Page 15 of Daddy's Laws

“Why did you let Liv get this thing? What’s wrong with a regular coffee maker?”

“I have no idea. And I didn’t let her. She got to James when I wasn’t around and gave him the puppy dog eyes.”

Shannon snorted, and the corner of her lip curled up. “Yeah, she turns those big brown eyes on you and you don’t stand a chance. She’s a textbook Little. She’s cute and sweet and the type of girl every Daddy dreams of finding.”

There was hurt there, underneath the prickly, badass, outer shell. It tugged at the Daddy in him, begging him to hold her, comfort her.

But if he so much as patted her shoulder right now, she was liable to bite his hand off. Instead, he settled for feeding her. “Can you get some plates down, please?”

“Coffee first.”

If she’d been his, he would have given her a few hard swats before repeating his instruction. Not anything close to a full punishment, but enough to get her attention and hopefully put her back in the right headspace.

But since she wasn’t his—yet—he settled for scooping the bacon out of the pan and laying it out on the paper-towel covered plate nearby. Watching her from the corner of his eye as she poked at the machine, he cracked two eggs in the pan.

“Finally!” she crowed with triumph as hot coffee streamed into the mug. Seemingly satisfied that she’d soon have what her heart desired, she pulled two colorful plates from the cabinet and placed them on the island. There was an innate grace in her movements that made watching her a pleasure as she moved around the kitchen.

“Still planning on hanging around the house today?” he asked when she returned to pick up her now full mug.

“Mmmm,” she hummed, and his cock twitched in response. Was that how she’d sound with her lips wrapped around him, sucking him dry?

Down, boy.

“Today is definitely a beach day,” she said after she’d savored that first sip, snapping him out of his illicit daydreams.

“Sounds good. Just remember what we said about going in the water alone.”

Her eyes narrowed at him over the rim of her coffee cup. “I’m an excellent swimmer, Bryant. I don’t need a babysitter.”

“Even the best swimmers can get caught unaware in the ocean. But as it happens, I was planning to spend the day on the beach myself, so you can swim to your heart’s content.”

Actually, his original plan had been to work on all the things he could never seem to get done at the office, but he was willing to change his plans around for her.

With a soft huff of breath, she rolled her eyes, but he could have sworn he saw just the smallest hint of smile playing on her lips. “Fine.”

It was a far cry from a sweet, submissive ‘Yes, sir’, but he’d take it. “Breakfast is ready,” he announced, carrying their plates to the island.

She hopped up onto a stool and he wondered if she was remembering last night, when she’d been forced to sit and eat with her bottom plugged and burning. If she was, her face didn’t show it, and he had to admit he was a little disappointed by her lack of reaction.

Taking his spot on the stool beside her, he tried to focus on his breakfast, but just her presence was enough to distract him from his meal. Her hair was up in a ponytail again, the long ends brushing the bottom of her shoulder blades, and he couldn’t resist twirling a lock around his fingers.

“You have the most incredible hair.” The sound of his own voice startled him. He hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

With an unladylike snort, she shrugged and lifted a piece of bacon to her lips. “It’s hair.”

Since the words were already out there, he decided to lean into them. “It’s like sunshine. It suits you.”

“I should hope so since that’s the color God wanted me to have.”

Chuckling at her dry response, he released her hair and turned to his own breakfast. “So far, I know you’re a realtor, you don’t dye your hair, and apparently, you’re not to be messed with before you have your coffee in the morning. What else should I know?”

“I’m a third-degree black belt.”

“Really?”

“Nah, I’m just fucking with you.”

“Brat,” he said with a laugh, reaching up again to give her hair a playful tug.

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