Total pages in book: 248
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 236036 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1180(@200wpm)___ 944(@250wpm)___ 787(@300wpm)
When Rose finally drifted off, Grady tucked the blankets around her with such careful hands that Sage’s heart ached. Then he turned to her.
Sage’s breath caught as he looked down at her. That stern, gruff expression was back, but there was something softer underneath it tonight. He held out his hand, and she slipped her smaller one into it without hesitation, letting him pull her to her feet and lead her down the hall to her own room.
They walked without a word. The moment the door clicked shut behind them, Grady cupped her face with both hands and kissed her goodnight—thoroughly. Deep and slow and possessive, the kind of kiss that made her knees weak and her bottom tingle with remembered heat. Sage melted against him instantly, whimpering softly into his mouth as her hands fisted in his shirt. She wanted more. She wanted him to stay. She wanted to be his good girl so badly it hurt.
When he finally pulled back, she looked up at him. Her heart beat so fast there was no way he couldn’t hear it. Would tonight be the night he would stay with her for a while?
Every night she asked him, and every night, he told her no. It was starting to give her a complex. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “Daddy… can you stay? Just for a little while?”
Grady’s jaw tightened. She knew his answer before he even spoke. Something dark and conflicted flickered across his face. She wondered if he was concerned about how their intimacy would affect Rose. She knew Rose’s welfare was above every consideration in his mind. She felt the same way. But she thought Rose was probably tougher than Grady gave her credit for. Of course, considering the last two years, she couldn’t really blame him. To her disappointment, he brushed his thumb over her cheek.
“Not tonight, Wildfire.”
Sage’s heart hurt, but she refused to cry. The last thing she wanted was for him to stay because she had made him feel guilty. But it was still hard to understand why, after all they’d talked about, he wouldn’t stay for a little while.
She tucked her hands under her bottom so he wouldn’t see them tremble. She nodded, doing her best to put on a brave front even as confusion crept higher.
Was it something she’d said? Or done? Maybe she’d talked too much at dinner. Or maybe he was tired of her already. He probably went to bed every night regretting that he'd ever asked her to be his Little.
She climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin.
“Would you at least tuck me in?” she asked.
“Of course, babygirl.”
Walking over, he gently tucked the sheets all around her. When he tucked them around her rear, she noticed a slight hesitation and felt a light tap to her backside.
Lying completely still, she waited to see if he might lie down beside her.
“Good night, babygirl,” was all he said before going out the door.
The tap on the rear was tantalizing. She kept imagining how it would be over his knee. To distract herself, she counted sheep, but that didn’t help. She hugged Kiwi tight to her chest and whispered into the stuffie’s ear, “He still wants me, right?”
Kiwi nodded, or she would have if her neck would bend. But even that didn’t help. The worry wouldn’t go away.
Then it struck her. The best way to show him how much she wanted to stay was to fit in better. And what better way to fit in on the ranch than to practice riding? If she could do that, he’d see she was trying. He’d see she belonged here with him and Rose.
Okay, it was against the rules. She knew that when she slipped out of bed. But she was only trying to do better. Surely he’d understand that. Besides, what he didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. Or her, for that matter. She ignored the twitchy feeling in her bottom.
She tiptoed through the quiet, spooky house, leaving her boots off so she wouldn’t wake anyone. She didn’t need boots, anyway. Thankful for the full moon lighting her way, she hurried toward the barn, bare feet cold on the grass.
Just a little practice, she told herself. Then she’d come right back inside and be his good girl again. He’d never even know.
Once inside the barn, she looked down the row of horses.
Daisy was too mild, she decided. She needed more of a challenge. So instead of the sweet mare, she chose Buttercup. Buttercup sounded gentle. With a name like Buttercup, Sage should be fine.
In the dark, it was hard to find things, so she flipped on the barn light. Pulling the saddle off the gate was harder than it looked. That saddle was heavy. She stumbled back, saddle in hand, and knocked over a bucket filled with horseshoe nails, scattering them everywhere.