AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I don’t hear your cheeseburger being unwrapped,” I say as I grip the knob. It’s completely stuck, she’s right.
“Maybe I didn’t get a cheeseburger,” she says under her breath. It’s cute, the little voice she uses when she’s trying to mimic me, but I leave it alone. Patience. I’ve learned to be cautious with these little moments when she’s comfortable enough to let her guard down. If I’m too forward, push too fast, those guardrails will slam into place.
“Then what did you get?” I ask as I press my shoulder into the radiator and get a stronger grip on the knob.
“Can you turn it?” she asks instead of answering me. The paper wrapped around the cheeseburger crinkles as she opens it.
I grit my teeth and twist as hard as I can. After readjusting my grip twice, the damn thing finally loosens and it turns. I wipe my hands on my slacks and stand up. She’s grinning at me while she chews her burger.
“He needs to replace the knob. I think it’s stripped,” I tell her.
She pops the last bite of her cheeseburger into her mouth and wipes a drop of ketchup from her lip with her thumb. I’m her captive when she slips her thumb into her mouth and sucks off the small bit of ketchup.
I clear my throat. “Are you trying to tease Daddy?” I ask, hooking my hands on my hips.
A blossom of pink bursts across her cheeks but she shakes her head.
“No.” She tosses the crumpled wrapper into the happy meal box and pulls out the small package of fries. “Do you want some fries?”
“I’m hungry, but not for anything you have in that little box,” I mutter as I move around the coffee table and sit beside her on the couch.
“Are you teasing me now?” she asks, throwing a fry into her mouth and licking the salt from her fingers.
I grasp her hand in mine. “If you keep teasing,malyshka, I’m going to shove you to your knees right here and feed you something entirely different.”
Her throat works as she swallows and her bottom lip sucks between her teeth.
“You’ll be good?” I ask with a raised brow.
“Of course, Daddy.” She smiles. She has no intention of behaving and I’m looking forward to throwing her over my knee to punish the little brat out of her.
I let her hand go and lean across the coffee table to grab the television remote.
“Daddy.” Her voice is soft, making me turn away from the screen. “Not that I don’t like having you here, but, uh, why are you here?” She tilts her head and shoves three more fries between her lips.
“There’s supposed to be another thunderstorm tonight.” I hit the play button on the movie she’d been watching when I showed up.
“I’ll be okay.”
I slide the happy meal box toward me, pull out the little toy, and rip the plastic off the troll doll.
“I know.” I ruffle the little hairs on top of the troll and put it on her knee. “Because I’m here.”
When I drag my gaze up to hers, there’s unshed tears shimmering there.
“What are these for?” I catch one as it rolls down her cheek.
“Nothing.” She lets out a long breath. “It’s just sweet. You coming over like this. I’m not used to it.” She takes the troll from me and holds it in her hands.
“You’ll get used to it.” I say it a little harder than I mean to, and she pinches her lips together. “But don’t tell anyone.”
She laughs softly. “Of course not. You have a reputation to keep, I’m sure.” She brushes the troll’s hair against my cheek then puts it down on the coffee table.
“Do you want to tell me what is so scary about thunderstorms?”
“Storms, nothing.” She shrugs. “It’s only when they cause a nightmare. It doesn’t happen every time, though.”
“And what’s the nightmare?” I lean back and drape an arm over the back of the couch so I can play with her hair while she’s talking.
