Page 180 of Daddy’s Fortitude

But still, she’d been given a punishment, and she may need aftercare to feel grounded and loved again. She got up with a look of wonder on her face, and he realized that maybe he should be doing this more often. He took hold of her hand and drew her over to lift her onto his lap, so her legs were straddling his.

Aimee buried her face into his chest immediately, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. Yeah, this was something he definitely needed to do more often. He couldn’t deny how right it felt to have her in his arms, to hold her tight.

“This is nice,” she said.

He rubbed her back gently, then lay back on the sofa with her lying on his chest.

She leaned up, resting her arms over his chest, so she could stare down at him. “Look at me. I’m on top of you.”

“So you are,” he said, as he brushed the hair from her face. “Look at you, all beautiful and gorgeous.”

Her cheeks went red. “You always know just what to say.”

He had to grin because he very rarely knew the right thing to say.

“I’m glad you think that because you do know what the next thing I’m going to say is, right?”

She let out a sigh that ended on another cough. “Time for bed?”

“Time for bed.”

Aimee wasn’t sure why she felt so nervous as she lay in bed.

She’d slept in the same bed with him before. But this was different. What would happen? Would he make a move? Did she want him to make a move?

What if he didn’t make a move? Was that a type of rejection because he didn’t want her? Or was it him being a gentleman because she was still occasionally coughing?

She felt a lot better, but she wouldn’t say she was a hundred percent. She hadn’t had a chance to shave her legs either. She should have done that this morning, shouldn’t she? What an idiot she was. Why hadn’t she shaved her legs?

She pushed the covers back and got out of bed just as he entered the bedroom.

He stood there with his hands on his hips. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“I need to go to the bathroom,” she said.

“Didn’t you just use the bathroom?”

“Yes, but I’ve got to do something else.” Jeez what was with all the questions?

“Ahh, you’ve got an upset tummy? Need some diarrhea medicine?”

She gaped at him. Oh my God, how had he reached that conclusion?

“No, I don’t need any diarrhea medicine. I don’t have diarrhea, and I need to stop saying the word diarrhea. I just have to go to the bathroom.”

She attempted to rush through the doorway, but he put an arm across it to stop her. Why wouldn’t he move?

Aimee huffed out a breath that ended on a cough.

“You should be in bed. You need to get your sleep.”

“I’ve got to shave my legs,” she told him. “There, are you happy now?”

“Not feeling particularly happy, no,” he said. “Why do you need to shave your legs tonight?”

“Because I, well, I should have shaved them this morning but I was too tired, and I haven’t shaved them in a few days.”

“Why do they need to be done tonight then?”