Page 70 of Daddy’s Hunted Bride

“What is it, Melanie?” Daddy asks.

Unbothered by Daddy’s use of her full name, Lanie grins. “Nessie didn’t answer my question. Was your doctor hot?”

Daddy lets out another of those low, sexy growls. “As soon as I get Nessie settled, I’m tracking down Axel to tell him he doesn’t spank you enough,” he grumbles as we move past her to the stairs.

“Daddy, that’s mean.” I try to sound stern, but a giggle slips free. “Lanie was just being a good friend.”

“She’s being a goddamned nuisance and she knows it.”

“Who said she can’t be both?”

That earns me a loud laugh as we make our way upstairs. The sound stabs at my head, and when I wince, Daddy pauses and presses a kiss to my temple. “I’m sorry, little fox. We’ll make sure it’s nice and quiet in your nursery so you can get some sleep.”

But as soon as we open the door to my room, Daddy freezes and we both simply stare at what greets us. Two blankets block the door, creating a curtain of sorts. And when Daddy pulls the curtain aside, a shocked gasp is pulled from my lips.

The entire space has been transformed into a giant blanket fort. From floor to ceiling and wall to wall, my nursery is nothing but blankets and pillows and other comfort items—including Tabby’s favorite giant T-Rex stuffie. From the “ceiling” of the fort hangs the same twinkling lights we used for the blanket fort in Auntie Gray’s room.

“It’s beautiful,” I whisper, tears blurring my vision as I try to take everything in. “They didn’t have to do this.”

“You’re a very loved Little girl, Vanessa Dawn. Not just by me, but by our whole family.”

Love wells in my chest as I smile at the cozy space surrounding us. “Yeah. I’m starting to see that.”

Nessie

The next forty-eight hours are both the most magical and the most boring of my life. Because of the concussion, I’m not allowed to do anything that might strain my eyes. Which means no tv, no screens of any kind, no reading. Basically all the things that make life worth living are off-limits.

Including my family. Daddy allows the other Littles to come visit me for exactly five minutes at a time, but we all have to be very quiet which is not really something anyone but Tabby excels at.

But Daddy is there the whole time, doting on me and taking care of my every need. Uncle Eli brings me plenty of snacks and bottles of milk—no frozen hot chocolate for me until Uncle Ford clears me, which feels a bit like overkill but when I tried to argue, Daddy just made a note in the little notebook he’s been carrying around to keep track of all my naughties for when I’m feeling better.

Still, it’s not all bad. It really is kind of nice to have Daddy all to myself for a little while. And even if I can’t read, he can, and we spend most of our days snuggled up in my personal blanket fort, surrounded by pillows and stuffies while he reads my favorite Marjorie Thorne books to me.

I might actually miss some things about my confinement once Uncle Ford releases me after my exam today.

“All right, little one. Everything seems to be looking good.” Leaning back against the cabinet behind him, Uncle Ford pierces me with a stern look. “You still need plenty of rest. TV time needs to be limited to an hour or so at a time, and if you’re going to play with your cousins you still need to be taking it easy . That also means no spankings and no chases through the woods, Dane.”

The restriction of no spankings makes me want to dance, but the second half gives me pause. I hadn’t even realized until right this second how much I actually enjoyed our games in the woods.

When did I start thinking of my escape attempts as games? And when did I start liking it?

“Aw man, there goes my plans for the afternoon.” Daddy rolls his eyes and I have to smother a giggle. “Seriously, Ford, I’m not a complete dumbass.”

“Just mostly a dumbass.”

“Exactly. Thank you.”

Now it’s Uncle Ford’s turn to roll his eyes toward the ceiling, and when Daddy catches my eye I lose the battle with my laughter, dissolving into giggles right there on the exam table.

“Keep laughing and I’ll tell Uncle Eli no frozen hot chocolates for another week,” Uncle Ford warns in a dire tone.

Pressing my hand against my heart, I gasp loudly and maybe a tad overdramatically. “You wouldn’t!”

“Test me, little girl.” But there’s a twinkle in his eye that tells me he’s joking.

Probably still in my best interests not to push my luck too much.

“If you’re done being an asshole, my babygirl could use a nap.” Hooking his hands beneath my armpits, Daddy lifts me off the exam table and settles me on his hip. “Say goodbye to Uncle Ford, little fox.”