Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 49458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 49458 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 247(@200wpm)___ 198(@250wpm)___ 165(@300wpm)
“I’m totally into highlighting the mirrors,” Zander teased, glancing up at those reflecting down at her.
“I love that Esther and Edmund were so…”
“Kinky?”
“Zander! I was going to be more subtle and say ahead of their time,” Essie protested.
“Mirrors are totally erotic, Little girl. You enjoyed checking out my derrière last night,” he said, pronouncing the word with a fancy French accent.
“Daddy!”
“Personally, I love that they acted on their enjoyment of each other while they could. We should make the most of every day, Essie. We’ve lost too many moments together because others separated us. I won’t let us waste time again,” he told her firmly.
“I won’t argue with you. I feel the same way. And your derrière needs to be supervised.” Giggles poured from her throat when her French accent came out sounding like a dying frog. “I guess decorating like we’re in a French restaurant won’t be a good idea.”
“Let’s stick to English for you, Essie. I wonder if you could find some pictures of other dances from the past up in the attic or in your aunt’s things?”
“Zander! That’s a great idea. Then I would have a clue where everything is supposed to go. You’re brilliant!” She threw her arms around his neck and scattered kisses over his cheeks.
Zander cupped the back of her head and held her steady to take control. He pressed his lips to hers and explored her mouth as he hugged her close. When he lifted his head, Zander had a glint in his eye. He swept the covers off before rolling them over to balance Essie on top of him.
“My turn.” His hand landed sharply on her bottom. The sting launched an additional wave of arousal through her.
Essie peeked up at the mirrors and wiggled against him. A bit self-conscious about being reflected, she quickly pushed those feelings aside when she noted the desire on his face. Zander smacked her bottom again.
“Oh, yeah. This is going to be fun,” he growled.
A long time later, Essie sat drinking coffee at her desk. A full plate of fruit, bacon, and a hard-boiled egg sat on the blotter for her to eat. Zander had delivered it to her as he left, reminding her to eat. She picked up her fork and tried a strawberry. Yum!
She smiled, happier than she remembered being in many years. Zander hadn’t let her skip breakfast because she was late to work. She loved how he cared for her in small and big ways—more than she’d ever dreamed a Daddy would choose to take on in that role.
Marmalade wandered in and rubbed against her calves. Essie petted his soft fur. She smiled as the content creature walked to a patch of warm sunlight and flopped down. Pampered cats definitely led a comfortable life.
Essie couldn’t complain. Zander spoiled her. Her mind drifted to that secret room. She couldn’t wait to play in the nursery. It would be her own special haven. A protected place where she could let herself enjoy being Little.
“I hope you’ll be happy there.”
The deep voice startled her, and Essie looked up to stare at her aunt and uncle sitting in the client chairs in front of her desk. Her face heated. “Um…”
Her aunt smiled and said, “Don’t be embarrassed, dear. I loved that room for the short time we had together. After I lost Edmund, I moved to the second floor, so the sadness didn’t overwhelm me.”
Edmund patted his wife’s hand. “I’m sorry I left you, sweet girl.”
“You didn’t mean to die,” Esther told him quickly. “And you didn’t leave. You stayed and watched over me.”
“Once a Daddy, always a Daddy,” Edmund told her with a fond smile.
Vibrations of their love wafted toward Essie, wrapping around her. How perfect they were together. A thought popped into her mind. Shouldn’t they both be at rest now? “Why are you still here?”
“We don’t know, Essie, dear. There seems to be something important we’re supposed to do before we leave Ferguson’s Folly,” her aunt said with a smile. She didn’t seem bothered that she was a ghost.
“Besides, we like hanging around here. Ferguson’s Folly is our home. Well, yours legally now. We hope you don’t mind us hanging around,” Edmund told her.
They hadn’t been there while she and Zander had made love, had they? “Um….”
“We would never interrupt your privacy, Essie,” Edmund told her. “We had our time on the third floor. That space belongs to you. If you dally in the garden, we will make ourselves comfortable somewhere else. By the way, I designed a great nook for canoodling on the far side of the rose beds.”
To Essie’s delight, her aunt’s pale cheeks turned faintly pink.
“I’ve always loved those roses,” he added, winking at her.
“Edmund!” Esther scolded him.
“I don’t think anyone will be in the gardens today,” Essie suggested.
“We should go make sure that cursed pony didn’t eat all the blossoms,” Edmund suggested, standing and holding a hand out with old-fashioned manners to help Esther stand. They drifted away, Esther’s giggles trailing behind them.