Page 35 of Tattoos and Tiaras
“The rule is no screens before bedtime. The only exception to that rule is your Kindle and that’s because I know you can't play games on it.”
“Mean Daddy.” Cullen shoved out his hand, holding the offending object, which I took. I'd place it downstairs when I left, trusting my boy would keep his word and not sneak down and get it after I left.
“Would a mean Daddy sit and read with his boy until he fell asleep? Would a mean Daddy make sure his boy had snacks and a visit at work on Wednesday?”
Cullen's eyes grew wider. “You'd really do that?”
“Come visit my boy on his lunch break to make sure he's looking after himself? You bet I would.”
“That would be so cool.” Cullen pounced on me like Tigger, then wrapped his arms and legs around me and kissed my cheek. “Do you really want to do that?”
“Of course I do. I want to spend a lot of time with you, regardless of how things started with us. I like you Cullen, and I want to be your Daddy and Sir, and boyfriend if you'll put up with me.”
Cullen reared back in my arms looking shocked. “Put up with you.” Cullen spluttered, shaking his head. “Daddy, do you have rocks in your head? You are the bestest Daddy out there. Okay, so I've not had a Daddy before, but you have been patient and kind and sexy and just all the good things.” Cullen's grin was infectious.
“Sexy huh?”
Cullen nodded his head rapidly. “Very, but we are not having that talk because I'll get hard again and it's just gonna end badly for me.”
“Oh, but that could be so much fun for me. I still think we should look online for some pretty cock cages. Maybe see if they have some in nice colours to match your pretty panties.”
“Daddy.” Cullen buried his face into my shoulder, whining.
“Okay, Princess, I'll stop teasing for now, but wearegoing to spend one afternoon going through and picking some fun stuff for us.”
“Yes please, but now I want my book and drink.” I moved over to the bed to lay Cullen down. He still held onto the book he'd picked.
“Find the page you were up to, and I’ll get your hot chocolate made.” Cullen cuddled under his blanket with Leo sitting proudly alongside him. It wasn't until I stepped away that I saw there was another occupant in the bed. Tennyson the kitten had curled up on the pillow alongside Cullen. He must have come up earlier, and we'd not noticed.
“Sweetheart, does Ten sleep up here or do you want him downstairs?”
Cullen reached over and petted the kitten softly between the ears. “No. Ever since I rescued him, he sleeps up here with me.”
I nodded, looking at the cute picture in front of me “You'll have to tell me that story sometime.”
“I will, but it's a bit sad, and I don't want to be sad tonight,” Cullen answered by flicking through his book.
I moved forward and came to a stop at the head of the bed, then leaned down to kiss Cullen on the forehead. “Definitely no sadness tonight, I promise.”
Cullen looked up and smiled. “See, I was right, the best Daddy.”
Chapter Fourteen
Ileant back in my office chair and stretched. It had only just passed eleven thirty, but it felt like an entire day had gone by. So many of the townsfolk are either coming down with the flu or various other ailments. I was already exhausted.
A glance at the wall clock confirmed I still had an hour and half to wait until Perry got here. He was bringing me lunch and a surprise. We hadn't seen each other since Saturday night. I still couldn't believe he'd stayed until I'd fallen asleep, and he'd even tidied up the sitting room and kitchen and had washed my skirt. I was seriously going to have to up my game. Perry was proving to be a perfect Daddy.
Each day since Saturday, we'd had hour-long phone calls, some even going longer, talking about everything and nothing. I'd learned that his family was large and entirely crazy in the best kind of way. His mother was a retired headmistress who had loved her pupils just like her own children, with warmth and acceptance. Perry's father, the Earl Bowers, was very much not what most people would imagine an earl to be. Between his voracious work in the World Wildlife Foundation to picketingfox hunts before they become illegal, the man had a passion for the land and especially the farmers who worked it. Perry had explained that while the family had a title and the house, it had come to be a costly undertaking. He helped them run fetes and open houses to keep the house running and when they weren't doing that, they were raising money for the hospital and shelter here in town.
I'd told him I wanted to buy more skirts and not just save them for my middle space. I loved the way they made me feel, and I loved the way Perry had looked at me when I was wearing them. He made me feel sexy and seen. He'd said he would take me shopping for new skirts, and I couldn't wait.
The plan, so I'd been informed, was I was going to meet them this weekend. His mother was very excited to meet me, same with his father. How had I gone from valiantly single to meeting my boyfriend's parents? Holy shit I had a Daddy and a boyfriend.
What the hell had happened?
I was seriously not complaining, but I still had trouble getting my head around the whole thing. Only a few weeks ago, Perry and I were too busy grouching at each other.
Ugh my mug was empty. I probably had enough time to sneak a quick cuppa in before my next patient, a new one from the looks of it. Rhys said they had called and asked for an appointment today and were quite insistent.
