17. Breaker

Chapter 17

Breaker

“ Bwaker?”

“Yeah, Kiddo?”

“I missed puzzle time with you today.”

Looking down at Tinny’s little, innocent face, my heart squeezes in my chest. It’s a reaction that I have often. It’s just that this little girl owns me. I’d do anything to keep that smile on her face. Then again, I’m the same way with her mother. These Shelton women know how to bring me to my knees and the trick is, they don’t even try.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I had to help Mommy, though. You still had fun with Uncle Cooper and Aunt Iva, didn’t you?”

“Yeah. They’re fun. It’s just not the same.”

“You mean they don’t work puzzles as awesome as I do?” I ask, wiggling my eyebrows.

She giggles, her little face lit up with happiness. “Uncle Cooper works them faster than you do.”

“You lie!” I huff, feigning outrage.

“Nu-uh,” she laughs.

“I’m going to get you for that,” I warn playfully, right before I start tickling her.

“Ah! Stop!” she cries, curling up against my playful attack, all the time laughing louder and louder.

“I’m the King of puzzles! Admit it,” I announce.

“Uncle Cooper is!” she says back, all but cackling now.

“Nu-uh,” I disagree, mocking her and sounding just as childish.

“And just what is going on here?” Indy asks, making Tinny and I freeze in unison. The two of us look at each other and start laughing. Indy walks over to us. “Are you two forgetting it’s way past bedtime?”

“It’s Bwaker’s fault, Mommy! He tickled me!”

I gasp. “You weren’t supposed to tell on me.”

“I can’t lie to Mommy, Bwaker. I’ll get in trouble,” she says with big, innocent eyes. The little stinker.

“Yeah, Bwaker , you wouldn’t want her to lie to me, would you?” Indy taunts.

I smirk at her, letting her know without words that she’s going to be punished later. “No, I wouldn’t do that. That would make me bad, and I wouldn’t want to get a spanking for being bad. Would you, Doc?”

Her eyes go round, her sweet mouth making an O shape, showing her surprise. She looks stunned.

“He’s right, Mommy. You don’t want a spanking. Those hurt!”

That snaps Indy out of her thoughts. She walks over to her daughter and kisses her forehead before pulling the cover up around her. “And what would you know about spankings, young lady? I’ve never spanked you. You’ve only been put into time out.”

“I know, but Bobby Watson’s parents spanked him once, and he said it hurt really bad. His daddy did it and his daddy has really big muscles! They’re almost as big as Bwaker’s.”

“That is big,” Indy agrees, grinning at me. “What did Bobby do that was so bad?” she asks.

“He shaved his baby brother's hair.”

“He did?” I ask, trying to imagine that.

“Yep. His brother was only three. That’s a baby. He’s not old like me, Bwaker.”

“I know. You’re a big girl.”

“I am!” she agrees happily.

“How did he shave his brother’s hair?” Indy asks.

“He found his dad’s razor in the bathroom and used it.”

“Yikes,” I respond, making a mental reminder not to leave anything that can be used as a weapon lying out—especially if that item can cut or shave hair.

“Okay, time to quit talking. It’s bedtime, young lady,” Indy says with a wink.

“Can Bwaker read my story tonight, Mommy?”

“I … Well, I guess if that’s what you want?”

“I do!”

“Then I think I’ll go to bed myself. Mommy loves you, baby girl.”

“I love you, too, Mommy.” Indy gives her one last hug, then a kiss on her forehead and steps back.

As she walks by me, her hand snakes around me, giving me a quick hug. Her touch warming me all over. “Goodnight to you, too, Mr. Bwaker,” she whispers playfully, stretching up to kiss my cheek. She walks out, leaving me staring at her, unable to say a word in return.

“I don’t need a story tonight, Bwaker.”

“You don’t?”

“No. I just told Mommy that so I could ask you a question,” she says and all the sudden she looks extremely serious for a little girl.

“What is it?”

“I’m ‘fraid to ask. I’m scared.”

“Kiddo, you know you could ask me anything,” I tell her, gently running my fingers through her blonde hair.

“I’m scared you’ll say no, and it’s really important.”

