The hushed encouragement teases a giggle from my babygirl who finally peeks up at me through her lashes. “I understand. But Idofeel very silly for melting down like that.”
Flashing Jade a grateful smile, I pull Tabby closer to me, gently rocking her. “You don’t ever have to feel silly with me, little one. But if you really want to make it up to me, then you won’t argue with me about buying you these very pretty dresses.”
“Oh. You really want to?”
“I really do.”
“Um. Okay. I won’t argue, then.”
Something tells me she’s still going to have a bit of sticker shock when it’s all said and done, but for now, I’m willing to accept her reluctant agreement.
Looking up at Jade, I give her a wide grin. “We’re going to need your largest dressing room.”
CHAPTER 6
TABITHA
Ifeel like Julia Roberts inPretty Woman, trying on one gorgeous dress after another. Although, hers were definitely more “grown up” than the fluffy concoctions Daddy has me prancing around in. And I’m pretty sure she wasn’t wearing a diaper over a very sore bottom after having been publicly spanked to tears.
But I don’t care. It all still feels like some kind of fairytale.
And Daddy doesn’t stop at the dresses. There are socks and ruffled panty-like things he calls diaper covers—those make me blush the hardest when he asks pretty Jade about them, but she doesn’t even flinch which makes me feel marginally better—and t-shirts and a few sets of overalls that have me wrinkling my nose when I try them on.
“I look like I work on a farm.”
“You look adorable. And trust me, little one, you’ll be grateful for the play clothes when we get home. Lanie loves playing outside, and I have no doubt she’ll be dragging you along every chance she gets.”
He’s in the process of unbuttoning the most recent set of overalls as he speaks. Curiosity pricks at me as I allow him to change me. “Will you tell me about them? Your family?”
A soft smile curves his lips. “They’re your family now too.”
They’re not, but I figure arguing with him will only get me a sore bottom. “Even more reason for me to know all about them before we get home.”
“True.” Stripping the overalls from me, he reaches for what I mistakenly thought was a t-shirt but turns out to be a onesie covered in dancing dogs in tutus. “I have five brothers and one sister. Your uncles Axel and Bram have already found their Little girls, Lanie and Josie. Well, I suppose it’s more accurate to say Bram and Josie found each other again. They were childhood sweethearts before we… had to move.”
There’s something in his voice that says the move is more than he’s telling me. But this doesn’t really seem like the time to pry into his family’s secrets, so I simply nod in response. “That’s a lot of siblings.”
“It is.” His smile widens to a grin as he snaps the onesie between my legs and reaches for a pale pink tutu that matches the ones the dogs are wearing. “But we have fun. Mostly. Sometimes it’s a bit stressful, all of us living in one house together, but for the most part we get along.”
“Wait. You all live in thesame house? I figured you were just like… neighbors or something.”
“No. We like being together.” Turning me to face the mirror, he meets my gaze in the reflection. “And it allows us to keep an eye on each other’s Little ones.”
Mirror-Me wrinkles her nose. “I don’t need a babysitter.”
“Disagree, little firecracker. Babies can’t be left to their own devices all day. There will always be an adult around to take care of you, and to discipline you if you’re naughty.”
Shock roots me to the floor, my mouth falling open as I stare at him. “Discipline?” My voice has risen to a squeak. “You mean…”
“Yes, baby. If you’re naughty and Daddy isn’t around, any of the grownups in our house have permission to spank your bare bottom. You might want to keep that in mind if Lanie tries to drag you into any of her naughtiness.”
How the hell could I possiblyforgetthat multiple strangers now have the right to spank me whenever they want?
Once again, the urge to argue, to stomp my feet and tell him I’m absolutelynotgoing anywhere with him wells in my chest, a pressure that makes me feel like I might actually explode.
But he’s already proven he has no problem following through on his threat to spank me in public, so I swallow the protests burning on my tongue and nod my head obediently, silently hating myself for giving in. “Yes, Daddy.”
He beams at me approvingly, making my stomach churn. “Good girl. Let’s go get these pretty dresses paid for and then we can check out the toy store. How does that sound?”
