Page 5 of Cowboy Daddies

It was unbelievable. Rose was smiling and leaning forward, completely captivated. Standing there dumbfounded, he saw Sage offering to read the story again. Incredibly, Rose gave a timid nod and scooted up onto Sage’s lap.

Sage took a breath between pages and seemed to notice she had more than one person in her audience.

Here it comes. Any minute now, she’ll throw me a know-it-all “I told you so” smirk.

Instead, she smiled at him with a twinkle in her eye and continued reading. He just stood there, entranced, unbelieving how much life she’d brought into Rose’s face within minutes of arriving at his house.

When Sage closed the book, Rose bounced up and down, clapping before tapping the book.

“Would you like to hear it again?” Sage asked Rose.

Rose nodded with a gigantic smile.

Sage looked up at Grady. “Well, Daddy? Can I read it again?”

Even though he knew Sage was only calling him “Daddy” because she was speaking for Rose, that word coming from her mouth made his cock throb. Down, boy, he commanded. Not that it did that much good.

Never let it be said he wasn’t man enough to know when he’d been wrong.

Try as he might, he couldn’t see this as anything but a good thing. He just needed to make sure his water tank was big enough to handle all the cold showers he’d be taking in the coming months. Bracing himself, he settled into his decision, praying his mother had been right all those times she’d commended his patience and self-control.

He crossed to a large leather recliner and sat. “She can read it one more time,” he told Rose before shifting his gaze to Sage. “And then I need to talk to Miss Sage.”

“It’s just Sage,” she said. “I’ll go grab my suitcases when I’m done.”

Seriously, who was this girl’s Daddy? Had he never taken care of her the way a Daddy should? No way was this Little girl lugging around heavy suitcases with him right there.

Trying his best to keep his scowl to a minimum, he said, “I’ll get your suitcases.”

The smile Sage sent his way made his palm itch. It was a smile much too bright to flash at a complete stranger. At least it told him he’d been successful in hiding his scowl.

Sage read the story again and took time to get Rose settled, looking through the rest of her books. As promised, Grady retrieved her suitcases and led her to a room just off the kitchen. “This will be your room. My room is on the other side of the family room downstairs. I’m willing to give this a try, but I have to warn you, I’m not easy to please when it comes to my daughter.”

“Good, neither am I. See how much we agree already?”

Her sapphire blue eyes were locked on him with a spark that made his cock twitch. Stepping closer, he spoke in a voice so stern and gravelly it was practically a growl. “A warning, we have rules in this house, young lady. And I get the feeling you need them more than most.”

“Well, you know what they say about rules, Mr. Kane?” Sage lifted her chin, a spark of defiance lighting her eyes.

He’d never wanted to turn a Little across his lap more in his life. But he couldn’t because she wasn’t his Little and she never would be. “No, but I’ll bet you’re about to tell me.”

“They’re made to be broken, of course,” she said.

The tone of her voice was pure mischief. Oh yeah, his life was about to get much more interesting.

Grady gave her his sternest Daddy look. “I’m not sure whose rules you’ve ‘broken’ before, but you break mine, and you’ll find out exactly how hard it can get to sit down comfortably.”

She shivered at his words, and of course, his dick noticed. She definitely had all his attention now.

Sage smiled sweetly. Then, in a “butter wouldn’t melt in my mouth” tone of voice, she said, “Looking forward to it. Mr. Kane.”

“You keep using my last name like that, and we’re going to have a problem. Mr. Kane is my father, and let’s just say he’s the man I aspire to be. You may call me Grady.”

Sage got a look he’d seen on many a Little’s face. The one they got when a thought popped into their heads. She opened her lips, no doubt about to share it out loud, when she thought better of it. That was probably a good decision.

Grady held her gaze another beat, then he walked away before he did something stupid. Something like smacking her ass until she couldn’t sit down or kissing her so long and deep she couldn’t stand.

She was now going to be a part of everything that happened here. What the hell had he just done?