Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 51210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 51210 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 256(@200wpm)___ 205(@250wpm)___ 171(@300wpm)
By the time the guys joined them at the table with the stacks of golden-brown pancakes and a pile of bacon, Saylor looked at ease with the team. The men all claimed their little girl’s chair and held them close. Only Hank sat alone.
As the men buttered pancakes and debated the value of pure maple syrup, Saylor looked from one couple to the next. Max could hear her reciting their names as she memorized each of the men who went with her new friends. He guessed that being a teacher had some advantages. Her recall was excellent. Since she’d already mastered the women’s names last night, matching them with their daddies had come easily.
When she relaxed against him, Max kissed her temple before asking, “Are you okay, baby?”
“Yes, Daddy,” she whispered, calling him by that name in front of others for the first time. When all the Littles gave her a thumbs up, Saylor’s face turned bright pink. Max hugged her tight to reassure her that everything was perfect.
“I’m sorry we didn’t have a chance to take care of the problem, but I’ll admit I’m glad to be home,” Max said.
The others echoed his statement.
“You won’t even miss your class, Max,” Hank reminded him.
“Oh, my God! What time is it?” Saylor panicked, looking around to find a clock.
“It’s eight-thirty, Saylor. When do you have to be at the university today?” Max asked. Instantly on alert, he was ready to help her if she needed to leave immediately, however he could.
“Ten. I thought I’d missed a class,” she said, slumping against him in relief.
“Then you have some time to eat a few more bites,” Max told her and offered her a forkful of the delicious treat.
“Why do these taste so good?” Saylor asked.
“Daddies have superpowers,” Aspen answered, and all the Littles agreed. A minute later, Aspen coughed into the crook of her elbow. “Sorry. The pancake tickled my throat.” The group laughed with her as the merits of Daddy-made pancakes gained huge praise.
Soon, everyone had eaten their fill, and the couples headed home. Each little girl hugged Saylor and promised they’d get together again soon. Max nodded at each of his team as they corralled the woman they loved from Max’s home. He understood their silent congratulations perfectly.
CHAPTER 12
“Hey, I’m back,” Saylor called as she walked into Max’s house. His truck was gone but she still announced her presence just in case. The sound echoed in the space.
Trying not to touch anything, she walked to the island and spotted a note. He’d run to pick up groceries and would be back soon. Heading for the laundry room, Saylor stripped off her clothes and dumped them in the washing machine. She’d start a load of laundry after showering. Shivering as she walked naked to the bathroom, Saylor quickened her pace.
After letting the water heat, she stepped into the spray. Her entire room had coughed and hacked throughout the two-hour class. The university had warned the staff in an email she read yesterday that the student health center reported a spike in illnesses on campus in the last week. She hadn’t noticed any problem until today. If her class was anything to judge by, whatever was going around was highly contagious. Rinsing off the germs might seem simplistic, but the strategy had kept her healthy.
Quickly, she washed her hair before spreading conditioner on the tresses. She left that to soak in as she lathered her skin. Saylor hovered under the hot spray. She hadn’t brought any sweats from home. Surely, Max had some she could cinch tight around her waist.
A sudden feeling that someone watched her made Saylor spin around. “Daddy! I didn’t hear you come in.”
“Hi, little girl. I’ll admit finding you naked and wet is a fantasy come true.” He yanked off his T-shirt before unfastening his pants. “Did you have a major spill at school?”
Distracted by the amount of hot man he was revealing in front of her, Saylor stopped listening. When his hands stopped at his waistband, she realized she was staring. “What? Sorry, I must have missed something you said.”
“Did you have a problem at the university?”
“Well, kind of. Everyone in my room sounded like they’d caught typhoid—coughing, hacking, nose blowing. I decided to drown all the germs.”
“Good idea. How about if I play lifeguard?”
“Do you have a Speedo?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows.
“Would you like to see me in a skimpy bathing suit?” he asked, pushing his pants down to his ankles.
She swallowed hard as he stood up to step out of his clothes. “Or naked. That’s good too.”
“It is, huh?” Max prowled into the shower. He caged her against the tiled wall and leaned closer.
Saylor wrapped her hands around his waist as she lifted her lips to invite his kiss. To her delight, he pressed his mouth to hers. Her throat constricted in a coughing spasm. She turned her head quickly and coughed into her shoulder, trying not to spread germs on him.