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She shivered and reached for the blanket she’d brought outside. The same fleece blanket Daddy had wrapped around her the night she’d learned all about desire. She draped it over her shoulders, careful not to spill the tea, and stared up at the beautiful night sky as if it held the answers to her problems.
She couldn’t even think of Ben Foster as Ben Foster anymore. The thought of calling him Mr. Foster felt odd. She liked the way Daddy rolled off her tongue, warming her insides like the hot tea. When he called herlittle girl, or sometimesbaby girl, she gushed with joy and felt complete.
In a few short weeks, he’d given her a glimpse of all she’d been missing out on. Affection. Companionship. Kindness. And today, honesty. The daily physical contact with another person breathed life into her. A simple hug or a kiss on the cheek from Daddy filled her spirits to bursting.
The door opened, jarring her from her thoughts. Light spilled into the night as Daddy exited the cabin. He joined her on the glider, draping an arm around her shoulders. She leaned into him, wishing she could have it all. Eli. Oregon. The world. Daddy.
She shut her eyes tight and inhaled Daddy’s familiar masculine scent, taking comfort in the strength of his presence. He didn’t speak, and neither did she. There was nothing to say. There was nothing to do. Except stare at the stars and listen to the sounds of the night.
Tomorrow was coming, and the next day, and the day after that too. Soon the day would come when Hanna would have to make the hardest decision of her life.
She wished with all her heart that she could snap her fingers and freeze time.
Oh, if only…
CHAPTER16
“Rise and shine, sleepyhead.”Ben pulled the sheets off Hanna, who was curled up on his side of the bed. She hadn’t spent the night in her room since he’d made love to her the first time, and she’d also taken to sleeping in later and later.
She rubbed her eyes and peered up at him, her expression forming into a cute pout. “It’s too early.” She tried to yank the covers back up, but he stilled her with a quick swat to her bottom.
“It’s not too early. It’s almost eight. You used to wake up before six when you first came to stay with me, Hanna.”
She rubbed her backside and continued pouting. “Yes, but we stayed up late last night. It’s your fault I’m sleepy. You wore me out. Now go away and let me sleep.”
He crossed his arms and arched an eyebrow. After the emotionally intense day they’d had yesterday, he’d planned a special day for Hanna. He wanted to take care of her completely, like she was his baby girl, and he suspected she would be receptive to this treatment. But first, he needed her out of bed.
“Young lady, that is no way to speak to your daddy. Now get up, or you’ll be one sorry little girl.”
She defiantly reached down and pulled the covers over her head. “No,” she said, her voice muffled through the sheets. “Go away!”
He easily confiscated the covers, throwing them over the foot of the bed and out of her reach. She curled into a ball and returned her head to the pillow, closing her eyes and feigning sleep. He sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked her hair. A frustrated sigh floated up from her, and she opened her eyes to glare at him.
“We’re going to try something different today, Hanna. Well, a little different.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m going to take care of you all day, and you’re going to let me take care of you. You’re going to be a good girl for Daddy and do everything I say without putting up a fuss.”
A glimmer of confusion touched her gaze. “But you already take care of me. You’ve been taking care of me for almost a month.”
He cupped the side of her face in his hand. Desire spiraled through him at the innocence she still possessed.
“I’m going to care for you the way a daddy cares for his baby girl, Hanna. Help you get dressed, make your meals, give you a bath, read you stories. I know we don’t have much time left before Eli comes, and I want you to put all that worry out of your mind today and let me do these things for you. Do you think you can do that?”
Her confusion faded and she blinked a few times. Blushing, she met his gaze. “Yes, Daddy, I can do that.”
“Good girl.” He patted her thigh. “Now first things first. Let’s get these pajama shorts off.”
She frowned and curled back into a ball. “Why?”
“I gave you several chances to get up this morning, and you were quite grumpy. You also had a smart mouth. Little girls don’t get to tell their daddies to go away. It looks like you’ll be eating breakfast on a sore bottom.”
“Oh, Daddy, I’m sorry. Please don’t spank me. I’ll be good all day.Promise.” She peered at him, beseeching him with her big blue eyes to let her out of this punishment.
“Are you arguing with Daddy even more?” he asked, leaning down.
She huffed and sat up in bed, drawing her knees to her chest. He reached for her hand, giving it a firm squeeze.