“You’ll never know unless you ask me, Tinny. I will make you a promise, though. If I can do anything to make you or your mother happy, then I’m going to do it.”

“You promise?”

“I promise,” I answer. She nods, before closing her eyes. “Tinny?”

“I want you to be my daddy.”

“Tinny …”

“Will you Bwaker? All my friends have daddies. Some of them even have two! I only want you.”

“Sweetheart,” I start, my heart in my throat. I want to take this little girl in my arms and tell her yes. I can’t do that. It’s something I need to talk about with Indy. I’m also pretty sure that if I talk to my woman about this, she’s liable to run for the hills. I can’t let that happen. This is something I have to work up to slowly—preferably while she’s in my bed with my cock buried inside of her, willingly saying yes to anything I ask.

“I promise I’ll be good, Bwaker. I’ll even clean my room.”

“Tinny …”

“I shouldn’t have asked,” she says, sounding so sad and dejected that my heart is literally breaking inside my chest. “I sorry, Bwaker. I think I want to go to sleep now.”

“Tinny, it’s not that I wouldn’t love to be your daddy.”

“It’s okay,” she says, not looking at me. She’s turned away from me, mostly staring at the wall. I can see the side of her face though, and the little tears that are trying to escape her eyes are my undoing. “Bobby and the other kids at school said I didn’t have a daddy because I was weird. I just thought maybe since you seemed to like me …”

I don’t know this Bobby kid and I know as an adult you’re supposed to be tolerant and understanding of kids. Right now, however, I’d like to wring Bobby Watson’s neck. The thought does make me feel guilty, considering the kid is probably Tinny’s age. I wouldn’t be opposed to taking my frustration out on Bobby’s father, though. In fact, that might definitely be something I do very soon.

“Tinny, I would love to be your daddy.”

“Bwaker …”

“In fact, there’s nothing I want more in this world.”

“There’s not?”

“Nothing,” I confirm. “All I ask is we keep this between us until I get your mommy to agree.”

“She’ll agree Bwaker. She likes you.”

I smile. “I know, but sometimes women like it if the man marries them and things. I need to get her to agree to that first. I’ll have to do things to make her happy.”

“Oh! I can help. I know all the things Mommy likes.”

“You do?”

“Duh. I’m her daughter. Of course, I do.”

A chuckle escapes before I can stop it. “So, you agree? We’ll keep quiet about me being your daddy until we get your mommy to agree to marry me and you’re going to help me win her over.”

“I promise!”

“I promise, too. Now, you better get to sleep, or Mommy will be mad at both of us.”

“Okay, Bwaker. I’m so glad you’re going to be my daddy. I love you!” she says excitedly, sitting up in her bed and wrapping her arms around my neck.

“I love you, too, sweetheart,” I answer, holding her close, and keeping my arms wrapped around her for a little longer—even when she starts to pull away. Eventually I let her go, kissing her forehead before I quickly tuck her back in bed and switch on her nightlight. “Get some rest, Kiddo.”

“I will. Night, Bwaker.”

“Night, Tinny.” I open the door and I’m almost outside before Tinny calls out my name in a panic.

“Bwaker! Wait!”

“What’s wrong?”

“You forgot to pinky swear. You can’t make a promise without pinky swearing.”

“Well then, we better do that.”

“Yeah!” she answers. I hold out my hand, bending my pinky finger at the knuckle. She hooks her much smaller one with mine. “You gotta say the words now, Bwaker.”

“Maybe you should say them, and I just say yes,” I suggest.

“Okay. Do you, Bwaker, promise to love and protect me and my mommy?”

“Definitely,” I agree without thinking.

“Do you promise to work puzzles with me and let me help fix breakfast with you forever?”

“I promise—at least until you get tired of me,” I say with a grin.

“That won’t happen, Bwaker. I love you.”

“I love you, too, Tinny. Now get some rest,” I tell her as she snuggles back down, completely happy.

I don’t care what I have to do, but I am not going to disappoint this little girl. I’ll move hell and high water to be the hero in her eyes. I’ll do it somehow. I don’t have a choice. Indy and her daughter are my world. I just need to make sure she knows that I’m here for the long haul.

I want everything with her and Tinny and I’m not going to stop until I get it.