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“You heard me. Now finish off that breakfast and get back to bed.”
It was heaven. Chuck left her in his house all day, while he did jobs around the ranch. He ordered her to watch cartoons, nap, and relax her way out of the hangover.
“You better make the most of it,” he said, before leaving, “because it’s the last hangover I ever intend you to have.”
She was stunned by his support and the fact that he didn’t seem in the least bit angry. He seemed exactly what she needed — infinitely understanding.
By the end of the long, warm, snoozy day — a day she needed more than she knew — Chuck returned home. He looked tired but happy to see her.
What he said, however, made her shiver with anticipation.
“Alright, little one,” he said shrugging off his jacket, “we need to have a chat.”
“A chat?”
“You’re feeling a lot better, right?”
“Much better thank you.” She smiled to prove it.
“Good. Now, you’ve broken quite a few rules lately.” His ice-cool eyes pierced her soul. “And when rules get broken, Littles get punished.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
Itwasdarkagain,but this time Millie wasn’t scared.
Well, not exactly.
“The purpose of this punishment, Millie Reynolds, is to encourage good behavior from you. Do you understand what is meant by good behavior?”
This was torture. Being made to wait like this was hell. They were inside Chuck’s treehouse, in the main living space. There was a cozy rug on the hardwood floor, and a log burner built into a corner. The burner glowed with warmth. Outside, she heard bugs, bats, and other soft night-time noises. She was so in the moment, it felt like she might never wriggle free.
“I think I do.”
For a moment, Chuck looked as though he was weighing something up. Then, he said, “You can call me Daddy.”
She half-tripped on a breath. “I can?”
Chuck nodded. “If it’s helpful to get you into the headspace.”
Her voice was suddenly quiet. Tender. “It might help. The clothes helped.”
Millie had been surprised when Chuck had firmly suggested she dress more Little. He opened up a bag that had to be from a specialist store somewhere and let her choose. It took Millie a few minutes to pick out an outfit. There was a simple, tight-fitting t-shirt printed with the words: ‘I promise to be good.’ He’d given her some thick leggings to wear which did remind her of the kind of thing she had worn when she’d been really young. There was something about being wrapped up in all this cozy gear that most definitely did make her feel smaller, more dependent on him.
“Well, when you are ready, you can try it. See how you feel.”
He seemed so sure of himself. So confident. It suddenly struck her just how much older Chuck was than her. How much he had lived. He had clearly gotten to the stage in life where he felt completely comfortable with the person he was, and the way he presented himself to other people. She felt both envious, and grateful that he was taking control of the situation. He oozed authority and security.
“Okay, Daddy.” She felt her chest hum with the enormity of the word. It was as though a bridge of trust was slowly being built between them. And she did trust him. Even though he was gruff and tough, and had changed since she’d known him in England, she could sense that he was still the same, big-hearted person underneath. He’d proved that to her today with how kind and understanding he’d been to her.
“You broke some rules, didn’t you?”
“Mmmhmm.”
“Tell Daddy which rules you broke. And then tell me why they’re important rules. Go back to the start, from the first time you showed up to work at the stable.”
He was laying out exactly what he expected from her, and she loved it.
“I was late.” She bit her lip. “That wasn’t a rule at that point. But I think it should have been. And I know that I shouldn’t be late. And there was no reason for me to be late. So I’m sorry about that.”
