the remembered punishment, and the rest of her recalling with intense accuracy the way it had felt to have his finger inside her tight, virginal anus.

Then there was the whole ‘Daddy’ thing...

Yes, she had more reason than one to be watching him. But if he knew what she was wondering, he didn’t help her. He merely looked back at her, gazing at her as she drank her coffee. Deciding that the silence was taking a turn toward uncomfortable, she cleared her throat.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?”

“Well, initially you were supposed to be on stable duty, but it looks like someone needed to switch with Lora last minute and she’ll be taking care of the horses, too. Nate and I weren’t sure it was a good idea to pair you two together again after yesterday.” Thomas’s brows drew together as he gave her a mock frown.

Natalie decided to play along. “I think we deserve a second chance.”

“Hmm.”

“I think you just don’t want me to make any friends.”

“Partners in crime is more like it,” he rebutted.

“We’ll be good. Scout’s honor, I promise.”

He tapped his chin playfully as he pretended to consider. “I s’pose we could give it another try. But I warn you, young lady, if there’s a repeat of yesterday, if you put a single toe out of line, then I have a tawse with your name on it.”

---