Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45314 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45314 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 227(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Tori rushed forward to hug Valerie. “I’m so glad to see you here.”
“Is it okay with Evan?” she couldn’t stop from asking.
“Daddies love Littles. He’s always thought you were the best of all employees. He’s excited that you’ve found your Daddy,” Tori reassured her.
“Thanks!” Valerie peeked up to see her Daddy talking to Evan. When he met her eyes, he winked one beautiful gray eye at her to reassure her everything was okay.
As Tori sat down next to her, chattering to everyone, Valerie breathed out a sigh of relief. Facing her boss openly in her Little headspace had been the last hurdle she’d needed to get through before she could fully relax at Blaze. Now, she allowed herself to get swept up in the fun as everyone enjoyed being together. Soon Grayson rubbed a hand over her shoulder before whispering in her ear that he was going to go to the bar with the other Daddies, asking if she’d be okay.
“I’m having fun,” she assured him. “The bar is that way, right?”
“It is. Have a couple of the Littles walk with you if you get scared and need to sit on Daddy’s lap.”
“Okay. Just not Ellie. She’s supposed to stay here, and Daisy can’t have gum anymore.”
“Interesting. You’re learning a lot,” Grayson observed with a delighted smile.
She watched him walk away to join the other Daddies already standing in the corridor. They seemed as happy to get together as she and the Littles were. Valerie quietly celebrated how well everything worked out.
“You okay?” Daisy asked quietly.
“I am. Thanks for checking on me. I’m just happy to be here,” Valerie assured her.
“We’re glad you’re here, too.”
“So what happened with the gum?” Valerie felt brave enough to ask, looking around the group.
“It’s a long story…”
“You’ve got to tell her. It’s the best,” Tori encouraged.
“So… it’s all Riley’s fault,” Daisy began.
“My fault? No way!” Riley protested.
“So maybe it was my fault.” Daisy looked down and grinned. “But it was so funny! See, Riley brought this new watermelon-flavored gum. It was soft and yummy. I didn’t want to throw mine away before bedtime, so I hid it on the back of the bedpost in Daddy’s room.”
“Like stuck it there?” Valerie pantomimed chewing gum and plucking it from her mouth to push against a pole.
“Yep. Exactly. I didn’t know that Daddy had shenanigans in mind.” She waggled her eyebrows to make sure everyone knew what kind of hanky-panky she meant. “He reached up to brace himself on the bedpost and the gum did the most athletic flip to land in his hair.”
The visual she provided of the wad flipping over and over until it stuck tightly in Tarson’s hair made them all howl with laughter. When they could breathe again, Daisy leaned forward to confess, “I felt bad… later, when nothing would get it out. We tried peanut butter and cocoa butter. It was still stuck. Daddy’s head just smelled like a sunbathing nut.”
That statement made everyone laugh again. When they’d recovered, Valerie asked, “It had to be cut out?”
“Yes. And I’m never allowed to chew gum again.”
“That seems harsh,” Valerie sympathized.
“It’s okay. Daddy’s hair will grow back out, and I’ll challenge him to a bubble gum blowing contest. He won’t be able to resist that. And poof, I can chew gum again.”
“Great idea!” Valerie clapped her hands. “You should keep a supply of bubble gum at work. You know, for the candy bouquets people love to order.”
“Yes!” The two Littles high fived each other as the others swore they’d ask their Daddies to order them one if Daisy would put bubble gum in the decorations.
When Grayson came back to check on her a few minutes later, she waved to him urgently.
“Are you okay, Little girl?”
“I have to potty, Daddy.”
He whisked her to the restroom without another question. She loved having him there to make sure she locked the door and help her wash her hands afterward. On their way back, he swung her hand he held between them.
“Ready to go home yet?”
“No way. I have to find out what I missed.” She peeked up at him and whispered, “They’re all wearing pull-ups so they don’t have to leave all the fun.”
“How about if you wear one next time, too?” he suggested.
“Yes, please, Daddy. You have the best ideas.”
He grinned at her as he glanced over her shoulder and stopped walking. “I have a surprise for you.”
Her eyes went wide. “What surprise?”
He took her shoulders and turned her around.
She gasped when she saw Tatiana and Maniac heading toward them. Tatiana was wearing the cutest red flouncy dress with red ballet slippers and red bows in her hair. She was clutching her Daddy’s arm tightly, almost hiding behind him.
Grayson leaned to whisper in Valerie’s ear. “It’s Tatiana’s first night at Blaze too. When I spoke to Maniac about setting up a play date, we thought it would be fun for the two of you to meet up here. I bet she’d love it if you helped her feel welcome.”