Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 47
Estimated words: 44612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 44612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 223(@200wpm)___ 178(@250wpm)___ 149(@300wpm)
Thank goodness, it’s empty!
Silently, she happy-danced where no one could see her if they opened the door suddenly. With some of her joy vented, she checked her makeup and left the restroom. Back in control, she continued down the hall into the human relations office and strolled past the warden-like receptionist with a wave on her way to Cameron’s office.
Aria could feel Carol’s hard stare burning into her back as she walked. Purposefully not allowing herself to react to the reception she’d received, Aria continued to Cameron’s office. When she spotted him sitting at his desk in an empty office, Aria knocked on the door.
“Mr. Ferguson, do you have a moment?” she asked quietly.
“Of course! Come in, Ms. Martin.”
She felt herself grin when he greeted her formally as well. Aria stepped in and closed the door. Unsure that she wouldn’t forget where she was, she leaned against the closed panel to keep a safe distance between them. Not wishing her voice to be overheard, she pantomimed I love you with a hand gesture, followed by a heart shape between her hands, and a point at him. After blowing his beaming face a kiss, she reopened the door.
“Thank you, Mr. Ferguson. I appreciate your assistance.”
“My pleasure,” he called after her as she strolled back down the hall.
Back at her desk, she took another sip of the iced latte and dove back into work. She couldn’t wait to get back to her nursery in Cameron’s house that evening. The sooner she finished this mess the better.
Aria certainly didn’t want to risk overtime tonight. She’d promised Rexy that she’d give him a tour of the beautiful room, and then they could spend some time together. Daddy, Little girl, and stuffed dinosaur. Rexy already liked Cameron. Her Daddy had placed the stuffie in her arms last night so they could all sleep together.
Four hours later, Aria sat on her Daddy’s couch, clapping her hands together. “Is that my surprise?”
He chuckled as he held up the package that had finally arrived. It had been on the front porch when they returned from work. “Yep. Looks about the right size.” He shook it, teasing her.
“Daddy… It’s flat. It’s obviously not going to make any noise. It must be a picture or something.” She reached for it, but he pulled it out of her range.
“Maybe I should make you do something to earn it.” He tapped his lips playfully.
“Daddy!”
Finally, laughing, he handed it to her. “Okay, Giggles.”
She tore the strip down one side of the brown package and reached inside to pull out the contents. When she held it up, she furrowed her brow in confusion. “What is it?” It looked like a blank chart of some sort. A large white graph with black lines that created a grid. On closer inspection, she realized it was seven across by five down, so it was a calendar.
“Turn the package over. There’s more inside,” he instructed.
Aria set the large white board down next to her and dumped the package upside down. Several smaller clear bags fell out. They were filled with what looked like buttons.
When she picked them up, she decided they were magnets. “What are they for, Daddy?”
“Well, I considered getting you a sticker chart for the refrigerator, a place where you could add stickers every day for good behavior. But then I found this one. It’s magnets instead. We’ll put the days of the week across the top. Each square is big enough to hold up to four magnets. That’s how many you can earn in a day. At the end of each month, we can count them up and you can get a new toy up to the value of the total.”
She grinned, nearly bouncing on her bottom. “So, if I’m really good, it would be like four times thirty, and I could get a new toy worth a hundred and twenty dollars?”
“Yep, or several smaller toys.”
“What if I’m naughty?”
“Depending on how naughty you are, Daddy might take away some of the earned magnets.” He lifted a brow as he made his point. “But only for that day.”
Aria couldn’t imagine ever being that naughty. “What things can I do to earn them?”
“Making wise decisions like taking a lunch break at work to refuel your brain, or a walking break in the afternoon. Obeying Daddy at home when I tell you to do something. Not complaining when Daddy says it’s bedtime. Keeping your clothes where they belong.” He quirked a brow again, silently reminding her of their first date and how she’d shoved all her clothes in the closet.
“If you take away magnets, will I still get a spanking?” she asked tentatively.
“Definitely.”
She shrugged. “I’ll be good.” She was surprised by how much fun it was to let herself slide into this role she’d never previously acknowledged as a real thing outside of books. In just a few days, she was living between the pages.