Page 249 of The Daddy P.I. Casefiles: The Second Collection

“You figured I’d want to get straight to the fucking? Don’t worry, girl, we will. But first I want to take you to dinner. Maybe hibachi, so you can grill your own. You can drown your frustrations in hot sauce.”

She blinks rapidly and her sassy grin breaks out. “I’d really like that.”

“Good. Hold on to that when you’re starting up the hill again.”

“Okay, sir, I will. But we’re definitely getting to the fucking tonight, right? I mean, I’ve earned sex privileges?”

That earnest face. Like she’s really concerned she hasn’t earned the fucking I’m absolutely dying to give her.

“You have. And if you can still walk tomorrow, I’ll come to your kickboxing class and pound on your ass some more.”

Her sweet laugh breaks out. “Okay, sir.”

“That better, girl?”

“Yes, sir. Much.”

“Good. I’m pleased you used your emotional safe word. That earns you big points. I’ll head back with Logan to get out of your hair, but I can be back here in fifteen minutes if you need anything. And I mean anything. If you need a hug, I’ll come and give you a hug. If you need someone to run down the block and get you a fancy coffee, I’ll come and fetch you coffee. It’s not often you get a Dom at your beck and call, so take advantage of me.”

Her grin chases back the shadows in her eyes. “I will, sir.”

“When do you finish today?”

“Six, sir.”

“If I pick you up at seven, does that give you enough time to get ready?”

She nods. “That would be great. Thank you so much for this, sir.”

I drop a kiss onto her mouth, gentle until the end when I nip her lower lip to feel her shiver and hear her laugh.

Manny’s wife’s cousin makes quick work of the live wires and promises to be back to board over the broken sign until a new one can be made. He joins us in the office, to speak with Brenna’s insurance broker while Bren’s got her on speaker phone. They get into a wrangle about payment and, as Brenna’s frown gets deeper and deeper, I’m tempted to throw in my two cents to resolve it.

As I lean forward and open my mouth, she throws me a look that says unequivocally that my opinion is unwanted. I sit back in the folding chair which serves as a “guest” chair in the tinyoffice and shut my mouth. Message received, loud and clear. We might be doing something close to twenty-four-seven in private, she might appreciate and even need my emotional support, but when it comes to her business, there’s nothing submissive about my bold girl.

When they finish the call, Brenna shakes the electrician’s hand and closes the door behind him. She comes to stand in front of me and, after a long moment, leans her hip on the edge of her desk, making it clear she’s not going to kneel.

“Thank you for not intervening, sir. I could tell you wanted to set them straight.”

I did, but I’m glad I restrained myself. I meant it when I said I’d be flexible. I don’t need to insert myself into her business to have the kind of control I want, and I like that we’re feeling out the contours of something that could work for us both. I particularly like that she calls me sir even when she’s in business-mode.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart. I could tell their bureaucratic pissing match was starting to stress you out. But they got there eventually.” I stretch my legs and grimace when my knee bumps her desk. This space really is too small for me. “Anything I can do for you before I head out?”

“Logan wants to look through the CCTV footage before he goes, but please don’t feel like you have to hang around for that.”

I shrug. The only thing on my agenda today before our date tonight is working out with Logan. I’m not used to being at loose ends. I don’t like the feeling, but I’d probably better get used to it.

“I’ll stick around for that, girl. Another pair of eyes is always useful. Then I’ll get out of your hair.”

She gives me a ghost of her sassy grin. “I kinda like you being in my hair, sir. Especially today. Thank you for being here.”

“You’re welcome.”

We both look up at a knock on the door. It opens after just a beat and Logan walks through, trailing Emily. He takes the other folding guest chair and draws Emily down into his lap.

“We could have been naked,” I point out.

Logan smirks. “Nothing I haven’t seen before.” He props a tablet on the desk beside Brenna’s hip and taps it.