Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 45946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45946 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 230(@200wpm)___ 184(@250wpm)___ 153(@300wpm)
“I was going to. Too soon?”
“Way too soon, Daddy. Like a hundred years too soon.”
“In a hundred years I’ll be well and truly dead,” he told her.
“Uh-huh. Me too. And then I won’t be able to die from embarrassment from you listening to me pee.”
Die from embarrassment. His girl could be a tad dramatic. “I’ll go and get the crib ready. Call out when you’ve finished peeing.”
“Uh-huh, I’ll do that, Daddy.”
He drew the covers back on the crib and grabbed Miss Bunny for her to cuddle. He thought about getting Snickerdoodle, but he didn’t want to leave her for that long. And she seemed to like Miss Bunny. Then he grabbed a sippy cup from the cupboard and filled it up with a bottle of water left over from their lunch.
“Daddy? Finished!” she called out.
“Good girl, have you washed your hands?” he asked as he entered the bathroom.
“Of course, Daddy.”
“Well done.” He took hold of her hand and led her into the other room and to the chair instead of the crib. Suddenly, she started tugging at his hand and he stopped, turning to her.
She was staring down at the chair. “I didn’t do anything wrong, Daddy!”
“What do you mean… of course you didn’t… oh wait!” He was an idiot. “I’m not punishing you, little girl. I wanted to give you some water.” He walked over and grabbed the sippy cup of water.
“Oh. Silly me. Of course you wouldn’t spank me. I’ve been so well-behaved.”
“Well, not sure I’d go that far,” he told her as he sat on the chair and drew her onto his lap, lying her back against his arm. Perhaps he should have chosen the baby bottle. But she drank down some water happily.
Damn.
He never thought he would be this lucky. He held the cup for her as she continued to drink. When she turned her mouth away, tugging at his hand, he sat it down again. She’d drunk about a third of it. She could drink the rest afterward.
Standing, he held her cradled in his arms, against his chest as he carried her to the crib and laid her down. He gave her Miss Bunny before tucking her in. “Are you all right with Miss Bunny?”
“Yes, Daddy. I do miss Snickerdoodle, though.”
“We can go get him before we go to the shop later if you like.”
“Oh, yes, please, Daddy,” she said as he moved around the room, pulling the curtains and turning off the lights. A small nightlight came on so they weren’t completely in darkness. Walking back to the crib, he sat facing her.
“I won’t sleep, Daddy,” she warned.
“Roll over, my baby. I’ll rub your back and see if that helps.”
She shuffled over so she faced away from him and he rubbed her back until he heard a soft snore escape her. With a smile, he stood and raised the side of the cot.
Just as he’d thought, she’d gotten off to sleep quickly.
Lucky for her, Daddy knew just what she needed even when she didn’t.
“I’m so excited!” Phoebe skipped back and forth in her slippers as she swung Snickerdoodle around with one hand. Her other hand was firmly encased in Barren’s large hand as he led her toward the store.
She’d finished a nap, something she hadn’t thought was going to be possible. She was usually far too busy to sleep during the day. But she’d woken up in the crib, with all four sides raised! Barren had been there immediately to help her out and he’d taken her straight to the bathroom. Which was a smart move on his behalf because she’d been busting. But now they were heading into Rawhide Ranch’s shop, and she was so excited!
“Now, listen to the rules, please,” Barren said firmly as he came to a stop and turned her to face him.
“Rules?” she cried.
“Yes, rules.”
“I don’t see how there can be more rules, Daddy. I think if you come up with any more rules my head might explode.”
“I think you can handle it,” he told her solemnly. “While we are in the shop, you are to stay within eyesight of me at all times. No running off to look at something or wandering away. Understand?”
She sighed. “Well, okay, Daddy.”
“And if Daddy tells you to do something, you have to do it straight away. I don’t want any arguments or pouting.”
“But pouting is so fun.”
“Little girl,” he said in a warning voice.
“Yes, Daddy. No pouting. I understand.”
His girl was a demon to shop with. She flitted around from thing to thing, picking it up and then discarding it.
She never went out of his eyesight, though.
“Oh, Daddy this is just the cutest!” she cried, running her hand over a white, fluffy scarf with matching hat.
They would look good on her and he picked them up to put them in the basket.
“You don’t have to buy them for me, though.” She reached in to take them out of the basket.