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He narrowed his gaze at her.

“I don’t have to be your Daddy to spank you. You’re mine. I mean, you’re my responsibility. That means I’m in charge of your health and safety. Tomorrow, we will be discussing the fact that you didn’t eat your dinner, that you left the house without telling me, and went up onto the roof, which was dangerous.” He tucked her into bed just like she was a child. “You need your sleep, Little girl.”

How come he kept acting like a Daddy if he wasn’t one, huh?

Maybe he was in denial. Like her and her vinyl pants era. Vinyl pants just weren’t a good option in the heat. Boy, did she sweat in them. And then she’d chafed. Then for a week afterward, she’d waddled like a duck.

It was a time in her life she’d prefer to forget.

“Sleep,” he commanded. “Close your eyes.”

She closed her eyes. More because she wanted to get rid of him than because she actually thought she could fall asleep.

But then he started to run his fingers through her hair, and he massaged her scalp gently.

Oh, that was nice.

“I’m sorry I can’t be your Daddy.”

She hadn’t expected an apology.

“Don’t worry, I’ll find myself one. I mean, I’m not even sure I really am a Little. It’s just all confused up in my brain, you know?”

Opening her eyes, she tried to give him a carefree smile, but she didn’t think it really worked when he continued to stare at her.

“I think you’re most definitely a Little. You just need to figure out a way to embrace it, to let go of all the worries and just be yourself.”

Uh-huh. He was one to talk since he was so tightly wound up. He didn’t even believe he had softer feelings or that he could be much of a caretaker, when she knew the opposite was true.

“You really don’t have to be worried about me, Ammo. I’m going to be all right.”

“Well, of course you’re going to be all right. I’m going to make sure of it.”

“Oh, yeah? Then maybe you could introduce me to one of your Daddy friends,” she joked.

“No,” he said shortly. “That won’t be happening at all.”

Ouch. Way to obliterate those dreams. She’d really just been joking, but the serious answer told her he wasn’t.

Aimee closed her eyes, wishing she was asleep already.

“I know you’re going to be all right, because you’re coming to live with me.”

She opened her eyes again. What now? She wasn’t moving in with him. He couldn’t be serious.

Was she asleep? That sleeping pill must be giving her weird dreams. Because there was no way she was awake.

She smacked her hand against her forehead.

“What are you doing? Don’t do that.”

“I thought I might be dreaming.”

“We’ve moved from pinching to slapping?” he asked incredulously.

“It seems so. If you didn’t say such outrageous things then I wouldn’t need to see if I was sleeping.”

“What did I say that was so outrageous?” he asked.